Colombia Blows Up Stockpiled Landmines

While dozens of blast victims looked on, Colombian armed forces blew up 6,800 stockpiled landmines on Sunday. In eight huge explotions near the rural village of Barranquilla, Colombian president Alvaro Uribe and Queen Noor of Jordan began their effort to rid the country of these weapons. Colombian pop star Juanes performed a song "Suenos," about the everyday life of a Colombian soldier and the crowd applauded as each explotion took place. Land mines have become a huge problem in Colombia because of fighting between the government and rebel armies. Colombia has the fourth highest death toll from land mines, following Chechnya, Afganistan, and Cambodia. Full Story