The Swedish public and political debate on anti-personnel mines often lacks technical clarity. Understanding the different types, effects, and utility of landmines is essential for judging claims about defence, humanitarian harm, and legal commitments.
This event highlights how limited technical-military understanding can weaken public debate, political decision-making and military judgement on security policies with serious civilian consequences. In particular, it clarifies the technical details that shape the current landmine debate.
Participants will learn what different mines are designed to do, how anti-personnel, anti-tank, fragmentation, blast and so-called "smart" mines differ, and why technical terms may obscure the risks involved. The event also examines how mines affect movement, infrastructure, and recovery after conflict. Through enhanced and virtual reality, participants can explore these issues concretely and experience, in a safe and controlled way, the uncertainty and restrictions faced by people in mine contaminated environments.
The worskhsop is linked to the Almedealen panel Does Sweden need anti-personnel mines? and is open throughout the scheduled period. Participants are welcome to drop in at any time.
Participants
Henrique Garbino, PhD student, Swedish Defence University
Niklas Alquist, developer and product demonstrator, EODynamics