14+Ukraine


 * Country:** Ukraine
 * Topic:** Landmines
 * Committee:** 14
 * Name:** Anuj P.
 * Period:** 0

**Landmines - Ukraine**
I. __A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE TOPIC:__ Landmines have been and are going to be devasting factors of war, even after the war has ended. These landmines were used to stop troops (Anti-Personal Mines) and bigger ones for tanks (Anti-Tank Mines). The earlisest landmines were built 2500 years ago by china when the first had hands on gunpowder. Ever since, each year over 200,000 people get injured or even die by these landmines. Lots of nations are affected by these landmines, estimated 70 countries have landmines set-up in the country. Many countries have seen the aftermath of landmines; missing limbs, blowen off legs, or sometimes the whole body justs goes boom! One of the worst countries with landmines is Egpyt, with an awe-dropping 23,000,000 landmines. Withen the early deployment of these mines, 8000 people lost thier lives. These horrid landmines deployment began with World War 1, which started the mass production of mines for warfare. Ever since, countries' citizens get annihlated by mines. Even today, those landmines kill.

II. __UNITED NATIONS INVOLVEMENT:__ Since the end of World War II, United Nations began to be aware of landmines causes. The UN created the UN Mine Action Service. The objective to this association is that one country at a time will be mine-free. UNMAS gets the UN peacekeepers who were specially trained for landmines to go to countries, locate mines and disable them. The UN made a Ban Mine treaty that had a sole purpose of removing mines from the face of the world. One way that the community is helping clean mines is Adopt-a-Minefield. Families can "adopt" a minefield and pay for the removal of the mines. Anyone can sponsor from national to international sponsors. Another international treaty that started in 1980 is the Covention on Prohibition or Retrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). CCW goes to military war sites and find the minefields. They remove the minefields one by one. CCW target the AT mines rather than the AP mines. In Canada December 1997 the Ottawa Convention took place. The UN made an offical worldwide ban of landmines production, use, stockpiling, and trade of landmines at the convention. The treaty was signed by many countries. This will stop future events, but then again landmines can be smuggled and sold.

III. __COUNTRY POLICY AND INVOLVEMENT:__ Ukraine is trying to remove the one million landmines in thier country. Ukraine signed the Mine Ban Treaty of Feb. 24, 1999 and depoisted it at December 27, 2005. This Mine Ban Treaty entered into effect June 1, 2006. Ukraine approved the treaty of the 3-year program which targets military bases and removes mines from there. Also,the production for soviet mines has been stopped. Ukraine officially declared its stockpile of 6,664,342 mines to the UN. Ukraine hasnt been doing much to stop landmines, but activty from UN has made Ukraine much more active to resolve landmine issue. In Ukraine there is no landmine education program for the populace, but for people joining the army it gives some knowledge about landmines.

IV. __SOLUTIONS:__ One of the solutions Ukraine wants to see is military involvement with the mines. Ukraine wants to use new technolgy to remove landmines. Advances in military warfare has given us new ways to remove landmines. Several thousands of people die each year due to landmines, but with new technolgy can remove mines quickly and easily which will save more than 75,000 people each year. They will use small flamethrowers designed to burn the fuel of a landmine so that all that remains is a metal shell. Another way is to get a landmine removing machine; sort of like a tractor but has chains on the front to detonate mines without getting anything injured. Ukraine calls this new group the United Nations Military Landmine Removal Service (UNMLRS). Another solution is too educate the people to be aware of landmines. Prior to landmine education Ukrainians need to read warning signs. Landmine education is important so it can protect people from going into landmine infested areas. having more schools is good, but the current schools should get more funding so they can teach higher education to the Ukrainians. Ukrainians not only need to know about landmines but about world events and the dangers in the world. Education is key. There is a solution that is underway, the Ottawwa Convention. Many countries signed including Ukraine, but we need every country to sign to the full benefit of this treaty. Ukraine is waiting for more countries to sign it, because the treaty helps every single country with landmine issues.

http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/banmines/resources/affected.asp http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/banmines/units/unit3a.asp http://www.landmines.org/about/ http://www.icbl.org/Im/country/ukraine/
 * Bibliography**