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TechnoratiAngola To Host Landmine Pageant
Landmine victims are to take part in a beauty contest in Angola, where tens of thousands have been injured by mines.
The pageant has been organised by Angola's de-mining commission, and aims to restore the confidence of victims and raise awareness of their plight.
Millions of mines were planted in Angola during a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002.
The "Miss Landmine Survivor" contest will be held on 2 April in a luxury hotel in the Angolan capital, Luanda.
Eighteen women will take part, one from every province in the country.
All of the contestants have been maimed by landmines.
'Ambassadors'
The co-ordinator of Angola's de-mining commission, Madalena Neto, says the aim of the competition is to restore self-esteem in women injured in mine explosions, and to show that there is beauty in all people.
She says she wants the contestants to become ambassadors for victims of landmines.
Tens of thousands of Angolans have lost limbs or suffered other injuries in mine explosions.
And they continue to do so, even though the war ended six years ago.
It is rare to visit an Angolan town or village without seeing people struggling to cook, care for children or otherwise get on with their lives whilst struggling with a stick or, if they are lucky, a pair of crutches or an artificial limb.
The UN says that, despite an extensive de-mining programme, millions of landmines remain littered across Angola - and this means great stretches of the country are still out of bounds, too dangerous to farm or to travel through.
Perhaps the "Miss Landmine Survivor" contest will remind the rich and powerful in central Luanda that there is still a lot of work to be done, both in terms of ridding the country of landmines and of improving the lives of their victims.
© 2008 BBC News
4 Comments so far
Show AllHowlong - "Why are trillions spent on space weaponry, spy satellites, nano-surveillance 'insect' drones, etc.?"
Some spiritualists say It's not our darkness that we fear, but our light. It's a tricky task, I've been trying for more then a few years now, but if just a few of us can truly learn how to love the despicable genocidal/suicidal house of cards will come tumbling down, and the second age of human enlightenment will prevail - at least until we fall asleep or become intoxicated again.
Peace, Love and Joy.
I wonder where the landmines in Angola were manufactured?
Just maybe, they were made by Accudyne Operations of Wisconsin, USA. The US is the largest manufacturer of landmines in the world.
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines has sought to prohibit their use, culminating in the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, known informally as the Ottawa Treaty. As of 2007, a total of 158 nations have agreed to the treaty. Thirty-seven countries have not agreed to the ban, including China, India, Russia and the United States.
It is a shame that so few CDers have commented on this article. Landmines kill and maim for more people that DU.
@howlong
Nice rant. If I may add that the numbers of people who die or are injured in terrorist attacks amount to thousands/year, but those that die from inadequate clean water and health services are numbered in millions/year.
Good one, Angola. There should be a "Miss World Landmine Survivor". I would not expect there to be a single caucasian contestant.
What a great mind has Madalena Neto! Hope her country recognizes her talent in positive ways and does not fear her logic and talent as a threat.
Now let me rant. Why are trillions spent on space weaponry, spy satellites, nano-surveillance 'insect' drones, etc.? Why can't a few billion be spent on technology to simply improve human life: tech to throughly scan the ground for mines and deactivate. Nanotech to regrow and perfect human dentition to prevent the downward spiral of health due to bad teeth/infection.
Thousands die from 'terrorism', but millions die from unhealthy environmental factors. Instead of a watch list of a million American citizens/residents, a watch list of polluters. Use the high tech used to watch humans, to keep constant tabs on our water, air and land to nab the polluters promptly before more damage is done.
Trillions are being spent on saving 'thousands' of victims from 'terrrorism'. Why not focus on the overall human condition and save millions of lives from poverty, poor health, pollution, etc.?
Of course some believe the status quo and worse is the aim of the elite: depopulate the planet by any means that make them richer. No improvements needed for that goal.