Quote:
Originally Posted by wildbill
Do any other people have concerns about the landmine issue in Angola when bush-camping?
|
I lived in Angola for three years in the late 80s - early 90s. Landmines were a huge concern then. I don't think there has been much progress made clearing them from 'non-productive land' since then.
Many of the combatants in the 20+ year Angolan conflict used landmines to intimidate the local population, and to try and confine them to their villages. For this reason, mines were sown in forested areas where women went to collect wood, and especially around river crossings and river banks.
I have set off a few mines myself, though fortunately always whilst inside an aircraft or a truck. If you wind up stepping on one, you're really going to be screwed, because health care is not readily available in Angola. The normal procedure for treating mine injuries is to go up the leg to the point where there is no more trauma, and make the amputation there.
I would be very, very wary of 'bush camping' in Angola. Far better, I think, to stick to the populated regions - do your overnighting in a village where there are lots of other people, and where there are unlikely to be residual mines remaining undetected.
|