The Eritrean military has extensively and indiscriminately planted thousands of landmines in the course of its nineteen-month invasion and occupation of Ethiopian territory.

In fact, approximately one million anti-personnel and anti-tank mines are scattered across the border areas from western Tigray to northern Afar. To add to the danger posed by the landmines, they are unmarked, no map of the minefields exists and the mines are being used against civilian populations. In addition, hand grenades have been attached to both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, booby trapping them and thereby increasing the potential for damage and injury. The Eritrean troops also have attached trip wires to above ground mines by stringing the wires across paths and attaching them to trees.

As a result of Eritrea's horrific practice of planting mines, over 100 civilians have been killed and many other Ethiopians have lost limbs or sustained other mine-related injuries. Many of these victims will require long- term care and rehabilitation and the majority of them, who are farmers, will not be able to engage in productive work as they once did.

As the primary caretakers in households, women now have the additional burden of caring for victims permanently handicapped as a result of their mine-related injuries. In addition to these human casualties, civilian trucks and animals, including livestock, have been blown up by the landmines. The loss of these material assets, upon which many people depend for their livelihood, has a significant and adverse economic consequence.

The threat of death and injury posed by the landmines to citizens and livestock is increasingly becoming a concern in the Badme area as thousands of displaced citizens yearn to return to their homes and farms. Although the occupying Eritrean forces were removed from Badme in February 1999, the dangerous legacy of landmines and unexploded ordinances remains. Due to the pervasive presence of landmines, the majority of internally displaced people from western Tigray have not been able to return to their homes. Their inability to come home and engage in productive activities puts added strain on the host communities, increases dependency on outside assistance and aid, and the inability to farm escalates food insecurity and people's wellbeing and ultimately threatens their very survival. Entire communities are currently unable to engage in productive development activities.

Moreover, the presence of landmines along paths and near water points is a virtual death sentence for women, who typically traverse vast tracts of land and spend many hours each day in search of water and fuel wood. The threat of mine- associated deaths and injuries is a reality Ethiopians will have to face for months, if not years. The landmines are perhaps one of the saddest legacies of the war. The use of landmines against civilian populations is a blatant example of Eritrea's disdain for international law. Not surprisingly, the Eritrean government has refused to sign the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production, Transfer and Destruction of Anti-Personnel Landmines.

The Ethiopian people and government urgently call on the international community to condemn both the use of these landmines and the utter disrespect for international law and civilian life demonstrated by these horrific war tactics.

For more information, visit us on the web: http://www.EthiopianEmbassy.org Contact: Tsegay Wolde-Georgis Embassy of Ethiopia 2134 Kalorama Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 202/234-2281 Fax: 202-483-8407 info@ethiopianembassy.org