Abstract
The aim of this article is to investigate the effects of cluster munitions on the different environmental, anatomical and neuropsychological levels. We conducted a study to explore the effects of sub-munitions on Lebanese victims. The study included a total of 407 cases that have been subjected to the detonation of unexploded sub-munitions in Lebanon, between 2006 and 2011. In our series, 356 casualties were injured and 51 were dead. 382 were males and 25 were females. We recorded 83 cases of amputations, and injuries involving cranio-facial regions, thorax, abdomen, and upper and lower extremities. These injuries lead to loss of function, body disfiguration, and chronic pain caused by the injuries or the amputations, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. The peripheral nervous system was mostly affected and patients suffered from significant psychosocial tribulations. Cluster munitions harm human beings and decrease biodiversity. Survivors suffer from physical and psychological impairments. Laws should be passed and enforced to ban the use of these detrimental weapons that have negative effects on ecosystem and societal levels.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cameron AM, Lawson RJ, Tomlin BW (1998) To walk without fear: the global movement to ban landmines. Oxford University Press, Toronto
Human Rights Watch (2004) Cluster munitions and International Humanitarian Law: The need for better compliance and stronger rules. Memorandum to CCW Delegates. http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/arms/clusters0704/clusters0704.pdf. Accessed 23 May 2012
The New York Times (1982) Use of Cluster Bombs Is Confirmed by Israel. NYTimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/28/world/use-of-cluster-bombs-is-confirmed-by-israel.html. Accessed 5 April 2012
Beehner L (2006) The campaign to ban cluster bombs. Backgrounder. http://www.cfr.org/lebanon/campaign-ban-cluster-bombs/p12060. Accessed 21 April 2012
(2008) Remember Lebanon on 13 August: Stop Cluster Bombs. Stop Cluster Bombs. http://www.stopclusterbombs.org.nz/2008/08/05/remember-lebanon-on-13-august/. Accessed 10 June 2012
Berhe AA (2007) The contribution of landmine to land degradation. Land Degrad Dev 18:1–15. doi:10.1002/ldr.754
Leaning J (2000) Environment and health: impact of war. CMAJ 163:9
Eliasson J (1995) An international approach towards humanitarian assistance and economic development of countries affected by land mines. In: Clearing the fields: solutions to the global land mines crisis. BMJ, New York, pp 308–318
Blaikie PM, Brookfield H (1987) Land degradation and society. Methuen & Co, London
Johnston DL, Lewis LA (1995) Land degradation: creation and destruction. Blackwell, Cambridge
Dahlberg A (1994) Contesting views and changing paradigms: the land degradation debate in South Africa. Discussion Paper 6. Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Uppsala
Troll K (2000) The impact of anti-personnel landmines on the environment. United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research: Geneva. United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs 1995. Landmines: From Words to Action
Ascherio A, Biellik R, Epstein A, Snetro G, Gloyd S, Ayotte B et al (1995) Deaths and injuries caused by land mines in Mozambique. Lancet 346(8977):721–724
Somasundaram DJ, Renol KK (1998) The psychosocial effect of landmines in Cambodia. Med Confl Surviv 14(3):219–236
Doughterty PJ (2001) Transtibial amputees from the Vietnam War: twenty-eight year follow-up. J Bone Jt Surg Am 83A(3):383–389
De Smet J, Charlton JE, Meynadier J (2000) Pain and rehabilitation from landmine injury. Int Soc Study Pain 11:1–2
Strada G (1996) The horror of land mines. Sci Am 274(5):26–32
International Committee of the Red Cross (1995) The worldwide epidemic of landmine injuries: the ICRC health oriented approach. Brochure, Geneva
Patton G (1975) War as I knew it. Houghton Mifflin, Boston
Handicap International and Lao Youth Union (2004) Life after the bomb: a psychosocial study of child survivors of UXO accidents in Lao PDR. Vientiane 12–14
Gunaratnam HR, Gunaratnam S, Somasundram D (2003) The psychological effects of landmines in Jaffna. Med Confl Surv 19(3):223–234
American Psychiatric Association (1994) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV), 4th edn. American Psychiatric Press, Washington DC
Somasundaram DJ, Renol KK (1998) The psychosocial effects of landmines in Cambodia. Med Confl Surv 14(3):219–236
Ramachandran VS, Hirstein W (1998) The perception of phantom limbs: the D. O. Hebb lecture. Brain 121:1603–1630
Foell J, Flor H (2012) Phantom limb pain. In: Handbook of pain and palliative care. Springer, New York
Conflict of interests
None are declared.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Y. Fares and J. Fares are shared first authors.
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fares, Y., Fares, J. Anatomical and neuropsychological effects of cluster munitions. Neurol Sci 34, 2095–2100 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-013-1343-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-013-1343-7