Libya: Stepping up our mine risk education activities

The Libyan National Transitional Council has renounced the use of landmines. These weapons, used by military forces under the command of Col. Gaddafi in March this year, now pose a direct threat to the civilian population. Handicap International is stepping up its operations in the field and taking daily action to raise the awareness of the populations at risk.

In a press release dated 27 April 2011, the Libyan National Transitional Council renounced the use of landmines (anti-personnel and anti-vehicle) and agreed to destroy the stockpile of these weapons. The Council also expressed a desire to cooperate with demining, awareness and victim assistance activities. Handicap International welcomes these statements and hopes that Libya will sign the Ottawa anti-personnel mine ban convention as soon as possible.
The association is also stepping up its operations in the country to raise the awareness of the population to the dangers posed by mines and unexploded remnants of war.

Handicap International is distributing 20,000 brochures, 4,000 posters and 3,000 illustrated textbooks for children to help people learn the basic procedures to adopt in the presence of these weapons or any unidentified object. It is also broadcasting radio spots in Benghazi to reach out to the largest possible number of people.

Twenty-three Libyan scouts, trained by Handicap International, are currently supporting our efforts in Benghazi, twenty of whom will travel to the border with Tunisia next week to inform displaced persons of the risks they run when coming into contact with mines or unexploded remnants of war.