Author(s):
Tamar Gabelnick <tamar@icbl.org> .
Algiers, Algeria,
Thursday 24 November 2005
On 21 November 2005, Algeria finished the destruction of its stockpile of antipersonnel mines with the explosion of 3030 mines in a public ceremony in Hassi Bahbah in the southwest of Algeria. Algeria completed its obligations under Article 4 four months before its 1 April 2006 deadline. Since the destruction process began in November 2004, a total of 150,050 mines, 18,873 coils of trip wire and 187,510 wooden stakes were exploded, crushed and burned.
Algeria announced that it is keeping 15,030 mines for training under the exception permitted by Article 3 of the MBT. This quantity makes it the third largest holder of mines under this exception, after Brazil (retaining 16,125) and Turkey (16,000).According to Algerian officials, the mines will be used to train the army, which is currently the only group working to demine within the country. Yet in coming up with this number – almost exactly 10% of the original stockpile – there did not seem to be a thorough assessment of whether it represented the minimum number needed for training, as required under Article 3.
Jody Williams and the President of Algeria witness Algeria's final stockpile destruction event
Algeria brought an extremely high level delegation to witness the event, including the President, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Employment and Solidarity, Minister of War Veterans, Minister of Local Communities, “Delegated” Minister of Defense, Chief of Armed Forces, President of the Parliament’s Defense Committee, and the President of the Interministerial Committee on the Implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty. Representing ICBL were Jody Williams, Stephen Goose, Ayman Sorour and Tamar Gabelnick.
During the destruction ceremony, the Algerian President proclaimed his deep respect and attachment to the Mine Ban Treaty. He said Algeria would put all of its efforts into full implementation of the treaty, and he called on other States Parties to do likewise.