Renewing its pledge to help Nicaragua rid itself of all remaining antipersonnel landmines by the end of this year, the government of Canada has announced it will donate another $400,000 to the ongoing mine removal efforts along the northern border with Honduras.
Nicaragua has currently removed more than 97 percent of the 170,000 mines planted during the 1980s by the Sandinista Popular Army (EPS) and the U.S.-backed Contra rebels. The military estimates there are some 8,000 mines remaining, all of which could be destroyed by the end of this year if the demining effort is able to raise the $4 million it needs to finish the job (NT Dec.24, 2008).
Canadian Ambassador Neil Reeder, who visited the demining camps at the end of 2008 and was lobbying his government to give more money to the effort, said that Canada views the mine-removal project as important to advancing peace and security, and also in terms of contributing to human and economic development.
Nica Times
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