Army losing more men to landmines than war

Ray

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The media article has been written by a scribe without any official data to back his statement and the so called frigging expert is from "International Campaign to Ban Landmines". Ulterior motives at best.

Why the hell would the Indian Army or for that matter any army allow a bunch of NGOs to tell them how to mine/ de-mine?
Because they alone know everything about the world's ills!

They think they are the Second Coming of Christ! :mad2:
 

W.G.Ewald

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Because they alone know everything about the world's ills!

They think they are the Second Coming of Christ! :mad2:
Her late Royal Highness, the Princess Diana was an advocate of demining, so the cause is popular. That leads to many people interested in the subject, but sadly ignorant.
 

Ray

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Mines are not harmless things.

But so is war!

Princess Diana who has lived in the best of surroundings would not know of the reality of life in countries where it is not so pleasant as it was in the Buckingham Palace!
 

pmaitra

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Does anyone know who planted those mines? Were they planted by India to prevent infiltration? If so, typically, they should have a blueprint of where the mines were planted.
 

ymp

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As the person quoted in the article, I'd like to make some responses to your criticisms of the article.
Firstly, I was misquoted by the journalist, who came late to the event, and some of the article is sheer fantasy, for example I do not supervise mine clearance in Cambodia or any other country.
However I do monitor mine clearance closely for our annual survey's of mine action, and within our campaign our member organizations include all major humanitarian demining organizations (MAG, NPA, DCA, HALO).
How I was quoted suggested I was unsympathetic to mine removal in India, and the word stubborn was not in my vocabulary.
That said, I did point out that the casualties reported in the Lok Sabha were very high, when compared to demining casualties globally. Most of the casualties occured during mine clearance, NOT during mine laying. During mine laying there was the added factors of bad weathere during hurried deployment which will of course cause casualties. However, mine clearance (should) be a carefully planned and organized activity. In the period reported at the Lok Sabha in a 2005 report, the Defense Minister stated there had been over 1500 casualties during clearance alone. The Indian Army had been involved in clearance of the mines from Op Parkaram for about 2 1/2 years at that point. That is an enormous number. In all demining operations taking place in the world last year, casualties among deminers working according to the International Mine Action Standards was 131. That includes the enormous mine clearance operations in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Angola, as well as dozens of other countries. The very high number of casualties said to me that India should reexamine its SOPs for mine clearance. I also said India could easily request information and technical assistance in the latest techniques in mine clearance from the countries involved in the Mine Ban Treaty. Anything additional to the above was editorial on the part of the journalist, who portrayed my statements in a most unfavorable light. I saw the article when it came out, and was not happy about it, but it is not an uncommon occurance to be misqouted in the press, especially by journalists who do not understand the issue. However, what I related above I stand by.
It is important to note that the choice of mine warfare has consequences, which should be reflected upon. These jawans were not shot by the enemy, these were not casualties of armed conflict, they were self-inflicted casualties.
Regards,
Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan

The Indian Army is losing more personnel during peace times, and more so, while clearing landmines than in any war.

Since October 2002, when the Army began large scale mine clearing operations along the Pakistan border, it has reported 793 causalities of which 411 were killed. An international landmine expert believes that these mind boggling casualties were more due to the defence ministry's stubbornness from taking any expert help while excavating mines.

Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan, Asia regional research coordinator for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, told a select audience here that despite their persistence, the Indian Army was not following standard operating procedures (SOPs) and international practices while forcing soldiers to clear mines.

He said casualties in the Indian Army were comparably more than in any war-torn country like Angola, Mozambique, Bosnia or Croatia. He said over the past few years, more cases of soldiers falling in the trap of landmines were reported from India.

"We have gathered cases of 365 soldiers falling victims to landmine,mostly while clearing mines. This amply means that they were not following SOPs or best international practices," said Puangsuwan, who has supervised mine clearing operations in Cambodia and other countries.

Army losing more men to landmines than war - India - DNA
 

Kunal Biswas

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Rest in peace to dead..

The casulity record is since 1965 to 2012..
 

Kunal Biswas

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Does anyone know who planted those mines? Were they planted by India to prevent infiltration? If so, typically, they should have a blueprint of where the mines were planted.
Mines planted in 65 & 71 wars..
 

Mr.Ryu

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Thats sad, We have to use unmanned vehicles or robots to clear them loosing our men in non-action is very bad. I have also seen some where that low intensity bombs are used to clear so we have to use all technology that we can to save the people.

And if PAKI's have laid those mine is it not our army too have laid in their area may be we share the details to reduce the risk and save life on both side.
 

Ray

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An international landmine expert believes that these mind boggling casualties were more due to the defence ministry's stubbornness from taking any expert help while excavating mines.
I love this statement!

International expert!

India and Pakistan are the last word in laying mines and lifting the same since they have fought four wars and have lifted mines in areas other than the LC!

One wonders who these international experts to whom we should turn and take advice.
 

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