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. 1999 Aug 14;319(7207):412-5.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.319.7207.412.

Circumstances around weapon injury in Cambodia after departure of a peacekeeping force: prospective cohort study

D R Meddings  1 , S M O'Connor
Affiliations

Circumstances around weapon injury in Cambodia after departure of a peacekeeping force: prospective cohort study

D R Meddings et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

Objective: To examine the circumstances surrounding weapon injury and combatant status of those injured by weapons.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Northwestern Cambodia after departure of United Nations peacekeeping force.

Subjects: 863 people admitted to hospital for weapon injuries over 12 months.

Main outcome measures: Annual incidence of weapon injury by time period; proportions of injuries inflicted as a result of interfactional combat (combat injuries) and outside such combat (non-combat injuries) by combatant status and weapon type.

Results: The annual incidence of weapon injuries was higher than the rate observed before the peacekeeping operation. 30% of weapon injuries occurred in contexts other than interfactional combat. Most commonly these were firearm injuries inflicted intentionally on civilians. Civilians accounted for 71% of those with non-combat injuries, 42% of those with combat related injuries, and 51% of those with weapon injuries of either type.

Conclusions: The incidence of weapon injuries remained high when the disarmament component of a peacekeeping operation achieved only limited success. Furthermore, injuries occurring outside the context of interfactional combat accounted for a substantial proportion of all weapon injuries, were experienced disproportionately by civilians, and were most likely to entail the intentional use of a firearm against a civilian.

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Figures

Figure
Figure
Monthly admissions for weapon injury to Mongkol Borei hospital, 1991-5
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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