Princess Diana waged war on landmines
JAN 15, 1997
IT’S one of the most enduring pictures of Princess Diana – shield over her face and wearing a protective vest, she’s seen walking near an active landmine field.
The image was taken on January 15, 1997, when the princess was on a visit to Angola, where she met some victims of landmines.
When she then called for an international ban on the weapons, it sparked global controversy.
Diana may now be seen as the People’s Princess, and her death later that same year saw the world mourning her loss, but after her Angola visit, she only angered the Government.
“It is my sincere hope that by working together, we shall focus world attention on this vital, but until now largely neglected, issue,” she said.
Diana had gone to Angola prepared to meet people who had lost limbs, but she was still shocked by what she saw.
“I’d read that Angola has the highest percentage of amputees in the world,” she said.
“That one person in every 333 had lost a limb, most of them through landmine explosions.
“But that hadn’t prepared me for reality.”
Among many others, she talked to a 13-year-old girl who had lost her leg up to her hip while out with her mum buy groceries.
As was often the case with Diana, paparazzi followed her everywhere.
“I have all this media interest,” she said. “So, let’s take it somewhere where they can be positive.”
Junior defence minister Earl Howe described Diana as a “loose cannon” and said she didn’t have all the facts. Others agreed. “We all know landmines and other weapons are vicious,” said Peter Viggers, Tory member of the defence select committee.
“The Government’s policy on this has been an extremely careful one and the statements made by the Princess of Wales have not been in line with that.”
Shadow defence spokesman David Clark argued in her defence, saying: “We should all welcome the fact she has tried to warn the world of the dangers. We should be applauding what she’s doing.”
Whatever the opinions, Diana is credited with the success of the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty.
Launched in the months following her death, 122 governments signed up to it.
Jody Williams, founder of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, said: “The death of Princess Diana meant antilandmine activists lost their most-visible advocate.”
Diana’s work will doubtless have saved lives, though.
And in recent years, Diana’s son, Harry, has been working with the Halo landmine charity.
The young prince continuing his mother’s work is surely one of her best legacies.
Diana was shocked by what she saw