UNICEF to campaign against land mines

JAKARTA: The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Canadian Embassy in Indonesia are slated to launch a campaign against land mines on Thursday.

In cooperation with the Jesuit Refuge Service (JRS) and Lapasip, two non-governmental organizations dealing with land mines, the campaign will be focused on areas ravaged by conflict, like Ambon and Aceh.

UNICEF communications officer for Indonesia Kendartanti Subroto said on Wednesday that many homemade land mines had been found in these areas and needed to be dealt with immediately.

Land mines are among the main killers in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia has ratified the UN convention on land mines in 1997, but has yet to pass it into law. --Antara