Printed from: www.icbl.org/Treaty/MBT/Annual-Meetings/6MSP/Old/Media/InterviewVillareal
Zagreb, 29 November -- Today, during the Sixth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, Guatemala declared itself to be free from landmines and the threat of unexploded ordnance. The clearance operations, financed by the Organization of American States lasted seven years and were completed ahead of the 10-year deadline set by the Treaty.
We ask Maria Eugenia Villareal, Landmine Monitor researcher for Guatemala, about the significance of today's announcement:
MEV: «This is a happy day. Even though there had not been landmine(UXO) accidents in Guatemala since 2001, it is extremely important to know that the clearance has been completed and verified internationally, and the land is now safe to walk on. Politically, this is extremely positive too as the government of Guatemala has shown true commitment to the implementation of Mine Ban Treaty obligations as well as of provisions for clearance contained in the 1996 Peace Accords. Clearance operations in Guatemala have involved several different actors including the military, former armed opposition groups (UNRG) and civilian corps such as firefighters and this has definitely contributed to mending the social texture torn by decades of war.»
What is the impact of today's announcement on the situation in Central America as a whole?
MEV: «This is a great step forward towards declaring the whole of Central America a mine-free region. Guatemala is the 4th country in the area to complete mine clearance. Now, only Nicaragua is left and we are hoping that it also will be free of the daily terror of landmines in the next few years.»