David Concha Astorga releases research on Chile's northern border landmines

The book ‘Campo Minado’, a historical and visual research project, will be presented at the V Arica International Book and Reading Fair. Authored by David Concha Astorga in collaboration with photographer Chris Malebrán, the work examines the socio-environmental impact of landmines and abandoned explosive devices along Chile's northern border.

Spanning seven years of research, the publication combines historical data with photography to explore the relationship between memory and the border landscape. It includes testimonies from victims and survivors to highlight the human cost of these explosives.

While the Chilean government declared humanitarian demining completed in 2020, Concha Astorga notes that the removal of other abandoned artifacts, such as cluster bombs, remains an ongoing issue. He also addresses recent political proposals to re-mine the border to combat migration and organized crime, arguing against such measures in the context of the Ottawa Convention.