Children and amputees bear brunt of Myanmar’s deadly landmine epidemic
November 22, 2024
By The Associated Press
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The use of landmines in Myanmar has reached epidemic proportions, with children and amputees bearing the brunt of the deadly toll.
According to a new report by the United Nations, there were over 1,000 landmine casualties in Myanmar in 2023, the highest number in over a decade. Of those casualties, over 400 were children.
The report also found that the use of landmines has become increasingly indiscriminate, with mines being laid in civilian areas, including near schools, homes, and water sources.
“The use of landmines in Myanmar is a serious violation of international law and has had a devastating impact on the civilian population,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews. “Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of landmines, and they are often the ones who suffer the most severe injuries.”
The report comes as Myanmar is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, with over 1 million people displaced by conflict and over 7 million in need of humanitarian assistance. The use of landmines is only exacerbating the crisis, making it even more difficult for people to return home and rebuild their lives.
“The international community must do more to address the landmine problem in Myanmar,” said Andrews. “We need to provide more funding for mine clearance and victim assistance, and we need to hold those responsible for the use of landmines accountable.”
The use of landmines is a major problem in Myanmar, and it is having a devastating impact on the civilian population. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of landmines, and they are often the ones who suffer the most severe injuries. The international community must do more to address the landmine problem in Myanmar, and we need to provide more funding for mine clearance and victim assistance, and we need to hold those responsible for the use of landmines accountable.
Children and amputees bear brunt of Myanmar’s deadly landmine epidemic
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