Clear Path International: War and Landmine Victim Assistance: Vietnam, Cambodia, Thai-Burma

Clear Path Featured in Journal of Mine Action

imbert@cpi.org (Imbert Matthee) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:11:14 -0500

The latest edition of the academic periodical the Journal of Mine Action published by James Madison University features a cover photo and an in-depth article about the work of Clear Path International in central Vietnam.

Co-authored by Ari Perlstein, a medical student at the Oregon Health & Science University, and CPI co-founder Imbert Matthee, the article highlights the persistent problem of UXO (unexploded ordnance) accidents in a region which ranks among the most mine-affected in the world. It also outlines the work Clear Path has undertaken since 2000 to assist landmine accident survivors, their families and their communities in the provinces north and south of the former Demilitarized Zone.

With the help of its donors and supporters in the United States, Clear Path has been able to serve nearly 5,000 landmine accident survivors in 14 of Vietnam's central coast provinces -- an effort that won the organization a Certificate of Merit from the People's Committee of Quang Tri, one of the region's most heavily affected provinces.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs reports that nearly 40,000 people were killed and more than 66,000 injured between the end of the war in Indochina in 1975 and 2006 with many of these accidents occurring along the central coast. The article analyzes accident data for the region from the year 2007 and breaks it down by type, location, age, gender, ethnicity and injury to give a cross-section of today's impact on daily life from these Explosive Remnants of War.

The Journal of Mine Action is a highly regarded publication of the university's Mine Action Information Center in Harrisonburg, Va., a leader in the academic discipline that concerns itself with the professional mitigation of landmines and unexploded ordnance in current and former war zones.

Co-author Ari Perlstein spent six months at the Da Nang Orthopedic & Rehabilitation Center, one of the Clear Path's largest medical partners treating landmine accident survivors in Vietnam.

Read the story here: http://www.maic.jmu.edu/

A Song for Cambodia: Arn Chorn-Pond's Story

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:16:59 -0500

I have told my long-time-friend Arn's story, at least parts of it, on this site before. Now there is a children's book about his life called "A Song for Cambodia". Below is the review from the blog "The Well-Read Child".

Every now and then, I come across a story of survival that is truly amazing and defeats all odds. Arn Chorn-Pond's story as told in A Song for Cambodia written by Michelle Lord and illustrated by Shino Arihara is one of them.

Arn had a happy childhood full of music, love, and laughter in his small Cambodian village until Khmer Rouge soldiers invaded his village in 1975 and tore his family apart. A brief history of Khmer Rouge's invasion on Cambodia in the 1970's is included in the foreward. Led by Pol Pot, the intent was to turn Cambodia into a communist country, but the Khmer Rouge used violence and terror in their attempt and ultimately killed 1.7 million men, women, and children during their 4 year reign.

Arn Chorn-Pond was one of the lucky children who survived, but it was not an easy feat. When he was separated from his family, we was sent to a children's work camp. With no shoes and little to eat, Arn was forced to work in the rice paddies. When the soldiers asked for volunteers to join a musical group, Arn volunteered and learned to play the khim, a wooden string instrument. He luckily had a talent for this instrument which ended up saving his life in the camp. Without giving too much away, Arn managed to escape the camp, and through even more adversity, ended up surviving and was adopted by a missionary who brought him to the United States.

The afterword tells how Arn used his good fortune to give back to Cambodia and help rebuild and bring music back to a war-torn country.

Without going into graphic details, Michelle Lord tells the true story of the horrors Arn and many other Cambodians faced. Ms. Lord masterfully tells the story in a way that is appropriate for and not condescending to children, yet she doesn't sugar coat the facts. We see Arn and his mother tearfully clinging to each other as the soldiers invade their village; we see children being led into a forest to be killed; we see Arn struggle with adapting to a new culture and experience nightmares and sadness for the loss of his family. The reader is left with no doubt that something terrible has happened.

Shino Arihara's gouache illustrations are mostly done in muted earth tones, depicting the dark and sad tone of the story. We see brighter colors at the beginning of the story before the invasion and again at the end when Arn plays music in his new home.

At the back of the book is a photograph of Arn Chorn-Pond, smiling and standing in front of a house he's building in Cambodia, and a comprehensive list of sources demonstrates the thorough research Michelle Lord conducted to write Arn's story.

A Song for Cambodia is a touching and inspirational story full of discussion opportunities, making it an excellent addition to a child's home library or a social studies classroom.

You can purchase the book here.

The photo at the back of the book is actually one I took while visiting Arn at his home in Cambodia.

Thai Burma Border Landmine Survivor Assistance Program Page Updated

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:12:47 -0500

We have updated our Thai-Burma border project page. Check it out here.

YouTube: Myanmar's Landmine Survivors at the Mae Tao Clinic

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:33:27 -0500

A video of the clinic we support on the Thai Burma border and an interview with Dr. Cynthia (known as the Asian Mother Theresa) who runs it.

Ministry of Defense in UK raids Landmine Removal Fund to Pay Repair Bills on Fighter Jets

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:03:59 -0500

Source: the Guardian

Money set aside to clear landmines and remove arms from conflict zones is to be raided to pay a private defence contractor to keep Tornado jets flying in Iraq, according to a confidential memo seen by the Guardian. The Ministry of Defence plans to pay BAE Systems from the multimillion-pound Conflict Prevention Fund - which covers projects such as destroying weapons in Bosnia and landmines in Mozambique - to subsidise the £5m-£10m cost of servicing each of the six planes.
The move follows a cost-cutting plan which has backfired for the MoD because of increased military action in Iraq.

The memo acknowledges that the emergency measure is needed because the MoD has closed its own state-of-the-art facility for servicing Tornado jets as a way of saving £500m over 10 years. A scaled-back facility is still not fully equipped for the job. Memos sent to ministers reveal that the ministry has decided to make the request to BAE Systems because the alternative facility, at RAF Marham in Norfolk, has "insufficient capacity".

Read the rest of the article here.

CPI Aid in Thailand and Myanmar Reached Nearly 300 Landmine Survivors in 2007

imbert@cpi.org (Imbert Matthee) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:09:03 -0500

Lobke Dijkstra, our Thailand Country representative, and I traveled to a remote refugee camp on the Thai border with the Shan state to observe New Year with many of the camps 2,000 residents.

The Shan lunar calendar puts the New Year in December, so we marked the occasion well before the end of our program year. But it didnt seem too early to celebrate with some of our beneficiaries.

Last year was very successful for our Thai-Burma border initiative which has already served more than 500 landmine accident survivors since its inception in 2002. In 2007, thanks to Lobkes tireless coordination, management and fundraising, we served 298 Karen, Karenni and Shan survivors in five different locations along the Myanmar border.

Most of our beneficiaries, 278, received new or repaired prostheses, plus we provided full-time nursing care to about 20 severely disabled survivors at a UNHCR refugee camp at Mae La. Forty-one technicians and medics received training and compensation for their aid activities from prosthetics fabrication to physical rehabilitation.

We received funding for this effort from the Dutch rehabilitation hospital Groot Klimmendaal in Arnhem, the Dutch charity Mensenkinderen, Bainbridge Community Endowment, Susila Dharma UK, Susila Dharma USA and Susila Dharma Netherlands, Grace Episcopal Church and Cedars Unitarian Church both on Bainbridge Island.

For its relatively modest budget of $53,000, the program has had great leverage in the field thanks to its volunteers, including Lobke and two prosthetics students from British Columbia, Duane Nelson and Jody Riggs, who spent their summer making 18 Monolimb prostheses for survivors at a Shan camp.

This year, we hope to expand the breadth of our services with income-generating projects, such as pig breeding, mechanics training and other skills instruction at or near two Shan border camps while we continue to support prosthetics fabrication, physical rehabilitation and full-time care for severely disabled survivors.

With our partners, the Mae Tao Clinic, the Karen Handicap Welfare Association, KNPLF (Karenni) and the Shan Health Committee, we expect to provide services to more than 400 survivors at seven locations along the border in 2008. Groot Klimmendaal, Lobkes employer, has been encouraging its other employees to volunteer in the area. Neeltje Rosmalen, a psychologist and cognitive trainer helped train medics and counselors in psychological treatment of new and existing accident survivors.

Red Cross says ban on cluster bombs urgent

martha@cpi.org (Martha) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:55:58 -0500

From Reuters:

GENEVA: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on Wednesday for urgent conclusion of a global pact to ban cluster weapons even if big powers like the United States, Russia and China were not ready to join.

The Swiss-based humanitarian body's senior arms specialist, Peter Herby, told a news conference the ICRC hoped the text of a treaty would be approved at a conference in Dublin in May and be signed by many countries by the end of the year.

"We need a strong, legally-binding treaty urgently, in 2008, that would ban the use, development, stockpiling and transfer of inaccurate and unreliable cluster munitions," said Herby, who heads the ICRC's Arms Unit.

Herby discounted arguments from some producer states that the weapons -- which can spread hundreds of bomblets over a target area -- can be made to self-destruct or otherwise rendered harmless after conflicts in which they have been used.

Cluster bombs -- which campaigners say have killed or maimed thousands of civilians stumbling on them -- can never be made totally reliable, he declared.

The Scent of Northern Thailand: A Volunteer's Experience on the Thai-Burma Border

junk@cpi.org (Lobke Dijkstra) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:18:50 -0500

By Betsy Boyce
Physical Therapy Student
Home: Seattle, WA

On my first morning at the Mae Tao Clinic, I was greeted by what I know as the scent of northern Thailand: an odor that combines fish paste, mildew, sweat, and betel nut. Just past the clinic entrance, a crowd of people, each with a small bag of clothing, sat or stood in the courtyard hoping to receive medical attention, food, and temporary shelter. I soon learned that some of these people had traveled for days or weeks from inside Burma or from refugee camps on the border, often in danger of being caught and detained by border officials. As Lobke, the physical therapist who volunteers there, led me past the crowd and through layers of sandals scattered at the entrance of each small open-aired concrete building, she described the work in store for us in the inpatient, surgical, pediatric, outpatient, and prosthetics departments.

Over the next six weeksfrom October to mid-November 2007 Lobke provided me with instruction and demonstrations on stump care and rehabilitation for patients with amputations, passive mobilization, and functional exercises. We then worked together to evaluate and treat patients. Taking into account patients circumstances and offering the therapy and advice that best met their needs was especially challenging because most of the patients came from precarious living situations, where they were dealing with extreme poverty; lack of food, water, and healthcare; and forced labor or relocation. Many patients also faced landmine hazards and other atrocities under the Burmese militarys ruthless control. By paying close attention to the patients behaviors and by being deliberate with my facial expressions and voice tones, I strived to offer patients some physical relief, encouragement, and a sense of being cared for.

What they gave back to me was immeasurable. For example, providing therapy to a woman who had fallen unconscious after a seizure and then exhibited neurological dysfunction was challenging, but also very satisfying. When we began treatment, the patient lay quite motionless, showing little awareness of her surroundings. Gradually, she improved and, after ten days of therapy and rest, she smiled, made eye contact, and walked with my support. Observing her progress and watching her confidence return reinforced my belief in physical therapy and my aspiration to join the profession.

My time volunteering at the Thai-Burma border strengthened my heart and mind, pushing me to grow and learn both as a person and as a physical therapy student. Experiencing the challenges first-hand of connecting with each patient and sorting out the most fitting treatment has deepened my understanding of what it means to be a physical therapist and has further prepared me for my future career. I hope to continue to volunteer with Clear Path, and I look forward to returning as a physical therapist to contribute to and learn from the Mae Tao Clinic.

Clinton vs Obama on Cluster Bomb Legislation

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:16:37 -0500

From an article in The Guardian Unlimited comparing and contrasting Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama's voting records:

One little-mentioned split occurred on a proposal to restrict Pentagon spending on cluster bombs, which explode and scatter thousands of tiny weapons over a vast area. Those small bombs are prone to going off years after a battle, sometimes killing and maiming Middle Eastern children who mistakenly trigger them. Israel came under fire from the UN and international human rights groups for its use of cluster bombs during its 2006 war with Hizbullah forces in Lebanon. In the autumn of that year, with memories of the conflict still fresh, several Democrats sought to limit US defence spending to cluster bombs that would not be used in civilian areas.
While they praised the moral case for shielding civilians from combat weapons, opponents argued that curbing spending on cluster bombs would tie the hands of US military leaders.

"In an extreme situation, the commander must be able to use all options to shape the battlefield to protect our forces and those allied with us," Republican senator Ted Stevens said at the time.

"Restricting the deployment of cluster munitions could severely hinder aviation and artillery capabilities and reduce the commander's capability to wage war successfully," he added.

Obama voted in favour of limiting use of the bombs, while Clinton and 69 other senators opposed the spending limits, defeating the proposal.

Read the rest of this article here.

Reuters: Landmines threaten Iraqis and hamper development

martha@cpi.org (Martha) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:57:49 -0500

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Up to 25 million land mines, or almost one for every Iraqi, remain buried in thousands of minefields across Iraq and are hampering development of rich oil deposits, officials said on Wednesday.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the mines were spread across about 4,000 minefields left across Iraq after the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, the first Gulf War in 1991 and the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.

"We have been busy with the biggest threat against our existence, which is terrorism ... so the many mines did not get the attention they deserved," Dabbagh said at a conference with United Nations officials in Baghdad on the problem.

"For every Iraqi citizen there is a mine that could kill him at any moment," he said.

Iraqi Environment Minister Nermeen Othman said she had been appointed by the government to lead efforts to clear Iraq of land mines.

"Because of the contamination by land mines, Iraq has lost access to thousands of hectares of farm lands and been unable to invest in its oil fields," Othman said.

David Shearer, U.N. deputy special representative for humanitarian, reconstruction and development in Iraq, said the heavy contamination of land mines had many different effects.

"The importance of this explosive material is not just about the damage it can do to ordinary people, it also impacts the economic development of Iraq itself," he said.

Read the rest of this story here.

Landmines and UXO kill and maim hundreds in Afghanistan in 2007

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:33:54 -0500

Landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO) killed 143 and wounded 438 people in different parts of Afghanistan in 2007, according to UN Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan (UNMACA) statistics.

Most victims are males aged 1-26, largely from the insurgency-affected southern provinces where the worsening security situation has hampered de-mining activities.

The number of people killed by landmines and other explosive remnants of war saw a 13.2 percent increase in 2007 over 2006 but the overall casualty rate (the combined number of dead and injured) dropped by over 29 percent, UNMACA's findings indicate.

Landmines, UXOs and AXOs killed 124 and wounded 697 Afghans in 2006.

Read the rest of this article here.

Young & Rubicam Creates Radio Spot to Support Landmine Victims: Tell us what you think!

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:30:47 -0500

All of us at Clear Path International are grateful to Young & Rubicam Malaysia (and Randy Lee!) for creating a 35 second radio spot for CPI.

Please listen to the spot below and let us know what you think in the comments section.

It is our hope to get this played on radio stations, so if you are in radio, or know of someone who is, please help us get this on the air! If you have ideas, please email us at info@cpi.org.

Listen to the ad here or right click on this link and save it to your computer!

Download the .Wav file (for radio) here.

A Certificate of Merit Awarded to Clear Path in Vietnam

imbert@cpi.org (Imbert Matthee) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:36:03 -0500

DONG HA, Vietnam I dont often write about ceremonies. Most of the time theyre just for looks, photo ops, grip and grins. When you have an all-hands-on-deck agenda to get things done, fluff and puff can be kind of a nuisance.

But the recent presentation to CPI of the Certificate of Merit from the Provincial Peoples Committee of Quang Tri was different to me. It was a real milestone in our seven-year history as a humanitarian mine action organization.

It was a chance to stop climbing for a moment, turn around and look down to see how far weve come with the commitment of our donors, the dedication of our staff and the unwavering support of our local partners, in particular the Quang Tri PC.

Vietnam is where we started and its still by far our largest program. Quang Tri, the central province most heavily affected by the war in Vietnam, is where it all began.

The Certificate of Merit recognizes international organizations for their assistance to Vietnamese people in need. In Quang Tri, weve served 3,204 beneficiaries and spent nearly $860,000 on survivor assistance programs. Next year, well serve 1,040 in the province.

In Vietnam as a whole, weve served 4,664 people impacted by ordnance accidents and their family members in 14 provinces since 2001. They are people such as Do, a log trucker from Hue who lost part of his right hand and eyesight when he tried to free his truck from a muddy road two years ago and an unseen piece of ordnance war-era ordnance exploded.

Clear Path paid for his eye operation and glasses, then gave him a $250 grant to start raising rabbits in a narrow space behind his familys house where he built a roof and cages for the breeding project.

Dos wife is the main breadwinner, making and selling a local noodle product. But Dos rabbit sales, which are still modest but expected to grow quickly each year, boosts the couple monthlys income by 20 percent and strengthens the shy survivors self esteem.

I feel I am contributing to my family, he told me. I feel useful.

In 2001, our first full year of survivor assistance, we served 199 people. This year, weve served 1,428. Our assistance to new accident survivors expanded quickly to most of central Vietnam, while our comprehensive medical and socio-economic support to existing survivors (injured since the end of the war in 1975) extends to beneficiaries in four districts north and south of the former Demilitarized Zone.

Besides the growing financial backing from many grassroots donors each year, weve secured steady funding from the United Nations Associations Adopt-A-Minefield campaign, the U.S. State Department and the McKnight Foundation.

Recently, we signed an agreement with the International Trust for Demining & Victims Assistance in Europe for their support in Vietnam. ITF International Relations Director Iztok Hocevar is traveling with me to Vietnam and Cambodia to see our work first-hand. He attended yesterdays ceremony.

In 2008, were planning to double the number of districts where we serve existing accident survivors and families. The new districts will be Dong Ha in Quang Tri, Quang Ninh in Quang Binh, A Luoi in Thua-Thien Hue and Dai Loc in Quang Nam all heavily affected by accidents with wartime explosives.

Our core Vietnamese staff of five Toan, Chi, Phuong, Nhi and Duc have done an incredible job building our program in a country where the accident victims are as scattered throughout the countryside as the ordnance that was dropped and fired during the war and where the typhoon season can make project implementation very challenging. First they worked under the direction of Kristen Leadem, then Hugh Hosman and now on their own.

What started as a small project to help a few people has blossomed into large-scale effort to serve the innocent victims of the wars destructive legacy. Yesterdays ceremony was an occasion to take stock in that and realize that all of us linked to CPI donors, staff and partners are helping nearly 5,000 people recover and get on with their lives in this country.

And thats the reason why I am writing about the Certificate of Merit. The recognition is for all of us.

Congratulations.

13-year-old Boy Blinded by Burma Army Landmine

junk@cpi.org (Lobke Dijkstra) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:47:27 -0500

From the Free Burma Rangers website:

On 19 November, 13-year-old Saw K'Tray Soe detonated a landmine while gathering bamboo soot leaves to make a roof for his family's house. The mine blew up in his face, severely injuring his eyes and throat. His 8-year-old sister was nearby and was also injured by the explosion. The children are from Lay Kee village, on the border of Toungoo and Papun Districts, northern Karen State.

The mine was laid by the SPDC two months ago during their activity in the Ta Ler Ker Ko and Kaw Daw Ko areas. On 16 August, 2007, Burma Army division 88 entered Lay Kee village, burned down one house, and laid landmines, one of which eventually injured Saw K'Tray Soe and his sister.

Warning: The following link with the rest of the story contains very disturbing photos:
http://freeburmarangers.org/Reports/2007/20071205.html

Read about Clear Path International's work with Burmese landmine survivors here.

Landmine activist/traceur tries to cross Central London without touching the ground

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:46:31 -0500

Via BoingBoing.net

An anti-landmine activist/traceur (one who practices parkour) working with the Dangerous Ground Project tried to cross all 50,000 square metres of central London without touching the ground. The resulting video is part parkour excitement, part chilling reminder of the risks that people all over the world face from the landmines that surround their homes, schools and places of work.

Check out the video here: http://www.dangerousground.org/kbps.html

Good News, Bad News For Mine Clearance In Countries Where Clear Path International Has Assistance Programs

imbert@cpi.org (Imbert Matthee) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:17:24 -0500

The year 2006 held some good news and some bad news for the countries where Clear Path has assistance programs for landmine accident survivors, according to Landmine Monitor

Landmine clearance efforts in Cambodia and Afghanistan led the way in global mine removal, accounting for 55 percent of the world's total in 2006. But the use of anti-personnel devices and casualties increased sharply in Myanmar (Burma) during the year.

The below is a release from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines:

TOO MANY STATES NOT ON COURSE TO MEET MINE CLEARANCE DEADLINES
GENEVA, Switzerland 12 November 2007 Many states are not on course to meet their Mine Ban Treaty mine clearance obligations, according to Landmine Monitor Report 2007: Toward a Mine-Free World. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) releases the 1,124-page report at the United Nations today.

Landmine Monitor reports on the global landmine situation and scrutinizes the implementation of and compliance with the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Landmine Monitor Report 2007 is the ninth annual edition of the report.

Time is running short for 29 countries with treaty-mandated clearance deadlines in 2009 or 2010. Despite a treaty provision allowing 10 years to complete mine clearance, 14 states are almost certain not meet their 2009 deadlines: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Chad, Croatia, Mozambique, Niger, Peru, Senegal, Tajikistan, Thailand, the United Kingdom (for clearance of the Falkland Islands/Malvinas), Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

Even more seriously, despite having almost eight years to initiate clearance, France, Niger, the United Kingdom and Venezuela have failed to even begin clearance operations.

Some countries that should have met their clearance deadlines will probably not be able to do so, said Mr. Stuart Casey-Maslen of Norwegian Peoples Aid, Landmine Monitors Mine Action Editor. Both donors and mine-affected countries must work harder to ensure that countries live up to their obligations under international law.

Demining programs in 2006 cleared 140 km2 of mined areas and 310 km2 of battle areas. A significant increase in battle area clearance was recorded over 2005, primarily in Iraq. Afghanistan and Cambodia alone accounted for over 55% of all mined area clearance in 2006. Operations resulted in the destruction of 217,000 antipersonnel mines, 18,000 antivehicle mines and 2.15 million explosive remnants of war (ERW).

Government use of antipersonnel mines declined further, with only Myanmar/Burma and Russia continuing to lay new mines. Non-state armed groups in at least eight countries used antipersonnel mines or improvised explosive devices, which is also a decrease.

A total of 5,751 mine and ERW casualties were reported in 2006, a decrease of 16% from 2005, although Pakistan, Myanmar/Burma, and Somalia recorded increased casualty rates due to conflict. Lebanon noted an approximately tenfold casualty increase. Three-quarters of recorded casualties were civilians, and 34% of civilian casualties were children. Worldwide, 473,000 survivors were identified as of August 2007.

Only 11 of 24 states with significant numbers of survivors have made substantial progress towards their 2005-2009 objectives for improving the provision of assistance and ensuring survivors rights. Funding for survivor assistance comprises only 1% of total mine action funding. Progress toward meeting the needs and rights of survivors should be regarded as insufficient.

Mine-affected countries and international donors must give greater priority to the physical and economic rehabilitation of survivors, as their needs are not being adequately addressed, said Katleen Maes of Handicap International, Landmine Monitors Victim Assistance Editor. These people must not be forgotten.

Mine risk education reached approximately 7.3 million people in 63 countries in 2006-2007. Although this is an increase from 2005-2006, 13 countries urgently need to improve their mine risk education efforts. No mine risk education was recorded in 36 countries and one area affected by mines or ERW.

Of the 20 largest mine action donors, 15 provided more funding in 2006 than 2005. Funding for mine action was US$475 million in 2006, an increase of some $100 million from 2005, and the highest level ever recorded by Landmine Monitor. Much of the increase was due to emergency funding for the clearance of explosive remnants of war in South Lebanon.

While donor states responded quickly to ERW contamination in Lebanon, what is needed is multi-year funding by national and international donors, said Mr. Anthony Forrest of Mines Action Canada, Landmine Monitors Mine Action Funding Editor. Funding levels in 2006 have set a new standard for the global commitment to mine action, against which future funding levels will be judged."

Antipersonnel mines face increased international rejection, as four more countries joined the treaty (Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait and Montenegro), bringing the total to 155. Ten years after the negotiation and signing of the Mine Ban Treaty, the stigmatization of antipersonnel mines continues to spread. Even those who have not yet joined the treaty are largely abiding by its core obligations, said Steve Goose of Human Rights Watch, Landmine Monitors Ban Policy Editor. Seven more countries completed destruction of their stockpiles of antipersonnel mines; in total, 81 States Parties have destroyed nearly 42 million stockpiled mines.

While overall compliance with the treaty has been impressive, there have been some disconcerting developments, said Goose. These include a UN monitoring group reporting shipments of antipersonnel mines to Somali factions by two States Parties (Eritrea and Ethiopia, which strongly deny the accusations), two states missing their stockpile destruction deadlines (Afghanistan and Cape Verde, both of which have now completed the task), and Venezuela indicating that it continues to derive military benefit from mines laid around military basesa potential treaty violation of the prohibition on use.

The treaty prohibits the use, production, and trade of antipersonnel landmines. It requires clearance of mined areas within 10 years and the destruction of stockpiled antipersonnel mines within four years. Landmine Monitor Report 2007 reports on landmine use, production, trade, stockpiling, demining, casualties, survivor assistance and mine action funding in 118 countries and areas.

Landmine Monitor is coordinated by an Editorial Board drawn from four organizations: Mines Action Canada, Handicap International, Human Rights Watch and Norwegian Peoples Aid. It constitutes a sustainable and systematic way for NGOs to monitor and report on the implementation of a disarmament treaty.

Landmine Monitor Report 2007 and related documents are available at 08:00 GMT at www.icbl.org/lm/2007on 12 November.

For more information or to schedule an interview contact:

Ms. Jackie Hansen, Landmine Monitor Project Manager, Geneva (GMT+1), Mobile +41-76-222-6968 or +1-613-851-5436, email lm@icbl.org
Ms. Simona Beltrami, ICBL Advocacy Director, Geneva (GMT+1), Mobile +39-33-3714-2251, email simona@icbl.org

2007 Evening of Hope Benefit for Landmine Survivors Brings in $50,000!

imbert@cpi.org (Imbert Matthee) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:56:11 -0500

SEATTLE Landmine accident survivors, particularly in Vietnam, have reason to smile after Fridays 2007 Evening of Hope MCd by KING 5 TVs Evening Magazine Host John Curley at the College Club.

Our third annual Seattle fundraiser, generously underwritten by the law firm Marler Clark, brought in more than $50,000 for our direct assistance work. That amount is a 43 percent increase over last years $35,000.
For central Vietnam, the $50,000 will be doubled through a matching grant from the U.S. State Department and then doubled again by the International Trust Fund for Demining & Victims Assistance.

In short, the evening raised a total of $200,000!

With other fundraising efforts and grant requests made to private-sector donors, we now expect to easily raise the matching totals from State and the ITF for $400,000, allowing us to assist 1,700 landmine survivors in Vietnam by the middle of 2008.

Credit for the galas huge success goes to Clear Paths new volunteer Special Projects Coordinator, Melody Mociulski, who worked tirelessly on the benefit since spring. She called around town for the best venue, procured new auction software, initiated outreach, recruited guests, procured auction items and managed the evenings complex administration.

In preparations for the evening, she was supported by volunteers Sandy Schubach and Kathy Hashbarger. Sandy arranged the dessert auction that raised thousands of dollars and recruited volunteers, while Kathy recruited guests, procured auction items and assisted at the event.

Volunteer prosthetic technicians Duane Nelson and Jody Riggs awed the audience with their deeply moving presentation about their three months providing artificial limbs to Burmese refugees in remote camps on the Thai-Myanmar border.

The evening was attended by West Coast board members Nancy Norton, Lori Trieu, Mark Kruse and Laura Willingham, and by Burma advisor Dr. Tao Shen Kwan Gett.

John Curley, MC and auctioneer, was better than ever, teasing and good-heartedly taunting the crowd of more than 110 into a bidding frenzy over dessert and items in the live auction, including a cruise donated by Holland America Lines (with roundtrip airfare from Alaska Airlines), a week at a farm house in Provence, a week at a ski condo in Whistler, lunch with Tom Robbins, a movie night at Yonder Theater and two tickets at the 103.7 FM Mountain Music Lounge.

The staff at the College Club could not have been more accommodating and fun work with before, during and after the event.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make our 2007 Evening of Hope the highest netting fundraising event in our seven-year history:

Event sponsor:
Marler Clark, Llc.

Silk Circle donors:
Kom Consulting, Alan & Sarah Black and Michael Bryant Brown & Kayla Black.
Lotus Club donors: Virginia & Dusty Davison; Clyde & Lois Laughlin; Aroma Creations; Cascade DAFO; Gordon & Cathryn Sandridge, Margaret Roben, John & Veronika Geilfuss, Jane & Charles Ekberg, Mickie & Bob Stowell, Bryce & Sherry Holmes, Matt Kenney, Brent & Madeline Olson, Dan & Kathleen Huxley and David & Ann Bruce.

Table captains:
Melody & Michael Mociulski, Karen Fredrichs, Kathy & Rick Hashbarger, Keith & Lucia Ryan, Marcie Lagerloef, Margaret Connor and Laura Willingham.

Auction donors:
Holland America Lines, Alaska Airlines, Seattle Symphony, 103.7 FM The Mountain, Melody & Michael Mociulski, Geraldine Ferraro/Four Swallows/Barbara Jeantrout, Faces First, Greg Atkinson, Craig Freeman, Claire Henning, Karen & Mark Fredrichs, KUOW, Tom Robbins, Karen & Imbert Matthee, Island Fitness, Renew Day Spa, Kristen Leadem, Tom Lent, The Traveler, Lori Trieu, Bainbridge Police Department, Eagle Harbor Books, Pet Vacations, Rancho Winslow, John & Andrea Adams, Bainbridge Vineyards, Bellezza Dolce, Eleven Winery, Pam Wachtler-Fermanis, Alan Vogel Design, Woodleigh Hubbard, Cher Vrieling, Ten Mercer Dinner & Drinks, Cihan & Bonnie Anisogula, Old Mill Microcomputing, Erin Hults, Grace Harris, Blackbird Bakery, Town & Country Markets, Gene Juarez Salons & Spas, Bon Bon, Sonya Marinoni, Rick & Kathy Hashbarger, Frank Buxton, Bowie Salon & Spa, Arlene Johnson.

Volunteers: Melody Mociulski, Duane Nelson, Jody Riggs, Sandy Schubach, Kathy Hashbarger, Thuy Nguyen, Cezanne Allen, Mike Gormley, Ann Strickland, Keith & Lucia Ryan and Erin Hults.

Running marathons for landmine surivors: Thanks Darcy!

martha@cpi.org (Martha) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:29:15 -0500

Working with Clear Path International has offered me the great privilege of meeting many amazing people around the world. Not a day goes by that I don't think about the folks that tirelessly, quietly and selflessly continue to support this important work.

Mr. Darcy Ike is positioned well within the group of amazing folks with whom I have been honored to cross paths. Mr. Ike runs marathons, 34 so far and has chosen to contribute to Clear Path with the completion of the past several and hopefully the next handful in the future :)

In the photo below from a recent marathon on Maui, Darcy is wearing a shirt that was designed by his friend Tim Geer. It features a simple drawing of Aung San Suu Kyi and two messages - on the front "Free Aung San Suu Kyi" and on the back - "Running for Clear Path".

Stay tuned for more about Mr. Ike's efforts but for now all of us here are grateful for the miles that he has tread for Clear Path International.

In Burma, child soldiers bought and sold

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:51:26 -0500

Even more cruel than landmines, which steal limbs and lives most often from the innocent, is the use of child soldiers, which steals childhoods and souls from the defenseless. It is an act of the truly evil and desperate.

No surprise, then, to see this recent report (link to a 2.1 meg PDF) from Human Rights Watch detailing the use of child soldiers in Burma (Myanmar).

An excerpt from a story on the report on Reuters is below.

Source: Reuters Alertnet | Human Rights Watch

NEW YORK, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Myanmar is filling the ranks of its depleted armed forces with children as young as 10 and may try to capture even more boys after the recent crackdown on pro-democracy protests, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.

The former Burma is so desperate to replenish its army after desertions and attrition that children are bought and sold by military recruiters. They are beaten and held as virtual prisoners while the government denies it is happening, the report said.

Myanmar's military government, under international scrutiny for its brutal suppression of the biggest pro-democracy protests in 20 years, insists that its armed forces are made up of volunteers over 18, the 132-page report said.

However, out of 20 former soldiers interviewed by Human Rights Watch, all but one estimated that at least 30 percent of their fellow trainees were under 18, the report said.

"The government's deployment of the army in September 2007 to attack Buddhist monks and other peaceful protesters may increase the vulnerability of children to recruitment even further," the report said.

"Even before the crackdown, young men were often reluctant to join the military ... The use of the army in the attacks, killings and detention of protesters may further discourage voluntary enlistment, and prompt recruiters to seek out even greater numbers of child recruits," the report said.

YouTube: Thank you, Martha!

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:09:15 -0500

This video was shown on the 10th anniversary Celebration of Martha Hathaway's work with landmine and bomb survivors in Vietnam, Cambodia, Afghanistan and the Thai-Burma border.

The music is Natalie Merchant's "Kind & Generous" off of her CD OPHELIA and is used with permission.

It was shown (as a surprise to her) at on October 13th after a letter from the US Dept of State was read and before a speech by Senator Patrick Leahy and a performance by Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion.

Senator Leahy Honors Clear Path | Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion Perform to a Sold Out Crowd

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:24:01 -0500

Great news from the Vermont Office of Clear Path International! Our event with Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion was a huge success bringing in around $10,000.00 in donations and ticket sales! We sold out of over 200 tickets and it was standng room only... and those standing didn't seem to mind as Sarah Lee and Johnny put on a stellar performance.

Before the show, CPI honored one of its own... it was CPI executive Director Martha Hathaway's 10th year in mine action. In honor of this occasion, Senator Patrick Leahy spoke before Sarah Lee and Johnny took the stage and spoke to the need for a ban on landmines and praised the work of Clear Path International. He then presented Martha and me with a framed copy of comments he made about Clear Path that are now in the Congressional Record.

This was a great honor for Martha, Clear Path and me. Please see photos below and more pictures from the event can be found at this link.

Thank you Sarah Lee, Johnny and Senator and Mrs. Leahy!! I also especiallly want to thank John Goodrow from Leahy's office... he is truly an unsung hero... he fields so many calls for the Senator's attention and has done so much for so many. Thank you, John, for your good work for us and for many, many other causes. The photo below, with the Senator, was taken by John.

A special thank you to our sponsors for the event:

A Safe Place Self-Storage, Alchemy Promotional Products, Bickford Real Estate, Chandler 4 Corners, Dorset Union Store, Engel, Powell & Spivey, P.C., Express Copy Inc., Finn & Stone, Inc., Bob Gasperetti Furniture Maker, Gunterman Tennis Schools, H.N. Williams Store, The Inn at Manchester.Inn At West View Farm, Lisa Laberge Interiors, Long Ago & Far Away,Main Street Realty McWayne Jewelers, The Mountain Goat, New Morning Natural Foods, Northshire Bookstore, The Orvis Company,Perfect Wife Restaurant, Simple Coffee, Susan Sargent Designs, The Kitchen Store At J.K. Adams

10th Anniversary of Public-Private Partnerships at US Dept of State's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:36:03 -0500

Ten years ago an initiative was begun at the US Department of State that would energize the mine action community in a creative and exciting way. In October of 1997 the State Department initiated the Humanitarian Mine Action Public-Priivate Partnership Program. Clear Path has benefitted greatly from the program as have 56 other NGOs.

Thank you to the great people at the WRA office who have helped CPI immeasurably... we could not do the work we do without their support...

Congratulations folks!!

The below is a press release from their office:

10th Anniversary of Public-Private Partnerships to Reinforce Humanitarian Mine Action

The U.S. Department of State is pleased to mark the tenth anniversary of its Humanitarian Mine Action Public-Private Partnership Program, which enlists civil society support for clearing persistent landmines and explosive remnants of war, teaching mine risk education, and rendering assistance to survivors of landmine accidents around the world. Since its founding in October 1997, this Public-Private Partnership Program has grown to include 57 non-governmental organizations, civic associations, educational groups, and corporations. Working with the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs' Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, these partners have contributed resources that reinforce U.S. Government efforts to combat the global landmine problem. Recognizing that donor governments alone cannot solve the problem soon enough - even with the United States Government's more than $1.1 billion in mine action assistance since 1993 - these groups are speeding the pace at which affected countries can be freed from the humanitarian impact of landmines and other explosive hazards.
The U.S. Department of State thanks the following Public-Private Partners for their valuable contributions to humanitarian mine action:

Adopt-A-Minefield | Association of Volunteers in International Service | Center for International Rehabilitation | Center for Teaching International Relations | Children of Armenia Fund | Colombian Center for Integrated Rehabilitation | Clear Path International | C King Associates | Cranfield University | DanChurchAid | Danish Demining Group | DC Comics | Demining Agency for Afghanistan | Freedom Fields USA | Global Care Unlimited | Golden West Humanitarian Foundation | Grapes for Humanity | The HALO Trust | Handicap International France | Help Handicapped International | Health Volunteers Overseas | Humpty Dumpty Institute | International Eurasia Press Fund | Iraq Mine and Unexploded Ordnance Clearance Organization | Julia Burke Foundation | Kids First Vietnam | Landmines Blow! | Landmine Survivors Network | Lipscomb University | MAG | Marshall Legacy Institute | Medical Care Development International | Messiah College | Mine Action Information Center | Mine Clearance Planning Agency | Newsweek Education Program | One Sri Lanka Foundation | PeaceTrees Vietnam | People to People International | Polus Center | Prestige Health Care Technologies | Prosthetics Outreach Foundation | Roots of Peace | Rose Charities | Dr. Ken Rutherford/Missouri State University | Save the Children | Schonstedt Instrument Company | South Florida Landmine Action Group | Spirit of Soccer | Students Partnership Worldwide | Survey Action Center | United Nations Foundation | Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation | Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund | Warner Bros. | World Education | World Rehabilitation Fund

To learn more, visit the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement website at www.state.gov/t/pm/wra, click on "Public-Private Partnerships," and also see the Safe Passage newsletters at www.state.gov/t/pm/wra/partners/c14838.htm.

Congratulations Sally Taylor and Dean Bragonier!

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:50:49 -0500

The Clear Path International family just got a little bigger and a little cuter with the birth of Bodhi Taylor Bragonier, born to Clear Path's dear friends Sally Taylor and Dean Bragonier on October 4th! Dean and Sally founded the TRANQUILITY PROJECT to raise funds for landmine survivors in Cambodia.... which is how we all became friends. Sally has come to Vermont a couple times to perform and support the work of Clear Path.

Congratulations guys!!

AP: Villagers flee Myanmars deadly landmines

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:46:27 -0500

The story below is from the Mae Sot Clinic on the Thailand - Burma (Myanmar) border that Clear Path International has been supporting since 2002.

Villagers flee Myanmars deadly landmines
...In 2005, at least 231 people in Myanmar were killed or maimed by landmines planted by both the government and insurgent groups including the Karen National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the KNU, the report said.

People treating the victims in Thailand fear that the figure is rising.

Cynthia Maung, the founder of the Mae Tao Clinic, said the number of landmine victims has been growing since 1997 and thinks that it may double this year as the juntas troops advance through Karen State.

Every year we receive about 30 to 40 landmine victims, she told AFP, adding that shes seen nearly 50 cases so far this year.

Read the rest of the story here.

A landmine survivor is fitted at the Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot

Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion with Senator Patrick Leahy Benefit Clear Path International!

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 11:57:12 -0500

Sarah Lee Guthrie, the granddaughter of Woody Guthrie and the daughter of Arlo, will be returning to perform in southern Vermont with her husband, the critically acclaimed Johnny Irion on Saturday October 13th at 6:30 pm at Dorset Vermont's Long Trail school!

The event will benefit Clear Path International's work with landmine and bomb survivors in Vietnam, Cambodia and the Thai-Burma Border. Speaking before the event will be long-time Clear Path supporter and landmine victim advocate, Vermont's Senator Patrick Leahy.
Please click the BUY NOW button below to purchase tickets! Acoustic Magazine had this to say about Sarah Lee and Johnny's 2005 CD entitled "Exploration":

"The celebrated Guthrie musical legacy appears to be in capable hands. This duo debut from Arlo's daughter/Woody's granddaughter and her singer-songwriter husband carries the family folk-music torch into rock and country territory with style and spirit to spare."

Read more about Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion here: www.sarahleeandjohnny.com

Thank you to our sponsors!

A Safe Place Self-Storage, Alchemy Promotional Products, Bickford Real Estate, Chandler 4 Corners, Dorset Union Store, Engel, Powell & Spivey, P.C., Express Copy Inc., Finn & Stone, Inc., Bob Gasperetti Furniture Maker, Gunterman Tennis Schools, H.N. Williams Store, The Inn at Manchester.Inn At West View Farm, Lisa Laberge Interiors, Long Ago & Far Away,Main Street Realty McWayne Jewelers, The Mountain Goat, New Morning Natural Foods, Northshire Bookstore, The Orvis Company,Perfect Wife Restaurant, Simple Coffee, Susan Sargent Designs, The Kitchen Store At J.K. Adams

Esquire: The Devil in the Dirt

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:27:03 -0500

Source: http://www.esquire.com/the-side/blog/landmines-092107

There are so many landmines in Afghanistan, the country is literally about to blow. But removing these mines is no easy task. An exclusive report from Kabul.

By Jeffrey Stern

A member of the United Nations mine-removal team in Afghanistan delicately holds the fuse from a soon-to-be detonated ERW.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- There is a landmine museum in Kabul. Its a single poorly lit room with portraits on the wall of kids suddenly made asymmetrical by munitions left behind. Armies withdraw, but they dont pick up after themselves.

Here, on display, are all the devilish devices men have dreamt up to disassemble one another. Claymores, rocket propelled grenades, rounds the size of your forearm. The cases are open, so you can reach in and pick the things up.

They have mines from America, China, Italy, Pakistan, Russia, Egypt; everyone seems to have buried relics somewhere in Afghanistan. The tags on the unearthed weapons are simple: Russia; trip wire; operational pressure 250kgs; 1000 pieces chopped steel rod. Pakistan; claymore; electrical initiation; 600 6-millimeter steel ball bearings. Theyre less improvised than buried propane tanks wrapped in nails on roadsides, but the idea is the same.

And just like IEDs, theyre assigned sterile-sounding acronyms. The agencies deal in ERWs and UXOs -- Explosive Remnants of War and Unexploded Ordinance, respectively -- so they might talk courteously about these things that keep refugees from repatriating, rob families of their breadwinner, and dont know an advancing soldier from a child fetching water, so that the kid giving you the thumbs-up when your armored SUV rumbles by will one day take a wrong step and be ripped apart by a six hundred steel ball bearings. Something like that happens twice a day in Afghanistan.

Read the rest of this article here.

Rutland Herald: CPI continuing to grow its reputation as a force for humanitarian relief

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:16:23 -0500

Dorset organization raises land mine awareness

September 11, 2007
By PATRICK McARDLE Herald Staff

DORSET - Clear Path International is continuing to grow its reputation as a force for humanitarian relief with new developments this year in Afghanistan and Slovenia.

For the first time, Clear Path is operating a program in Afghanistan in partnership with an American company and the Department of State.

Clear Path, which has offices in Dorset and Seattle, has also received a promise of almost a quarter million dollars from a nonprofit organization in Slovenia which will allow it to continue and expand their work in Vietnam.

Martha Hathaway, the executive director of Clear Path, said it was important for the organization to get the kind of wider recognition that leads to expansions like the one it has recently undertaken.

But Hathaway is much more interested in talking about the work Clear Path is doing and the need in the countries it operates than in congratulating Clear Path on its efforts.

In Afghanistan, Clear Path will be creating victims' assistance programs which has been part of its mission for some time.

Hathaway founded Clear Path in 2001 with her husband, James, Kristen Leadem of Dorset, and Imbert Matthee of Washington, as a land mine removal organization. Now, the group works primarily in assisting victims and raising awareness.

Kristen Leadem (left) and Martha Hathaway of Clear Path International in the Vermont office.

In Afghanistan, Clear Path will be working as a subcontractor to DynCorp International which has a contract with the Department of State's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement. Hathaway said the Clear Path office in Kabul, which has been operating since April, is staffed partially by Americans, working to engage Afghanis in the process.

"The State Department is worried about projects that are not self-sustaining," Hathaway said.

Hathaway said because the government of Afghanistan already had a national strategy for helping victims of land mines, who not only have to deal with their injury but access issues and loss of income, Clear Path would look for ways the State Department can assist the local agencies. That is likely to include things like organizing a national workshop on victims' assistance or creating a system for building ramps and making schools accessible.

While Clear Path has already had some success with similar programs in Cambodia and along the Thailand-Burma border, Hathaway said that didn't necessarily make things easier when they expanded into a country like Afghanistan that has suffered greatly from the use of land mines.

"Every country impacted by land mines is different but we can take the bits and pieces of institutional knowledge we've gained over the years and apply it where it makes sense," she said.

According to Clear Path, an average of 90 people are injured by land mines or explosive remnants in Afghanistan every month and about half die before they can be treated.

The grant from the Slovenia-based International Trust for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance also presents new opportunities for Clear Path.

Under the agreement, the trust will raise $230,000 from among its 27 government and private-sector donors to match what Clear Path raises from the United States government and donors.

Hathaway said this is the first time Clear Path has received funds from the trust and marks the trust's first efforts in Southeast Asia.

The trust was founded about 10 years ago to assist people in the Balkans but Hathaway said as land mines became less of a threat in Europe, charitable organizations there have begun to look at ways they can help victims in other places.

According to Hathaway, Clear Path will use the money to assist ongoing efforts in Vietnam through capital purchases and the hiring of new staff rather than to create new programs.

Despite Clear Path's successes, which have led to more contracts and funding, the need is still great and money remains an issue.

The problem of land mines, especially those which remain after a war is over and injure civilians, gained international attention more than 10 years ago through the support of several well-known figures, primarily England's Princess Diana.

Land mine removal is expensive, however, and organizations like Clear Path, which assist with rehabilitation and the development of resources so victims can earn their own living, are in it for the long-term.

"Donor fatigue is a real problem," Hathaway said.

While Clear Path is raising more money than it has in the past, it comes from fewer donors, primarily the large donations like the ones from the trust, rather than the numerous pledges of $50 or $100 they received in the past.

Clear Path also has the disadvantage of being based in Seattle and out-of-the-mainstream Dorset, far from the significant donors based in New York City or Washington, D.C.

Clear Path has raised money through benefit concerts and a music CD. Its next concert will be on Oct. 13 at the Long Trail School in Dorset with performers Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

For more information on Clear Path on the Internet, visit its Web site at www.cpi.org.

Contact Patrick McArdle at Patrick.mcardle@rutlandherald.com.

Iraq: Which minefield should we clear next?

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:23:29 -0500

From the Reuters Alertnet blog, Sean Moorehouse writes about the work of Mines Advisory Group in Iraq:

We were visiting the almost-vertical Qalat minefield, part of a minebelt that meanders for tens of miles across the harsh terrain of the Kurdish mountains.
Why, I wondered, did MAG choose to clear Qalat, instead of any of the countless other bits.

Fkry and I continued our inspection of the perimeter of the minefield, which was marked by a line of red-painted sticks, about 30cm (12 inches) high, running vertically up the hillside. A 2-metre (2.2 yards) wide path had been hacked out alongside them, to give the deminers access to their working lanes.

Just as importantly, the path allowed for casualty evacuation in the event of a mine accident. An ambulance stood waiting at the other side of the minefield and stretchers were dotted about in strategic locations. The highly trained medic tried to keep himself motivated, but it wasn't easy to sit around for seven hours a day hoping to have nothing to do.

Read the rest of this story here.

Shell explosion kills 3 family members in Vietnam

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 07:26:40 -0500

Source: Chinadaily.com

HANOI -- A couple and their three-year-old child were killed when an ammunition shell exploded in Vietnam's central Quang Nam Province, according to local newspaper Youth on Wednesday.

The explosion occurred at the victims' house in Duy Xuyen District on Tuesday afternoon when the 31-year-old man named Pham Van Thang was trying to break the shell for scraps. His wife, standing nearby, and the child held in her arms were killed on the spot.

According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund of the United States, during the Vietnam War from 1965-1975, the US Armed Forces deployed more than 15 million tons of bombs, mines, artillery shells and other ordnance in the country, in which 10 percent did not detonate as designed.

Local scrap collectors often saw of unexploded ordnance (UXO) for metal and explosive, while small children play ammunitions by breaking them, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries annually.

Now, there are over 300,000 tons of UXO in Vietnam, estimated local officials

Howstuffworks.com: How Landmines Work

james@cpi.org (James Hathaway) — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 12:43:32 -0500

So many people come to our site to learn how to clear landmines, that it seems many of you may be interested in how landmines work.

The below is an excerpt from a great article by Kevin Bonsor for the website Howstuffworks.com:

Mines are often laid in groups, called mine fields, and are designed to prevent the enemy from passing through a certain area, or sometimes to force an enemy through a particular area. An army also will use landmines to slow an enemy until reinforcements can arrive. While more than 350 varieties of mines exist, they can be broken into two categories:
Anti-personnel (AP) mines
Anti-tank (AT) mines
The basic function of both of these types of landmines is the same, but there are a couple of key differences between them. Anti-tank mines are typically larger and contain several times more explosive material than anti-personnel mines. There is enough explosive in an anti-tank mine to destroy a tank or truck, as well as kill people in or around the vehicle. Additionally, more pressure is usually required for an anti-tank mine to detonate. Most of these mines are found on roads, bridges and large clearances where tanks may travel.

...

Landmine detection is a slow, methodical process due to the danger involved in locating landmines. While location technology is improving, the following conventional techniques are still relied on heavily:
Probing the ground - For many years, the most sophisticated technology used for locating landmines was probing the ground with a stick or bayonet. Soldiers are trained to poke the ground lightly with a bayonet, knowing that just one mistake may cost them their lives.

Trained dogs - Dogs can be trained to sniff out vapors coming from the explosive ingredients inside the landmine.

Metal detectors - Metal detectors are limited in their ability to find mines, because many mines are made of plastic with only a tiny bit of metal.

Read the rest of this article here.

Below is a brief video on clearing landmines in Vietnam narrated by Clear Path International's executive director, Martha Hathaway.

Clear Path International: War and Landmine Victim Assistance: Vietnam, Cambodia, Thai-Burma

Clear Path Featured in Journal of Mine Action

A Song for Cambodia: Arn Chorn-Pond's Story

Thai Burma Border Landmine Survivor Assistance Program Page Updated

YouTube: Myanmar's Landmine Survivors at the Mae Tao Clinic

Ministry of Defense in UK raids Landmine Removal Fund to Pay Repair Bills on Fighter Jets

CPI Aid in Thailand and Myanmar Reached Nearly 300 Landmine Survivors in 2007

Red Cross says ban on cluster bombs urgent

The Scent of Northern Thailand: A Volunteer's Experience on the Thai-Burma Border

Clinton vs Obama on Cluster Bomb Legislation

Reuters: Landmines threaten Iraqis and hamper development

Landmines and UXO kill and maim hundreds in Afghanistan in 2007

Young & Rubicam Creates Radio Spot to Support Landmine Victims: Tell us what you think!

A Certificate of Merit Awarded to Clear Path in Vietnam

13-year-old Boy Blinded by Burma Army Landmine

Landmine activist/traceur tries to cross Central London without touching the ground

Good News, Bad News For Mine Clearance In Countries Where Clear Path International Has Assistance Programs

2007 Evening of Hope Benefit for Landmine Survivors Brings in $50,000!

Running marathons for landmine surivors: Thanks Darcy!

In Burma, child soldiers bought and sold

YouTube: Thank you, Martha!

Senator Leahy Honors Clear Path | Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion Perform to a Sold Out Crowd

10th Anniversary of Public-Private Partnerships at US Dept of State's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement

10th Anniversary of Public-Private Partnerships to Reinforce Humanitarian Mine Action

Congratulations Sally Taylor and Dean Bragonier!

AP: Villagers flee Myanmars deadly landmines

Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion with Senator Patrick Leahy Benefit Clear Path International!

Esquire: The Devil in the Dirt

Rutland Herald: CPI continuing to grow its reputation as a force for humanitarian relief

Iraq: Which minefield should we clear next?

Shell explosion kills 3 family members in Vietnam

Howstuffworks.com: How Landmines Work

AP: Villagers flee Myanmars deadly landmines