Mine Ban: Asia Lags Behind

Author/Origin: ICBL icbl@icbl.org

(Monday 15 September 2003 Bangkok, Thailand) Campaigners have urged States Parties to the treaty that prohibits antipersonnel mines to do their utmost to stop use, production and stockpiling of the weapon in the Asia-Pacific region.

Cambodian landmine survivors at in an anti-landmine march in 1996. Photo: John Rodsted

”We’ve made headway in other parts of the world, but Asia is lagging behind in tackling the landmine problem,” said Jody Williams, who received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize together with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).

The campaign is in Bangkok for the Fifth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (or Mine Ban Treaty).

An ICBL delegation of 250 plus campaigners, deminers, researchers and landmine survivors from 70 countries will be lobbying States Parties this week to renew their financial and political commitment to build a mine-free world.

The event, hosted by the Thai government and convened under the auspices of the United Nations, is the fifth annual meeting on the implementation of the 1997 treaty and the last formal gathering before a major treaty milestone, the Review Conference, scheduled for December 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya.

“We call on States Parties to go all-out to promote the Mine Ban Treaty in this mine-ravaged region, ” said Tun Channareth, Cambodian landmine survivor and ICBL Ambassador. “More can, and should, be done,” he added.

There has been an overall reduction worldwide of government use of landmines, according to the ICBL’s fifth annual report, Landmine Monitor Report 2003, which was released on 9 September.

Since May 2002, at least 6 governments have used antipersonnel mines, down from 9 and 13 in 2001 and 2000 respectively. Similarly, fewer armed opposition groups are now laying mines: 11 groups compared with at least 14 in the last reporting period.

A disproportionate number of users are in Asia. The campaign has fingered the governments of India, Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar (Burma) for using antipersonnel mines and rebel groups in Burma, India, Nepal and the Philippines.

More than a third of Asian countries are mine-polluted, including some of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, such as Afghanistan and Cambodia. Last year, 14 of the 15 mine-affected countries in the region suffered casualties due to mines and unexploded ordnance.

Reports indicate that since May 2002 at least 3,000 people in Asia fell victim to the weapon, although the actual number is likely to be at least double this. 25 percent of the reported casualties were children.

Despite the enormous mine problem in the region, less than half its member countries have banned landmines. In Asia there are 17 States Parties to the treaty and a further five signatories. The following Asian countries have joined the treaty: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei (a signatory) Cambodia, Cook Islands (a signatory) Fiji, Indonesia (a signatory), Japan, Kiribati, Marshall Islands (a signatory), Malaysia, Maldives, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu (a signatory).

The 18 non-States Parties in Asia are: Bhutan, Burma/Myanmar, China, India, Korea (North), Korea (South), Laos, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vietnam.

The ICBL remains concerned about ongoing mine production, particularly in Asia. Nepal recently admitted that it has produced antipersonnel mines, an addition to the list of mainly Asian producers, which includes China, India, Myanmar, North Korea, South Korea, Pakistan, Singapore and Vietnam. (Other, non-Asian producers are: Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Russia and the United States.)

Asia is home to great numbers of antipersonnel mines: China keeps the world’s largest stock of some 110 million antipersonnel mines and India and Pakistan, with the fifth and sixth largest stockpiles, hold an estimated 6 million and 4-5 million respectively.

Despite this gloomy picture, the campaign pointed to some positive developments in Asia, including:

• Recent accessions by Afghanistan, a heavily mined country, and Timor-Leste;
• An apparent cessation of mine use in Sri Lanka by the government and the LTTE;
• Humanitarian mine clearance underway in States Parties Afghanistan, Cambodia and Thailand and in non-States Parties Laos, Sri Lanka and Vietnam;
• Moratoria on exports, or statements to that effect by all producers, except Myanmar and North Korea;
• The drying up of trade in Asia and worldwide;
• Japan and Thailand completely destroying their stockpiled mines;
• States Parties in the region contributing generously to mine action: Japan’s contribution in 2002 totalled US$49.4million, Australia donated US$8.7 million and New Zealand’s support is valued at more than NZ$3 million.

For more information or to schedule an interview please contact: Sue Wixley (ICBL media officer): + 66 (0) 5 164 2679 or write an e-mail.

Map

The map below shows the status of the Mine Ban Treaty in the region. Red countries are states parties, yellow are signatories and white countries are non-state parties.
Clicking in the map will bring up the respective Landmine Monitor Report 2003 country chapter.