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For her, it won't be easy to start all over again ::
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![](Victima-Mayling.jpg) |
If Mayling
had been injured by a human being, demands to find the individual(s)
responsible for this atrocity would have been publicized far and wide.
Unfortunately, there will never be such an investigation. No one will
ever be prosecuted. No state, nation, or community will be held
accountable for this because Mayling was wounded by an antipersonnel
mine.
She is just one of
thousands of victims whose life is forever changed by this weapon.
Placed just under the surface level and designed to explode by the
presence of an individual, it does not discriminate among its victims.
This weapon of war, upon exploding, deeply embeds filth and fragmented
metallic shards into the new wound. As a result, amputation of a limb
(if not two or three) is usually necessary. Walking, with or without a
prosthetic, may not be possible anymore.
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Children, in
particular, suffer the cruel effects of antipersonnel landmines.
While unknowingly playing soccer in a mine-infested field or
picking up the metallic object because it looks like a toy,
children suffer grave wounds from the explosions. Yet they do
not suffer silently and move on. For the grave disabilities
incurred by losing a limb cause psychological trauma that
isolates a victim from society for many years to come.
Economically
speaking, the cost is also steep. A child who is wounded at the
age of 10 will need about 25 artificial limb replacements for
the rest of his life. This burden falls not only on the
individual, but on society as a whole. "How can I
help?" you ask. Read on�
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Buy a Card - Help a Victim :: |
The
OAS Mine Action Program (AICMA) of the Unit for the Promotion of
Democracy (UPD) is committed to a range of activities preventing
the further victimization of individuals in the Americas as a result
of antipersonnel landmines. While it integrates mine awareness
education, humanitarian demining, stockpile destruction, and political
advocacy, the social reintegration of mine victims is a growing
priority. For this reason, the Mine Action Program is funding the
printing of Christmas cards, designed and produced by the Transitions
Foundation, to provide programs and assistance to victims. We invite
you to join us this holiday season. Buy a Christmas card - help a
handicapped victim.
How are the cards sold?
The cards are sold in packets of 10 for US$10.00 a packet. An
identical design is displayed on the front of each card in a packet
and is accompanied by a matching envelope. Payment is accepted in cash
or check (made out to: Mine Action Program, UPD, OAS) and can be
mailed to the Mine Action Program (address below). With the payment,
please send a forwarding/mailing address and the specific quantity and
design of cards requested. The program will process the request and
send the customer the desired cards through the U.S. Postal System.
How will the funds be distributed?
The funds generated by the sale of these Christmas cards will be
used for the rehabilitation and occupational training/therapy of
victims of antipersonnel mines, with the end goal of promoting
sustainable programs of social reintegration. While all of the
proceeds assist handicapped landmine victims, fifty percent will help
those in Guatemala represented by the Transitions Foundation while the
other half will be channeled to victims in Central America, Peru and
Ecuador through the OAS Mine Action Program.
What do the cards look like?
The Christmas-themed cards are original paintings by Gustavo
Vasquez, a 35 year old handicapped victim of landmines left over from
the civil war and member of the Transitions Foundation (a Guatemalan
association of handicapped individuals). With seven designs to choose
from, cards have a unique design on the front and say "May your
Holiday Season be Filled with Love and Peace" in English and
Spanish inside. The back side briefly explains the cooperation between
the Mine Action Program and the Transitions Foundation and includes a
bio and picture of the artist. The cards with envelopes measure
4.5" by 5.75" inches (11.5 by 14.5 centimeters).
For questions or more information, please feel free to contact: Annsley
M. Scruton-Wilson, Mine Action Program, tel. 202 458 3743, email [email protected],
address: 1889 F Street N.W., Washington, DC 20006
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