Author(s):
Mark Hiznay <hiznaym@hrw.org> .
Geneva, Switzerland,
Tuesday 16 May 2006
The Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction meeting took place on the afternoon of May 11 and the morning of May 12.
ICBL Presentation: The ICBL had one presentation, a powerpoint on the ICBL’s views on the status of implementation of Article 4.
Highlights for ICBL
- South Africa urged States Parties with mines that are not under their control (i.e. in the hands of non state armed groups) to take strong national measures to penalize the violation of these prohibitions.
Concerns for ICBL
- Only 7 of the 14 States Parties that had stockpiled antipersonnel mines to destroy presented on their activities.
- Angola requested an extension of its January 2007 stockpile destruction deadline. It had requested an extension before during the June 2004 standing committee meeting.
- The Co-chair said an extension of Angola’s destruction deadline may be necessary. He failed to state that it is NOT legally possible to extend the stockpile destruction deadline.
- The Demorcratic Republic of Congo seemed to announce the completion of its stockpile destruction program, but this remains uncertain.
- Sudan gave a presentation on its landmine problem and demining, NOT on its stockpile destruction plan.
Quote of the Day
"Greece and Turkey have stocks of artillery-delivered antipersonnel mines (ADAM) that contain traces of depleted uranium."
ICBL Statement was delivered by: Steve Goose, Human Rights Watch.
