By Anas al- Bar | 2023-08-15

Iraq is implementing a new program to support citizens who have been harmed by landmines and remnants of war as part of a five-year strategy to reduce the area of mined land and curb the dangers they pose to rural populations.

The program includes a diverse range of benefits and services to cover the special needs of landmine survivors and enable them to overcome the devastating effects of landmines on their lives, Iraqi officials said.

Helping landmine victims is a government priority and one of the four goals of the National Strategy for Mine Action for 2023-2028, said Mine Affairs Department director of planning and information Ahmed Abdul Razzaq.

In addition to victim support, he said, the program includes "continuing efforts to clear lands contaminated with mines and explosives."

It seeks to raise public awareness about the dangers of landmines, and assert "national ownership, effective participation and coordination of information with all partners" in cleanup efforts, he said.

According to Abdul Razzaq, an area of roughly 6,000 square km was contaminated with explosives, although Iraq has been able to reduce the contaminated area by more than half through its efforts over the past years.

Yet mines and other explosive remnants of war continue to claim many lives every year, with at least 150 people killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance over the past 12 months, most of them farmers and shepherds.

The victims also included picnickers who had ventured into remote grassland and mountainous areas for recreational purposes, as well as mine clearance team members.

Over the past two decades, a staggering 24,000 Iraqis have been involved in mine incidents that led to the amputation of limbs, deformities or permanent injuries, according to some statistics.

Among this number are about 15,000 disabled Iraqis who receive supportive services at the hospitals of Basra and Maysan -- areas littered with mines.

Proliferation of minefields

Mines threaten the lives of 8.5 million Iraqis, especially those living in rural areas, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Some minefields date back to the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s "and are concentrated within the border strip with the Iranian side", Abdul Razzaq said.

In addition to mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), unexploded ordnance, and remnants of the wars and conflicts that the country has witnessed over the past four decades litter the country.

The most recent contamination is from explosives planted by the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) between 2014 and 2017.

Today, Iraq is trying, through the mine victims support program, to counteract the adverse consequences on individuals, in line with international standards.

Earlier this year, Iraq announced that it has joined the International Standard on Victim Assistance, a step that strengthens procedures to include more people in the program for receiving support and assistance.

Compatibility with international standards

In a July 5 workshop, Iraqi Department of Mine Affairs director-general Sabah Hassan al-Husseini said the government support program for mine victims is "the best among national programs in the world."

"Iraq is the first country in the world that now has a national standard compatible with international standards specialized in the field of mine victim assistance," said Handicap International program director Daniela Maria Busta.

She added that this is "a great achievement that should be utilized to the fullest."

The top services provided by the newly created program include emergency medical care and long-term treatment and rehabilitation.

It also includes free surgeries, examinations and providing prosthetics, wheelchairs, medical supports and walking aids.

The authorities also have procedural plans coordinated among several relevant ministries to help victims overcome trauma after amputations and return to normal life.

Financial support

On the economic level, the program provides suitable jobs for the victims, loans to encourage them to start small enterprises, or pensions for those who are unable to work.

The program gives victims the opportunity to establish connections and offers support groups, social networks and means to enhance the survivors' resilience.

Ali al-Waeli, 37, a landmine victim in Basra, said he hopes "the new program meets all the requirements for a better life."

He said since 2013, when he lost both of his legs in a landmine explosion, his family has been experiencing hardships as he is unable to work.

"We are asking for decent financial support from the state and more services that would help ease the pressure of life on us," he said.