An introduction to the campaign "The Avoidable Evil", of which the main objective is the expiry or the automatic deactivation of antipersonnel mines and the subdivisions of the cluster bombs.

Although we all know the terrible consequences of these artifacts, we would like to briefly sum up the present situation:

It is reckoned that there are hundreds of millions of antipersonnel mines sown around the world. These are mostly in territories where there have been wars and conflicts and are still causing thousands and thousands of innocent victims, above all among children. 80% of the victims of antipersonnel mines are produced in times of peace. Antipersonnel mines can remain active for more than 50 years, waiting for someone to step on them.

Our objective is to compel all countries that have not wanted to sign the 1997 Ottawa Treaty or the anti cluster bomb agreement of 2008 to stop using these weapons without deactivation mechanisms which would avoid the mutilations, deaths, artificial limbs, mine clearance, unusable fields, emigration, and many other disasters caused by antipersonnel mines, especially after wars end, and to favour total eradication.
The consequences of this situation are many and very serious.

The Ottawa Treaty proposes total eradication, in all senses, of antipersonnel mines around the world, but it is important to know that after eleven years of this Treaty there are still some 40 countries that have not wanted to sign it.
The USA, finally, has set an example by committing itself to not sowing any permanently active antipersonnel mines from 2010. See

The same applies with cluster bombs, except that a large number of countries have not signed any prohibition agreement.

Who started this campaign?
It was started by the Berguedą Rotary Club, in a small town called Berga in the province of Barcelona, in the then District 2210 now District 2202. The present International Committee "THE AVOIDABLE EVIL" is made up by members of the Berguedą Rotary Club and the Manresa-Bages Rotary Club in district 2202, by members of the Font Romeu Cerdanya-Capcir Rotary Club and the Andorra Rotary Club in district 1700 and by the Caminha Rotary Club in district 1970, with the collaboration of many other Rotary clubs.

GOVERNORS of Rotary International: your collaboration is essential to attaining this objective, which is why we would ask you, if you believe in the humanitarian benefits of this campaign, to convince all the Rotary Clubs in your Districts to stick to this campaign to support it within their mandate.

JOIN IN: This INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE "THE AVOIDABLE EVIL" asks your SUPPORT TO THIS CAMPAIGN

We want to send the Rotary International the registrations of all the Rotary Clubs, Rotary members, entities of all kinds and all people who want to support us, so that the Rotary International values and adopts this campaign as one of its priorities for humanitarian action on a world scale.

To avoid a lengthy explanation, if you wish to find out more, click here

How can you help us to spread this campaign?

Finally if you believe in the importance of this campaign, send it and recommend it to all your friends, clubs and organizations so that they also join.

Millions of nameless people will avoid becoming victims of these horrors thanks to your support.