States Parties 161 States Not Party 36
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) today condemned the recent kidnapping of a group of Afghan deminers and called for the immediate release of the six men still being held captive. Unfortunately, attacks on deminers are not infrequent in Afghanistan and, if action is not taken to curb them, they risk jeopardising vital clearance operations.
On 24 July 2008 in Somalia, the Puntland Mine Action Centre, with technical support from Mines Advisory Group, destroyed 48 stockpiled antipersonnel mines near Garowe. This was the first officially recorded destruction of antipersonnel mine stocks in Puntland.
On 21 May, the Polisario Front destroyed 2,000 antipersonnel mines at Tifariti in Western Sahara. According to data provided by Polisario, this included mines of Italian, Chinese, Portuguese, Belgian, Romanian, former Yugoslav and Soviet manufacture.
Landmine survivors and all people with disabilities can now count on a powerful tool to ensure their rights are respected and their needs met, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) said today, hailing the entry into force of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Disability Rights Convention). The Convention, considered the first major human rights treaty of this century, was signed in December 2006. It will enter into force tomorrow, 30 days after the deposit of the 20th ratification (by Ecuador, on 3 April 2008).
The obligation to destroy all stockpiles serves both the treaty’s disarmament and humanitarian goals. First and foremost, destroying mines is a cornerstone of a treaty aiming to eliminate a class of weapons. Their destruction also ensures that the mines can never be laid in the ground and can therefore never claim a victim.
As far as demining is concerned, the treaty has been a qualified success. The destruction of many millions of emplaced mines has saved countless lives and many thousands of square kilometers have been returned to productive use. But progress in several States has been disappointing, and in a small number it has been unacceptable.
On the eve of the third UN International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (4 April), the International Campaign to Ban Landmines warns about the need to remain vigilant about compliance with obligations contained in the Mine Ban Treaty with regard to mine clearance and stockpile destruction.
On 31 March, the Republic of Sudan finished destroying its antipersonnel mine stockpile, just ahead of its 1 April 2008 deadline under Article 4 of the Mine Ban Treaty.
The ICBL strongly condemns the cruel and deadly attacks on deminers in Afghanistan on Sunday and Monday. The ICBL calls on the government of Afghanistan to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice and to ensure deminers receive the protection they deserve.
The final destruction ceremony took place at the Permanent Destruction Center of the National Defense Force (FDN) in Mudubugu in the province of Bubanza. A total of 664 antipersonnel mines – 591 POMZ-2M and 73 TS 50 mines – were destroyed.
From 25-27 February, the ICBL participated in the “Ottawa Convention Implementation and Universalization Workshop” held in Bali, Indonesia.
With 29 new landmine casualties in the first 48 days of 2008, Colombia appears set to remain at the top of the list of countries reporting the highest numbers of victims caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
TOO MANY STATES NOT ON COURSE TO MEET MINE CLEARANCE DEADLINES according to Landmine Monitor Report 2007 released today
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) welcomed today the release of 10 members of an Afghan demining team, and called for the immediate release of the three deminers still in captivity. “Deminers put their lives on the line every day to make the land safe again for others. They must be allowed to carry out their life-saving work without having to worry about security threats from outsiders,” said Sylvie Brigot, ICBL Executive Director.
On 16 May 2007, the ICBL participated in a ceremony marking the end of the stockpile destruction programs in both Serbia and Montenegro.
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