Rotarians
discuss ways to address landmines scourge
About 200 Rotarians and
representatives of other non-governmental organizations from 27 countries
convened this week in Seattle, Washington, USA, to discuss how Rotarians
can help address a serious threat to public health and safety: millions of
abandoned landmines that each year kill or maim an estimated 10,000 to
20,000 people worldwide.
Hosted by District 5030 and
sponsored by clubs in RI Zones 23 and 24 and the U.S. Department of State,
the 30 September—1 October conference offered plenary sessions and
breakout groups describing and discussing the scope of the problem. The
human and economic toll of landmines, as well as techniques and strategies
for de-mining and programs that provide assistance to landmine survivors
and their families were also discussed. A highlight for many was a
demonstration by "Rosa" — one of several hundred specially trained
mine-detecting dogs at work throughout the world.
Foundation Trustee Wilfrid
J. Wilkinson encouraged participants to consider projects that assist the
survivors of landmine accidents, help raise public awareness of the
problem, or educate residents of affected communities on how to reduce
risks until the mines are removed.
In a special letter to the
conference, RI President Bhichai Rattakul, a former foreign minister of
Thailand, said he'd seen firsthand how landmines continue to pose a
serious threat to families in nearby Cambodia, home to millions of
landmines and unexploded ordnance. "Surely, the victims of anti-personnel
landmines are among those most in need of our assistance," he wrote.
Conference attendees
learned that an estimated 45 million to 50 million landmines and other
undetonated military explosives contaminate more than 80 nations, most of
them in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern
Europe, and Central America — regions with long histories of war or armed
civil conflict.
The conference, also
supported by James Madison University, provided a forum for Rotarians
already involved in the landmine issue to share their experiences.
Examples include support by clubs and individual Rotarians for the
landmine initiatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and
for groups that provide prosthetics for landmine victims, such as
Seattle-based Clear Path International.
Canadian Rotarians from
District 7070 described how they raised public awareness of the landmines
issue and more than C$55,000 by participating in last November's Night of
a Thousand Dinners, an annual event organized by the Canadian Landmines
Foundation.
District 5030 Governor
Rosemary B. Aragon said the conference, which featured videotaped speeches
of support from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Queen Noor
Al-Hussein of Jordan, "totally exceeded my expectations (Rotary New
Basket 2 October 2002) |