ICBL Overview and Assessment of the Second Meeting of States Parties

The Second Meeting of States Parties (SMSP) to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Mine Ban Treaty) was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, from 11-15 September 2000. One hundred and ten countries participated in the conference, including sixty-two States Parties, seven countries that had ratified the treaty but for whom it had not yet entered into force, nineteen treaty signatories, and twenty-two non-signatories. The ICBL participated in official observer capacity, as did a number of other international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, various United Nations entities, the European Union, and the Organization of American States. The ICBL had an official delegation of nineteen people; a total of 162 ICBL campaigners, researchers, deminers and survivors from fifty-three countries attended.

The number of nations participating was nearly identical to the First Meeting of States Parties, but the ICBL was pleased that twenty-two non-signatories attended, ten more than in Mozambique last year. This is an indicator of the ever-increasing recognition of the importance of the Mine Ban Treaty and the inevitability of a comprehensive ban. Non-signatories participating included Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, China, Cuba, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. Among the notable non-signatories that chose not to attend were the United States, Russia, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Eritrea and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The treaty requires annual meetings of States Parties through 2004, when its first Review Conference will be held. This second meeting, organized around the theme "Every Minute Counts," was a clear demonstration of the continued dynamism and vitality of the global movement to eliminate antipersonnel landmines. From the moving personal testimonies of eighteen landmine survivors during the opening ceremony, to the final remarks at the joint closing press conference, the meeting served to underscore and reinvigorate the critical partnership between governments and civil society that has been a hallmark of the mine ban movement. The ICBL came to the Second Meeting of States Parties with a number of goals, and we all -- governments and NGOs alike -- left with a sense of accomplishment, and with a forward-looking vision to the work ahead of us as we continue to create a mine-free world.

The five-day meeting began with a unique opening ceremony, the highlight of which was undoubtedly the landmine survivors’ presentation. One by one, eighteen survivors, representing fourteen countries and spanning three generations, gave personal accounts about how landmines have affected their lives, and called for concrete action to end the landmines crisis. Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills then presented each survivor with a medal of honor. Demonstrating his support for the ICBL's work, McCartney called for "a total ban on landmines everywhere in the world," and he and Mills appealed for improved assistance for mine survivors, so that they can live their lives with dignity and respect. Other notables at the opening ceremony included Mr. Vladimir Petrovski, representative of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Swiss President Adolf Ogi and Princess Astride of Belgium.

Following the opening ceremony, the formal part of the meeting began with a plenary session in which the President of the First Meeting of States Parties (Mozambican Foreign Minister Leonardo Simao) and newly elected President of the SMSP (Norwegian Ambassador Steffan Kongstad) spoke, as well as Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate Jody Williams of the ICBL and the head of the ICRC, Jakob Kellenberger. More than fifty delegations, including the ICBL, then made presentations during the general exchange of views. The meeting then held several days of informal consultations on mine clearance, victim assistance, stockpile destruction, and other topics.

A common theme during the SMSP was recognition of the significant advancement of the treaty though the intersessional work program, held between annual meetings. Each of the Intersessional Standing Committees submitted a report with recommendations to the SMSP, based on its work over the past year, and the Meeting noted its general agreement with the recommendations and urged swift action on them.

The SMSP agreed to merge the Standing Committee on Technologies for Mine Action with the Mine Clearance Standing Committee. New co-chairs and rapporteurs were identified for the four Standing Committees: Mine Clearance and Related Technologies (Netherlands and Peru as co-chairs, Germany and Yemen as rapporteurs); Victim Assistance, Socio-Economic Reintegration and Mine Awareness (Japan and Nicaragua as co-chairs, Canada and Honduras as rapporteurs); Stockpile Destruction (Malaysia and Slovakia as co-chairs, Australia and Croatia as rapporteurs); and General Status and Operation of the Convention (Belgium and Zimbabwe as co-chairs, Norway and Thailand as rapporteurs). A Coordinating Committee of Co-Chairs was established, chaired by the President of the SMSP, to ensure a high degree of interaction among the Standing Committees and facilitate successful implementation of the treaty.

An unusually strong final declaration emerged from the meeting, and an ambitious President’s Action Programme. Numerous concrete initiatives and activities were identified in the Action Programme with respect to global mine action as well as universalization and effective implementation of the treaty. Notably, a universalization contact group was established to take responsibility for promoting increased adherence to the treaty internationally. Members of the group include ten governments, the ICBL, ICRC, and UNICEF.

States Parties also agreed that the Third Meeting of States Parties will be held from 18-21 September 2001 in Managua, Nicaragua.

The ICBL views the SMSP as a very successful event on the road to a mine-free world. In preparing for the annual meetings, governments have a clear focus on the mine issue, which tends to move the work forward. For example, there were six ratifications and accessions in the week before the SMSP, and a total of thirteen ratifications and accessions in the three months leading up to the meeting. During the SMSP, while commending successes in areas such as mine clearance and stockpile destruction, States Parties also re-confirmed their dedication to working together to eliminate the scourge of anti-personnel mines.

The SMSP and its preparation symbolized and further institutionalized the partnership between the ICBL, pro-ban governments, the ICRC and key United Nations agencies. Although many had suggested that it might be difficult to raise awareness and interest in the landmine issue at this time in Geneva (or elsewhere, for that matter), there was impressive public support and interest through public events and substantial media coverage throughout the meeting. The ICBL did indeed prove that the issue is not "dead" but rather, through the focus on the SMSP once again gained and spurred new momentum and enthusiasm for this important issue.

Returning ICBL campaigners gained a renewed sense of dedication while new members came to feel part of the larger movement. Indeed numerous members of the ban movement, government representatives, UN staff and ICBL campaigners alike, left the meeting with a renewed sense of commitment to rid the world of landmines.

The Landmine Monitor secured its place as the credible monitoring source worldwide as numerous government delegations referred to it and its findings in their statements and sought meetings with Landmine Monitor representatives during the Meeting.

The Final Declaration noted that States Parties "deplore the continued use of anti-personnel mines. Such acts are contrary to the aims of the Convention and exacerbate the humanitarian problems already caused by the use of these weapons." However, the ICBL expressed disappointment at the unwillingness of States Parties to openly criticize by name those still using antipersonnel mines. The ICBL believes there was lost opportunity at the meeting as governments chose to side-step some difficult issues with such states rather than directly address the facts and the serious allegations regarding ongoing use and other actions incompatible with the Mine Ban Treaty. In the view of the ICBL, it is not enough to applaud the successes but only make vague statements of dismay about continued problems. States Parties must face the difficult situations squarely when the treaty is threatened. Otherwise they help to undermine not only the Mine Ban Treaty, but also international conventions in general. The ICBL used all opportunities at the SMSP to stress this critical point.

ICBL Activities at the SMSP

The ICBL capitalized on the SMSP, as well as months of preparation in the lead-up to the meeting, to refocus its own as well as government and media attention on the landmine issue. The ICBL also held several internal meetings to make best use of the opportunity afforded the network by the presence of 160 campaigners in Geneva. An ICBL Orientation Meeting was held the afternoon of Sunday 10 September, the day before the SMSP began. Participants were introduced to various leading members of ICBL, including working group chairs, who were given an opportunity to present their main advocacy points for the week.

During the SMSP, ICBL campaigners met for daily morning briefings, to discuss the previous day’s events and to plan for the coming day. Many ICBL working groups and regional groups took advantage of the meeting in Geneva to organize their own strategy and working meetings. During the course of the week, campaigners held bilateral meetings with more than sixty governments, both in the Palais and in embassies and missions around Geneva. These included Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Finland, India, Israel, Mauritania, Pakistan, South Korea, United States, Vietnam, and many others.

The ICBL released the Landmine Monitor 2000: Toward a Mine-free World report the week prior to the SMSP. Indeed all publication dates of the Landmine Monitor are scheduled to coincide with annual meetings. Events took place in more than two dozen cities worldwide 7 September as the Report was launched. In addition, ICBL members distributed the book and summary to delegations throughout the week.

As noted above, the SMSP opened with an unusual and moving ceremony, which the ICBL did much to create. The ICBL-organized presentation by eighteen landmine survivors from fourteen countries spanning three generations helped to set the tone for the SMSP and reminded us all why the elimination of the weapon has been a focus of governments and civil society alike.

The ICBL spoke on many occasions throughout the SMSP. ICBL Ambassador Jody Williams made remarks during the opening plenary. The ICBL’s Head of Delegation, Steve Goose of Human Rights Watch, delivered a speech on behalf of the ICBL during the general exchange of views. Areas touched upon included the current or suspected use of mines by a number of signatories and non-signatories, the key findings from Landmine Monitor Report 2000, and the push for full implementation and universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty. The ICBL also expressed concern about anti-vehicle mines with sensitive fuses or sensitive anti-handling devices, and the participation of States Parties in joint military actions with non-signatory states that may use anti-personnel mines, among other issues. During the informal consultations, Rebecca Jordan of Landmine Survivors Network, representing the ICBL Working Group on Victim Assistance, made an intervention on victim assistance efforts; Stanislas Brabant of Handicap International issued remarks on mine awareness; Steve Goose spoke on stockpile destruction; and Sayed Aqa of the Survey Action Center made a statement on mine clearance on behalf of the ICBL's Mine Action Working Group. In addition to these presentations, the ICBL spoke from the floor during informal consultations numerous times.

The ICBL participated in three media briefings: one hosted by the Swiss Campaign to Ban Landmines to introduce local events being held in Geneva during the Second Meeting of States Parties, a second press breakfast to launch the Landmine Monitor Report 2000, and the ICBL sponsored a closing briefing which included statements by Ambassador Steffen Kongstad of Norway, Ms. Cecilia Sanchez of the Permanent Mission of Nicaragua and ICBL Ambassador Jody Williams. The ICBL also participated in a closing briefing hosted by the Swiss CBL at Club Suisse. The ICBL prepared news releases and media kits, in addition to government and ICBL delegate participant kits.

Prior to the Second Meeting of States Parties, the ICBL distributed action alerts to campaigners, urging them to encourage their government's full participation in the Conference. In addition, signatory and non-signatory states were encouraged to ratify or accede to the Convention by the SMSP through several letters to government officials by the ICBL and to various embassies via member campaigns.

Members of the ICBL and the general public were kept informed throughout the preparation and the week of the conference via a web page www.icbl.org/smsp created in July and devoted to information regarding the SMSP and ICBL participation in it.

Some of the publications distributed at the meeting included: the Landmine Monitor Report 2000, its Executive Summary translated into several languages, and the CD Rom of the 1999 Report; the ICBL Victim Assistance Working Group Portfolio of Landmine Victim Assistance Programs and the ICBL Guidelines for the Care and Rehabilitation of Survivors printed in various languages; two publications by the ICBL Non-State Actors Working Group; ICBL Brochures, stickers (in numerous languages) and the Campaign Kit and Bad Honnef Guidelines translated into various languages.

True to the spirit of the treaty process, which involved both governments and civil society, efforts were made to include Geneva residents in the SMSP. The Swiss Campaign to Ban Landmines organized the installation of a large hourglass outside the United Nations which rotated every 20 minutes and illustrated the conference theme of "every minute counts." In addition, the Swiss Campaign organized the distribution of landmines-themed placemats and sugar packets to local restaurants, and placed landmines flags on city buses and large landmine stickers on the airport floor. They also held a "Skateboard Against Landmines" event for local youth. An exhibit "Red Line" by artist Daniel Berset consisted of broken, painted red chairs placed every twenty minutes, night and day, in a line along the Quai Wilson promenade.

ICBL member Handicap International held an exhibition titled "Terres Minées," which showcased the work of five photographers and four writers, including Nobel Prize winner Dario Foe. Handicap International also worked with Bosnian artist Alma Sujlevic to produce a video involving local school children saying "Stop mines!" in a variety of languages. The ICBL and the Australian Mission sponsored Australian artist George Gittoes' Minefields art installation, with a series of paintings, sketches, photographs and texts drawn from his experiences traveling in mine-affected countries. Angolan survivor and artist Jose Felisberto displayed some of his paintings. A number of ICBL national campaigns displayed print materials, banners and posters outside the conference hall. All of the ICBL activities ensured that it would not be "business as usual" in Geneva, but rather that the civil society-government partnership would continue to make rapid progress toward complete eradication of antipersonnel mines.