Isabel R. Farfan of West Windsor
Is it fair that you can die by crossing a field because you stepped on a landmine? My name is Isabel Farfán and I am a student of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South. In my opinion I don’t think the global problem of landmines is well addressed to the public. We take a large number of things for granted in America, other civilians in other countries are afraid to leave their houses because their country has been covered by landmines across the vast lands. Landmines should be banned all over the world.
Did you know that 100 million uncleared landmines lie in one-third of the countries developing in the world or that there are 500 victims from landmines a week? I feel we do not give enough respect to these victims. We Americans should be aware of international conflicts or events. We should be educated with the world’s flaws because we all live on the same planet.
If landmines are such a big problem in other countries then why haven’t we done anything? Did you know there is a mine ban treaty that the United States refused to sign? The United States did not sign because “staying outside the Treaty — that the military capabilities provided by landmines remain necessary for the United States to protect its armed forces and ensure the success of their mission.” President Clinton is sadly the one who took responsibility for not signing. He said that the treaty would be signed by 2006, but that is not true because when President Bush was in office the treaty was and is still being analyzed. The Department of Defense strongly suggests not joining the treaty.
To conclude, landmines are a serious global conflict. The victims of these tragedies should be well respected because they were physically abused by some other man’s doing. The United States should sign the treaty so that other countries can not judge us and take our opinion or stand in the wrong way. America should sign the treaty so that our planet can be one step closer to peace, and to achieve that step civilians of the country should be aware of the harm that is going on in the world we live in today.
Isabel R. Farfán
West Windsor
