Healing the Land

GBGM Initiative on Removal of Landmines

By Faye Wilson

At the October 1999 meeting of the General Board of Global Ministries, the directors received and adopted a report by the Landmine Action Task Force. This task force had been charged to determine the ways in which The United Methodist Church, via GBGM, should address the issue of landmines - production, removal and their impact on health and well-being of people.

A sign in a tree warns of the presence of mines in Huambo, Angola. UN/DPI Photo by John Charles Monua.

State of the Land

The fields are devastated,
the ground mourns;
for the grain is destroyed,
the wine dries up,
the oil fails.
Be dismayed, you farmers,
wail, you vinedressers,
over the wheat and the barley;
for the crops of the field are ruined.
The vine withers,
the fig tree droops.
Pomegranate, palm, and apple—
all the trees of the field are dried up;
surely, joy withers away
among the people. [Joel 1:10-12]

The statistics are horrific. According to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS):

69 countries and territories are affected by landmines
every 20 minutes, a landmine kills or maims an innocent person
of the 26,000 deaths a year, one third - 8,700 - are children
in some countries, 80% of the farmland is unavailable for cultivation because of landmines

In Angola, six to eight mined provinces cover roughly 50 percent of the country. There are 1.47 landmines for every individual.

In Cambodia, there's an average of 86 mines per square mile. Vast areas of farm land are avoided because of fear of stepping on a mine. Remember, a mine the size of a shoe polish can, can shatter or end or life in a blinding instant.

In Mozambique, the largest number of mine injuries or deaths occur while farming or felling trees for construction. The need to expand farming areas and resettle persons has led to increased victims.

Hope for the Future

Girl from Iraq who has lost her hand - 5712 Bytes

[After] spirit from on high is poured out on us...
Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
The effect of righteousness will be peace,
and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. [Isaiah 32:15-18]

This girl from Iraq lost her hand in a explosion. UN/DPI Photo by J. Isaac.

The United Methodist Church has supported the work of demining for several years, working through Church World Service of the National Council of Christian Churches and other organizations. This initiative represents a more direct involvement in response to requests from colleague churches (Angola, Cambodia, Liberia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, in particular) whose lives are plagued by the widespread presence of landmines.

The Task Force Made Several Key Recommendations:

that mined areas of Mozambique be the initial site of a GBGM demining program
that the most cost-effective and promising state of the art demining equipment be integrated into the program
that GBGM consider investing in new technologies which promise to make demining safer and faster
the current GBGM project, Landmine Victims Rehabilitation Program in Angola [manufacture of prosthetic devices for victims, especially women] should be initiated as a companion program in Mozambique and other affected countries.

Go to the Head of the Line

"A noble effort" -- was the response by Rev. Jerry Autry, Baptist Chaplain, U.S. Army (retired) when he heard about GBGM forming a Landmine Action Task Force. Then he continued, saying: "I have always admired the Methodists and kidded about you having no theology; but you're willing to take risks, go to areas others don't, and in the final analysis, in the kingdom to come, you may be at the head of the line."

Individuals and churches are invited to join this initiative. Below are some possible action plans for Annual Conferences, districts and churches

Action Ideas

Write a letter - petition the U.S. government and weapons companies to cease and desist in the production and stockpiling of landmines
Show solidarity - pray for the peoples of Angola, Bosnia, Cambodia, Egypt, Mozambique, and Rwanda; these are countries where there is a strong United Methodist presence and the peoples' lives are deeply affected by the number of landmines planted there
Tell the story - include an article in newsletters and on web pages about the GBGM initiative
Give an offering - it takes approximately $1000 to remove ONE landmine according to conventional efforts; make a commitment to REMOVE JUST ONE
See "Don't Touch!!!" (for children) and "Watch Your Step!!!" (for youth) for program ideas on sharing information about the mission initiative of manufacturing prostheses in Angola.

Donations

Contributions can be made to UMCOR Advance #982575, Landmine Removal. Give through your local United Methodist church or send contributions to: UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Call 1-800-554-8583 to make a credit card donation. One hundred percent of your gift goes to this emergency. The generous giving of United Methodists to the One Great Hour of Sharing supplements the cost of Advance gifts.

These resources have been adapted from the February 2000 issue of Mission Means.

The map(s) is in the public domain, adapted from one(s) obtained the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, courtesy of The General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.