Landmines in Kurdistan 

Kurdistan Newsline (PUK)
July 08, 2001

Landmines continue to jeopardize the safety and security of the people of Kurdistan region.
A new organization - Mine Advice Action Group ( COMA in Kurdish) -to increase public
awareness of the lethal effects of mines has been established within the Kurdistan Regional
Government''s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. It will function in coordination with the
United Nations organization for de-mining, UNOPS and complements its activities. There
have been several reported incidents of civilians, particularly children in Kurdistan who have
been severely injured, some fatally, as the result of mine explosions. The Iraq Army
implanted millions of mines throughout Kurdistan in the 1980''s as part of its scorched-earth
policy and the ethnic-cleansing campaign of Anfal. UNOPS is in charge of the project to
de-mine the region. Iraqi Government has refused to hand over the military charts, for its
mining schemes, which will assist in facilitating and expediting the de-mining process , and
t! o minimize the casualties. Furthermore, the Iraqis have put many other obstacles in the
way of these efforts, including delaying the granting of visas to UN personnel and
deliberately withholding requisite equipment at customs entry point in Jordan. 

The new Mine Advice Action Group will provide the public with information and is
committed to help UNOPS to rid Kurdistan of these gruesome and sinister weapons.
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