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Libya

Last Updated: 18 June 2010

Casualties and Victim Assistance

Casualties

Casualties in 2009

Casualties in 2009

12 (2008: 3)

Casualties by outcome

7 killed; 5 injured (2008: 3 killed)

Casualties by device type

12 unknown mines

In 2009, Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor identified 12 casualties from a victim-activated mine, an increase from the three identified in 2008. All casualties occurred in the same incident when a bus carrying 30 Gambians drove over a landmine on the Libyan side of the border with Niger. Seven Gambians were killed and five were injured;  at least nine of the casualties were young males; details about the other three casualties were unknown.[1]

It is likely that there were additional unidentified mine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) casualties since there is no public data collection mechanism and little media coverage of casualties. In 2009, recent hospital records indicated that there were hundreds of civilian casualties and deaths resulting from ERW and there were unconfirmed reports of casualties from mines near Libya’s border with Chad.[2]

The total number of mine/ERW casualties in Libya is not known. The Libyan Demining Association (LDA)[3] and the Libyan Civil Defense Department had registered 1,852 mine casualties by the end of 2006. Previous estimates were approximately 12,000, with the Libyan police reporting 11,845 casualties between 1940 and 1995 (6,749 killed and 5,096 injured) and the Libyan Jihad Center for Historical Studies reporting 12,258 (3,874 killed and 8,384 injured) between 1952 and 1975.[4]

Victim Assistance

Although the total number of survivors is believed to be several thousand, Libya is not known to have any specialized services or facilities for mine/ERW survivors and very few in general for persons with disabilities.

A May 2008 Letter of Intent between the LDA and UNDP stipulated that support be provided to initiatives rehabilitating mine survivors.[5] Throughout 2009, this mine action program, which was to include the creation of a victim surveillance system among other activities, was in the “preparatory phase.”[6] However, there was no mention of victim assistance in the UNDP—Libya Mine Action project description for 2009.[7]

Victim assistance coordination[8]

Government coordinating body/ focal point

Inactive; the LDA states that it “provides care for the people affected by mines.”

Coordinating mechanism

None

Plan

None

Service accessibility and effectiveness

No changes were identified in the overall availability and quality of services or assistance to mine/ERW survivors in 2009. The only area where some change was noted was in the level of international support for victim assistance.

On 31 December 2008, the Italian Directorate for Development Cooperation ended eight years of support to the Benghazi Rehabilitation Center, one of the main physical rehabilitation centers in Libya.[9] In 2009, Italy ratified a friendship agreement with Libya in which it committed support for victim assistance compensation claims of survivors or families of those killed by mines.[10] Libya requested that the United Kingdom also pay compensation for the casualties caused by mines left behind during World War II.[11]

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected under Libyan law and they are provided with a pension and other forms of care.[12] Libya signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 1 May 2008 but has not ratified it as of 25 May 2010.



[1] “Gambia: 7 Gambians Die in Sahara Desert… as Vehicle Hits Landmine,” The Daily Observer (Banjul), 19 February 2009, observer.gm; and Nfamara Jawneh, “Seven Gambian Youths Die along Niger-Libya Border,” The Point (Banjul), 19 February 2009, thepoint.gm.

[2] Andy Smith, “The UK’s Debt to Libya over explosives,” AVS Mine Action Consultants, www.nolandmines.com; and email from Andy Smith, Mine-action specialist, AVS Mine Action Consultants, 23 April 2010.

[3] The LDA, part of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation (GICDF), was formerly known as the Anti-Mines Association.

[4] Ahmed Besharah, “World War II mines planted in Libya and its socio-economic impact,” Libyan Jihad Center for Historical Studies, Tripoli, 1995, p.153.

[5] GICDF, “The De-mining Society of the Foundation signs an agreement with the UNDP,” 27 May 2008, www.gicdf.org; and email from Abdulmonem Alaiwan, Administration and Public Relations Director, LDA, 29 June 2009.

[6] “Consultant: Cheif [sic] Technical Advisor, UNDP Mine Action Libya, Tripoli”, UNjobs, 18 August 2009, unjobs.org.

[7] UNDP, “Capacity building to support the Demining Association and the Government of Libya in Mine Action activities,” Project summary, undated, www.undp-libya.org.

[8] GICDF, “The General Assembly of the De-mining Society of the Foundation to hold its First General Meeting Soon,” 5 March 2009, www.gicdf.org.

[9] Email from Dr.Carmine Nutolo, Cooperation Office, Embassy of Italy, 25 May 2009.

[10] “Text of the Convention on Friendship, Partnership, and Cooperation between Libya and Italy,” Akhbar Libya (government newspaper), www.akhbar-libyaonline.com.

[11] Robert Verkaik, “Libya Pressing for Landmine Payout,” The Independent, 5 October 2009, www.independent.co.uk.

[12] US Department of State, “2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Libya,” Washington, DC, 11 March 2010.