(22 May 2001)
Nabetieh, Southern Lebanon
1. Various of a de-mining demonstration
2. Multi-national flags flying
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Staffan De Mistura, U-N secretary general's personal representative for Southern
Lebanon:
"Well there are still 130-thousand mines which are left in the South. The South is not being economically developed because people are afraid about the mines. We have to take care of the mines. They are also becoming an alibi for
non-economical development and investment."
Beirut
4. Various of the International demining Conference
5. SOUNDBITE: (French) Jean-Marie Guehenno, U-N Undersecretary-General of Peacekeeping Operations:
"It is a threat for the South in particular and for Lebanon in general as it is retarding the chances for the social and economic revitalisation of the south ."
Nabetieh, Southern Lebanon
6. Road with sign warning of land mine danger
7. Close up of landmine warning sign
8. Various of landmine danger signs
9. Landmine victim Mohamad Nayef walking near the site of the explosion in which he was injured
10. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Mohamad Nayef, 20 year-old victim of land mine: "I found an iron ball, I took it and played with it here. After a few seconds I saw smoke coming out of it and then it exploded. It was a very big and painful explosion. I lost my hand and my leg."
11. Mohamad Nayef during his physiotherapy session
12. Nayef having prosthetic leg fitted
13. Various of Nayef walking
14. Various of Nayef using an electronic hand
15. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Mohamad Nayef, 20 year-old victim of land mine:
"I hold Israel responsible for everything and call on the Arab countries and the whole world to come to Lebanon and see how the situation is here."
16. Mohamad Nayef walking
STORYLINE:
A year after Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon, thousands of landmines and other unexploded shells continue to be "a daily menace" that is hindering the lives of thousands of people living there.
Representatives of 20 countries and international organisations have been attending a two-day international de-mining conference, which began on Monday, in Beirut.
The conference, organized by the Lebanese government and the United Nations, aimed to launch a campaign to de-mine some 1,500 fields where around 130,000 mines are believed to remain.
The conference has recommended creating an international support group to work with the Lebanese government.
During a field trip to Nabetieh on Tuesday, Staffan de Mistura, Kofi Annan's personal representative for southern Lebanon, said he hoped the arrival of funds and aides would begin immediately.
Visiting UN Undersecretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno reiterated the importance of task.
He hailed the United Arab Emirates (U-A-E) for pledging 50 (m) million dollars to finance mine-clearing efforts in the country.
Official records show that 15 people have been killed and 97 injured, since the pullout of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon last May.
18-year-old Mohamad Nayef lost both his arm and his leg while he was playing with a ball he found near his house in South Lebanon.
Fifteen Lebanese army soldiers and two Syrian soldiers have been injured in explosions during mine-clearing operations.
U-N peacekeepers deployed in southern Lebanon have removed some 3,260 mines and explosives so far.
But they complain that Israel has not been forthcoming with maps of the mines.
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