Author:
ICBL
.
Nairobi, Kenya,
Monday 29 November 2004
ICBL Presentations
Side events: Jemma Hasratyan from the Armenian Committee of the ICBL tells her story of how she got involved with the Campaign to Ban Landmines at the opening of the ICBL Multimedia Exhibition, "Wanted, A Mine-Free World". Photo: Brian Liu/Toolbox Design
The ICBL congratulated the summit presidency for the excellent documents prepared for the Review Conference and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to provide input during the drafting process, much of which was incorporated in the final texts. The ICBL also expressed the hope that these documents be not watered down, nor get overloaded with unnecessary provisions.
The ICBL delegation made reference to one impressive benchmark of the Convention’s success so far: the de facto ban on trade which also involves non State parties and some non state actors.
Finally, the delegation presented the key findings from the Landmine Monitor 2004.
Concerns for the ICBL
- Decrease in resource mobilization.
- Large stockpiles remain with countries that have not joined the Convention.
- Failure to reach common understanding regarding articles 1 and 2.
- The plight of landmine survivors is now globally known but implementation of the Convention has not made a real difference in the lives of most of them yet.
Highlights for the ICBL
- Ratification by Ethiopia, the 144th State Party to the convention.
- 75% of the world’s nations have now joined.
- Malawi announced incorporation of the Convention in domestic legislation to be approved early next year.
- The European Parliament plans to organize one full day of briefing on the outcomes of the Summit, inviting survivors to make their voices heard.
Quotes of the day
“If this trend [of diminished financial support] continues, the situation of landmine survivors is bound to further deteriorate in coming years.” (Peter Herby, International Committee of the Red Cross)
“A world free of landmines has to be made sooner rather than later” (Representative of Nigeria)
