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PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE24 April 2010
“WE MUST RENEW AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMITMENT AT BOTH THE INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS TO RID AGRICULTURAL FIELDS OF THE DEATH-DEALING LANDMINES THAT ARE DEVASTATING THE LIVES OF SO MANY PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN,” SAID MONSIGNOR ANTHONY R. FRONTIERO, AN OFFICIAL OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, IN A MEETING WITH MRS. HEIDI KÜHN, FOUNDER AND CEO OF ROOTS OF PEACE
On Friday, 23 April 2010, Mrs. Heidi Kühn, Founder CEO of Roots of Peace visited the offices of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Roots of Peace is a U.S. based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to de-mining, replanting and rebuilding post-conflict countries. In her annual visit to the Pontifical Council, Mrs. Kühn appealed for a greater collaboration between local Catholic institutions in the mission to rid the world of landmines. Every 30 minutes a person is killed or maimed by explosive remnants of war (ERW) in post conflict countries. Each year up to 20,000 civilians are killed or injured by exploding landmines and cluster munitions. This cruel kind of weaponry does not discriminate between young and old, civilian or soldier. They are activated by the victim, not by someone taking aim or pulling the trigger. They are designed to inflict maximum suffering, not to kill. Explosive remnants of war decimate entire economies in post conflict countries. They perpetuate fear and hatred among the population, and often increase a country’s dependence on international aid. It costs $3 to plant a landmine, but $1,000 to remove one. There are over 70 million landmines in the ground in over 70 countries. Roots of Peace works to rid the world of landmines and other explosive remnants of war by transforming minefields into thriving farmland and communities. The organization removes the hazard of landmines and unexploded ordinance from the soil. It then works with international agencies and the private sector to revitalize the country’s agricultural sector, bringing de-mined land back into productive agriculture use and creating a harvest of hope for communities in landmine affected countries.
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