Colombia, FARC rebels agree to remove landmines

[Zorro]

The Colombian government and leftist guerrillas on Saturday jointly announced an agreement to remove landmines and other explosives from the battlefield in a sign of progress in their two-year-old peace talks being held in Cuba.

Colombia, at war for 50 years, is one of the most mined countries in the world, and removing the mines recently became a topic of discussion at the negotiating table.

Latin America's longest war has killed 220,000 people and displaced millions over 50 years. Landmines and discarded explosives have killed or wounded nearly 11,000 Colombians including 1,101 children since 1990, according to Colombian government statistics.

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munition Coalition (ICBL-CMC) ranked the South American country second behind Afghanistan for the highest number of children killed or wounded by landmines, with 57 child casualties in 2013. The government of President Juan Manuel Santos and rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) issued a statement in which they agreed to ask the organization Norwegian People's Aid to coordinate a project to clear the battlefields of landmines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance.

http://news.yahoo.com/colombia-farc-rebels-agree-remove-landmines-195810466.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Colombia landmines: Farc to help army clear minefields

7 March 2015 Last updated at 18:46 ET Share this pageEmail Print Share this page
Colombia landmines: Farc to help army clear minefields

Colombia's government and Farc rebels have agreed to work together to remove landmines in rural areas of the country where they have fought since the 1960s.

The announcement was made in Cuba, where both sides have been engaged in peace talks for more than two years.

Under the deal, Farc rebels will work alongside members of the military to remove the landmines and other explosive devices.

Colombia is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world.

More than 11,000 people have been injured or killed by landmines in Colombia over the past 15 years.

"The proposal for demining is a first step, but a giant step toward making peace," said Colombian government chief negotiator Humberto de la Calle.

More:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-31784339

[Bacchus4.0]

2. nice of them nt

[COLGATE4]

3. I'm sure they will be very helpful in removing

Government land mines.