Every 90 minutes, somewhere in the world, a person is maimed by landmines and cluster bombs. Among the victims, there are many children. To combat this scourge, the association Handicap International is mobilizing for the 16th consecutive year. On September 25, 2010, in the Jardin Albert 1er (near place Masséna), you can sign a petition against these “coward’s weapons” and deposit a pair of shoes to create a pyramid. Rendered useless, these thousands of piled-up shoes symbolize destruction and misery. Every day, many victims lose a foot, a leg, or their life following the explosion of a mine or a cluster bomb.
Treaties to Stem the Scourge
This scourge is the subject of international mobilization. The Ottawa Treaty, against landmines, implemented in 1999, and the Oslo Treaty, against cluster bombs, which took effect in August 2010, put an end to impunity for the use of these weapons. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go before these weapons are completely eradicated. From November 8 to 12, 2010, the first conference of the States Parties to the Oslo Treaty will be held in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The goal: to enable governments to implement concrete measures to enforce the treaty.
This day, intended to raise public awareness about this catastrophe, is also an opportunity to learn about the actions carried out by the association in sixty countries and to attend artistic performances.
