Organization of American States
Volume 16
Issue 1 The Journal of ERW and Mine Action
Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Conflict Studies Commons 0
0 Center for International Stabilization and Recovery James Madison University MSC4902 Harrisonburg , VA 22807 / USA
Recommended Citation JOURNAL, CISR (2012) "Organization of American States," The Journal of ERW and Mine Action : Vol. 16 :
Part of the Other Public Affairs; Public Policy and Public Administration Commons; and the Peace and
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the signing of the Charter of the OAS in Bogotá, Colombia.1 The
OAS was created to help the member states attain “an order of
peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their
collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial
integrity, and their independence.”1 All 35 independent Latin
American states are members of the OAS, which serves as the
primary governmental forum in the Western Hemisphere in which
states participate to implement their shared goals and resolve
disagreements.1
The OAS serves a multitude of purposes, but the organization
focuses on four main categories: democracy, human rights,
security and development.1 The OAS’s continued involvement in
Haiti following the recent earthquake exemplifies these principles.
In January 2012, OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza
called on the international community to organize aid-coordination
efforts with the Haitian Government.2 To support Haiti, the OAS
not only created assistance projects and worked to manage the
Group of Friends of Haiti organization but also agreed to provide
millions of dollars in aid to Haiti.2 In addition, Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS,
stressed the importance of providing investment opportunities and building capacity in Haiti in order to provide
longterm benefits and security to Haitians.2
Another area of involvement for the OAS is demining.3 In 1992, the OAS created the Program for Assistance to
Demining in Central America to confront the threat of anti-personnel landmines in Central American countries,
including Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.3 In 1997, PADCA expanded into the Acción Integral contra
Minas Antipersonal (Comprehensive Action against Anti-personnel Mines or AICMA) to effectively address the
humanitarian impact of landmines. The OAS tackles this through its efforts to build and assist national capacity for
demining, mine-risk education and victim-assistance services with the aim of restoring safe living conditions, returning
land to productive use and assisting those members of the population who have suffered as a result of the use of
landmines.3
AICMA’s efforts in Central America, supported by the Central American governments and a coalition of more than 20
donor countries and international organizations, including the United States, ultimately led to Central America
becoming the first region in the world to entirely rid itself of the “negative impact of anti-personnel landmines left
behind from past conflicts” in 2010.4 To accomplish this, the OAS managed more than US$100 million dollars in donor
contributions and in-kind assistance to provide technical, logistical and administrative support to national
mineclearance operations, as well as to conduct mine-risk education campaigns and provide assistance to victims of
antipersonnel mines.4 AICMA in particular concentrated on the social rehabilitation of landmine survivors, which included
mental and physical recovery and work placement.4 As Central America is now mine-impact free, the OAS has shifted
its primary focus of support to South America, aiming to rid Ecuador and Peru of the impact of landmines by 2017,
and to make Colombia mine-impact free by 2021.
4 In 2012
, AICMA plans to administer administrative and logistical
support for humanitarian demining in seven mine-affected Colombian municipalities as well as attend to the formation
of a canine-demining component.5 AICMA also continues to support mine clearance in the Cordillera del Condor region
on the border of Ecuador and Peru, and plans to conclude mechanical clearance work in the Catamayo-Chira River by
June 2012.5 Despite the numerous challenges it faces, such as the threat of Colombian illegal-armed groups that
persist in using mines and improvised explosive devices against civilians and military forces, as well as the thousands
of mines still located in remote areas near the Ecuadorian-Peruvian border, AICMA remains committed to its goal of
making the Americas the first anti-personnel landmine-free region in the world.5
~ Paul Gentine, CISR staff
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Endnotes
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