Yemen working hard on combating coward weapons

SANA'A, April 17 (Saba) - Yemen is exerting major efforts to raise awareness about landmines and their dangers on the people.

The efforts come in line with the UN expanded policy to assist landmine victims
that relies on programs of the UN, non-governmental organizations, international
campaign
to prohibit the use of landmines, managers of programs related to mines, experts
fields action and donors, calls on centers and organizations to participate in
assisting
of mine victims, specially in collecting data, supporting, planning, coordination,
social relations and supporting services performance.
The organization estimates the average of landmine victims around the world at
150000 to 200000 people either killed or injured annually.
But the real number of the victims remains unknown--- maybe it is more than the UN
estimates because many victims don't reach health centers and are not registered.
In this regard, about 60 countries around the world have reported landmines
accidents so far.
The efforts, according to chairman of the National Landmine Action Program, include
an honoring celebration for landmine casualties.
Mansour al-Ezi pointed out that the Program has surveyed and cleansed more than
750,0000 square meters during the last ten years throughout the country and
conducted awareness
programs about dangers of unexploded mines for more than 145,0000 citizens.
In addition to this, the program has destroyed 230000 landmines in the country.
The chairman said that the program has supported and assisted more than 5500
victims during the last ten years and registered 2000 applications for getting
support that
includes providing mental healthcare and artificial body organs.
The support delivered to the people passes in three steps and continues from 6 to 9
months, he said, noting that the program has made progress on his duties.
The program is carrying out qualitative campaigns in Saada but insufficient aid
remains a roadblock to eliminating all landmines that were planted during the war
against
the rebels.
The program has also announced some areas as free of landmines including Hodeida
and Hajjah and other provinces including Rim, Sana'a and Dhamar are now to be
announced
free.
Yemen suffers from the spread of landmines that were planted in various periods of
times particularly before the unification.
It says needs $ 32 million to cleanse its parts of these coward weapons until 2014.
It jointed the "Ottawa" Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling,
Production
and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines in 1999.
Among problems facing teams eliminating landmines in the country include lack of
correct maps of the areas planted with mines.
Several accidents have occurred since the ceasefire started in the far north with
about a dozen people killed and others injured by uncontrolled landmines.
FR