Afghan Campaign to Ban Landmines

Author/Origin: ACBL mcpaSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERbrain.net.pk

(Thursday 18 July 2002 Washington, DC, USA)

What is the ACBL?

The Afghan Campaign to Ban Landmines (ACBL) is a non-governmental and non-political organization composed of 40 member organizations and a nine-member steering committee. Established on 5 August 1995, the ACBL is a member of the Coordinating Committee of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), a global coalition working to ban landmine production, stockpiling, trade and use.

The ACBL’s goals are to:

• Urge the new Afghan government to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty;
  
• Encourage the new Afghan government to destroy stockpiled mines;
  
• Promote awareness in the international community regarding the mine problem confronting Afghanistan;
  
• Secure funding for mine action projects; and,
  
• Strongly support the aims and objectives of the ICBL.

Recent Activities

• ACBL Chairman Mr. Fazel Karim Fazel met with His Excellency President Hamid Karzai on 5 January 2002 to discuss the landmine situation in Afghanistan and encourage the government of Afghanistan to join the Mine Ban Treaty.

• The ACBL recently held a workshop in Peshawar, Pakistan for female teachers working with refugee children and female NGO workers. The workshop’s goal was to provide these women with the information and skills they need to convey landmine awareness messages to the young people they work with.

• The Government of Afghanistan is hosting "Building a Peaceful Future for Afghanistan: A Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Mines," an international meeting being held in Kabul, Afghanistan from 28-31 July, in cooperation with the ACBL, ICBL and UN Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan (MACA).

For further information contact:

ACBL
H.# 206, Street 10 Zall, Wazir Akbarkhan Maina
P.O.Box 5885
Kabul
Afghanistan

Tel: +93-2100833/ 20760/ 23520
Fax: +873-763224161
Email: SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERliwa.com"> omarintlSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERliwal.com