Mounu Prem Francisco Munoz (Universidad del Rosario)

“Landmines: The local effects of demining”

Abstract: Demining campaigns are key to remove anti-personnel landmines, one of the main causes of civilian victimization in conflict-affected areas and a significant obstacle for post-war reconstruction and long-term development. We argue that the documented positive economic effects of mines’ clearance campaigns is likely not the case if demining operations take place while conflicts are ongoing or if they are only partial. Using highly disaggregated data on demining operations in Colombia from 2004 to 2019 and exploiting the staggered fashion of demining, we find that the removal of landmines only generates economic growth (measured with nighttime light density) and increases students’ performance following comprehensive humanitarian campaigns that take place after conflict termination. In contrast, economic activity does not react to partial post-conflict demining in military operations and decreases if demining takes place while the conflict is ongoing. Rather, those types of demining are more likely to exacerbate extractive activities that do not manifest in higher economic growth but increase deforestation instead.

Joint with Miguel Purroy, Juan F. Vargas