Colombia has reached the “dishonorable figure” of 10,001 landmine victims, said the vice presidency of the country Tuesday.
Colombia’s Vice President Angelino Garzon lamented the number of victims due to anti-personnel mines unexploded ordnances and improvised explosive devices.
According to the figures given by the Vice Presidency, since 1990 the victims of landmines have included 6,222 military members and 3,779 civilians, among which 968 were minors.
“Girls, boys, teens, women, indigenous, farmers, workers, soldiers, police and heroes of the country have sacrificed their lives for the freedom and security of the Colombians. We want a Colombia without more victims of anti-personnel mines and free of these artifacts,” said Garzon as reported by Caracol Radio.
According to the official, these 10 thousand victims “are examples of life, of overcoming, of strength and courage. 10 thousand Colombians and families for who we should continue working daily, 10 million dreams that we want to reconstruct and many high hopes of a future without more victims, without more violence and without more war.”
The latest to be affected by landmine cases were announced a few days ago, when six children were victims of an explosive artifact in the municipality of Chaparral in the center-west Tolima department, leaving a minor of three-years-old dead and five others injured.