Nepal is not a signatory to the 1997 antipersonnel mine-ban treaty, although the government did announce in June 2004, that it would form a committee to examine the issues involved. Nepal is also not a signatory to the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Two nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) are collecting data: the
Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC)
According to INSEC's Nepal: Human Rights Yearbook 2005, 289 people were killed by explosions in 2004, another 674 were injured, and another 52 reported to have been "terrified.' NCBL's data for the same period gives a figure of 389 people being killed by explosions (mines, ambush, IEDs) and 1,056 injured. Socket bombs (improvised hand grenades) tend to be the key post-engagement unexploded ordnance (UXO) causing risk to civilian populations. CPN-M also makes use of larger IEDs such as pressure-cooker bombs, which have been used to target buildings, pylons, telecom towers and other structures, as well as in roadside ambushes of military and civilian vehicles, including buses and ambulances. Most devices appear to be detonated on command through use of timers, radio signals or other devices. Very few devices used by the CPN-M appear to be victim activated. The security forces have also been reported to be laying mines as defensive perimeters around military installations and infrastructure such as bridges, dams and pylons, as well as around potential vantage points above military installations. There are concerns that mines laid around structures on high ground, might be subject to landslides. The government has claimed that the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) has planted mines only around army posts using safety procedures and using adequate marking. However, there are counterclaims that the RNA does not always fence the area, does not always notify the local villagers of this threat, does not always mark the mine field and if it moves on, does not always detonate, disable or remove the mines before leaving. Published by United Nations Mine Action Service (Department of Peacekeeping Operations)
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