Piecing lives together

Year level: Lower secondary Learning outcome Students will analyse the integrated approach necessary for the elimination of landmines. Brainstorm in small groups your ideas about the following questions: What are landmines? What are unexploded ordnance? Why are these devices a continuing problem? Who do they most affect? Why? Read Piecing lives together, Integrated mine action in Cambodia. Discuss what you have learnt from this story. Locate the province and city of Battambang and city of Pailin on a map of Cambodia. Why might the areas surrounding these cities have been heavily contaminated with landmines and UXO? Discuss: How do landmines affect people living in contaminated areas? What impact would uncleared landmines and UXO have on people’s lives socially and economically? List the responses outlined in the case study to the problem of landmines and UXO. Note next to each response how it might help you if you were a villager in an area affected by landmines and UXO. Check the latest Landmine Monitor report for Cambodia to review the progress on clearing landmines and UXO. Go to http://www.icbl.org/lm. Create a map to represent a village in an area affected by landmines in Cambodia. Work out the scale you will use and the direction of your map then, on an A4 page, draw a map equal to an area of 30 kilometres by 20 kilometres. In the south-east of the map mark hilly, forested land. In the north-east draw a large town measuring 2 kilometres by 2 kilometres. A river runs from north-west to south-east and there are six small villages along the river. A road and railway line run close to the river and connect to the town. Choose suitable colours and symbols for the forests (green), town (red), roads (black), hilly areas (brown contour lines) etc. Mark some places that have landmines and UXO. Make sure you include the scale on your map, plus a direction indicator, a key to explain the different features on your map, a title, border, date and authors. Check and discuss your maps in groups of four. Give reasons for the placement of natural and built features, as well as the landmine sites. Imagine you are in charge of a demining program. In small groups, choose one map to work from, then discuss the following points: Where would you start and how would you go about the task? How would you involve villagers in the decision making? In what months would you undertake the demining? (Consider Cambodia’s climate using maps and other research.) Share your ideas with other groups and display your maps and accompanying notes in the classroom. Research other countries that have been affected by landmines. A good place to start is the annual Landmine Monitor Report at http://www.icbl.org/lm. Create a table:   Country A Country B Area affected by landmines     Number killed in last year     Number injured in last year     Signatory of Mine Ban Treaty?     Progress in clearing landmines and UXO (year)     Destruction of stockpiled landmines and UXO     Care of survivors       Discuss some of theissues arising from the information in your table. What surprises you? How do you feel about the progress made in clearing landmines and UXO? Explain how landmine and UXO clearance is an important part of peace building. Explain how people in Australia can support people living in areas contaminated by landmines and UXO. Assessment tasks Australia has supported landmine action in Cambodia with grants of $100 million for the period 1996–2005 and $75 million for the next five years. Imagine that your task is to recommend how the second grant of $75 million should be allocated. Work in small groups to decide on your spending priorities from one, several or all of the following suggestions, then present your decision for judgement by the rest of the class. Your presentation might take the form of a speech, PowerPoint presentation (3–5 minutes each) or an information booklet. The grant could be spent on any or all of the following: mine awareness education mine clearance by Australian personnel training of mine clearance teams research into technology to detect and clear landmines rehabilitation and medical services for those injured by landmines negotiations with political and military leaders of other nations to encourage them to sign and honour the Mine Ban Treaty.