Heavy landmine contamination in eastern Myanmar: report
Myanmar continues to produce, stockpile and use landmines, with more new casualties reported every year, according to newly published data from the Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor. Both state and non-state armed groups employ landmines, with the eastern edge of the country particularly affected. Kayin State and Bago Region are among the most heavily landmine contaminated areas of the country with high numbers of victims recorded, the report released at the end of December found. According to the monitor, 159 landmine casualties were reported in 2015. The majority of victims whose age was known were children. But since there is no national, systematic data collection mechanism on landmine incidents, the actual number of victims was expected to be much higher than the reported totals.
