LANDMINES IN ANGOLA:
http://org.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/faculty/hjelmgren/africa09proj3lev.html
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Demining Angola by removing the “silent enemy of 10-20 million landmines” [Bobb, Scott] will not only save the lives of thousands of people every year, but also provide hope and encouragement for Angola to begin to rebuild after the 27 year civil war they are recently coming out of. Landmines have had very devastating effects on the environment as well as creating a large increase in the death rate of many humans and animals. Landmines have had especially terrible effects on the environment. Framing and, the agricultural community in general, as well as economy has taken really hard hits and led to overpopulation in certain areas.
Angola is the most mined country in the world. Sadly, because of this the agricultural community has been depressed over these years because nobody knows where these mines are and they could possibly be in the fields. This is putting pressure on the available land and causing it to be over farmed. This lack of room for farming is allowing less to be grown and causing a shortage in food supplies. Also, with the agricultural community down it is urgent to clear fields because they hinder economic recovery. Still, as bad as landmines are, their removal is providing jobs. “’There is an achievable end state that can be reached," Craib said. "It simply needs continued support of donor governments and the international community and the population of the richer nations in the world to achieve [solve] a problem that is experienced largely only in the third and developing world.’” Landmines have caused the movement of many groups of people; in fact, nearly 2 million people have been displaced as a result of the minefields. These lethal invisible fences have surrounded and contained many people ion communities that have become overpopulated. “There has been an expansion, in terms of population, returning refugees, renewed economic growth," Craib said.
Death has begun a long sweep over the country of Angola. More than 70,000 amputations have already occurred from “coming in contact with these deadly relics of war” [Bobb, Scott]. It is very dangerous to remove these mines and miners can often loose a limb if they touch a bomb by accident. All of this killing and mutilation caused by these bombs is terrible. Especially since most of the victims are women and children. Also many people, who are returning home, in attempt to resolve to overpopulation issue, are being blow up. There for the “primary goal still remains to prevent any further loss of life” [Bobb, Scott].
Slowly but surely as the country removes these terrors from their land people will once again be able to regain the confidence that the country once had in its self. Some organizations, like the Miss Angola Pageant, have formed. This is a beauty pageant for amputees and the prize is a handmade, top quality, prosthetic limb. It is the hope of the country that removing these mines will protect the people of Angola and allow them to rebuild into a stronger country.
Bibliographies:
Ahmed, Saeed. “Thousands of Angolans have been maimed by landmines during 27-year civil war." Cnn news/world. 1 Apr. 2009. 12 May 2009 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/04/01/angola.landmine/index.html>. This article was also very interesting and provided a lot of good information on the Miss Angola Project.
Alves, Lillian. "Landmines in Angola ." 23 Apr. 2009. 9 May 2009. This article provided very good background information. it almost acted as a intro to my research of landmines in Angola .
Bobb, Scott. "Work Intensifies to Clear Angola 's Landmines." VOA News. 24 July 2007. 12 May 2009 <http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-07/2007-07-24-voa17.cfm?CFID=167939907&CFTOKEN=20012802&jsessionid=88304b24ec78f8b33c305f1861e404e284f7>. This article was very interesting and it gave me a lot of really good information. It also had many strong quotes. I pulled most my information from this article.
Redvers, Louise. "Landmines still scar Angola seven years after peace." Mail & Gaurdian Online. 21 Apr. 2009. 12 May 2009 <http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-04-21-landmines-still-scar-angola-seven-years-after-peace>. I really liked this article. I talked a lot about the impact that landmines still have on Angola today.
