The Ongoing War-No Games Allowed
Iran’s lands still contain 16’000’000 active landmines planted during Iran’s war with Iraq. According to official reports, the provinces of Khouzestan, Elam, Kermanshah, Kordestan and Western Azarbaijan, respectively are the most covered areas of buried landmines. Every year 300 Iranians are killed or severely injured by the blasts caused by these mines. These anti- personnel mines are remnants of the 8-year Iran-Iraq war. After the war, the map of located landmines has never been handed to Iran by the Iraqi forces. However, of production, distribution and selling of them.
So far 157 countries of whole world has joined this treaty; however, 37 other countries such as United Stated of America, Russia, China, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Finland, Israel, India and Saudi Arabia are not part of aforementioned treaty yet.
According to Unicef report, there is 110 million mines in whole world which cause about 800 death and 100 dismemberment each month.
Many countries spend on buying each mine is between 3 to 10 Dollars and the purge cost of each of these mines is between 300 to 1000 Dollars.
Iran’s lands still contain 16’000’000 active landmines planted during Iran’s war with Iraq. According to official reports, the provinces of Khouzestan, Elam, Kermanshah, Kurdistan and Western Azerbaijan, respectively are the most covered areas of buried landmines. Every year 300 Iranians are killed or severely injured by the blasts caused by these mines. These anti- personnel mines are remnants of the 8-year Iran-Iraq war. After the war, the map of located landmines has never been handed to Iran by the Iraqi forces. However,
not all of the mines were planted near the war-stricken borders of Iran. Some of the mines were planted in the Kurdistan area by the Iranian military forces that were at the time also in combat with the Kurdish militia inside the country. Through the course of time, natural phenomena such as rain, snowfall, flooding and landslides have caused the mines move downhill towards rural residential areas without blasting. Every now and then local residents of such areas – mostly children and civilians – are involved in fatal blasts that kill or severely injure them.
On the 18th of October, 2013, seven children were playing under a tree in their village of Nashkash (70 km South of Marivan town in Kurdistan Province, Iran) when a land-mine blasted. Six of the children were injured in the blast, while two of them sustained the worst injuries. Sina, Ala, Gashin, Xabbat, Xana, and Behnoush – aged between 5 to 12 – all sustained physical and emotional trauma. The worst injuries were sustained by Gashin (who lost a foot) and Ala (who lost one eye and 40% of another).
All of the children live in Nashkash village except for Ala who lives in another village. Ala and her family were guests of Nashkash village on the day of incident. Incidents happening in Nashkash is one of many incidents occurs for children of this particular district, for example: In Elam, on March 1, 2015, a mine blasted while five children were playing after they got off school. One died two weeks after in the hospital and the rest are suffering from severe injuries.
On August 3, current year, in Sarvabad district, an area between Sanandaj and Marivan, 3 eleven years old children who were out to take cows to graze had an accident. One of them died, other one lost an eye and suffered burning and the other kid who was the witness of his playmates being killed and injured got unconscious the very first moments.
On August 3, current year, in Sarvabad district, an area between Sanandaj and Marivan, 3 eleven years old children who were out to take cows to graze had an accident. One of them died, other one lost an eye and suffered burning and the other kid who was the witness of his playmates being killed and injured got unconscious the very first moments.
When a landmine is planted in the ground it is an invisible object, then again when by blast causes death or injury of innocent civilians, it will have other invisible disastrous effects on life and future of injured people. Among the incidents landmines blast expose Iranian children to, story of Nashkash children interested me more; as those children were gathering only to play under the tree. At first glance maybe Gashin’ dismembered foot, blind eye of Ala or even traces of shrapnel shell on bodies of children whom are the victims of these landmines together with their tombstone do not skip our eyes but undoubtedly future of each one of them present us with the invisible concept. A future which will be more invisible and uncertain than before.Children of three generation after war did not witness war nor have a memory of that; however, carry the nightmare of 30 years old war from now on. Girls and boys who stepped on the invisible landmine and become the starter of a life they never chose themselves.
Iran’s lands still contain 16’000’000 active landmines planted during Iran’s war with Iraq. According to official reports, the provinces of Khouzestan, Elam, Kermanshah, Kordestan and Western Azarbaijan, respectively are the most covered areas of buried landmines. Every year 300 Iranians are killed or severely injured by the blasts caused by these mines. These anti- personnel mines are remnants of the 8-year Iran-Iraq war. After the war, the map of located landmines has never been handed to Iran by the Iraqi forces. However, of production, distribution and selling of them.
So far 157 countries of whole world has joined this treaty; however, 37 other countries such as United Stated of America, Russia, China, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Finland, Israel, India and Saudi Arabia are not part of aforementioned treaty yet.
According to Unicef report, there is 110 million mines in whole world which cause about 800 death and 100 dismemberment each month.
Many countries spend on buying each mine is between 3 to 10 Dollars and the purge cost of each of these mines is between 300 to 1000 Dollars.
Iran’s lands still contain 16’000’000 active landmines planted during Iran’s war with Iraq. According to official reports, the provinces of Khouzestan, Elam, Kermanshah, Kurdistan and Western Azerbaijan, respectively are the most covered areas of buried landmines. Every year 300 Iranians are killed or severely injured by the blasts caused by these mines. These anti- personnel mines are remnants of the 8-year Iran-Iraq war. After the war, the map of located landmines has never been handed to Iran by the Iraqi forces. However,
not all of the mines were planted near the war-stricken borders of Iran. Some of the mines were planted in the Kurdistan area by the Iranian military forces that were at the time also in combat with the Kurdish militia inside the country. Through the course of time, natural phenomena such as rain, snowfall, flooding and landslides have caused the mines move downhill towards rural residential areas without blasting. Every now and then local residents of such areas – mostly children and civilians – are involved in fatal blasts that kill or severely injure them.
On the 18th of October, 2013, seven children were playing under a tree in their village of Nashkash (70 km South of Marivan town in Kurdistan Province, Iran) when a land-mine blasted. Six of the children were injured in the blast, while two of them sustained the worst injuries. Sina, Ala, Gashin, Xabbat, Xana, and Behnoush – aged between 5 to 12 – all sustained physical and emotional trauma. The worst injuries were sustained by Gashin (who lost a foot) and Ala (who lost one eye and 40% of another).
All of the children live in Nashkash village except for Ala who lives in another village. Ala and her family were guests of Nashkash village on the day of incident. Incidents happening in Nashkash is one of many incidents occurs for children of this particular district, for example: In Elam, on March 1, 2015, a mine blasted while five children were playing after they got off school. One died two weeks after in the hospital and the rest are suffering from severe injuries.
On August 3, current year, in Sarvabad district, an area between Sanandaj and Marivan, 3 eleven years old children who were out to take cows to graze had an accident. One of them died, other one lost an eye and suffered burning and the other kid who was the witness of his playmates being killed and injured got unconscious the very first moments.
On August 3, current year, in Sarvabad district, an area between Sanandaj and Marivan, 3 eleven years old children who were out to take cows to graze had an accident. One of them died, other one lost an eye and suffered burning and the other kid who was the witness of his playmates being killed and injured got unconscious the very first moments.
When a landmine is planted in the ground it is an invisible object, then again when by blast causes death or injury of innocent civilians, it will have other invisible disastrous effects on life and future of injured people. Among the incidents landmines blast expose Iranian children to, story of Nashkash children interested me more; as those children were gathering only to play under the tree. At first glance maybe Gashin’ dismembered foot, blind eye of Ala or even traces of shrapnel shell on bodies of children whom are the victims of these landmines together with their tombstone do not skip our eyes but undoubtedly future of each one of them present us with the invisible concept. A future which will be more invisible and uncertain than before.Children of three generation after war did not witness war nor have a memory of that; however, carry the nightmare of 30 years old war from now on. Girls and boys who stepped on the invisible landmine and become the starter of a life they never chose themselves.