Rwanda has been declared free of landmines – the first country to achieve this status.
The announcement was made at the Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World in Colombia. Hundreds of people have been killed and horrifically injured by landmines in Rwanda. Landmines were laid between 1990 and 1994 in Rwanda and over the past three years more than over 9,000 have been destroyed by Rwandan soldiers.
Ben Remfrey of the Mines Awareness Trust, which supervised the clearance, says although other countries have had far more mines laid, this is a significant step.
“Rwanda has made history by becoming the first country in the world to be officially declared free from landmines,” he told the BBC World Service.
“Rwanda had a problem, it wasn’t huge but it was still significant… and had a big social and economic impact.”
Land scarce
Landmines have been devastating for Rwanda since their existence prevented many people from being able to live from their land.
Nteziyaremya Alphose is looking forward to being able to farm without fear of mines
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Since 80% of the population earn a living by through agriculture, and Rwanda is Africa’s most densely populated country, land is already scarce.
Nteziyaremya Alphose, a 40-year-old farmer living in a village north of Kigali, had mines on his farm.
Two adults lost legs and a child and a cow were killed on his farm.
Now his land has been cleared, he says his family are able to grow enough produce to feed themselves.
“I can now use every piece of my land without becoming a victim of landmines, my livestock can now graze on this land and not be taken away from me,” he says.
Destroying the mines
The landmines were cleared by Rwandan soldiers who were specially trained in Kenya at the International Mines Action Training Centre.
One hundred and eighty soldiers were involved in the clearance process in which 20 minefields were surveyed and de-mined over three years.
Read more at BBC
