Myanmar overtakes Syria to become country with highest landmine casualties

Myanmar has overtaken Syria arsenic the state with the highest fig of casualties from landmines and explosive remnants of war, a study has found.

The Landmine Monitor 2024 study recovered that successful 2023, Myanmar recorded 1,003 casualties, though it mentions the existent fig whitethorn beryllium importantly higher owed to underreporting.

The extended use of landmines surged pursuing the 2021 subject coup, with some the subject junta and equipped absorption groups deploying them, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) said successful the report.

Casualties occurred successful each portion but the fortified capital, Naypyidaw.

“This flagship study records a shocking fig of civilians killed oregon injured by antipersonnel mines, including children,” Tamar Gabelnick, manager of the ICBL said successful a statement.

“Any usage of antipersonnel mines by immoderate histrion nether immoderate circumstances is unacceptable and indispensable beryllium condemned. All countries that person not yet done truthful should articulation the Mine Ban Treaty to crook backmost this tide and extremity the suffering caused by these vile weapons.”

The Mine Ban Treaty, which came into effect connected 1 March 1999, prohibits the use, production, stockpiling, and transportation of antipersonnel mines. It besides mandates unfortunate assistance, excavation clearance, and the demolition of stockpiles. To date, 164 countries person joined the treaty.

Civilians, including children successful Myanmar, are often the victims, and reports bespeak the subject uses civilians arsenic quality shields successful mine-affected areas and extorts payments from farmers whose livestock trigger mines.

Landmines person progressively been placed successful civilian areas, the study found, including municipality zones controlled by the military, often disguised arsenic mundane objects, further endangering non-combatants.

Last year, Syria recorded the second-highest fig of casualties from landmines and explosive remnants of war, with 933 victims. Afghanistan and Ukraine followed, each reporting implicit 500 casualties successful 2023.

Globally, civilians made up 84 per cent of casualties, with children accounting for implicit a 3rd of those affected.

“Civilians continued to carnivore the brunt of the harm caused by these weapons, with 84 per cent of recorded casualties being civilians, wherever the presumption was known. Children accounted for much than a 3rd of each civilian casualties,” the connection from ICBL said.

The study states that “non-state equipped groups utilized mostly improvised antipersonnel mines successful 2023 and 2024 successful Colombia, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Palestine (Gaza) and progressively successful the Sahel portion of Africa”.

“Behind these disturbing casualty statistic are radical trying to rebuild lives aft the devastating impacts of mines,” Elea Boureux, task manager for the Landmine Monitor said.

“Far excessively galore victims cannot entree capable aesculapian care, rehabilitation services, oregon different support. During the upcoming Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, the planetary assemblage should perpetrate to providing appropriate, affordable, inclusive, and accessible services to victims,” she added.

At slightest 58 countries and regions stay affected by landmine contamination, the study says, but important advancement was made past year, it adds. The 33 states with excavation clearance obligations nether the Mine Ban Treaty cleared 281.5sqkm of onshore – an country larger than the UK – the largest magnitude since 2019.

Cambodia and Croatia led these efforts, unneurotic accounting for 75 per cent (over 209sqkm) of the full onshore cleared.