Landmine casualties are falling, but the wounded need more help
http://www.100md.com
《英国医生杂志》
The number of reported casualties from landmines in 2003 fell in most countries affected by mines and fell significantly in some heavily mined countries, a new report from the international Campaign to Ban Landmines says. The total number of reported casualties fell from 8333 in 2002 to 8065 in 2003, though the real figure, including unreported cases, is thought to be much higher.
As campaigners and government representatives gather in Nairobi for a conference next week to review the effect of the 1997 Ottawa Convention on Landmines, activists report significant progress but say that more needs to be done to help victims.
The campaign released its 1300 page report, Landmine Monitor, to coincide with the conference. It shows that since the treaty took effect five years ago, in March 1999, use of mines has fallen considerably around the world.
Moreover, funding for mine action programmes has increased by more than 80%, more than 1100 square kilometres of land have been cleared of mines, and the number of new casualties each year has decreased.
"The international norm established by the mine ban treaty is rapidly taking firm hold around the world, especially in the heavily mine contaminated countries where it matters the most," the campaign抯 ambassador, the Nobel laureate Jody Williams, said.
"Clearly we are succeeding in our struggle to eradicate this weapon," she said. "But even bigger challenges remain, to convince hold-out governments to come on board, to ensure effective implementation of and compliance with the treaty, to get mines out of the ground within the 10 year deadline, and to provide adequate assistance to landmine victims."
Many casualties go unreported, and the report estimates that each year between 15 000 and 20 000 new casualties occur around the world—although the figure is still fewer than the estimated 26 000 a year in the 1990s.
"The declining landmine casualty rate is heartening, but there are still an appalling number of people, especially children, killed and maimed by landmines every year in virtually every region of the world," said Sheree Bailey of Handicap International and Landmine Monitor抯 victim assistance research coordinator.
"The stark reality is that there is an ever growing number of mine survivors in the world, and in the vast majority of mine affected countries neither the national governments nor international donors are doing nearly enough to provide for their needs," she added.
According to Landmine Monitor, in 2003 new casualties from land mines and unexploded ordnance were recorded in 65 countries. Eighty six per cent of reported new victims were identified as civilians, and 23% were children.
The progress in the past five years in preventing mines from being laid and in clearing existing minefields has not been matched in the area of victim assistance. Landmine Monitor reports that although funding of global action against mines has increased greatly since 1999, identifiable resources for helping mine victims have actually declined significantly.(Nairobi Peter Moszynski)
As campaigners and government representatives gather in Nairobi for a conference next week to review the effect of the 1997 Ottawa Convention on Landmines, activists report significant progress but say that more needs to be done to help victims.
The campaign released its 1300 page report, Landmine Monitor, to coincide with the conference. It shows that since the treaty took effect five years ago, in March 1999, use of mines has fallen considerably around the world.
Moreover, funding for mine action programmes has increased by more than 80%, more than 1100 square kilometres of land have been cleared of mines, and the number of new casualties each year has decreased.
"The international norm established by the mine ban treaty is rapidly taking firm hold around the world, especially in the heavily mine contaminated countries where it matters the most," the campaign抯 ambassador, the Nobel laureate Jody Williams, said.
"Clearly we are succeeding in our struggle to eradicate this weapon," she said. "But even bigger challenges remain, to convince hold-out governments to come on board, to ensure effective implementation of and compliance with the treaty, to get mines out of the ground within the 10 year deadline, and to provide adequate assistance to landmine victims."
Many casualties go unreported, and the report estimates that each year between 15 000 and 20 000 new casualties occur around the world—although the figure is still fewer than the estimated 26 000 a year in the 1990s.
"The declining landmine casualty rate is heartening, but there are still an appalling number of people, especially children, killed and maimed by landmines every year in virtually every region of the world," said Sheree Bailey of Handicap International and Landmine Monitor抯 victim assistance research coordinator.
"The stark reality is that there is an ever growing number of mine survivors in the world, and in the vast majority of mine affected countries neither the national governments nor international donors are doing nearly enough to provide for their needs," she added.
According to Landmine Monitor, in 2003 new casualties from land mines and unexploded ordnance were recorded in 65 countries. Eighty six per cent of reported new victims were identified as civilians, and 23% were children.
The progress in the past five years in preventing mines from being laid and in clearing existing minefields has not been matched in the area of victim assistance. Landmine Monitor reports that although funding of global action against mines has increased greatly since 1999, identifiable resources for helping mine victims have actually declined significantly.(Nairobi Peter Moszynski)