HALO Trust said it had destroyed the last known mine on the territory of the gas- and coal-rich southern African country, which was devastated by a civil conflict that ended in 1992.
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“I am happy that nobody else will end up like me. Thanks to HALO, parents are now at peace while their children play, businesses can flourish and major infrastructure can be built on land that was once strewn with the deadly debris of war”.
The United States welcomes Mozambique’s announcement today that it has completed clearance of all known fields of landmines in the country. HRW estimated 8,000 amputees had received medical treatment and thousands more people had been killed or did not seek medical treatment.
All sides had used the devices, Human Rights Watch said, often directly against civilians and in an indiscriminate fashion. Since 1993, we have invested almost $2.5 billion in aid in more than 90 countries to decrease the threats posed by landmines and explosive remnants of war. Without fear of triggering mines, residents can start cultivating land that was once off limits, planting crops and allowing livestock to graze.
Whilst anti-personnel mines rendered huge swathes of land in Mozambique no-go areas following the struggle for independence and a long civil war, what often gets lost in the headlines is the inhibiting effect landmines have on economic development. “I think that is important because it clears the land for us to use in agriculture”, she told Reuters.
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The charity says it is the first large mine-contaminated country to be completely cleared of mines. While backed by most countries, the treaty has not been endorsed by the United States , Russia, China and India.
