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Land mines continue to maim thousands, fresh report claims

Land mines planted by rebels and government soldiers killed or maimed thousands of people over the past year in Asia -- where more countries produce mines than in any other region, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines said.

Fifteen countries in Asia are contaminated by land mines, five used fresh antipersonnel mines last year and nine manufacture land mines, according to the report released yesterday by the campaign's Landmine Monitor group.

Indian and Pakistani forces ceased laying mines last year after likely planting several million along their 2,900km border, the report said. Both sides are now clearing mines.

Militants, however, continued to use land mines in India's Jammu and Kashmir, where rebels have been fighting for independence or merger with Pakistan since 1989.

Nepal for the first time officially acknowledged antipersonnel mine use. Nepalese government forces and Maoist rebels increased the number of mines last year, using them in all of Nepal's 75 districts, although there has been little or no use of mines since the January ceasefire.

Myanmar's military and at least 15 rebel groups, two more than last year, used new mines. Government soldiers in Myanmar have repeatedly been accused of forcing people to walk in front of patrols in suspected minefields in so-called "atrocity demining," the report said.

In the Philippines, three rebel groups, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which had pledged to stop laying mines, used antipersonnel mines and improvised explosive devices.

Landmine Monitor estimates that China possesses the world's largest mine stockpile, with some 110 million antipersonnel devices.

The report included information from between May last year and May this year, and up to this July when available.
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