Landmines and Remnants of War Claim More Victims in Myanmar
Decades of Conflict Leave Deadly Legacy
Decades of sporadic conflict between the military and ethnic rebel groups have left Myanmar littered with deadly landmines. The conflict has been turbocharged by the junta’s 2021 coup, which birthed dozens of newer people’s defence forces now battling to topple the military.
ICBL Reports Record Number of Victims
Landmines and other remnants of war claimed more victims in Myanmar than in any other country last year, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). The Southeast Asian country overtaking war-ravaged Syria and Ukraine.
"Trees Were Spinning"
At least 228 people – more than four a week – were killed by the devices and 770 more were wounded in Myanmar in 2023, it said in its latest report on Wednesday. In eastern Kayah state, a short journey to collect rice to feed his wife and children left farmer Hla Han crippled by a landmine, unable to work and fearing for his family’s future.
A Life Changed Forever
He had returned home after junta troops had moved out from his village and stepped on a mine placed near the entrance to the local church. "When I woke up, I didn’t know how I had fallen down and only got my senses back about a minute later," he told AFP. "When I looked up, the sky and trees were spinning."
Now an amputee, the 52-year-old worries how to support his family of six who are already living precariously amidst Myanmar’s civil war. "After I lost my leg to the land mine, I can’t work anymore. I only eat and sleep and sometimes visit friends — that’s all I can do," he said.
Myanmar Not a Signatory to UN Convention
Myanmar is not a signatory to the United Nations convention that prohibits the use, stockpiling or development of anti-personnel mines. The ICBL said there had been a "significant increase" in anti-personnel mine use by the military in recent years, including around infrastructure such as mobile phone towers and energy pipelines.
A Village in Ruins
The church in Kayah state where Hla Han lost his leg is still standing but its facade is studded with bullet wounds. A green tape runs alongside a nearby rural road, a rudimentary warning that the forest beyond it may be contaminated. Some villagers had returned to their homes after the latest wave of fighting had moved on, said Aye Mar. "But I don’t dare to go and live in my house right now."
A Life of Uncertainty
She and her father are just two of the more than three million people the United Nations says have been forced from their homes by fighting since the coup. "Sometimes I think that it would have been better if one side gave up in the early stage of the war," she said. But an end to the conflict looks far off, leaving Hla Han trying to come to terms with his fateful step. "From that instant you are disabled and nothing is the same as before."
Conclusion
The situation in Myanmar is dire, with landmines and other remnants of war claiming more victims than in any other country last year. The conflict has left a legacy of death and destruction, and it seems unlikely that an end to the fighting will come soon. The international community must continue to pressure the parties involved to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
FAQs
Q: How many people were killed by landmines in Myanmar in 2023?
A: At least 228 people were killed by landmines in Myanmar in 2023.
Q: How many people were wounded by landmines in Myanmar in 2023?
A: 770 people were wounded by landmines in Myanmar in 2023.
Q: Is Myanmar a signatory to the United Nations convention that prohibits the use, stockpiling or development of anti-personnel mines?
A: No, Myanmar is not a signatory to the United Nations convention.
Q: What is the situation like for people living in areas affected by the conflict?
A: Many people are living in precarious conditions, with limited access to basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter.