Citizens of Soalma Ecstatic Over Possible Regional Ban On Landmines

NUGHA, SOALMA – Soalma legislators are considering designating a national holiday with news that discussion of a region-wide ban on the use of anti-personnel mines has reached the Sermo Senate.

The news comes as bittersweet to some, however. February marked the highest number of deaths from mines left over from the Soalma Civil War in nearly a year. 18 Soalman lives were lost, including one member of an explosive removal team. Teery Ilvahn, coordinator of such teams in the northwestern part of the country, stated the following:

It’s truly unfortunate that millions throughout the world suffer from the use of these weapons. I’ve lost almost thirty good men and women from my bomb-disposal crews alone, and then I have to call their families and inform them of their son’s, their daughter’s, father’s, mother’s, brother’s, sister’s grisly death. I wouldn’t wish such a death on an invader of Soalma, let alone a civilian.

The proposal has met some opposition in the Sermo Senate. Hannibal Satelitos, Majority Leader of the House of the People in Lena-Rutland, claims that it “has no basis on truth and that landmines are not dangerous.” The President of Soalma responded on the floor of the Sermo Senate, saying:

I am somewhat shocked that a nation of Sermo so blindly defends these instruments of not only death, but terrible pain as well. I regret that your Parliament did not see it before, but hopefully if this proposal passes they will wise up….

Frederich Theissman, SBC News