seeds of terrorseeds of hope · canada.dept.of foreign affairs and international trade seeds of...

Seeds of TerrorSeeds of Hope

1998-1999 Report on the

Canadian Landmine Fund

Canadian Landmine FundAnnual Report 1998-1999Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data

Canada. Dept. of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Seeds of Terror/Seeds of Hope: 1998-1999 Report on the Canadian Landmine Fund

Text in English and French on inverted pages.Title on added t.p.: Après la terreur, l’espoir.

ISBN 0-662-64546-4Cat. no. E2-193/19991. Land mines.2. Land mines -- Government policy -- Canada.I. Title: Après la terreur, l’espoir.

JZ5645.S44 1999 355.8'25'115 C99-980413-8E

©1999 Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Executive summary and messages from ministers 1

IntroductionSeeds of terror 2Seeds of hope 4

Banning the use, production, export and stockpiling of AP mines 9

Reducing mine casualties 13

Clearing priority land 14The Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technologies 20

Assisting victims and their communities 23

Creating mine awareness 27

Improving mine action information 29

Sustaining the Canadian effort 31

1998-99 Spending summaries Departmental expenditure by program 34Investments in banning landmines 34Investments by thematic area of mine action 35Mine action spending by country/region 36

Seeds of HopeSeeds of Terror

1998-1999 Report on the

Canadian Landmine Fund

he Canadian Forces’ experience with landmines has shown that appropriate technol-ogy and techniques are vital for safe and efficient demining projects.The establish-

ment of the Centre for Mine Action Technologies in Suffield,Alberta is an important stepthat will contribute to the elimination of the menace posed by anti-personnel mines andsave the lives and limbs of deminers and mine-affected populations.The Canadian Forcesalso provide valuable technical expertise to a number of demining and stockpile destruc-tion projects through the Canadian Landmine Fund.

Art Eggleton Minister of National Defence

or a vast number of countries where the Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA) is involved, the presence of landmines is a serious obstacle to sustainable

development.These weapons, which cannot tell the difference between a soldier or a child, create

psychological, social and economic devastation in countless communities.The presence of landmines affects all elements of development and peace-building .

Refugees and internally displaced people often cannot return safely to their homesbecause of land contaminated by mines.Timely delivery of critical humanitarian aid maybe jeopardized, the resumption of positive economic activities is stalled and the healthand well being of populations, particularly women and children, are threatened even fur-ther.

In supporting humanitarian mine clearance operations, mine awareness education,victim assistance and socio-economic rehabilitation, CIDA helps to create an environ-ment conducive to development and the reduction of poverty.This report provides a

summary of the many initiatives CIDA has supported in the first year of the Canadian LandmineFund. It also shows the impressive results that can be achieved when CIDA, other governmentdepartments and partner organizations coordinate their efforts to combat these deadlyweapons.

Maria MinnaMinister of International Cooperation

ndustry Canada has had the honour of participating in the Canadian Landmine Fundin its inaugural year 1998-99. It has worked in cooperation with the Department of

National Defence in the establishment of the Canadian Centre for Mine ActionTechnologies and has provided support to the private sector to commercialize existingtechnologies and equipment and refocus current applications which will be useful ineliminating anti-personnel landmines and assisting victims.

Through the Technology Partnerships Canada Program, Industry Canada is examin-ing proposals for funding technologies to help eliminate the terrible impact of anti-per-sonnel landmines. Current projects that are nearing the funding stage include a bushcutter that would facilitate mine clearance and a special mine prodding device thatwould assist in identifying an object in the ground as a mine or other material.

The global elimination of anti-personnel landmines is a major challenge as weenter the 21st century. I strongly believe that Industry Canada is making an importantcontribution to addressing this need by working with the private sector to develop

equipment and technologies which will lead both to the elimination of anti-personnel land-mines and to provision of effective assistance to landmine victims.

John ManleyMinister of Industry

Annual Report 1998-1999

f

i

t


1

The Anti-

Personnel Mine

Ban Convention

brought the first

ray of hope to

millions around

the world that we

would one day

rid ourselves of

these inhumane

weapons.

wo years ago, I had the honour of hosting representatives of 121 nations who came to

Canada to join us in signing an historic treaty banning the use, production and export of

anti-personnel landmines. It was, I believe, a proud moment for our nation, the crowning

achievement of a long and challenging diplomatic effort by Canada and its partners.

The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention brought the first ray of hope to millions

around the world that we would one day rid ourselves of these inhumane weapons.

Recognizing that a treaty alone would not clear contaminated land or ease the plight of

victims, our nation backed its signature with a financial commitment to support the painstak-

ing work needed to end this global epidemic. On December 3, 1997, Prime Minister Jean

Chrétien announced the creation of a five-year, $100 million Canadian Landmine Fund.

This 1998-99 annual report documents the combined efforts of four government depart-

ments during the first year of the Canadian Landmine Fund. It reports on our first steps toward

an integrated mine action agenda and portrays the range of programming undertaken to meet

our goals of clearing land, ending casualties and assisting victims.

In addition to the field projects supported by the Canadian Landmine Fund, Canada has

maintained diplomatic leadership on this issue.We have been at the forefront of efforts to

increase support for the Convention, and to ensure that action on landmines remains a priority.

The leadership shown by Canada and our partners has resulted in dramatic growth of support

for this convention, which has now been signed or acceded to by 136 countries and ratified

by 89.

This year also saw the establishment of the Canadian Landmine Foundation, a private

sector organization committed to raising money for international mine action. It will ensure

that Canadians have an opportunity to participate in a meaningful way on this important issue.

Our efforts in the first year of the Canadian Landmine Fund have established a solid base

for sustained action to fulfill the terms of the Convention. I look forward to reporting contin-

ued progress on this issue in coming years, so that people everywhere may walk the earth

safely and with hope for the future.

Lloyd Axworthy

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Toward a landscape of hope

Executive summary

t

AP mines are weapons placed in or on theground, which wound or kill when activatedby the pressure of a footstep.These hidden,indiscriminate weapons cannot tell the dif-ference between the tread of a soldier or achild.They continue to kill and maim longafter wars are over.

According to the International Campaignto Ban Landmines (ICBL), more than 350 dif-ferent kinds of anti-personnel mines havebeen produced by more than 50 countries.Used by military forces throughout theworld, the low cost and easy deployment oflandmines have made them a weapon ofchoice in the world's poorest countries. Incountries such as Angola, Mozambique,Afghanistan, Cambodia and Bosnia, landminesare a terror ordinary people live with everyday.

The widespread use of anti-personnelmines has created a humanitarian crisis ofglobal proportions.While current assess-ments place the number of mines deployedthroughout the world at somewherebetween 60 and 70 million, this remains arough estimate since few accurate records

n regions touched by conflict the

world over, there are those who

live in fear of the very ground they

walk on.They must gather firewood,

farm, play or simply visit neighbours

knowing that their next step might

be their last.These people endure one

of the cruelest legacies of modern

warfare:anti-personnel (AP)

landmines.

iN

ic Dunlop/ D

FAIT2

Introduction

Seeds of Terror


3

are kept when mines are being used. InAfghanistan for example, millions of AP mineswere scattered indiscriminately out of thebacks of airplanes and trucks.While there isno precise estimate of the total number of APmines in Afghanistan, the pollution is knownto have affected more than 850 square kilome-tres of land, including 223 square kilometresof agricultural land.

While it costs between US$3 and US$30 topurchase an AP mine, it costs between US$300and US$1000 to remove one. Numbers of land-mines alone do not do justice to the issue;recent efforts to address the contaminationfocus instead on the extent of priority landaffected to give a truer measure of the humanand environmental impact of these weapons.It is generally agreed, however, that the overallcost of undoing global landmine contamina-tion will be in the billions of dollars.

When we look at the broader effects oflandmines, the long term cost of their use iseven more devastating.The InternationalCommittee of the RedCross (ICRC) estimatesthat, globally, landminestake some 2000 victims amonth with 800 killed and1200 injured. Since 1975,there have been morethan one million casual-ties-- most of them civil-ians, many of them chil-dren.Where they do notkill immediately, landminesseverely maim their vic-tims, causing trauma, life-long pain and often socialstigma.World wide thereare some 250,000 land-mine amputees. Survivorsface terrible physical, psy-chological and socio-eco-

nomic diffi-culties. Inmanyalready eco-nomicallyfragile coun-tries, the costof providing longterm support andrehabilitation is an unaf-fordable burden.

Beyond the direct costs of mine clearanceand victim assistance are wider economic andsocial costs. Poor, rural, post-conflict societiesare quickly overwhelmed by the challenges ofrepairing infrastructure and replacing lost agri-cultural production. Landmines also disruptcommerce and trade, producing shortages andinflation and preventing economic stabiliza-tion in post-conflict societies. In short, land-mines perpetuate poverty and are a majorobstacle to sustainable development.

This child’s scars are thegrim legacy of landmines.

Nic D

unlop/ DFA

IT

Since 1975, there

have been more

than one million

casualties – the

majority civilians;

many of them

children.

Annual Report 1998-1999John R

odsted


Seeds of HopeThe Ottawa Process and the internationalmovement to ban landmines

evulsion at the appalling human effects of landmines was the driving

force behind the launching of the Ottawa Process--an unprecedented,

fast-track diplomatic initiative that, in only 14 months, negotiated the

Convention on the Prohibition of the Use,Stockpiling,Production and Transfer

of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (the Ottawa Convention).The

Ottawa Process brought together like-minded governments, pro-ban non-

governmental organizations (NGOs) and international organizations (IOs)

into an effective “coalition of the willing”to push for the ban convention.Their

efforts came to fruition in December 1997 when the world witnessed 122

states signing the ban convention at the Ottawa ceremony.

r

The Canadian commitmentIn addition to its diplomatic leadership in pur-suing the ban, Canada took early steps tomeet its own commitments. Just a monthbefore the treaty signing ceremony, Canada

demonstrated its support for the principles ofthe Convention by completing the destruc-tion of almost all of its anti-personnel land-mine stocks. As provided for by the treaty,Canada has retained a small number of AP

mines solely for mine aware-ness and demining trainingpurposes.

Canada was the first coun-try to ratify the AP Mine BanConvention, depositing itsinstruments of ratificationwith the Secretary General ofthe United Nations on the daythe Convention was openedfor signature. As part of theratification process, Canadahas passed domestic legisla-tion which makes it illegal forany Canadian to produce, use,transfer or possess AP mines.

Canada backed its com-mitment to the goals of theOttawa Convention financial-ly in December 1997 whenPrime Minister Jean Chrétienannounced the establishment

Foreign AffairsMinister Lloyd

Axworthy and ICBLAmbassador Jody

Williams in Oslo forfinal negotiations

on the banconvention text.

Knut Falch/DFA

IT

4

of a five-year, $100 million fund to continuework on universalizing the ban and achievingits objectives.

The fund is governed by an innovative col-laboration among four government depart-ments: the Department of Foreign Affairs andInternational Trade (DFAIT); the CanadianInternational Development Agency (CIDA);Industry Canada (IC) and the Department ofNational Defence (DND).To coordinate thiseffort, and to signal the priority it places onthese efforts, Canada appointed anAmbassador for Mine Action, Jill Sinclair.Canada was the first government in the worldto establish a dedicated Mine Action Team.Today there are counterpart teams in France,Norway,Australia,Thailand and the UnitedStates.

Among the departments, DFAIT takes thelead on initiatives involving convention uni-versalization and ratification as well as oninternational coordination, setting global prior-ities and monitoring. DFAIT also works withDND to support landmine stockpile destruc-tion.

CIDA leads in the areas of mine clearance,mine awareness and victim assistance, drawingon its experience in developing and fundingprograms in Afghanistan,Angola, Bosnia andHerzegovina, Cambodia, Central America andLaos. Since 1993 CIDA has provided morethan $12 million in mine action assistance tothese countries and regions. Ithas also supported related initia-tives of the InternationalCommittee of the Red Cross(ICRC), UN agencies and selectNGOs.

DND and Industry Canadahave worked jointly to establishthe Canadian Centre for MineAction Technologies (CCMAT).The Centre has a mandate todevelop low cost, sustainabletechnology for humanitariandemining and to evaluate tech-nologies developed through on-site research as well as thosedeveloped by Canadian industry.This is done using the facilitiesavailable through the Centre’sassociation with DefenceResearch Establishment Suffield(DRES). Industry Canada has the

5

Countries that agreeto be bound by theConvention on theProhibition of theUse, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction committhemselves to:

• banning the use, production, transfer and stockpil-ing of anti-personnel mines

• destroying existing stockpiles• clearing minefields within 10 years• providing assistance for the care and rehabilitation

of mine victims• cooperating with a compliance regime

Committing tothe convention

DFA

IT

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Foreign Affairs MinisterLloyd Axworthy, and Jody Williams of the ICBL withmembers of Mines Action Canada as thelast of Canada’s operational APmines are destroyed onNovember 3, 1997.



6

lead in commercializing and marketing thosetechnologies which show the most promise.A total of $17 million over five years has beenearmarked for the establishment and opera-tion of CCMAT.

DND also contributes to mine action byproviding technical advisors to Mine ActionCentres (MACs) in affected regions.

In the first year of the $100 millionLandmine Fund, Canada made multi-year com-mitments to projects in many of the world’sregions most seriously affected by mines,including a $10 million program in Bosnia,

$10.46 million for mine action in Mozambiqueand $4.5 million for mine action in CentralAmerica.

Measuring progress toward amine-free futureIn the costly and painstaking fight againstlandmines, victory comes one small step at atime. A “safe lane” to a water source may savelives and limbs in a remote village inMozambique. A mine awareness program mayavert dozens of accidents in Bosnia. A new

Ottawa: Canadian Foreign AffairsMinister Lloyd Axworthy challengesthe international community tonegotiate and sign a treaty banninganti-personnel landmines byDecember 1997.

Geneva: Canada callsupon other nations towork together on atotal ban on anti-personnel mines.

The InternationalCampaign to BanLandmines isfounded.

1992 1995-96 May 1996 October 1996

Geneva: Internationalnegotiations over the 1980 UN Convention on CertainConventional Weapons fail to produce progress in curbing landmines.

Projected five-yeardepartmental allocations withinthe Canadian Landmine Fund

The road to Ottawa

Management Board:Ministers of Foreign Affairs, CIDA, Defence and Industry

Stockpile destruction

program ($7.5 million) 2

Canadian Centre for Mine Action

Technologies($17 million) 3

Industry CanadaCommercialization/

marketing of technology($3.9 million)

CIDAMine clearance

Mine awarenessVictim assistance

($50 million)

DNDTechnology R&D

Stockpile destruction($13.6 million)

1 All dollar figures shownare five year totals.

2 $7 million from DFAIT; $.5 million from DND.

3.$13 million from DND; $4 million from Industry Canada.

The Canadian Landmine Fund $100 million 1

DFAITCoordination, global priority

setting, universalization, monitoring, stockpile destruction

($32.5 million)


limb may allow a survivor in Laos to earn anincome.The incremental nature of our fightagainst landmines underscores the impor-tance of developing the means to measure ourprogress in mine action at all levels from thelocal to the global. Measuring success will becritical to our efforts to learn from past activi-ties and to improve the efficiency and effec-tiveness of our mine action programs.

Canada has developed its own “measuresof progress in mine action” which recognizethe integrated and mutually reinforcing natureof various aspects of the fight against land-mines.

These measures of progress in mine actioninclude:• Banning the production, stockpiling, trade

and use of anti-personnel mines;

• Reducing mine casualties;

• Clearing mined land;

• Providing assistance to mine victims andtheir communities;

• Developing mine awareness; and

• Improving mine action information andplanning.

7

The Conventionenters into force.

Ottawa: 122 countries signthe Convention.

Oslo: Conventiontext is negotiatedover the course ofthree weeks.

Brussels: 97 countries sign theBrussels Declarationannouncing their support for aconvention to ban landminesno later than December 1997.

Vienna: 111 states takepart in first formaldiscussions of a draft APmine ban convention.

February 1997 June 1997 September 1997 December 1997 March 1, 1999

John Rodsted

Co-recipient of the 1997Nobel Peace Prize, TunChannereth, distributespro-ban literature. Thetireless efforts of ICBLactivists such asChannereth were criticalto the momentum ofthe ban movement.

Delivering on hopeThe challenges of meeting the goals of theOttawa Convention are formidable: its aimsare nothing short of the eradication of theseweapons and the rebuilding of lives and com-munities shattered by their use.Yet the APMine Ban Convention, and the cooperativeaction of all its signatories, represent the besthope yet of dealing comprehensively withthis crisis and delivering a new measure ofsecurity to the lives of millions.

The benchmarks described above are

essential to achieving the goals set out in theAP Mine Ban Convention and serve as theframework for this report.The range ofCanadian programming in the first year of theLandmine Fund is reported in relation to howeach initiative contributes to the realizationof these objectives. As Canada’s efforts areintrinsically linked to the coordinated globalstruggle against landmines, each sectionbegins with a perspective on global progressby these measures and situates Canada’s con-tributions in the international context.

8


Working the fields in Battambangprovince, Cambodia. This land, recentlyreclaimed, lies near an existing minefield.

Nic D

unlop/DFA

IT


The impact of the Convention extendsbeyond its signatory list. A powerful, moralnorm against the use of landmines has beenestablished and is now an influence on thebehaviour of all countries, even non-signato-ries.

The once-flourishing legal trade in mineshas all but vanished – almost all traditionalexporters have ceased these activities. Since

World War II, more than 50 countries haveproduced AP mines.Today, fewer than one-third of these countries continue to producemines and only a handful of states have yet toannounce a halt to the export of mines theyproduce.

Efforts in stockpile destruction have alsobeen significant. A number of states, includingCanada, Germany, Ireland, Norway and

Banning the use, production, exportand stockpiling of AP mines

he speed with which the Ottawa Convention has gained support has

been remarkable.From the time it was signed by 122 nations in

December 1997, it took only nine months to reach the required 40 ratifica-

tions to start the countdown to treaty entry-into-force. It subsequently passed

into international law on March 1, 1999, making it the most rapidly ratified

multilateral disarmament treaty in history.By the end of March 1999, the

Ottawa Convention had been signed or acceded to by 135 countries and

ratified by 71, including some of the world’s most heavily mined states.

More than two-thirds of the world's nations have now made the decision

to ban this weapon.

t

9

UN Secretary GeneralKofi Annan, PrimeMinister Jean Chrétienand Foreign AffairsMinister Lloyd Axworthyat the signing of theConvention.

Ottaw

a Citizen

Switzerland have already completelydestroyed their mines. Others, such as theCzech Republic, Denmark, France,Mozambique, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and theUnited Kingdom are actively involved in stock-pile destruction programs. Even non-signatorystates like Russia and the United States havebegun to destroy mines.

Canada has been active in promotingtreaty universalization and adherence, and hascontributed through a number of innovativeand collaborative programs.

Working in partnershipMuch of the success in extending the treaty’sreach can be attributed to the tremendouswork done by the International Committee ofthe Red Cross (ICRC) and non-governmentalorganizations (NGOs) led by the InternationalCampaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).Theunique partnership between these organiza-

tions and a community of like-mindedgovernments was the cornerstone of theOttawa Process and remains integral toongoing work to implement theConvention.

In recognition of the NGOs’ effec-tive work, DFAIT established the MineAction Partnership Program (MAPP) asa means to contribute to the corefunding of key domestic and interna-tional NGOs. A total of $761,000 wasdisbursed through this program in fis-cal year 1998-99 to support three keyNGOs.

Mines Action Canada (MAC) wasallocated $300,000 to help its univer-salization, ratification and implemen-tation activities and to assist itswork with pro-ban civil societyorganizations in Latin America,Africa and Eastern Europe.Thisfunding also supported MAC’s col-laboration with DFAIT in thedevelopment of a multi-media/multi-sectoral mine actionoutreach program in Canada.Partnership funding also assistedMAC to cultivate private sectorand civil society support formine action programs.

The International Campaignto Ban Landmines (ICBL) received $400,000 tocontinue work in support of rapid ratificationand universalization in regions such as theMiddle East, South East Asia and former Sovietrepublics where ban support is nascent.Thefunding will also assist the ICBL in advocacyand mine action policy development. Finally,funding for the ICBL will help it cultivate thecapacities of pro-ban civil society organiza-tions in developing countries so they are ableto communicate effectively and efficientlywith ban movement members.

The International Physicians for thePrevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) was allo-cated $61,000 to build its capacity to push forthe ratification, universalization and imple-mentation of the Ottawa Convention. In par-ticular, this funding assisted the IPPNW inhelping build the capacities of civil societyorganizations in the former Soviet Union sothey may participate fully in the ban move-ment and push governments in the region tosign, ratify and implement the Convention.

10

Since the

beginning of the

Ottawa Process

in 1996, 20

countries have

destroyed over

14 million

stockpiled mines.

These weapons

will never take

a life or limb.

The firstLandmine Monitor

Report, launchedat the First

Meeting of StatesParties to the Mine

Ban Convention inMay 1999.

cover photo Nic D

unlop, courtesy Hum

an Rights W

atch



Regional

seminars and

conferences

have been a

catalyst in the

steady increase

in ratifications.

Encouraging universalizationIn some instances, small targeted initiativescan make the difference in dispelling reserva-tions about adopting the ban or in persuadingwilling states that they can comply with theirtreaty obligations.To support national, regionaland global initiatives that strengthen the politi-cal will for the Ottawa Convention, DFAITlaunched a five-year, Mine Ban InitiativesProgram (MBIP)--a flexible mechanismdesigned to fund small, regional mine actionprojects which may encourage signatories andratifications. In 1998-99, the MBIP disbursedjust over $1.8 million, much of it in support ofinternational conferences and workshops thatpromoted the Convention and worked tobuild capacity for compliance.

The MBIP supported conferences inJordan,Thailand, Burkina Faso, Lebanon,Mexico and Russia. Each of these conferences

produced positive results for the OttawaConvention. In Amman, Jordan announced itssignature to the Ottawa Convention. Shortlyafter the Burkina Faso conference, this coun-try became the 40th signatory to ratify theOttawa Convention which set the date for itsformal entry-into-force on March 1, 1999. Atthe Moscow conference, the Russian govern-ment announced a further three-year moratori-um on the export of landmines and a halt tothe production of blast AP mines.

The MBIP has supported the establishmentof new ICBL offices in Ukraine and Georgiaand bolstered ICBL campaigns in Nepal andYugoslavia.The program has also allowedCanada to fund a range of small-scale mineaction programs which assist states in meetingtreaty obligations.These include a number ofland clearance and victim assistance projectswhich are reported on more fully below.

Jody Williams, George Alleyne, Director General of the Pan American Health Organization,and Minister Lloyd Axworthy at a Canada-Mexico co-sponsored regional seminar on anti-personnel mines in January 1999.

11

CID

A


Ensuring treaty complianceEffective implementation and full compliancewith the Convention are essential to maintain-ing its moral force, credibility and visibility.This is why DFAIT initiated the MineMonitoring Program (MMP) to build civil soci-ety capacity to monitor the implementation ofthe Ottawa Convention.

This year DFAIT disbursed $450,000 tosupport Landmine Monitor, a civil society-based monitoring system coordinated by theICBL. Landmine Monitor's research capacityincludes over 70 researchers from all over theglobe. DFAIT funding contributed to thepreparation of the first Landmine MonitorReport, released at the First Meeting of StatesParties in Maputo, Mozambique in May 1999.

Reducing stockpilesClearing a single mine in the ground costs upto US$1000 and can be a deadly job.Destroying a stockpiled mine can cost as littleas US$3 and is both faster and safer. But not allstates have the technical or financial capacityto destroy landmine stockpiles safely andeffectively. Difficulty in destroying stockpiles

can prevent countries from signing and ratify-ing the Ottawa Convention because it has afour-year deadline for complete stockpiledestruction.The Stockpile DestructionProgram, managed jointly by DFAIT and DND,facilitates adherence to the Convention byproviding states with the financial and techni-cal assistance needed to destroy their stocks.

In 1998-99, $172,000 was dedicated to theStockpile Destruction Program. A key diplo-matic breakthrough this year was the signingof a memorandum of understanding betweenCanada and the Ukraine. As a direct result,Ukraine signed the Convention just before itentered into force on March 1. Ukraine is bur-dened by an economic crisis and the legacy ofa Soviet-era stockpile of 10 million mines,including some of the world’s most toxic.Thismakes international assistance vital if Ukraineis to meet its treaty commitments. Under thememorandum Canada committed to providetechnical and financial assistance for stockpiledestruction. In cooperation with an interna-tional consortium of donors, Canada will helpthe Ukraine purchase an incineration facilityto dispose of the stockpiles.

12

Jean-Marc C

arisse/PMO

Former Minister ofInternational TradeSergio Marchi andUkrainian Foreign

Minister BorysTarasiuk at the

signing of a series ofagreements between

the two countries,including a

memorandum ofunderstanding on

stockpile destruction.

But where credible data does exist, there isroom for guarded optimism.The incident ratesin several regions severely affected by land-mines appear to be decreasing. Casualty ratesin both Afghanistan and Cambodia fell byalmost half between 1993 and 1998. In Bosnia,the International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC) recorded a huge drop in the casualtyrates, from 56 victims per month in 1995 to5.5 per month at end of 1998. In Mozambiqueover the same period, the monthly incidentrate dropped from approximately55 to fewer than 7.

More study is needed beforefirm conclusions may be drawnabout the causes for these improve-ments. Ultimately, casualties dimin-ish as the threat of landmines isremoved and, in the short term, aspeople become more aware of thedangers and find safe alternativeroutes. Canada contributes to reduc-ing casualties through its efforts inbanning the use, production andtrade of landmines, aiding in landclearance and stockpile destructionand supporting mine awarenesstraining programs.

Reducing mine casualties

educing – and ultimately eliminating – landmine

casualties is one of the primary aims of the global

effort to ban and remove these weapons.However

measuring progress against this benchmark remains a

tremendous challenge because of the difficulty gathering

reliable data on victims.Many of those who encounter

landmines never make it to hospitals or field clinics, they

die on impact.Their families may or may not report the

incidents to authorities.Even when survivors do find their

way to medical help, there is no guarantee that their

injuries will be recorded in a systematic registry of data on

landmine incidents.

r


With sustained effortsto ban the use of APmines, clear land andtrain affectedpopulations torecognise and avoidthese weapons, thereis hope for an end tosuch tragic injuries.

13

DFA

IT

John Rodsted


Mine clearance has undergone a revolution inboth theory and practice over the past fewyears.There has been a shift from a numbers-based model of mine clearance to a morecommunity-oriented, impact-based model.Success in older mine clearance programs wasoften measured by the number of minesdetected and destroyed rather than by theamount of productive land cleared or relatedreductions in the social and economic impactof mines on communities.

Newer approaches use community consul-tation and impact surveys to locate both highrisk and high priority areas, such as roads,fields and sources of water and wood thatmust be cleared first. In some instances “areareduction” techniques, such as using speciallytrained mine detection dogs, have dramaticallyincreased the speed with which significantamounts of land can be returned to produc-tive use.

Clearing priority land

learing mined land and returning it to safe and productive use is

fundamental.The 10-year time frame written into the Convention is

ambitious and sets a target which will require mass mobilization of resources,

ingenuity and political will.One of the first challenges is the establishment of

credible baseline data on existing mine contamination and setting priorities

for clearance on the basis of greatest humanitarian need.

c

Success in

demining must

be measured in

terms of land

returned to

productive use.

14

John Rosted

Nic D

unlop/DFA

IT

Unfortunately, a lack of comparable datamakes it difficult to provide a detailed portraitof global progress in demining. But availablefigures leave room for optimism:• In Afghanistan, approximately 64% of mined

residential areas and irrigation systems and33% of all mined roads were clearedbetween 1993 and 1998. Approximately93% of cleared land is under productive use.

• In Cambodia, 23% of suspect land has beencleared or declared mine-free.

• In Croatia, 50% of all mined roads, infrastruc-ture and inhabited areas have been clearedin spite of the fact that only 5% of suspectareas have been demined.

• In Mozambique, approximately 7400 kilome-tres of road have been made safe for produc-tive use after being cleared of mines.

• In Nicaragua, almost 40% of suspected mineswere removed in only four years of intensiveoperations.

Canada’s contributions to land clearanceare extensive and encompass the entire rangeof activities necessary to create the right pre-

conditions for demining: building local capaci-ty; supporting survey and mapping work; pro-viding protective gear and technical advice;providing mine detection dogs and otherdetective equipment; and engaging in researchon, and testing and marketing of, new tech-nologies for humanitarian mine clearance.

Bosnia and HerzegovinaPart of the legacy of the disintegration ofYugoslavia is severe landmine infestation inBosnia and Herzegovina.There are an estimat-ed 30,000 minefields and a total of approxi-mately 750,000 to 1 million mines in theground according to the Bosnia-HerzegovinaMine Action Centre (BHMAC).To respond tothis humanitarian crisis, Canada has earmarked$10 million in assistance over a five-year peri-od.

Bosnia has a significant indigenous capaci-ty for mine action. Approximately 650 civiliandeminers are trained in humanitarian mineclearance. In addition, the armies of the for-mer warring factions (entity armed forces)have approximately 500 deminers in their

15


Carol H

art/CID

A

Canadian support ishelping to build localcapacity in deminingprime land such asthis in Bosnia.

Simply by

co-financing

insurance costs,

Canada and

Norway effectively

doubled the

number of

deminers deployed

in Bosnia and

Herzegovina.


ranks, and have signed a memorandum ofunderstanding with the BHMAC to undertakehumanitarian mine clearance operations toUN standards in areas designated as priorityland by BHMAC.

The presence of numerous internationalcivilian and military organizations, includingthe UN Stabilisation Force (SFOR), the ICRC,various UN agencies, the Office of the HighRepresentative, key international mine actionNGOs and the World Bank, offers further sup-port for mine action.

Canada’s program for the fiscal year 1998-99 focussed on two key elements:institution building and humanitarian mineclearance.Though it is impossible to estimatethe amount of land that will be cleared as aresult of this program, Canada is increasingthe number of deminers by 450 through co-financing (with Norway) of the SFOR-EntityArmed Forces (EAF) insurance scheme and issupporting many mine clearance teamsthrough NGOs. A victim assistance compo-nent will become an integral part of the pro-gram later in 1999.

In addition to a $500,000 contribution tobuild capacity in the indigenous civilian andmilitary Mine Action Centres, Canada providedthe following support to demining operationsin the region:• $800,000 for the SFOR-EAF demining pro-

gram.These funds went towards the pur-chase of brush-cutting equipment and insur-ance for deminers. Canadian-Norwegian co-financing of this insurance doubled thenumber of deminers involved in clearingland. (Implementing agency: UNDP)

• $450,000 in support of the demining opera-tions of the Bosnian NGO Akcija Protiv Mina(Implementing agency: HandicapInternational)

• $460,000 for demining operations in theSarajevo Canton. Areas returned to civilianuse this year included the SarajevoCemetery. (Implementing agency:Norwegian People's Aid)

• $110,000 to train and deploy mine detectiondogs. (Implementing agency: CanadianInternational Demining Centre)

• $150,000 to provide five Canadian Forcestechnical advisors to BHMAC.

In November 1998, Canada also announceda commitment of $1 million to the SlovenianTrust Fund for Demining and Victim Assistancein the region.This contribution will be madein the fiscal year 1999/2000.

CambodiaCambodia easily ranks as one of the mostmine-infested states in the world, with an esti-mated 4 to 6 million landmines left in thewake of 30 years of international and civilconflict. Cambodia is now an extremely poorcountry and reliant on international aid as ittries to stabilize its economy and deal withthe legacy of conflict.To respond to the land-mine problem in Cambodia, DND, CIDA, andDFAIT officials sent a mission to Cambodia inMay 1998 and have developed a multi-yearmine action program based on its findings.

The broad objectives of this funding pro-gram are to pro-vide humanitariandemining assis-tance; increaseaccess to clearedland; strengthenCambodia's grow-ing indigenouscapacity for mineaction; and help re-educate victims oflandmine acci-dents. In 1998-99this program allo-cated $100,000 toprovide manage-ment training formanagers and sen-

16

Handicapinternational and

Akcija Protiv Minademiners inspect

AP mine typical ofthose which litter

post-conflict Bosnia.

Carol H

art/CID

A

ior officials of the Cambodian Mine ActionCentre (CMAC).This training was provided byDND in Cambodia and Canada.

Canada also supports CMAC through theprovision of technical advisors. A total of$500,000 went through the auspices of theUnited Nations Development Program (UNDP)Trust Fund to cover the cost of posting sevenCanadian Forces personnel in Cambodia in anadvisory capacity.These seven advisors willremain in Cambodia through 1999/2000.Thelevel of support is expected to drop to five CFpersonnel in 2000/2002.

MozambiqueMore than 30 years of civil war have left anestimated 250,000 to 500,000 anti-personnelmines in Mozambican soil.With the end ofconflict in 1992, mine clearance became a pri-ority. However, Mozambique's limited financialresources were over-burdened by the need toprovide substantial victim assistance and bythe paucity of arable land available for agricul-ture.The dire situation of Mozambique made ita priority for funding assistance from theCanadian Landmine Fund.

A study by the UN determined that one ofthe main reasons for Mozambique's slow

DFA

IT


17

David H

orton/CID

C

Mozambican traineesattend session inpreparation for carryingout a level one survey.This project,implemented by theCanadian InternationalDemining Centre, willprovide essentialinformation for landclearance while buildingindigenous mine actioncapacity.

Canadian Forcestechnical advisors to theCambodia Mine ActionCentre receiving UNSpecial Services award.

18

progress in demining was the lack of a soundlevel one national survey to help it set priori-ties for national mine action.To address thisneed, CIDA is funding a five-year, $10.46 mil-lion Integrated Country Program inMozambique which will provide a nationallevel one survey, survey equipment and geo-spatial mapping. An assessment mission com-pleted in September 1998 confirmed the needfor a program encompassing a full range oftraining and institutional and technical sup-port, as well as the core survey and mappingwork.

In fiscal year 1998-99, CIDA allocated$425,000 for the Mozambique mine actionprogram.The Sydney, Nova Scotia-basedCanadian International Demining Centre(CIDC) was contracted to carry out the levelone survey and deployment began in March,1998.

Canada is also provid-ing technical assistance tothe United NationsDevelopment Program'sAccelerated DeminingProgram (UNDP/ADP).Three DND technical advi-sors are helping to buildlocal capacity through sur-vey and database trainingof indigenous staff. A totalof $275,000 was disbursedto the UNDP/ADP to pur-chase equipment.Thetraining component ofCanada's contribution isparticularly critical toensuring long-term sustain-ability of the mine actionprogram.

Peru-EcuadorA commitment to mineclearance along a disputedborder between Peru and

Ecuador is one of the cornerstones of a seriesof peace agreements signed between the for-mer adversaries in October 1998. Canada andthe Organization of American States (OAS) areeager to assist these efforts to permit demarca-tion of agreed-upon boundaries as a way ofencouraging stability in the region.

Peru and Ecuador each received $50,000to support Phase 1 of a demining plan fortheir shared border.This money was used topurchase demining protective gear producedin Canada by Med-Eng Systems. Canada contin-ues to work through the OAS to support theimplementation of a Phase II plan for bordermine clearance, and in the spring of 1999,contributed $300,000 in seed money to anewly-created OAS trust fund dedicated toraising funds within this hemisphere to clearmines along the Peru-Ecuador border.


Med-Eng protectivedemining gear atwork in Peru. Similarsuits were purchasedby Canada for use inYemen and Jordan.

OA

S


NicaraguaIn the wake of Hurricane Mitch last November,Nicaragua saw years of painstaking work inclearing landmines washed away as floodingand mudslides displaced previously located andmarked minefields.

Canada contributed $100,000 to enable theOAS to conduct the first assessment of Mitch’simpact on landmine clearance work.This fund-ing also contributed to replacing essential sur-veying and demining equipment lost during thedisaster.

To address the broader demining needsalong the Nicaragua-Honduras border, Canadaannounced a two-year contribution of $1 mil-lion. Norway is also contributing $1 million tothe project, which is being managed by theOAS. Canadian funding for this work is beingreleased over two years from 1999 to 2001.

JordanIn response to Jordan's decision to sign theOttawa Convention, Israel, Jordan, Canada andNorway agreed to implement a four-party mineaction assistance program. Canada participatedin a joint exploratory mission in July 1998 andprovided $285,000 in equipment and trainingfor the project.

YemenTo assist in Yemen's demining efforts, CIDAreleased $1.5 million to the UN Mine ActionService (UNMAS).This funding enabled UNMASto carry out a national level one survey.Theresults of this survey are helping Yemen setnational priorities for land clearance. DFAIT’sMine Ban Initiatives Program (MBIP) also provid-ed Yemen with $107,000 to procure deminingprotective gear.The Canadian NGOADRA/Canada is the agency purchasing theequipment.

ChadIn Chad, our contribution of $100,000 to thenewly-established Mine Action Centre provideddatabase equipment and the staff to operate it.This will permit Chad to conduct a nationallevel one survey of its mine problem, developmaps and set priorities for mine clearance.

CroatiaCanada’s contribution of $100,000 to theCroatian Mine Action Centre will assist in theimportant task of quality control, ensuring thatcleared land meets the UN humanitarian demi-ning standard of 99.6%. Specially trained dogsare used in mine detection in Croatia, andCanada’s support will be used to maintain dogsand handlers.

19

Canada is contributing to renewed mapping and demining work in Nicaragua, essential in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch.O

AS


To expand research and development ofhumanitarian demining technology, in 1998Canada created the Canadian Centre for MineAction Technologies (CCMAT), now located atthe Defence Research Establishment Suffield(DRES) in Alberta.This initiative pairs the mili-tary expertise and facilities of the Departmentof National Defence (DND) with IndustryCanada’s (IC) ability to engage Canadianindustry’s entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Centre’s proximity to DRES providesaccess to sophisticated test-and-evaluationfacilities on the Experimental Proving Groundat Suffield and capitalizes on the researchestablishment’s internationally recognized pro-gram in military countermine research anddevelopment.

Industry Canada has the lead in commer-cializing and marketing existing Canadiantechnologies.Through the involvement of IC’sTechnology Partnerships Canada Program,companies with promising new technologiesfor humanitarian demining may obtain assis-tance to bring their products to market.

CCMAT's mandate is to help make humani-tarian mine clearance technology faster, cheap-er and more effective.To implement this man-date, the Centre will focus on the followingcore activities:

• Conducting research and development (R & D)

• Adapting military equipment

• Acquiring and disseminating technicalinformation

• Performing tests and evaluations

• Investigating alternatives to anti-personnellandmine capabilities

• Commercializing appropriate technologies

Total spending for CCMAT start-up andoperation in the first year of the LandmineFund was $1.1 million with the followingwork being carried out in the areas outlinedabove:

Research and developmentA scoping study was undertaken this year toprovide a blueprint for the Centre’s researchand development program.The reportreviewed the spectrum of applicable technolo-gies and recommended that research focus onfinding more effective methods for detectingand neutralizing mines and providing protec-tion for deminers. Projects include:• acquisition of technology for the study of

The Canadian Centre forMine Action Technologies

Demining research and development

Since World War II, most research into demining technology hasbeen aimed at expanding the speed and effectiveness of militarymine clearance. Military forces aim to clear safe passage for thetransport of troops and heavy military equipment throughminefields. However military demining technology has not alwaysbeen effective in humanitarian demining because the latterrequires clearance of much larger areas and clearance ratesapproaching 100%.

20


21

CCMAT is

investigating

technologies

to make

humanitarian

mine action

faster, safer,

cheaper and

more effective.

tissue injury from mine blasts. It is anticipat-ed that this technology will be installed, andpreliminary testing of mine blast effects willbe completed, by the end of next fiscal year.

• development of a series of surrogatemechanical mines which can be used toevaluate mechanical devices – such as flails– for preconditioning ground and destroyingmines in older, overgrown minefields.

• development of plans for a trial of an instru-mented mine prodder at the CambodianMine Action Centre.

• testing of a prototype foot protectionsystem being developed by a Canadiancompany.

• development of plans to test a new explo-sive technique for neutralizing landmines.This new technique would increase safety inthe transport of neutralizing materials, as itmay be assembled in the field from two pre-cursor substances which are non-explosiveuntil combined.

• participation in a major international trial ofhand-held detection systems. Over thecourse of the trial, approxi-

mately 25 metal detection systems areexpected to be evaluated.

Adapting military equipmentThrough its association with DRES, the Centrewill investigate the possibility of transferringmilitary mine clearance technology to civilianuse. One example is an instrumented mineprodder that uses signal processing to distin-guish between plastics, metals and rocks.Theconcept for the device originated at DRES andis now being developed commercially byCanadian industry.

Acquiring and disseminatingtechnical informationThis function will be carried out, in large part,through the Information Forum established byCanada and the European Commission.TheForum welcomes countries with an ongoing R& D program and will create an electronicjournal of mine action technology.TheDirector of CCMAT will be a co-editor of thejournal. Other avenues for information

exchange include technical workshops andsymposia.

To engage Canadian industry inthe demining challenge and inform

potential applicants of CCMAT'smandate and availableresources, the Centre ran aworkshop involving morethan 70 industry, govern-ment and demining partic-ipants.This resulted inthe submission of morethan 30 proposalswhich are now beingassessed.

CCMAT contributesto the field testing oftechnologies withthe potential toimprove currentpractices indemining. This newprodder underwenttesting in Cambodia.

CC

MAT


Performing tests and evaluationsThe unique facilities available through DRESpermit Canada to be an active participant inthe International Test and Evaluation Programwhich is aimed at providing global standard-ized testing of new demining technologies.CCMAT uses these test facilities in its role asan assessment agency. A comprehensive evalu-ation by CCMAT helps Industry Canada com-mercialize and market demining technology.

Investigating alternatives toanti-personnel mine capabilitiesObjections by some states to adopting the APMine Ban Convention on the grounds thatthese weapons are a useful and cost-effectivemilitary option remain one of the most seriousobstacles to the universalization of the treaty.That is why Canada is committed to investigat-ing alternatives. It is hoped that credibleresearch into the impacts of removing theseweapons systems from military force struc-tures will have a positive influence on hold-out states.

In this context, an operational research

study of the role of the AP mine in warfare isunderway.This study will determine theimpact of removing AP mines from land forceoperations, and investigate what, if any,replacement technologies are necessary. Oncethe study is completed, CCMAT will investi-gate alternatives that provide the securityadvantages of landmines without leaving theirdeadly legacy.

CommercializationWithin CCMAT, Industry Canada is helpingcommercialize appropriate technologies andinnovations for humanitarian demining andvictim assistance. One technology beingadvanced is a brush cutter which may signifi-cantly increase the effectiveness of deminingoperations.

To inform Canadian companies of the assis-tance available to them, Industry Canada hasdeveloped a Web site listing the opportunitiesfor commercialization of current products.Through Strategis, Industry Canada’s flagshipInternet tool for business information, compa-nies are encouraged to register themselvesand their products with the on-line directory.

22

CC

MAT

Below: This blast tubeis used in evaluatingprotective equipmentand investigating blasteffects on the humanbody, using dummies.Explosive force of up to100 pounds-per-square-inch can be simulatedin the tube.

Right: This structuremeasures the blast

effects of chargesizes up to 2 kg.


Globally, the nature of mine victim assistanceis undergoing dramatic changes similar tothose seen in mine clearance. In the past, vic-tim assistance was largely limited to acutecare and fitting prostheses.The psychological,social and employment needs of mine victimswere rarely addressed and victims often facedsocial marginalization.

The mine action community is now recog-nizing that victim assistance has to meet amine victim's broader needs, encompassing allaspects from initial emergency treatment tolong-term social and economic rehabilitation.Many victim assistance programs are nowoffering employment opportunities to victims,often in the area of prostheses production andvictim rehabilitation.

Measuring progress in delivering assistanceto mine victims is difficult, since many donorsand implementing agencies are reluctant tosingle out mine victims for support in coun-tries with many other victims of war and dis-ease. But we can point to some significantsteps forward in this area:• Since 1995, Mozambique has added three

more orthotic centres to the six already inexistence.Two more are planned for thenear future.

• In Bosnia, 38 clinics have been set up as partof the World Bank War Rehabilitation ProjectVictims Fund, providing a full range of serv-ices to landmine victims.

• In 1998, Jordan introduced a Bill of Rights

Assisting victims and theircommunities

The needs oflandmine survivorsare much more thanphysical: Integratedprograms must alsoaddress theeconomic, social andpsychological impactsof trauma and loss oflimbs and sensoryabilities.

recent British Medical Journal study reported that in four of the most

mine-infested countries (Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cambodia and

Mozambique) an average of one household in 20 included a landmine

victim.One in 10 of the 2100 landmine victims encountered by the medical

researchers was a child.The researchers also found that households with

landmine victims were 40% more likely to have difficulty providing food for

the family.Statistics like these, and the poignant stories of personal tragedy

that accompany them, have made victim assistance one of Canada’s most

urgent mine action priorities.

a

23

John Rodsted


for Landmine Survivors which recognizes avictim's right to comprehensive rehabilita-tion, education, employment and social sup-port.

Canada’s efforts in this area support thefull range of survivor needs, from initial treat-ment to long term care and rehabilitation.Many of Canada’s contributions to victim assis-tance in 1998-99 were funded through CIDA’sTapping Canadian Creativity Program (TCCP),which supports partnerships betweenCanadian and overseas NGOs delivering proj-ects adapted to local needs.

AfghanistanContinuous conflict since the mid1970s hasleft Afghanistan one of the countries most seri-ously affected by mines. No precise number

can be placed on the extent of contaminationbecause the use of landmines has been so per-vasive and indiscriminate. Estimates rangefrom 5 to 10 million implanted mines, withdevastating effects on a society alreadyexhausted by years of strife. Mine incidentsare extremely common, involving one adultmale in 10.

In 1998-99 CIDA responded by fundingtwo initiatives in Afghanistan that focus on vic-tim assistance.A total of $108,000 was allocat-ed to support national capacity for victimassistance through a program implemented bythe Afghan agency, Comprehensive DisabledAfghans Program (CDAP).This program trainsfield workers in basic rehabilitation skills andsupports community-based management ofthe program.This funding will also assist inthe socio-economic integration of vulnerablegroups and support advocacy for the rights ofthe disabled.

Another CIDA-funded victim assistanceproject in Afghanistan provided $92,000 forthe Afghan non-governmental GuardianInstitute of Orthopaedics in Kandahar.Thisnew program aims to provide the disabledwith orthopaedic appliances and prostheses,walking aids and wheel chairs. It also seeks toensure proper physiotherapy for mine vic-tims.

As in most CIDA projects, developingindigenous capacity is important. It is provid-ed here by training technicians in protheses,orthotics and language skills and throughdevelopment of a female orthopaedic sectionthat advances self-reliance of female techni-cians. Finally, the project seeks to establish areferral system in the Kandahar area sincemany mine victims do not receive helpbecause they are not aware it is available.

With support from the Canadian LandmineFund, World Vision is helping the landmine-disabled acquire new skills and means ofincome through the Vocational Skills TrainingCentre in Battambang, Cambodia. Studentsare taught welding along with radio,television and motorcycle engine repair.Program graduates may also apply for low-interest credit to set up businesses.

24

Philip Maher/W

orld Vision Canada

CambodiaIn 1998, the Cambodia MineIncident Report, which pools datafrom UNICEF, the Red Cross andNGOs working in the region,reported 1249 confirmed new land-mine casualties. Most directly affect-ed are those living along the Thai-Cambodian border.With limitedland available for resettlement ofthose displaced by conflict, there isextreme pressure to utilize all avail-able land, even in regions heavilycontaminated by landmines andother explosives.

Through TCCP, CIDA is support-ing two projects to assistCambodian landmine survivors,both currently in start-up mode.World Vision Canada received$250,000 to work with local part-ners to expand vocational rehabilitationoptions in rural communities, with a particu-lar focus on women survivors.The projectalso supports a vocational rehabilitation train-ing centre to help victims develop the techni-cal skills they need to find a new livelihood.

The Council of Canadians with Disabilities(CCD) received $90,000 for a project aimed atdeveloping locally-based peer counselling pro-grams to support reintegration of landminesurvivors into the community.This fundingwill also contribute to the development oflegislative guidelines covering disabled accessto public buildings and programs inCambodia.

Central AmericaIn an effort to support the peace process inCentral America and aid in post-conflict recon-struction, the Canadian government workedwith Mexico and the Pan American HealthOrganization (PAHO) to develop a program oflandmine victim assistance for Nicaragua,Honduras and El Salvador. CIDA has allocated$3.5 million over five years for this project, ofwhich $500,000 was disbursed in 1998-99.The program will help build sustainable,indigenous, rural rehabilitation services andaid prosthetic/orthotic development in region-al centres. It will also develop a socio-econom-ic reintegration program for victims.

In 1998-99, negotiations between Canada,

Mexico and PAHO resulted in an agreement toensure field coordination of the programwhich will include using the services of theQueen's University International Centre forAdvanced Community-Based Rehabilitation(ICACBR) as the Canadian implementingagency.The effects of Hurricane Mitch delayedthe start of this project, however, project plan-ning did begin in January 1999.

To aid the peace-building process inGuatemala, Canada and Israel have undertakenan initiative that will focus on communityrehabilitation of landmine victims. Canada isproviding support, mainly for victims’ physicaland social needs, through the Canadian imple-menting agency, Queen’s University’s ICACBR.The Israeli partner, the Development StudyCentre, is focussing primarily on economicand vocational rehabilitation of the disabled.A joint assessment mission to the region in

Kol Ly, 17, lost one of her legs in alandmine accident in 1995 whilecollecting firewood near her home.Through a World Vision programnow supported by the CanadianLandmine Fund, Kol Ly received aprosthetic leg, rehabilitation therapy,sewing skills training, and a smallbusiness loan. She now makes andsells clothing to local people.

25

Annual Report 1998-1999Philip M

aher/World Vision C

anada

December 1998 led to the approval of a$400,000 Canadian contribution towards atwo-year project, which will begin in fiscalyear 1999/2000. In addition, Canada provided$100,000 in start-up funding in 1998-99. Israelwill be providing matching funds for this ini-tiative, and members of the Israeli communityin Canada are also considering support for theproject.

Through CIDA’s Tapping CanadianCreativity Program (TCCP), Canada is support-ing victim assistance in El Salvador andNicaragua. A total of $200,000 was providedto the Sierra Club of British Columbia for aproject in El Salvador which combines voca-tional training for landmine survivors with theproduction of sustainable energy technolo-gies. New Brunswick’s Fallsbrook Centre wasawarded $106,000 to work with communitiesin the east and west Rio Coco region ofNicaragua on a combined mine awareness-vic-tim assistance project. Landmine survivors willbe trained in solar electrification so that theycan manage the distribution and maintenanceof village-level solar energy systems.

MozambiqueThrough TCCP, CIDA is also funding an innova-tive, integrated project in Mozambique devel-oped by the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) inpartnership with CUSO, HandicapInternational (HI) and COCAMO (Co-opera-tion Canada-Mozambique).The CAW con-tributed $200,000 toward this program in1998-99 and this funding was matched by anequal contribution from CIDA.The victimassistance component of this project includessupport to transit centres in Nampula andInhambane provinces which provide prosthe-ses and on-going support for survivors.

UgandaThrough TCCP, CIDA provided $125,000 insupport for a landmine survivors’ health careprogram being implemented by the CanadianNetwork for International Surgery.This initia-tive aims to expand information on the healthconsequences of landmines at the hospitaland community level through development ofa database for program planning.

YemenTwo victim assistanceprojects focussed onrehabilitation in Yemenare also being support-ed through the TCCP.ADRA Canada received$150,000 to providecommunity-based reha-bilitation services to theseverely disabled.Theproject also aims to pro-vide vocational assis-tance so that landminesurvivors and their fami-lies can earn an income.

The Canadian NGOAlternatives received$100,000 towards acombined mine aware-ness, victim assistanceand rehabilitation proj-ect working in coopera-tion with local NGOpartners and theNational MineAwareness Committee.


These rudimentarywheelchairs built

from locally availablematerials were

produced at aworkshop in

Nampula province,Mozambique. CIDA

and the CanadianAuto Workers are

providing matchingfunds for upgrades

to this workshop andto rehabilitation

services for victims.

26

Carol Philips/C

AW


27

Creating mineawareness

ine awareness programs

are critical to preventing

new landmine accidents.

In the past, progress in this area

was measured by the number of

people reached by mine

awareness programs rather

than by the degree to which

behaviours changed.Experts

have begun to recognize that

some groups will continue to

take risks simply because they

have no other choice than to

seek water, food or fuel in

mined areas.

m

UNICEF is attempting to address some ofthese problems by developing and dis-seminating new guidelines for mineawareness training. Mine awareness pro-gramming has begun to move beyondthe old lecture-style presentations and lit-erature that often lacked sensitivity toculture, age and literacy levels. New mineawareness programs display more cre-ativity and sensitivity to communityneeds and context.Today's mine aware-ness educators often rely on populareducation techniques such as mime,story telling, music, comic books andeven soap operas to get the message out.

Messages must be visual and directto convey the dangers to those

most vulnerable.

DFA

IT


28

This Mozambicantroupe uses populartheatre techniques todeliver a mineawareness messageat the village level.

Mine awareness was a component of sev-eral integrated programs funded by Canadathis year, including the CIDA-CAW co-fundedmine action program in Mozambique andother projects funded through CIDA’s TappingCanadian Creativity Program (TCCP).TCCPprovided $250,000 for mine awareness inLaos and the same amount for Angola throughUNICEF Canada.The Mines Advisory Groupreceived $46,400 for teacher-training andchild-to-child mine awareness training in Iraq.

CIDA also provided $300,000 for a radio

education initiative for children in Afghanistanthat raises awareness of the dangers of land-mines. Surveys done in Afghanistan havedemonstrated the enormous reach and effec-tiveness of radio in reaching isolated seg-ments of the population such as women andchildren, who may be excluded from moreformal training sessions.The European Unionis co-funding this initiative, delivered throughthe International Centre for HumanitarianReporting.

Carol Philips/C

AW


29

Improved

information on

the mine

problem is

critical to the

efficient and

effective use of

limited mine

action resources.

At the global level, the United Nations systemhas transformed its approach to mine actionover the past 18 months.Today the UN MineAction Service (UNMAS) acts as the focalpoint within the UN system for all mine-relat-ed activities and works closely with organiza-tions such as, the United Nations DevelopmentProgram (UNDP), the United Nations Officefor Project Services (UNOPS), UNICEF, theUnited Nations High Commissioner forRefugees, the World Food Program, the WorldHealth Organization and the Department ofDisarmament Affairs to support specific mineaction initiatives and programs. UNMAS alsocoordinates the collection, analysis and dis-semination of mine action information and hastaken the lead in working with members ofthe New York-based Mine Action SupportGroup to improve donor coordination.

Another significant global development hasbeen the emergence of the Survey ContactGroup – an NGO coalition working withUNMAS and key donors to facilitate the imple-mentation of national level one surveys aimedat producing high quality, standardized data onthe socio-economic impact of AP mines. Since1997, level one surveys and/or in-depth assess-

ments have commenced or been completed inBosnia, Cambodia, Chad, Jordan, Lebanon,Mozambique,Thailand and Yemen.

To enhance the coordination of globalmine action, DFAIT granted a one-time contri-bution of $500,000 to UNMAS in 1998-99.Thisfunding will help to ensure global resourcesare used effectively and efficiently.

Canada also developed the MultilateralInstitutions Program to support mine actioninitiatives undertaken by multilateral agenciessuch as the UN and ICRC.This program willfund a total of $10.5 million of initiatives overfive years and this year disbursed just over$2.8 million through these international bod-ies, including $1.5 million for the nationallevel one survey in Yemen described above; afurther $205,000 directed to the UNDP TrustFund for Laos; $500,000 to the UNDP TrustFund for Cambodia; $300,000 to the OAS TrustFund for demining along the Peru-Ecuadorborder; and a $300,000 contribution to mineawareness training in Afghanistan.

As well, much of Canada’s work inMozambique consists of a multi-year programto improve the information on that country’smine situation by supporting a national level

Improving mine action information

ne of the greatest challenges to improving the

efficiency and effectiveness of mine action

programs is the lack of reliable information on the

nature of the landmine problem.Over the past two

years significant improvements in the quality and

quantity of this information have prompted a shift

away from focussing on the number of mines in an

area to addressing the social and economic impact of

the mines.This conceptual shift – and the new

information it is generating – are enabling a growing

number of national and international mine action

institutions to plan and program in a more

coordinated, purposeful and systematic way.

o


30

UN

MA

S

The Mine Action Investments database, to be Internet accessible in late 1999, is theresult of collaboration between Canada and UNMAS to improve information sharing onmine action donor activities. This database will assist UNMAS in its importantcoordination role and provide fast and public access to mine action information.

one survey and geo-spatial mapping and pro-viding survey equipment.

In southern Africa, the InternationalDevelopment Research Centre is buildingregional research capacity on mine actionwith $95,000 in funding from Canada.

Globally, additional high-quality mineaction information will be provided by theLandmine Monitor initiative, a civil society-based global reporting network which moni-tors the implementation of the AP Mine BanConvention as well as progress in mine actiongenerally. Canada supports Landmine Monitorthrough its Mine Monitoring Program, asdescribed above.

Improvements in mine action information

also stem from the rapid growth in the num-ber of mine action institutions dedicated tothe management of national mine action activ-ities.As of May 1999, there were Mine ActionCentres (MACs) in Afghanistan, Bosnia,Cambodia, Croatia, Somalia and Thailand.Thereare a further 11 significant national deminingprograms in Angola,Azerbaijan, Chad,Guatemala, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon,Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua and Yemen.In 1998-99, Canada provided core-funding tothe Bosnia-Herzogovina Mine Action Centre,funding for management training and techni-cal advisors at the Cambodia Mine ActionCentre, and support for a level one survey byChad’s national demining centre.

In 1998-99, this program spent $937,000 tosupport the development of innovative out-reach tools and programming, and fundraisingefforts among individuals, the private sectorand NGOs.

The outreach tools included several audio-visual products, among them a CD ROM enti-tled Ban Landmines which has won a numberof awards for multimedia excellence in bothCanada and the United States. Over 10,000copies of this CD have been distributed to

schools and publiclibraries across

Canada,

while approximately 1000 copies have beensent to diplomatic missions and NGOs for useinternationally.

An award-winning broadcast documentary,One Step at a Time, was also developed withfunding from OSP.This program, available inSpanish, English, French and Russian, has beenbroadcast in 26 countries. A shorter video for-mat version, In Years Not Decades, has beendistributed in French, English and Arabic. Atyear end, plans were underway for its transla-tion into Portuguese for distribution at theFirst Meeting of States Parties in Mozambique.

Both the video and CD ROM feature in aninteractive exhibit on landmines which has


31

This interactivedisplay has helped

to raise publicawareness of thelandmine issue in

cities acrossCanada.

Sustaining the Canadian effort

s the struggle shifts from the achievement of a comprehensive ban on

landmines to universalizing and implementing the ban, efforts to

maintain public support and momentum remain crucial.To promote

domestic and international public awareness of the landmines issue and to

encourage long-term sustainable funding, DFAIT developed the Outreach and

Sustainability Program (OSP).

a

DFA

IT

travelled across the country from Penticton,British Columbia to St. John, New Brunswick.

OSP also funded the redesign and re-launch of DFAIT’s landmines web site“Safelane” to update its contents and improveits visual appeal and navigability.The OutreachProgram produces a quarterly landmine banupdate in magazine format, also entitledSafelane, which is distributed domesticallyand internationally to NGOs, parliamentarians,diplomatic missions and the general public.This annual report to Parliament on Canada'smine action activities also falls within themandate of the OSP.

Another Canadian innovation launchedunder the OSP is the Youth Mine ActionAmbassador Program (YMAAP), an initiativewhich draws upon the talents and energies ofrecent university graduates to educate andmobilize other Canadian youth.This year, fiveAmbassadors were engaged under the YouthInternational Internship Program and workedfrom the offices of non-governmental hosts in

32

Youth Mine Action Ambassadors are activelyengaging young Canadians in the globalmovement to end the use of AP mines.

Dance without Fear is a nationwide event thatinvolves youth inraising awarenessand funds for theCanadian LandmineAction Fund.

Barbara Klunder/Joss M

aclennan for DFA

IT

Denis D

rever/DFA

IT

33


five Canadian cities: St. John, Montreal, Ottawa,Winnipeg and Vancouver.

This program was launched byDFAIT in September 1998 and is steeredjointly with our partners in Mines ActionCanada and the Canadian Red Cross.Through this program, thousands ofyoung Canadians have learned about thelandmines crisis in school and communitypresentations by the Ambassadors; hun-dreds have taken active part in mobiliza-tion events such as Landmine Awarenessdays and a fundraising event called “Dancewithout Fear”.This spring, interested teenswere invited to deepen their knowledge andcommitment by taking part in regional youthconferences held in May 1999.The reach ofthe YMAAP has been extended by radio, tele-vision and press coverage of their activities.

To promote sustainable funding for mineaction, DFAIT worked with Mines Action Canadato establish the Canadian Landmine ActionFund.This fund was launched by MinisterAxworthy in September 1998 as an opportunityfor Canadian businesses and individuals to makecharitable contributions to mine clearance andvictim assistance initiatives.

Print andmultimediainformation onlandmines and theban availablethrough DFAIT.

DFA

IT

Annual Report 1998-1999 SPENDING SUMMARIES

34

Spent fiscalyear 1998-99

Department /program (000s)

DFAITMine Action Partnership 761Mine Ban Initiatives 1808Multilateral Coordination 500Mine Monitoring 469Mine Action Research, Training and Policy Development 207Outreach and Sustainability 937Stockpile Destruction 72Policy Support Unit 884

Total DFAIT 5638

CIDAIntegrated Country Program – Mozambique 425Integrated Country Program – Bosnia and Herzegovina 2470Tapping Canadian Creativity 2000Country Initiatives – Asia 600Integrated Country Program – Americas 500Multilateral Institutions Program 2805Support Unit 200

Total CIDA 9000

DNDStockpile Destruction 100Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technologies 1063

Total DND 1163

Industry Canada(Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technologies) 38

Total Industry Canada 38

TOTAL 15,839

This table details expenditures made by theGovernment of Canada in 1998-99 in support ofuniversalization and implementation of the globalban on anti-personnel mines. These expenditureshave been broken down according to:A country-specific campaign support; B support for the global campaign; C support for regional campaign conferences;

and D support for stockpile destruction efforts.

D Investments in stockpile destruction $ 172,000

Total investments in $ 1,824,922banning landmines

A Investments in support of country-specific campaigns to ban landmines

Georgia $ 46,000

Nepal $ 14,000

Russia $ 62,129

Ukraine $ 51,204

Yugoslavia $ 20,229

Total spendingfiscal 1998-99

B Investments in support of globalefforts to ban landmines

International Campaign to Ban Landmines $ 885,521

Mines Action Canada $ 300,000

C Investments in support of regional campaign conferences $ 273,839

Amman (Jordan); Bangkok (Thailand); Beirut (Lebanon); India (various locations); Mexico City (Mexico); Moscow (Russia); Oagadougoo (Burkina Faso)

1998-1999 Canadian Landmine Fund Spending Summaries

Departmental expenditures by program

Investments in banning landmines

TABLE 1

TABLE 2

35

Banning Landmines refers toinvestments in promoting theuniversalization and effectiveimplementation of the global ban onanti-personnel mines, includingstockpile destruction.

Mine Action Information refersto investments in more and betterinformation on the landmineproblem for the purpose of moreeffectively targeting other mineaction efforts. Mine actioninformation includes assessmentmissions, information tools, andresearch into building capacity anddeveloping best practices.

Research and Developmentrefers to investments in scientificresearch and subsequentdevelopment into new or improvedtechnologies and processes foraddressing the landmine problem.

Mine Action Coordinationrefers to investments in structuresand organizations that will supportgreater coherence in, and progresstowards, addressing the landmineproblem.

Mine Awareness refers toinvestments in education andtraining programs that will reducehigh risk, mine-related activitiesand therefore prevent casualties.

Mine Clearance refers toinvestments in the full spectrum ofactivities related to clearing minedland, including surveys, mappingand marking minefields, training,supporting mine dog detectionteams, providing equipment andprotective clothing, demining andquality assurance.

Victim Assistance refers toinvestments in providing servicesto victims of mine incidents,including medical services;prosthetics, orthotics and otheraids; and physical, vocational,social and psychologicalrehabilitation.

Integrated Mine Action refersto investments in programs thatincorporate more than one core mineaction activity into a single program.

1998-99 Investments by thematic area of mine action

$


0

1

2

3

4

5 4,94

1,75

0V

ict i

mA

ssis

tan

ceIn

teg

rate

dM

ine

Act

ion

Min

eC

lea

ran

ce

Min

eA

wa

ren

ess

Ba

nn

i ng

La

nd

min

es

Min

e A

ctio

nIn

form

ati

on

Res

earc

h a

nd

Dev

elo

pm

ent

Min

e A

ctio

nC

oo

rdin

at i

on

1,10

1,00

060

5,07

8 1,24

6,40

0 1,72

1,00

01,

475,

000

1,82

4,92

219

5,00

0


36

Mozambique$650,000

Angola$250,000

Chad$100,000

Croatia$100,000

Bosnia-Herzegovina$2,470,000

Jordan$285,000

Sudan$300,000

Yemen$1,856,780

Uganda$125,000

Afghanistan$500,000

Cambodia$940,000Ecuador

$200,000 Peru$200,000

Laos$455,000

Iraq$46,000

CentralAmerica

Southern Africa$95,000

$1,006,000

This map shows country-specific or, in the cases of Central America and Southern Africa,region-specific total expenditures made by the Government of Canada in 1998-99 on mineaction information, mine awareness, land clearance, victim assistance and integratedprogramming. Global expenditures on banning landmines are detailed in table 2.

1998-99Mine action spending by country/region

seeds of terrorseeds of hope · canada.dept.of foreign affairs and international trade seeds of...

Documents