Commonwealth Leaders Urged to Spread the Word about Mine Ban Treaty at their Upcoming Meeting (2 - 5 March, Queensland, Australia)

Author/Origin: Sue Wixley wixleySPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org

(Thursday 07 February 2002 )

Stop press!

8 March update: The Coolum Communique adopted at the end of the Heads of Government Meeting (2 - 5 March) included a paragraph on the mines issue: "Heads of Government noted the progress made in addressing the global landmines problem in recent years through the comprehensive framework for mine action provided by the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Protection and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, and urged all countries that are in a position to do so to accede to the Convention."

The following countries were apppointed as members of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (which takes action on violations of the Commonwealth's Harare Principles): Australia, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Botswana, India, Malta, Nigeria and Somoa. All of these, but India, are States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty.

The next Heads of Government Meeting will be held in Nigeria in 2003.

CHOGM class of 2002: top marks or complete failure?

We have awarded marks to each Commonwealth country for their performance on the landmines issue. Have they joined the Mine Ban Treaty? Have they signed but not ratified the treaty? Have they not yet signed the treaty? And how are they fairing on stockpile destruction and funding for mine action?

View the full report card!

Top marks: ratified or acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Canada, Dominica, Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe. To keep up the good marks make sure that you fulfill all your treaty obligations including destruction of stockpiled antipersonnel mines, clearance and transparency reporting.

Middle of the class: signed the Mine Ban Treaty

Brunei Darussalem, Cameroon, Cyprus, the Gambia, Guyana, Vanuatu.

Most disappointing performance: have not joined the Mine Ban Treaty

India, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Tuvalu.

What can our star pupils do to stay on top?

States that are party to the treaty and members of the Commonwealth are urged to use the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Queensland (2 - 5 March) to promote a worldwide ban. In particular, States Parties are asked to:

• include the antipersonnel mine issue in their speeches during the CHOGM (including a clear condemnation of recent use in India and Pakistan);
• support the adoption of a strongly worded statement on the Mine Ban Treaty in the CHOGM declaration;
• seek a meeting with representatives of India and Pakistan during the CHOGM to raise concerns about recent mine use along their shared border; include points about the mine issue in other bilateral discussions. For example, signatories states should be urged to ratify the treaty, non-signatories to join through accession and States Parties to fully implement the treaty by submitting their transparency reports, adopting national implementation measures and destroying stockpiles of ap mines.

What can you do ahead of the CHOGM?

• EVERYONE can publicise the message. Contact journalists, write letters to editors, phone in to talk shows, organise photo opportunities or find other ways to publicise the message around the opening of the CHOGM.

If you are in a COMMONWEALTH country?

• and your government is part of the Mine Ban Treaty -- contact the Minister of Foreign Affairs (or similar) and urge that the mine ban is promoted at the CHOGM (see points above “States Parties are asked to”). See a Sample Letter for States Parties or a Sample Letter for Signatories.
• and your government has not yet joined the Mine Ban Treaty -- contact the Minister of Foreign Affairs (or similar) and let them know that ICBL campaigns around the world are urging governments to raise the mine ban issue at the CHOGM. Encourage them to join right away. See a Sample Letter to Non-Signatories. Also, contact High Commissions (embassies) of countries that are both States Parties and members of the Commonwealth and urge them to promote the mine ban at the CHOGM and to use their influence on your goverment (see points above “States Parties are asked to”).

If you are in a country OUTSIDE of the Commonwealth?

• contact High Commissions (embassies) of countries that are both States Parties and members of the Commonwealth and urge them to promote the mine ban at the CHOGM and to use their influence on your goverment (see points above “States Parties are asked to”).