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The Facts:
- There are numerous types of landmines, but
anti-personnel landmines are the most deadly to civilians. Anti-personnel
mines are small explosives that are buried in the ground and explode
under the weight of a person.
- Related to landmines are unexploded ordinance, such as the
type of cluster bombs that the United States uses. The bright
yellow colour of the cluster bombs attracts children.
- Today, an estimated 60 to 100 million landmines can be found
in over 70 countries around the world.
- The countries with the greatest number of un-cleared landmines
are: Afghanistan, Kosovo, Angola, Bosnia, Iraq, Somalia, Laos,
Sudan, Mozambique, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.
- An estimated 25,000 deaths and injuries are caused every year
by landmines.
- Every year an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 children are killed
or injured by landmines.
- A landmine can cost as little as $3 to buy, and up to $1,000
to clear.
- There are approximately 37 million landmines in Africa alone.
In Angola there are more landmines than people.
- The Landmine Treaty (also known as the Ottawa Treaty) prohibits
all countries that have ratified from manufacturing, trading or
using anti-personnel landmines. The treaty also forces governments
to destroy any stockpiled landmines and to clear the mine-affected
areas in their country.
- 136 countries have signed the Ottawa Treaty. It has not been
signed by the three largest manufactures of landmines: China,
Russia and the United States.
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What Can You Do?
- Simply visiting Clear
Landmines will make a donation towards the clearing
of landmines.
- Sign the International Campaign to Ban
Landmines’ People’s Treaty. Also available
is the International Campaign to Ban Landmines’
Youth Against War Treaty.
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