We are in an era of destruction. And we are in a time of significant progress in building a less violent and cruel world. Landmines reached their peak during the second half of the 20th century. A cheap weapon, easy to transport and use for regular armies or irregular groups. In a context of change (from major wars between states to conflicts within a single border involving many armed groups), landmines were intended as a way to terrorize the civilian population. enemy. Not only did it cause deaths but also many seriously injured and maimed people. In the height of cruelty, mines were even designed with bright colors so that children would approach them, thinking they were a butterfly or a small animal, and explode them.
Anti-personnel mines posed a serious problem even after the conflict had ended. Many mined areas continued to claim victims: no one remembered exactly where they had been scattered, and in any case, detecting and defusing them was a very costly and dangerous task. Thousands of people continued to suffer from mines despite the peace agreements.
The evidence that mines had an enormous and indiscriminate impact on the civilian population caused humanitarian NGOs to sound the alarm. And together with peace and human rights NGOs, they launched the international campaign to ban anti-personnel mines in 1992. After overcoming much resistance, they achieved the adoption of the Ottawa Treaty. 26 years later, more than 160 countries have ratified it, turning anti-personnel mines into a stigmatized and practically eradicated weapon. Even countries that refused to support the agreement (among others, the United States, Russia, and China) ended up accepting, in practice, its prohibition.
In recent weeks, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have announced their intention to withdraw from the Treaty, justifying their use in the event of a possible Russian attack.
But mines are an extremely unreliable weapon that makes no distinction between soldiers and civilians. In fact, according to data from the Landmine Monitor, 85 percent of mine victims are civilians. If several countries once again talk about using mines regularly, they could set in motion a new, irresponsible and criminal global chain of legitimizing mines. And in the face of this trend, it's worth remembering one obvious fact: the mine action treaty isn't just a major milestone in the development of international humanitarian standards and in the history of achievements in citizen mobilization for peace. The mine ban, quite simply, has been a tool that has helped save thousands of human lives and prevent much human suffering. Returning to a world with landmines running rampant is the exact opposite of contributing to the defense of people and communities and global security.
