The Middle East

“If you tried to follow in the footsteps of Abraham, Jesus or Mohammed nowadays,” points out Bill Toliver, executive director of The Matale Line, “it’s almost certain that you would be maimed by a landmine.” Recently, Bill journeyed on a fact-finding mission to the Middle East, one of the most landmine-infested regions in the world, with Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient Landmine Survivors Network (LSN). Founded by Jerry White (photo 1) and Ken Rutherford (photo 2), both survivors of landmine accidents, LSN is fighting to end the proliferation of this indiscriminate instrument of war. Today, more than 90 percent of the people injured in war are civilians (compared to only 10 percent in the 19th century) largely due to landmines and cluster munitions. Since interacting with those on the front lines—Jordan’s Royal Family, the Jordanian military, activists, doctors and nurses—The Matale Line has worked diligently to help Landmine Survivors Network (now Survivor Corps) expand its important work to serve all victims of conflict.