boletín inglés colombia sin minas

8/14/2019 Boletn ingls Colombia sin minas

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Let us begin with the definition of the termvictim given by the Ottawa Convention:All personsthat have suffered individually orcollectively as a result of an APM(antipersonnel mine) accident, including fromphysical and mental harm, emotional distress,economical loss or a significant violation offundamental rights. The term includes thoseaffected by fatal injuries, survivors and their

immediate family (underlining ours).

Direct Victims:Colombia holdsa registerof the direct victimsfrom 1990 to April, 2009. Of the 2682 civilianvictims of APMs and UXOs (unexplodedordnances), 383 have been women, whilst 2250have been men. The gender of 49 of thevictims is unknown.

The figures demonstrate to us the differingimmediate effects between males andfemales. The number of direct victims ofAPM/UXOs who are male is far greater thanthe number who are female. However, howmany of these accidents have an effect onwomen as indirect victims?

Female victims of APMsand UXOsare faced

with pre-determined social and culturalstandings that make the recovery process forwomen more complicated because their pre-established cultural role is to care for thehome.

These women are affected not only by thephysical consequences of the accident, butalso by their new state of vulnerability,stigmatization, isolation, as well as bypsychosocial effects. Often these women haveto reduce the amount of medical treatmentand care they receive because of economic

factors and because it is, as carers of thehome, impossible for them to abandon theirexisting responsibilities.

If we consider this secondary information,given that Colombia lacks a great amount ofdata, the situation may be even more serious.These circumstances make it impossible toknow the situations in which the 383 femalevictims find themselves after the accident,whether or not it had been possible for themto receive Victim Assistance, or what their

economic situation and activity is. Only thebasic statistics of age, gender, and place andtime of the accident are recorded. So, fromthis limited data, we can see that 229 femalesover 18 years of age and 154 females under 18were recorded as victims between 1990 andApril 2009.

Source: Colombian Campaign to Ban Landmines(CCCM), and Presidential programme for EssentialAction against Antipersonnel Mines (PAICMA)

LANDMINES AND GENDER IN COLOMBIA-TWO PERSPECTIVES

Given the limited data and analysis on the topic, and statistics that onlyreveal a glimpse of the reality, the situation in Colombia warrants analysis.

Chart showing the percentage distribution ofregistered female victims of APMs and UXOsaccording to the consequences of the accident.

1990 to April 2009:of the accident. 1990 to April2009

= F killed = F injured


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Chart showing the percentage distributionof recorded female victims of antipersonnelmines and unexploded ordnances inColombia between 1990 and April 2009

according to age:

Chart showing the percentage distributionof recorded female victims of antipersonnelmines and unexploded ordnances inColombia between 1990 and April 2009according to the most affected departments:

Source: CCCM data and PAICMA data

Antioquia, with 108 women affected, has hadthe greatest number of female victims.Nario, with 34 female victims, occupiessecond place. As the chart shows, eight of themost affected departments all show a similartrend with regards to the percentage ofrecorded female victims.

So direct victims suffer very differentconsequences within the same conflict,consequences which due to their culturalideology hinder the recovery process andtheir access to Victim Assistance, in which

recovering from the psychological effects ofthe accident would be considered of theupmost importance.

Indirect Victims:

With regards to women, the roles they playare as mothers, wives, daughters, sisters etc.When something happens to another memberof the family, it is they who run thehousehold and maintain it. Therefore theybecome indirect victims as they are

responsible not only for the home, but alsofor supporting themselves and for caring forthe direct victim.Despite being so important to society,indirect victims are practically invisible. InColombia there is NO register of indirectvictims which allows us to know the realimpact and consequences of antipersonnelmines.After revising the different situations thatdirect victims face, we could put forwardanother proposal: to form a register of indirect

victims. These indirect victims would be primarilywomen and they would significantly increase the figures upon which we base the objectives ofVictim Assistance. This proposal is motivatedby the stories of victims who have relied onCCCMs help during their recovery process.These direct victims explain who cares fortheir children, spouse, siblings, or parents.

So in this regard women are twice asvulnerable. Despite this, the necessary andsufficient recognition for these indirectvictims, as specified by the OttawaConvention, does not exist. The country mustmake a great effort for them not only withregards to their recognition but also to thecare that they receive.

To this end, it is essential to discuss, studyand analyse the issue of indirect victims ofAPMsand UXOs so they too are included inthe statistics and Victim Assistanceprogrammes.

= percentage of females under 18

= percentage of females over 18

Source: CCCM data and PAICMA data


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Representatives of the 156 StatesParties to the Mine Ban Treaty willparticipate in the Second ReviewConference of the Ottawa

Convention in Cartagena -Colombia, from November 30th toDecember 4th, 2009.

Cartagena will welcome around 180International Organizations and closeto 1,000 guests, including the UnitedNations, the CICR, the ICBL, theColombian Campaign to BanLandmines and

other NationalOrganizations.

The Nationalsituation inrelation tolandmines wasthe principalreason forchoosing Colombia as the location ofthis important event. Colombia hasaround 2,600 victims of mines andthat is why it faces such a crisis ofHumans Rights violations.

Jaime Bermudez, Minister of ForeignAffairs, said "the Second ReviewConference will bring great benefitsto Colombia because it will show 180countries the real situation here interms of terrorism and drug

trafficking. Also, it is a space to talkabout the advances in security andthe work that is still to do in theregions".

According to the report of thePresidential Program for IntegratedAction against Antipersonnel Mines(PAICMA), the aim of the event is to

draw up the action plan for the nextfive years. Furthermore, theConference will provide theopportunity to exchange nationalexperiences and ratify theInternational Cooperation in thefight against Antipersonnel Mines.

The International Campaign to BanLandmines -ICBL-

see in thisConference theopportunity tocomplete a reportwith theinformation sincethe First Conferencein Nairobi, Kenya,2004. The report

will cover the progress in all thecountries and the evaluation of theproblems in the universalisationand the right application of theMine Ban Treaty.

The states party have theresponsibility to act and to providecomplete assistance to victims andso the Colombian Campaign to BanLandmines has been increasing itswork in this area. This requirement

of the treaty will have even moreattention with the cooperation thatis hoped to be acquired in meetingsat the Second Review Conference.

THECARTA

GENA

CONFE

RENCE

SECOND REVISION OF THE OTTAWA CONVENTION


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107 countries, including Colombia,have signed the Convention onCluster Munitions. It prohibits the

use, production, stockpile andtransfer of these weapons.

The treaty was adopted in May 2008,in Dublin, but it needs to be ratifiedby at least 30 states. 107 governmentshave signed it and they accept thecommitment to stop theintensification of conflicts that thisweapon brings.

The effects of cluster bombs are notonly the injuries they can produce butalso the humanitarian and economiccrises that they cause. For this reason,all the countries who have signedshare a common purpose to preventthese consequences and provide

complete assistance to the victims, aswell as clearing contaminated areas toprovide a safe place for the society.

Cluster bombs were first used inWorld War II. From then, they havebeen used in around 32 countries andcurrently almost 78 nations have ahuge stockpile of this kind of bomb.They are air dropped or groundlaunched explosive weapons thateject smaller submunitions far enoughto cover the area of a football pitch.Because cluster bombs do not explode

in every case, there are many civilianskilled or maimed long after thisweapon is used. Unexplodedsubmunitions are difficult to locateand remove and this is how minefields are increased.

COLOMBIA SIGNS IN OSLO


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This was made possible thanks tosupport from the Colombian Campaignto Ban Landmines (CCCM) and MercyCorps, through the project AtencinIntegral a Vctimas de Minas Antipersonal(Comprehensive Assistance forAntipersonnel Mine Victims), financedby USAID (The United States Agency forInternational Development).

For almost four years Nario hasreported the most civilian victims of anydepartment in Colombia and it was thisthat motivated the creation of therehabilitation centre. It will guaranteevictim assistance for those affected in theregion and therefore avoid the secondaryconsequences of landmine accidents,such as the need to travel for medicalattention, cultural uprooting andeconomic difficulties. Plus, the centre willoffer closer, constant and more effectiveaid during the process of rehabilitation.

Present at the opening were, amongothers, the Ambassador for the UnitedStates, William Brownfield, the Governorof Nario, Antonio Navarro Wolff, the

Mayor of Pasto, Eduardo Alvarado, theManager of the University Hospital ofNario, Bernardo Ocampo, the Directorof PAICMA (Presidential Program forEssential Action Against AntipersonnelMines), Andrs Dvila, the ColombianRepresentative for Mercy Corps, GaryBurniske and the National Coordinator ofCCCM, lvaro Jimnez Milln.

The project, which began in 2008, grewfrom the need to provide care to victimsof armed conflict in their owndepartment and is a clear demonstrationof the advances that have been madewithin the framework of the projectAtencin Integral a Vctimas de MinasAntipersonal (Comprehensive Assistancefor Antipersonnel Mine Victims).

On the 28th April 2009 a Centre for Rehabilitation was opened in the UniversityHospital of Nario. It will provide services to almost 90% of landmine victimsand people with disabilities in the department.


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On a topic whose vocabulary isconstantly held in check, GervasioSnchezs frankness never ceases toamaze. No doubt it is for this reason thathe had no problem criticizing the SpanishGovernment last year when he receivedthe Ortega and Gasset prize. Althoughhis photos of the effects of mines,

compiled in the books Vidas Minadas(Mined Lives) (1997), Vidas Minadas cincoaos despus (Mined Lives five years later)(2002) and Vidas Minadas diez aos despus(Mined Lives ten years later) (2007), speakfor themselves, we wanted to talk to himabout his experience.

In a speech you gave at the Ortega andGasset award ceremony you criticizedthe Spanish Government for allowingthe sale of Spanish weapons to

countries at war and for the little effortin providing aid to victims and to thede-mining process. Was there anyreaction from the Government to whatyou said?

In the speech, I thanked the victims and Icriticized all the governments of my countrywho have sold weapons to countries likeColombia and Venezuela, countries withconflicts on their borders. Furthermore, under

the current Government of Jos LuisRodrguez Zapatero sales of Spanish weaponshave doubled. I believe that the work andpressure of NGOs meant that, in 1997, Spainsigned the Ottawa Treaty.

The problem that Spain faces is as asupplier of weapons and not as acountry affected by mines on its

national soil. Taking this into account,is there much exposure to the problemin Spain?

Spain signed the Ottawa Treaty in 1997 andmet the requirements set by the Conventionrelating to the destruction of mines before thedeadline. Instead of taking five years we did itin four. What Spain hasnt done is help

victims, or aid de-mining. Generosity shouldbe compulsory for a country that hasdedicated itself to exporting mines in recentyears.

The socialist Government has had a moresensitive attitude towards the problem thanthe right wing Partido Popular (PopularParty). It has donated more monetary aid tothe situation, but at the same time sales ofSpanish weapons have doubled. So, on one

hand we are sensitive to the trauma causedbut on the other, we are capable of provokingit.

What is your position in light of theColombian conflict and the SecondRevision Conference of the OttawaConvention being held in our country?

I dont really like Colombia being the placewhere the Conference will be held. One of thereasons is that in Colombia, whether or not

you like the government, mines are still beingplanted by the army, the paramilitaries andthe guerrillas. The guerrillas are unlawfulgroups, but the paramilitaries clearly haveconnections with the Colombian Army andwith the state itself, and this is extremelyshameful.

GERVASIO SNCHEZAND HIS POSITION ON THE COLOMBIAN CONFLICT

Spanish photographer Gervasio Snchez has dedicated a large part of his professionallife to capturing pictures of landmine victims. In this interview he tells us, among other

things, his opinion on the role of States Parties to the Treaty and on the fact thatCartagena will host the Second Revision Conference.

(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the interviewee only.)


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It seems scandalous to me that its the

Colombian Army planting mines. For thisreason I wouldnt have chosen Colombia asthe setting for the ratification of a treaty, Ionly would have done it if the security forcesand the government had decided to stopplanting antipersonnel mines.

I think its disgraceful that the largestguerilla force, FARC (Revolutionary ArmedForces of Colombia), linked with drugtrafficking that provides it with significantfunding, is unable to buy conventional mines

on the international market, causing them tomake their own. They are wreaking havocamong the civilian population with theirhandmade mines and what is more, they fillthem with nails and excrement. This causessevere infections in the victims, whether theyare military, civilian, children or adults.

Taking into account that you haveworked in Colombia and in differentcountries covering the landmine

situation, how do you see the progressand/or lack of it, the situations and theperspectives around the world and inColombia?

156 countries have signed the Ottawa Treatyand there are 37 who havent (worthmentioning among these are the USA, Indiaand China). Important progress has been

made and millions of mines in storage havebeen destroyed, but there are still tens ofmillions of mines in storage and tens ofmillions buried underground.

Many European countries used to exportmines, and now Europe donates paltry sumstowards de-mining and towards helpingvictims. In fact, the USA provides more aidin this area than Europe, despite not havingsigned the Ottawa Treaty.

At the current speed of de-mining it will takehundreds of years to finish. This is a seriousproblem, since at the signing of the OttawaTreaty the intention was to have a mine-free

world by 2009. But rich countries have notbeen generous.

Regarding Colombia, it seems to me that itscurrent situation is extremely complicated. Infact, it is the country with the most landmineaccidents in the world. What is more, thereare many mined areas that are uninhabitedbecause the population has been forced out bythe war. These people are driven to seekrefuge in major cities like Cali, Bucaramangaand others, including Bogot. But at somepoint these citizens will return to their homesand the mines will still be there under theearth, because the army, whether or not youlike them, along with the paramilitaries andguerrilla forces, have planted minesthroughout the country. There are going to bemany accidents in the future when thesepeople return, just as there were in Cambodiaand Angola.

(See the complete interview with

Gervasio Snchez on our website:http://www.colombiasinminas.org/index.php?page=entrevista-gervasio-sanchez)

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