Landmine Survivors Network - The Fight Against Landmines

Simply put, landmines are designed to blow up the people who step on them. Unfortunately, they can’t discriminate between soldiers in battle and civilians in peace time. More people have been killed by landmines than have died from nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. Yet for all their "success", landmines are a surprisingly poor military weapon. Over 80% of their victims are civilians. Thousands are children.

The horrific face of the enemy.

The price of a landmine is just $3, but the cost is staggering. Landmines claim nearly three victims an hour. That's one new victim every 22 minutes - 24,000 new victims a year. 1200 are maimed every month. 800 are killed. Thousands survive the blast only to struggle through life without limbs. Today, over 80 million landmines remain buried waiting to go off. 200 million more are stockpiled waiting to be deployed There are 16 mine-producing countries -- including the United States. Together they have created a world of more than 80 mine-infested countries. This is what we are up against.

While it seems incredible in an era of high-tech warfare, there is no high-tech solution for clearing a $3 weapon out of the ground. De-mining remains painstaking, costly work -- and few nations readily undertake it. That's why it is so important for LSN to bring its anti-landmine campaign to the forefront of world consciousness.

The historic Mine Ban Treaty.

1997 was a year of unprecedented success for landmine survivors. In March, the Treaty to ban antipersonnel landmines came into force as international law. It made the manufacture, sale and use and stockpile of landmines illegal, and accelerated mine clearance. Largely due to the efforts of LSN, the treaty also mandated assistance to landmine survivors and their families.

Today, as a member and former Chair of the US branch of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (USCBL), LSN works with over 400 other organizations to raise awareness in this country of the mass suffering inflicted by landmines. LSN also launched the "Why not US?" campaign and encourages the public to sign the People's Petition to Ban Landmines.

Famous faces. Compassionate hearts.

Throughout our existence, LSN has been blessed with champions who, through their own compassion, have helped us raise public awareness dramatically. The late Princess Diana of Wales brought international attention to LSN with her deep support and personal commitment to our cause. Today, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan works on our behalf.

The Killing Technology

Landmines are weapons of mass-destruction in slow motion. They have killed more people than nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons combined.

There are essentially three kinds of landmines (also called anti-personnel landmines):

Blast Mines are hand-laid or scattered from the air. When stepped on, the blast can rip off a foot or part of a leg. The upward force also drives debris into the wound which can cause amputation of even more of the limb.

Fragmentation Mines are usually surface-laid and are often trip-wire activated. When detonated, the explosion projects hundreds of fragments (similar to a shotgun blast) over a wide area.

Directional Mines are similar to fragmentation mines but are designed to project fragments in a predetermined direction. In essence, they are fragmentation mines which can be aimed.

Over 400 million landmines have been laid since the beginning of World War II. Today, it is estimated that nearly a quarter of these mines are still alive, laying in wait for victims. It is also estimated that landmines claim 24,000 victims a year. At that rate, innocent victims will still be stepping on landmines 4,000 years from now.

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