doctor. Robin Coupland is the adviser on armed violence for the International

Committee of the Red Cross who has spent many years as a field surgeon

treating victims of landmines.

Landmines are bombs that are placed on or under the ground and explode when

someone steps on them. Just over ten years ago, countries began to sign the

Ottawa Convention banning landmines, and today 156 countries have made it a

law. But although most countries no longer produce or use them, landmines left

over from the past conflicts continue to affect many people across the world. In

a moment we'll hear Robin Coupland's account of his work as a surgeon in

Afghanistan. It's a shocking account that contains some of the language you

may hear in news reports about war and conflict. Listen out for these words:

'limbs', meaning arms or legs of a person; 'mine injury', that's a wound caused

by the explosion of a landmine; and 'amputee', meaning a person whose arm or

leg had to be cut off:

Coupland 0'30'

I remember my first day in the hospital on the Afghan border of Pakistan in Peshawar - when

I walked in, there were just lots of young people, mostly men, without limbs. And then after a

few weeks you realize you dread the radio call that says, 'Another mine injury coming',

because those two words, 'mine injury', meant a very specific kind of wound, a specific

disability that you're going to be leaving, another amputee... More blood loss, longer in the

operating theatre… 

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Dima: Dr Coupland says, whenever there was a radio call saying, 'Another mine

injury coming', he knew it meant another amputee, in other words another

person whose limb was damaged in a landmine explosion so badly that it

would have to be cut off. Listen to Robin Coupland again and this time try to

answer this question: which verb does he use to describe his reaction to the

news of a new injury?

Coupland 0'30'

I remember my first day in the hospital on the Afghan border of Pakistan in Peshawar - when

I walked in, there were just lots of young people, mostly men, without limbs. And then after a

few weeks you realize you dread the radio call that says, 'Another mine injury coming',

because those two words, 'mine injury', meant a very specific kind of wound, a specific

disability that you're going to be leaving, another amputee... More blood loss, longer in the

operating theatre…

Dima: Did you hear the verb Dr Coupland used to describe his reaction to a new

injury? It was 'dread'. 'To dread', meaning to feel extremely frightened or

anxious about something that is going to happen.

Sting

Dima: Today we're talking to Robin Coupland, a surgeon who has for many years

treated victims of landmines in many countries. Now, it's true that since 1997,

when the Ottawa Convention was first opened for signature, a lot has been

done to get rid of landmines. Over forty-million mines have been destroyed

and thousands of square kilometres of land have been cleared. But while it's

good news for the future, Dr Coupland says it's not much comfort to victims.

As you're listening to him, look out for this language: 'disabled people' - that's

people who lack one or more of the physical or mental abilities that most

people have; in this case, victims of landmines; 'prostheses' - artificial body

parts, such as an arm, foot or tooth, which replace a missing part; and 'human 

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impact', meaning a powerful effect that something has on a person. Here's

Robin Coupland:

Coupland 0'21'

There are certainly fewer landmine injuries, but of course a... an amputation is an amputation

for life, and so that does not mean that the number of services that have to be provided to

disabled people will certainly have to be... have to be less. Those people will need new

prostheses every three or four years and so the human impact continues.

Dima: Here are those words and word combinations again: 'disabled people',

'prostheses' and 'human impact'. Let's listen to Robin Coupland again, and as

you're listening, see if you can answer this question: Does he think the number

of services for the disabled will go down in the near future? Listen:

Coupland 0'21'

There are certainly fewer landmine injuries, but of course a... an amputation is an amputation

for life, and so that does not mean that the number of services that have to be provided to

disabled people will certainly have to be... have to be less. Those people will need new

prostheses every three or four years and so the human impact continues.

Dima: Dr Coupland says the number of services will not go down because landmine

victims will continue to need regular treatment for the rest of their lives.

That's all we have time for today. Let's finish by reminding ourselves of some

of the language we've heard in this programme:

'limb'

'mine injury'

'amputee'

'to dread'

'disabled people'

'prosthesis' and

'human impact'.

Join us again next time for more People and places, but for now goodbye!