Myanmar has surpassed Syria in landmine casualties, with 1,003 victims in 2023, according to the 2024 Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor. This marks a disturbing rise in landmine-related deaths and injuries, with Myanmar now the deadliest country for such incidents.
Tamar Gabelnick of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) highlighted the disproportionate impact on civilians, especially children. She urged nations to join the Ottawa Treaty, which bans the use of anti-personnel mines, to prevent further suffering in conflict zones like Myanmar.
In Myanmar, the civilian toll is particularly high, with 84% of landmine victims being non-combatants. Over one-third of these victims are children, underscoring the devastating effect of landmines on innocent lives, particularly in conflict-affected regions.
The 2021 military coup has intensified the use of landmines in Myanmar. Both the military and opposition groups deploy these weapons, often targeting infrastructure like phone towers, putting civilians at greater risk. Myanmar remains the only country continuously using landmines since the Monitor began tracking in 1999.
Myanmar’s refusal to join the Ottawa Treaty, which bans anti-personnel mines, has left the country outside international efforts to address the landmine crisis. Despite the global push for treaty participation, Myanmar remains among the 12 nations still producing and using these dangerous weapons.
