The Explosive Remnants of War: the Silent and Lasting Violence in the Arab Region… BY GHASSAN SHAHROUR, MD XI Pan Arab Congress of Psychiatry, Psychological Consequences of Violence, 21-23 August 2008 د غسان شحرور The Explosive Remnants of War in the Arab Region

1. The Explosive Remnants of War: the Silent and
Lasting Violence in the Arab Region
BY GHASSAN SHAHROUR, MD
XI Pan Arab Congress of
Psychiatry
Psychological Consequences of
Violence,
21-23 August 2008
‫د غسان شحرور‬
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 1
Coordinator of ANROLM

2. 
About 75 countries are
affected by Explosive
Remnants of Wars
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 2
Coordinator of ANROLM

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The Explosive
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Remnants of War in the
Arab Region 
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 3
Coordinator of ANROLM

4. 31 Countries and territories affected by
cluster bombs
Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Azerbaijan,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Chad,
Chechnya, Croatia, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falklands/Malvinas,
Guinea Bissau, Iraq, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos,
Lebanon, Montenegro, Nagorno-Karabakh,
Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Sudan,
Syria, Tajikistan, Uganda, Vietnam and
Western Sahara. Georgia
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 4
Coordinator of ANROLM

5. The Explosive
Remnants of War in the
Arab Region
 In The World more than
500 thousands Survivors
 In The Arab Region about
50 thousands Survivors
and 10 millions affected
(living in)
 Ghassan Shahrour, MD,
Coordinator of ANROLM
5

6. Impact of anti personnel landmine
Indiscriminate
, Inhumane
Weapons:

Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 6
Coordinator of ANROLM

7. Ghassan Shahrour, MD,
Coordinator of ANROLM

7

8. Quality of Life
• Quality of life is a
multidimensional
concept
• Dimensions
encompass
– Physical health
– Psychological
health
– Level of
independence
– Social functioning
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 8
Coordinator of ANROLM

9. The needs of Survivors
-Human Rights
-People’s Rights
(Affected Community)
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 9
Coordinator of ANROLM

10. Mine
Risk
Education
MRE
 Mine Risk Education programs or activities
reported in 63 countries and 8 areas.
 7.3 million direct MRE recipients.
 No MRE recorded in 36 countries and 1 area.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 10
Coordinator of ANROLM

11. Cluster
Bombs
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 11
Coordinator of ANROLM

12. Case of
Kuwait
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 12
Coordinator of ANROLM

13. 13
Case of Yemen
Ghassan Shahrour, MD,
Coordinator of ANROLM

14. A Landmine Impact Survey, conducted in Yemen from
July 1999 to 2000 indicated landmine impacts as
follows:
Case of Yemen
Affected Affected Affected #of Mined
Governorates Districts Communities Areas
19 95 595 1088
Area in Population # of Recent # of Less
sq km Victims Recent Victims
923 827,000 178 4904
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 14
Coordinator of ANROLM

15. Case of Yemen
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 15
Coordinator of ANROLM

16. Case of Mauritania
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 16
Coordinator of ANROLM

17. Case of Iraq
Explosive AP
AT
Locations AP AT Mix
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 17
SubMunition
As of 13 Apr 03 Coordinator of ANROLM Unknown
UXO

18. Mine
Risk
Education
MRE
Ghassan Shahrour, MD,
Overview18
Coordinator of ANROLM

19. Community Liaison and Mine Risk
Reduction Education - Sudan
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 19
Coordinator of ANROLM

20. Case of Lebanon
Cluster bombs strikes
as at February 15,
2007
841 confirmed
CBU strike
locations
Combined into
378 Areas,
34.336.482
sqm
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 20
Coordinator of ANROLM

21. Website : www.ndo-lb.org
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 21
Coordinator of ANROLM

22. Mine & Cluster Bombs Victims
Since 1975, up to February 15, 2007
total: 4183
Killed : 1862
Survivors: 2321
Case of Lebanon
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 22
Coordinator of ANROLM

23. Cluster Bombs
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 23
Coordinator of ANROLM

24. Case of Lebanon
Cluster Bombs
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 24
Coordinator of ANROLM

25. Mines & Cluster Bombs Victims
Total –August 14, 2006 – February 15, 2007 217
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 25
Coordinator of ANROLM

26. Cluster Bomb Casualties,
since Aug 14, 2006
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 26
Coordinator of ANROLM

27. Case of Syrian Golan under Occupation
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 27
Coordinator of ANROLM

28. Case of Syrian Golan under Occupation
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 28
Coordinator of ANROLM

29. Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 29
Coordinator of ANROLM

30. Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 30
Coordinator of ANROLM

31. Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 31
Coordinator of ANROLM

32. Arab Net for Research on Landmine and ERW
anrolm@gmail.com
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 32
Coordinator of ANROLM

33. The Leading Role of Survivors
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 33
Coordinator of ANROLM

34. • Victim Assistance:
• Global Landmine Monitor has identified at
least 473,000 survivors as of August 2007.
• In the Arab region, It is estimated that the
survivors are 75,000 while 10 millions are
affected by the different impacts of ERWs.
• In many affected countries, assistance to
landmine survivors that include permanent
physical, health and social rehabilitation, can
be an enormous strain on resources since
ERW casualties deprive communities and
families of breadwinners.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 34
Coordinator of ANROLM

35. • The Need for Psychological Support:
- Most of ERW survivors in our region, as in
some other regions, receive no Psychological
support. The attention mainly focus on
physical rehabilitation and social assistance
- The Gender Question !!!!!
- Also, the local people, ordinary people, who
live in affected areas suffering from these
silent and lasting violence, receive no
psychological support and complete neglect of
their suffering from stress and fear about their
lives and their children who may pay their lives
or limbs as a price for the silent ERW.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 35
Coordinator of ANROLM

36. Conclusions:
• More actions are needed to reduce the violence
caused by ERW and to help the people at Global,
regional and national levels. Such actions include the
implementation of related International conventions,
regional cooperation and formulation of national
policies and action to promote actions including ERW
risk education, victim assistance as well as ERW
clearance. These international treaties have provided
strong opportunities to promote actions to get rid of
ERW and assist survivors.
• Unfortunately, as of March 2007, most of the Arab
states still outside the mine ban treaty, and only two
states joined the cluster monition convention.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 36
Coordinator of ANROLM

37. Conclusions:
• It is highly recommended to adequately provide age- and gender-
sensitive assistance for and with partnership with the affected
communities, including medical care, rehabilitation and
psychological support, as well as provide for their social and
economic inclusion. The growing role of community based
organizations including ERW survivor organizations as well as
other nongovernmental organizations in our region with interest
of this issue is promising to help overcome the impacts of ERW.
• Inclusion of Survivors and more representation at all levels of
actions.
• Enabling affected regions to lead movements and campaigns.
• Regional strategies should be created and enhanced to clear
ERWs, promote ERW risk education and victim assistance
programs and exchange experiences.
• We hope that our continued efforts at all levels will one day
achieve our goal of a world truly free of ERW.
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 37
Coordinator of ANROLM

38. Where to find more?
- ICBL www.icbl.org
- http://www.stopclustermunitions.org
- GICHD www.gichd.ch
- UNMAS
www.mineaction.org
www.mineactionstandards.org
Unicef, UNDP, Handicap international, NPA, MAG
Arab Net for Research on Landmine and ERW anrolm@gmail.com
Arab Human security Network ahsn.net@gmail.com
Ghassan Shahrour, MD, 38
Coordinator of ANROLM