20.11.2024 – 05:00
Handicap International
Geneva (oats)
Published this Wednesday, November 20 in Bangkok, the 2024 Landmine Monitor report shows an increase in the number of victims caused by mines: 5,757, of which 84% are civilians. An increase of 22% compared to 2023. Handicap International, which received the Nobel Peace Prize with other organizations for its fight against mines, calls on States to use their diplomatic influence to stop using these weapons blind.
Note to editors:
“ Year after year, the number of mine victims remains very high: conflicts are increasing and certain armies, such as that of Russia in Ukraine or Myanmar, use them on a large scale. Entire regions will remain contaminated for decades, causing casualties long after hostilities end. In Yemen, for example, violence has decreased significantly since the October 2021 truce, but the population continues to be victims of the legacy of past fighting “, explains Daniel Suda-Lang, Director of Handicap International Suisse. “Cambodia, for its part, shows that long-term mine clearance and a reduction in accidents are possible. In 2000, the country had more than 800 victims. In 2023, there were fewer than 30.”he continues.
Daniel Suda-Lang is available for interviews in French and German.
The Landmine Monitor’s 2024 report identifies the implementation of the Ottawa Treaty, which prohibits the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of antipersonnel mines. It publishes data for the calendar year 2023 and contains information through October 2024 (where possible).
Figures from the 2024 Landmine Monitor report
- In 2023, at least 5,757 people were killed or injured by landmines or explosive remnants of war. This represents an increase of 22% compared to the year 2022, when there were 4,709 victims
- 84% of victims recorded in 2023 were civilians
- Children (1498 victims) represented 37% of civilian victims whose age was known in 2023
- Victims have been recorded in 55 states
- The ten countries with the highest number of casualties in 2023 are Myanmar (1003), Syria (933), Afghanistan (651), Ukraine (580), Yemen (499), Nigeria (343 ), Burkina Faso (308), Mali (174), Ethiopia (106) and Iraq (102)
- Landmines were used by Iran, Myanmar, North Korea and Russia between mid-2023 and October 2024
- Russia has used antipersonnel mines on a large scale since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Credible reports indicate that Ukraine, which is a party to the Ottawa Mine Treaty, used antipersonnel mines in Izyum and its surroundings in 2022, when the city was under Russian control
- Non-state armed groups in at least five states – Colombia, India, Myanmar, Pakistan and Palestine (Gaza) – have also used antipersonnel mines
- A total of 58 countries and other regions are still contaminated by landmines
Handicap International calls on States to make a firm commitment against antipersonnel mines
Daniel Suda-Lang s’indigne, “It is worrying to note that the States parties to the Ottawa Treaty do not sufficiently condemn recent uses. By approving the ban on mines, they have agreed to condemn with the greatest firmness any use of antipersonnel mines by any actor in all circumstances. States parties must reaffirm the importance and effectiveness of this treaty.
Five-year action plan against antipersonnel mines
From November 25 to 29, States Parties will meet in Siem Reap, Cambodia, for the 5th review conference of the Ottawa Treaty. The objective is, among other things, to examine its effective implementation – in particular the progress made in the elimination and destruction of anti-personnel mines – and to adopt an action plan for the next five years.
About HI
Handicap International (HI) is an independent international solidarity association, which has intervened for nearly 40 years in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflicts and disasters. Working alongside disabled and vulnerable people, she acts and testifies to meet their essential needs and improve their living conditions. It is committed to promoting respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.
Since its creation in 1982, HI has implemented development programs in nearly 60 countries and intervenes in numerous emergency situations. In January 2018, the Handicap International global network became Humanity & Inclusion. It includes national associations called “Handicap International” in continental European countries (France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg) and “Humanity & Inclusion” in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
In Geneva, Broken Chair symbolizes its fight against explosive weapons and the violence inflicted on populations during armed conflicts. Created by Daniel Berset at the request of HI and installed opposite the United Nations, the monument is a challenge addressed to the international community. He reminds him of his obligations to respect international humanitarian law and to protect civilians against the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Contact:
Marie Bro
Handicap International Suisse
Communications and media manager
Avenue de la Paix 11 – 1202 Geneva
078 729 43 30
[email protected]
www.handicap-international.ch
