Mine Action

What is mine action?

Mine action includes a series of activities, from marking and surveying minefields to clearing the mines and raising awareness about the dangers of living in mined areas. These activities are all performed together to help rebuild communities after wars.

Photo: John Rodsted

What is marking?

When marking minefields, specially trained people locate and mark the outer boundaries or limits of a mined area. This is done to separate safe areas from unsafe areas so people don't accidentally enter the minefield, and to prepare the area so the deminers know where to start working. Often people think a whole road or field is mined and will not use the land, but once the deminers take a closer look, they can determine if some areas are safe. By blocking off only the unsafe areas, people can have access to some of the land.

What is humanitarian mine clearance?

Humanitarian mine clearance means removing mines in areas used by communities every day. This includes clearing land so people can reach markets, hospitals, collect firewood and water, farm and do many other things without risking stepping on a mine. Humanitarian mine clearance must be very thorough, not leaving any mines behind.

Military mine clearance is different than humanitarian mine clearance. During wars, militaries clear mines so their troops can pass through mines areas. They rarely think about civilians and therefore leave mined areas unmarked and uncleared. Only humanitarian mine clearance focuses directly on the needs of the local population.

Who clears landmines?

Photo: Mary Wareham, HRW

People who clear landmines are called deminers or as some say, sappers. Many deminers are former soldiers that come from mined areas around the world. When wars end and the soldiers are not needed anymore, some of them join mine clearance organizations and are trained in humanitarian mine clearance.

Deminers do very difficult and dangerous work. Even though this work is dangerous, many women and men become deminers because they want to contribute to peace and development in their country. With good training they can clear mines and make their countries safer for their fellow citizens.

How do deminers know where to find landmines?

Many times people do not know where mines are located, or warning signs have not been posted. Sometimes mine tape, crossed sticks, painted rocks and other symbols mark off minefields. Landmine survey teams travel around searching for such markings and talk to the local communities and sometimes even the military to find out where the mines are located. They use maps if they are available, records of where mine explosions occurred, and details about where fighting took place. Too often, minefields were not mapped at all, existing maps were lost, or mines may have shifted in the ground during heavy rains, making it more difficult to find them. The survey teams gather all the information they have collected and provide the information to mine action organizations who deploy their deminers.