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> "We would rather have left the minefields as they were. They are all clearly marked, clearly fenced. No civilian has ever been injured. We said to the British
by andybak 10y ago
> "We would rather have left the minefields as they were. They are all clearly marked, clearly fenced. No civilian has ever been injured. We said to the British government, 'Don't spend the money here, go to some other country where they have a much greater need to free up farming land.'"
> "Unfortunately," Elsby adds, "the British government have signed up to the Ottawa convention, which puts a duty on them to do this."
> The 1997 Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty compels signatories - which include the UK - to clear minefields in territory under their control.
> Since 2009 the British government has spent tens of millions of pounds on mine-clearance in the Falklands.
It's quotes like this that make me despair most for human civilisation. Our inability to design systems - or empower people - with the ability to act within a loose framework and avoid institutional insanity.
- Declanomous 10y agoThat institutional insanity is what makes Brazil such a fantastic work.
- andybak 10y agoAh. My favorite dystopia.
- icebraining 10y agoOn the other hand, Michael Poole, Member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly said: "Falkland Islanders are grateful for the mine clearance work carried out by the UK Government in recent years. This work has opened up historically and valuable tracts of land which has been out of bounds since 1982." This further commitment by the UK to clearing more of the Falkland Islands of mines is a welcome move and we remain willing to assist practically and logistically where we can."
- tgb 10y agoI agree but also recommend the book "strategy of conflict" by Thomas Schelling. It's a counterpoint that shows why highly specific contracts are important, especially with regards to binding oneself to future actions.
- fidget 10y agoHis arms and influence is also changed the way I view conflict between states.
- PhasmaFelis 10y agoAny plan made by humans will have flaws, but I think I'd rather waste a few dozen million pounds than leave any loophole for nations to slack off on mine clearance. If you say "Must clear all minefields unless the locals say they really don't mind," I suspect that some governments will suddenly discover a surprisingly large number of people with previously-unknown pro-minefield opinions.
- jopsen 10y agoFrom the pictures it seems it's a beach that has been mined. I'm guessing the longer you wait, the more they'll move, the harder it'll be to clear - risking that mines are left behind.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]