Anyone reading this will know of the appalling suffering and deprivation they cause to people for decades after war has ended. Nevertheless people still risk life and limb because they need to grow food to survive. A civilian is ten times more likely to step on a mine than a soldier. Many, many casualties are children, who simply choose the wrong spot for their football game.
People often lose their livestock to landmines, too.
At the moment I'm looking at it from another angle and putting together information on the effects of landmines on wildlife. Meanwhile, if anyone feels like lobbying their government to vote for a total ban on landmines at the Geneva conference - please feel free. The US looks far less intransigent than at the previous conference, which will make a difference, so UK readers would do well to put pressure on Michael Portillo and the MoD in general. The UK is looking a little more isolated now. As far as I'm concerned, no country calling itself civilised would manufacture, promote, sell, stockpile or use these disgusting weapons.