The State Department web site below is a permanent electronic archive of information released prior to January 20, 2001.  Please see www.state.gov for material released since President George W. Bush took office on that date.  This site is not updated so external links may no longer function.  Contact us with any questions about finding information. NOTE: External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.

Hidden Killers 1998: The Global Landmine Crisis Chapter I: Overview of the Worldwide Landmine Problem

"Landmines keep killing and maiming and pushing people out of their homes long after the guns fall silent."
                                     --Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright May 21, 1998

As we near the end of the 20th century, the indiscriminate use of landmines has become a tragic legacy of civil strife around the world. Landmines impede international efforts to help war-torn countries regain their economic and social infrastructures. Clearing landmines and the debris of war diverts billions of dollars that could otherwise be spent on desperately needed development projects. In October 1997, at the behest of President Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Secretary of Defense William Cohen announced that the United States would spearhead an international effort to accelerate cooperation and resources for humanitarian demining worldwide to eliminate the threat of landmines to civilians by the year 2010. The Demining 2010 Initiative has now become firmly imbedded in the global humanitarian demining agenda.

Landmines, particularly APL, represent a pandemic of global proportions. Although the exact number of landmines is unknown, it was previously estimated that as many as 80-110 million landmines are scattered within at least 70 countries around the world. There is a growing consensus in the international community that the number may be lower, in the range of 60-70 million. The difference in these estimates stems from the difficulty in getting an accurate count in the turmoil and confusion of warfare, especially in developing countries. However, the key issue is not the total number of landmine-affected countries, nor the number of landmines in the ground. Far more significant as indicators of the problem and as potential measures of success are the number of landmine victims and the amount of land affected by landmines.

The world has increasingly turned its attention to the landmine problem; there is growing awareness and concern about these "hidden killers" from governments and NGOs, and from individuals. However, this growing commitment is just the beginning of what must ultimately be a global endeavor. It will take the dedicated efforts of men, women, and children around the world to rid the land of APL. The good news is that it can be done in a matter of years, not decades, but only if there is broad international participation and cooperation.

This report summarizes the global landmine crisis and the efforts of the international community to address it. Chapter II describes the long-term effects and the impact of landmines and UXO on national development. Chapter III contains 12 country profiles, describing the current state of demining activities in countries considered to be among the most severely mine-affected. Chapter IV describes recent advances in technology and the types of technology being applied to landmine detection, clearance, and neutralization. Chapter V focuses on landmine awareness and assistance to victims and survivors, as well as strategies to address their needs. Chapter VI discusses recent developments in international coordination, including the U.S. Demining 2010 Initiative, and commitments to humanitarian demining. At the end of this report are several annexes with more detailed information on technology, donors, and other resources related to demining.

In updating this report, the Department of State acknowledges the efforts and the input of the Department of Defense (DoD), as well as its financial support in compiling this document.

[End of Section]

Next page
Table of Contents

DOSFAN Home Page
Arms Control and International Security/Political Military Affairs