Press Releases

Surviving the Peace – Landmines, Mortars and Munitions
25 Years of Humanitarian Mine Action
Mines Advisory Group (MAG) America
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Photo Exhibit:  Russell Rotunda

Thank you everyone for coming to this important exhibit.  It’s so important that we remember the tremendous toll that landmines inflict on innocent civilians around the world every day of the year – and of the courageous work being done to remove landmines from the earth and provide aid and support to the survivors of landmine explosions.

I especially want to thank Richard Eisendorf with MAG-International, Senators Patrick Leahy and Bob Casey – and our many distinguished guests who are gathered here today for this special photo exhibit.

I want to Congratulate and express my appreciation on the 25^th Anniversary of the Mines Advisory Group – 25 years of helping people around the world recover their lives and livelihoods through the painstaking work of demining.

So much has been accomplished over the past two decades in ending the use of landmines and removing these weapons where they hide in the ground.  And it’s due to the work of so many nations, international agencies, and NGOs like MAG.

Just look at Cambodia.  In 1996, over 4300 people were killed or wounded by landmines.  In 2012, that number has been reduced to 185.  Cambodians can now see a future where no one will be killed or maimed by landmines.

But there is still much to do.  More than 70 countries remain contaminated. More than 4,000 people each year, including children, are injured or killed.  Landmines are buried in farmer’s fields, forests, roads, and pathways.  They are indiscriminate.  Their casualties are mainly innocent civilians who are going about their daily lives.

Two of the most contaminated countries in the world, where landmines are still actively used in conflict by insurgent groups, are Afghanistan and Colombia – they are #1 and #2, the worst in the world. 

MAG is active in both of these countries.  I am grateful for their work in Colombia, where the continuing conflict means more landmines and explosive devices are planted every day – wounding soldiers, campesinos, women and children.  There is hope for a peace agreement by the end of this year – but all parties should stop using landmines now – and work together to begin clearing the land of these terrible and indiscriminate weapons.

I am very proud that the United States is the largest contributor to demining efforts, landmine education, and aid to victims around the world.  Over the past decade, we have provided over $2 billion to countries and NGOs for these important humanitarian missions.

I will be even more proud when the United States finally signs the treaty banning landmines, a treaty that we’ve been mainly complying with for nearly two decades.  I believe we can comply fully with the terms of the treaty. It’s really just a question of political.  There is no issue that can’t be resolved.  And I look forward to working with this Administration on those issues and to the day when the U.S. joins the international treaty.