The Role of the Military in Mine Action

This study seeks to determine the comparative advantages of the use of serving military (visiting military forces, local military forces, and individual military personnel) in mine action programmes. The study considers a range of operational mine action tasks (survey, marking, mapping, clearance, stockpile destruction, mine risk education and mine victim assistance) in situations of emergency, transition and development, taking into account the International Mine Action Standards, lessons learnt in military humanitarian activity as a whole, and the policies and practices of donors and contributing States. The study offers recommendations to the international community on the appropriate roles, benefits, limitations and responsibilities for the military in mine action. It also includes case studies on: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Lebanon and Nicaragua.