Get Informed
An important part of campaigning is learning about landmines and sharing your
knowledge with others. If we don't know about the landmines crisis we can't take
action to end it! Once people know and understand the issue they are more likely
to take action and make a difference!
The Global Landmines Crisis
What is a landmine?
Where were landmines first used?
What parts of the world are most severely
mine-affected?
What are
landmines designed to do?
Landmines are explosive weapons placed on or underneath the ground that
explode when activated by pressure. There are two types of landmines.
Antipersonnel mines are triggered when people or animals come near them, step on
them, or trip over wires connected to them. They can be laid by hand, fired from
tanks or artillery or scattered by aircraft. Antivehicle or antitank mines are
usually laid by hand and are designed to explode when tanks, vehicles or other
heavy objects move over them. From now on we will be learning about
antipersonnel mines. References to 'mines' or 'landmines' are references to
'antipersonnel mines.'
Landmines were first used during the American Civil War in the 1800s. They
were used in World War I and World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, and in
conflicts in every part of the world.
Landmines have been found in 90 different countries in all parts of the
world. Some of the most severely mine-affected areas include Afghanistan,
Angola, Bosnia, Cambodia, Chechnya and Mozambique. Chile, Egypt, Ethiopia,
India, Iraq, Israel, Korea, Laos, Nicaragua, Senegal, Tajikistan and many other
places are also mine-affected.
Mines continue to be used in conflicts around the world, but thanks to the
work of anti-landmine campaigners, fewer countries are now using mines during
conflicts.
Landmines were originally used to injure enemy soldiers, to stop or slow down
advancing armies, and to protect borders and military installations. Advancing
soldiers would lay landmines behind themselves as they moved forward, making it
more difficult for their enemies to pursue them.
For armies, the value of a landmine is that it injures, rather than kills a
soldier. Why would they want to injure and not kill an enemy soldier? If a
landmine kills someone it takes one person off the battlefield, but if someone
is injured then many people are involved in removing and caring for the victim.
Also, it is very demoralizing for soldiers to see their colleagues suffering
from landmines and even being sent home to recover.
More recently, landmines have been used not only in wars fought between
countries, but also in wars fought within a country by opposing groups. In many
places landmines have been aimed at local people. They have been used to target,
harass and demoralize civilian populations in order to win their support or make
sure that they do not give food or other help to an armed group.
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