04 August 2003
Italy Donates to U.S.-OAS Anti-Landmine Program in Central America
U.S. financial support helping to rid region of explosive devices
By Eric Green
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- Italy has made its third donation since 2001 to a program supported by the United States through the Organization of American States (OAS) to eliminate landmines in Central America.
The OAS said in a July 30 announcement that Italy had pledged 100,000 euros (more than $114,000), bringing its total donation to the mine-clearing program to more than $478,000.
The United States and a number of other countries have contributed significant financial support through the OAS to rid the Americas of landmines, which the U.S. State Department defines as a victim-activated device filled with explosive. In all, the United States assists with mine-clearing operations in more than 40 nations worldwide.
The OAS program assists with mine-clearing operations in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and in several countries in South America.
Italy's permanent observer to the OAS, Sergio Vento, said his country's donation reaffirmed the Italian commitment to the humanitarian cause. Vento, also Italy's ambassador to the United States, added that anti-personnel landmines have caused great suffering in post-conflict situations.
In thanking the Italian diplomat for the contribution, OAS Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi said Italy has been "a prime mover" in de-mining in Central America and has supported citizen education efforts in mine-affected areas.
Einaudi said the OAS is also coordinating de-mining efforts along the border between Peru and Ecuador, and recently signed an agreement to help Argentina destroy stockpiled mines.
"It is not generally known that we are making very major strides in the Americas toward the elimination of anti-personnel mines," Einaudi said.
In December 2002, Costa Rica declared itself the first country in the Western Hemisphere free from anti-personnel landmines under the OAS program. Placed in hills and brooks, bridges and roads, the mines were buried during 15 years of civil conflict in Central America in the 1970s and '80s. The OAS says its mine-clearing action is expected to be completed shortly in Honduras, and by the end of 2004 in Guatemala, while Nicaragua is expected to be a landmine-free country by the end of 2005.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Lincoln Bloomfield, who is the White House/State Department Representative for mine action, said in a October 2002 speech that through the State Department's humanitarian de-mining program, the U.S. government's official efforts and investment in humanitarian mine action have totaled over $600 million since 1993 alone. In addition, the U.S. private sector has distributed millions of dollars for de-mining action.
"Americans have joined with donors around the world to lower the rate of civilian landmine casualties," Bloomfield said in October 2002 remarks. He added: "It was estimated in 1993 that as many as 26,000 people were being killed or injured by landmines every year. We now think the number is much closer to 10,000 casualties per year. Of course, that is still 10,000 too many."
The State Department's Office of Humanitarian Programs in Bloomfield's bureau has published "To Walk the Earth in Safety," an annual overview of the U.S. Humanitarian Mine Action program. The report includes a synopsis of U.S. mine action assistance to each country in the program. The report is available on-line at www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/walkearth/2002.
1(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=August&x=20030804121207neerge4.934329e-02&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html
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