In Commemoration of International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action

She looks at him with pure admiration, as a child looks at his teacher, or a young girl at her mother. Dennis is a member of the Landmine Survivors Group (LMS) based in Gulu, Northern Uganda. He lost his left leg after stepping on a landmine some years ago while digging. At this moment he is throwing a pot, utilizing a new machine given by AVSI to the Group: the machine is made from the axle of a truck, whose extremities, once hosting the wheels, have been rehabilitated as a handle to allow for the tool to rotate. In this way even somebody with no use of his legs can work the clay. For those who instead have lost their hands or arms, a machine with kick wheels has also been provided, once again make use of recycled materials such as car axles.

A violent civil war between the Government and the rebel group of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has been affecting the life conditions of Northern Uganda's population for over 20 years. Landmines are among the most dangerous weapons used in armed conflict - easy and cheap to plant, but extremely difficult and costly to remove. If not cleared, mines and explosive remnants of war (ERWs) continue to mutilate and kill long after the conflict has ended. Acholiland, in Northern Uganda, is heavily affected by mines and ERWs.

When Dennis finishes working on the pot, it is Christine's turn. She "re-awakens" from the admiration and puts down a nice pot. It will then be cooked in the kiln and glazed. Selling will be the final step. "But we are still working on it…," says Irene, the LMS treasurer, "…on how to improve the way of selling the items and to divide the profit among the members." With AVSI support, 18 members of LMS were trained last year on how to work the clay and operate the equipment, while 36 of them participated in a Business Skill Training session to learn how to best manage the expenses, market and sell the pottery. In the meantime, the survivors are really enjoying the work.

"Since I started working in pottery, my life has changed radically," Christine says. "I lost my left leg when I was only 8 years old. While running away from the rebels, I stepped on a landmine. It took me two years to get an artificial limb, but still I felt ashamed to go out from my hut; I felt I was different from the others, since everybody could notice my artificial limb." One day, she heard on the radio about the Landmine Survivors organization. "When I first met them I was surprised by seeing so many other and different disabilities", Christine recalls. "So I realized that I was not alone anymore, that somebody had even worst disabilities than me, but was still living a normal life." Life, therefore, started again for Christine. She is now carrying Rubangakene, her second born, one year and a half, a fat and happy child. Christine's older child is supported by AVSI through the Distant Support Programme, which provides for the payment of school fees and provision of scholastic materials. "My husband left me for another woman", she whispers. "But I do not feel bad. I have many friends supporting me, from AVSI to the Landmine Survivors Group." t me for another woman", she whispers. "But I do not feel bad. I have many friends supporting me, from AVSI to the Landmine Survivors Group."

"Our aim is to give to people who survived from landmine accidents, people now living with disabilities (PWDs), a hope, a sense of belonging to something that gives again a meaning to the life", Irene explains. "In our group there are 315 survivors registered. But we know that in Gulu district they are more than 700". Disability is a big problem in Uganda, where PWDs are more than 2.5 million. In the Northern region, moreover, the percentage is higher, as one of the major causes of injury and disability in Acholi are mines and explosive remnants of war (ERWs), accounting for nearly 20% of all injuries registered by AVSI and the Gulu Regional Orthopaedic Workshop after a review of hospital records between July 1998 and February 2006. In the same period, 46% of amputations due to war-related injury were caused by mines and ERWs. Of the more than 1,000 amputees identified in the survey, more than 40% were due to war-related trauma.

Therefore, even if mines and ERWs are not the major threat in Acholiland today, their prevalence leads to significant negative health, social, environmental and economic impacts. On the occasion of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, commemorated all around the globe on April 4th, 2006, AVSI would like to renovate its commitment towards the fight against mines and ERWs and to thank and acknowledge the concerted efforts of district administrators, local and international NGOs, hospitals, schools and community leaders in Uganda, working together to meet the challenge of landmines.