Landmines

1. Case Study: The Many Faces of Conflict: Landmines and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding

Prior Knowledge

Students should have read the entire section on landmines, especially material that addresses the following questions:  Why have they been used? What is demining and why is it carried out? What efforts are underway internationally to ban landmines?

2. Case Study Purpose

·  expose students to the multi-dimensional and lasting nature of conflict by exploring the social and economic implications of landmines.

·  reveal to students the challenges of post-conflict operations, including the need to address all aspects of security for lasting peace.

·  get students to better appreciate and understand the nature and importance of Canada’s military peacebuilding efforts in Afghanistan.

·  raise awareness of the rationale behind an outright international ban on landmines.

Background

Afghanistan is one of the most mine-affected countries in the world. Its recent history is characterised by war and civil unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 but was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces. Fighting continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving rise to the Islamic group Taliban. The Taliban seized power in 1996 and established a fundamentalist regime guided by their own interpretation of Islamic law.  Following the September 11 attacks in the USA in 2001, US and allied forces attacked Afghanistan, which resulted in the fall of the Taliban government. In June 2002, Hamid Karzai was elected President of the new government of Afghanistan.

In addition to ongoing political unrest, the country suffers the consequences of more than two decades of war: enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and a widespread landmine problem. Landmines and cluster bombs were used in the most recent conflict and exacerbated a long-standing crisis.

Afghanistan Landmine Facts

· Over 740 million square metres (nearly 200,000 acres) of land is contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).

· The International Committee of the Red Cross recorded 1,368 new landmine and UXO casualties in Afghanistan in 2001.

· Military operations increased the number of people killed or maimed each day, to 15–18 people per day, because of the increased movement of civilians to escape the military operations.

· More than 90% of landmines and UXO are concentrated in villages, farms and grazing lands. This has a particularly heavy impact in a country reliant on agriculture.

· Three-quarters of all landmine victims in Afghanistan are civilians.

3.Case Study Scenario and Procedure

Scenario

The Minister of Foreign Affairs from Canada

·  is visiting Afghanistan to meet with local civilians and with members of the Canadian military involved in demining activities.

·  wants to learn firsthand why landmines are an important security issue for Afghanistan

·  wants to learn firsthand how Canada is playing an important role.

·  is responsible for explaining Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan to the Canadian public.

Each group will make their case that

·  the removal of landmines in Afghanistan is an important issue

·  Canada should continue to be involved

Procedure

Step 1

The teacher

·  divides the class into two groups according to the descriptions following.

·  assumes the role of Minister.

·  records how long the exercise takes.

·  Can tell the students at the end of the activity that for every twenty minutes that transpired, an estimated one person, on average, died from stepping on an unexploded landmine.

Step 2

The Minister

·  calls the groups to the meeting.

·  delivers a short speech (have fun being a diplomat), reminding the groups that she or he needs to be convinced of why landmines are important to Afghanistan and to Canadians back home.

·  invites each group to present their lists, asking questions along the way to draw out the important elements.

·  at the end, summarizes to the group why he or she is convinced that this is an issue of importance to Canadians and explain that he or she intends to return to Canada with a positive message of how Canada is helping Afghanistan to rebuild peace and security.

To do:

· Compose a list of the characteristics that make landmines unique

·  Pull out some of the most important statistics that will convince the Minister that landmines are an important issue

·  Elect a member of the group to speak on behalf of your group at the upcoming meeting with the Minister

·  Ensure that each member is ready to give their input if needed.

Questions to consider:

· Who do landmines target once a war is over?

· Are they expensive to dismantle?

· Can the local population dismantle them?

· What types of expertise are needed to dismantle landmines?

· Is Afghanistan capable of dismantling landmines on their own?

· How is the Canadian Military carrying out its role and why should it continue?

· How does the terrain in Afghanistan make it particularly difficult to demine? 

· Why is demining important for rebuilding peace and security in Afghanistan from the perspective of your group?

To do:

·  Create a brief list of key points that explain how landmines affect your everyday lives.

·  Make a second list of how your lives have changed after the clearing of some of the mines.

·  Elect a representative to present your lists to the Minister.

·  Ensure that each member is ready to give their input if needed

Questions to consider:

·  How do you carry out your lives differently in areas where you are now confident are free of landmines compared to those where mines may still exist?

·  How do landmines affect farming?

·  How do landmines affect children getting a proper education?

·  How do the absence of landmines make people feel more secure and help prevent future conflict?

·  Are people happier and do they feel more secure without landmines?

Why is demining important for rebuilding peace and security in Afghanistan from the perspective of your group?