Statement by the ICBL Mine Risk Education Sub-Working Group

English |

on the Nairobi Action Plan 2005-2009, for the Nairobi Summit on a Mine Free World.

Delivered by Habbouba Aoun, Landmine Resoure Center (Lebanon)

Mine risk education (MRE) has evolved considerably since 1999, both qualitatively & quantitatively. However, the latest edition of the Landmine Monitor Report indicates that a pressing need for MRE, or increased MRE, is apparent from the number of casualties in 14 countries or regions, including 5 States Parties (Burundi, Chad, Colombia, Sudan and Turkey) and 9 countries that remain out of the Convention (Burma/Myanmar, Georgia, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Somalia, Vietnam), as well as in Somaliland . These needs should be addressed urgently.

Regarding the Action Plan, as we have already stated on several occasions as well as submitted in writing, we think that a rewriting of Action #21 is essential as the current text does not only fail to reflect reality on the ground but also risks to add another dangerous bureaucratic burden on MRE operators in the field.

Our major concern about this action point relates to its reference to the International Mine Action Standards. The International Mine Action Standards for MRE, despite a number of interesting conceptual ideas, develop an accreditation system that, in our view, is only going to add costs and create more bureaucratic layers on already fragile MRE operations. Failing to rewrite this important action point would not just add costs and unnecessary bureaucracy, it would also empower accreditation structures that have generally neither demonstrated their skills in MRE nor their ability to support and understand the needs of mine-affected communities.

We therefore suggest redrafting Action #21 as follows, in order to make it more concrete and focused:

Action #21: Ensure that mine risk education programmes are made available in all

communities at risk to prevent mine incidents and save lives, and improve mine action planning, integrating such programmes with clearance and marking activities, withcasualty surveillance and education systems, and broader relief and development activities, taking into consideration age, gender, social, economic, political and geographical factors.

Thank you for your attention.