3MSP Daily Update 4

(Friday 21 September 2001 Managua - Nicaragua)

Third Meeting of States Parties, 20 September 2001

1. ICBL Working Group on Non-State Actors (NSAs):
briefing for delegates and media Miriam Coronel Ferrer and Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan spoke on behalf of the ICBL working group which coordinates efforts to appeal to NSAs to renounce the use of APMs. They reiterated the importance of education about the indiscriminate nature of landmines amongst NSA and the importance of international humanitarian and human rights law.
They repeated the call to NSAs to “accept the international norm established by the Mine Ban Treaty”, encouraged “any initiative by armed groups to make unilateral declarations or a bilateral agreement…on a mine ban” and asked governments to “continue and expand their cooperation and support of efforts aimed at a universal ban by both State and Non-State Actors”. Moser-Puangsuwan spoke about his experience of NSAs in Burma.

2. Media conference by the Centre for International Studies of Nicaragua
Oliver Bodan spoke about the positive impact of the Nicaraguan governments’ mine clearance program, including the destruction of stockpiles and successful clearance of certain areas. He also pointed to some challenged that need to be addressed including: the strengthening of humanitarian aspects of the National Demining Commission and the need for increased cooperation between the Ministries of Defence and those of Health and Education. He also spoke about the important role for communities in determining mine clearance priorities and about the need for a more coordinated approach to mine awareness. “Nicaragua should be proud of its achievements but needs to ensure that the landmine survivors and mine affected communities are the focus of future plans”, said Bodan in conclusion.

3. Victim Assistance
Sheree Bailey made interventions on behalf of the ICBL Working Group on Victim Assistance on the work of the group, with a focus on the portfolio of victim assistance programs, as the fourth edition of the portfolio was distributed. The Portfolio for 2001 consists of 119 programs from 79 organisations across 39 countries. She also made an intervention on Form J and priorities for the future, particularly regarding funding. The landmine survivors from the Americas participating in the Raising the Voices program gave moving personal testimonies and presented the activities that they have undertaken during the last few months in the program. Diana Roa Castro spoke as moderator and each presented their own report on their activities accomplished. The reports were well received and appreciated.

4. Mine awareness
Stan Brabant delivered a statement on behalf of the ICBL mine awareness sub-working group, emphasizing the importance of increased financial support for mine awareness programs in the field.

5. Adoption of Final Report and Declaration
Despite being behind schedule from the first day as numerous countries gave statements during the general exchange of views, and the risk of running overtime, the meeting closed just a few minutes later than planned with the adoption of the Final Report, including the President’s Action Programme and the Final Managua Declaration.

6. Closing press conference
Nicaragua’s foreign minister, Foreign Minister Sacasa addressed a final media conference, together with Jody Williams and Stephen Goose. Goose underlined the importance of continued cooperation between government and NGOs and the ongoing role for the ICBL which is often been called “the engine that drives the ban movement”.

“The declaration celebrates the tremendous progress we have already made in eliminating APMs… A new international norm has taken hold already, but States Parties also recognise the importance of getting all governments to join and in continuing to stop use, getting mines out of the ground and providing assistance to survivors and mine affected communities.”

Goose said that the ICBL appreciates governments statements of willingness to condemn use by others and “to employ diplomatic tools at their disposal in order to deal with these allegations. With regard to rebel groups it is noteworthy that the final declaration has for the first time addressed the need to engage with Non-State Actors just as we continue to engage with governments”.