Landmine Monitor 2005: Report on Editorial Team Meetings

The Landmine Monitor Editorial Team held two recent meetings to make plans for the 2005 Landmine Monitor Annual Report. The Editorial Board and Thematic Coordination Team met in Ottawa, Canada from 7-9 February and the Editorial Board, Thematic Coordination Team and Research Specialists convened in Brussels, Belgium from 4-5 April.

Landmine Monitor has been re-structured and streamlined in the post-2004 period to emphasize the thematic aspects of our research, with the goal of increasing quality, consistency and efficiency in our reporting. Mines Action Canada is the new lead agency responsible for Landmine Monitor and has hired Jackie Hansen as Project Manager, replacing Mary Wareham of Human Rights Watch. Hiring is underway for the Editor-in-Chief and Project Support Officer positions with Mines Action Canada.

The Landmine Monitor Editorial Board is comprised of Handicap International (Stan Brabant), Human Rights Watch (Steve Goose), Mines Action Canada (Paul Hannon and Jackie Hansen) and Norwegian People.s Aid (Sara Sekkenes).

The Thematic Coordination Team includes:

• Ban Policy
  
  • Mary Wareham, Human Rights Watch
  • Mark Hiznay, Human Rights Watch
  • Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan, Mines Action Canada (Non-State Actors)
• Mine Action
  
  • Wenche Brenden, Norwegian People.s Aid
  • Stuart Maslen, Norwegian People.s Aid
  • Melissa Sabatier, ICBL
• Mine Risk Education
  
  • Andy Wheatley, Handicap International
• Survivor Assistance
  
  • Sheree Bailey, Handicap International
  • Katleen Maes, Handicap International
  • Laurence Cote, Handicap International

With feedback provided by the 2004 regional coordinators, the Editorial Board approved 71 research proposals from a total of over 90 research applications. The researchers include at least three landmine survivors and two graduates from the International Youth Symposium held during the Nairobi Summit. Several researchers have increased responsibilities as Research Specialists. Each Research Specialist has a particular regional, thematic or linguistic area of expertise and will provide research and initial editing for reports in several countries or areas. The Editorial Board wishes to thank all of the research applicants. Unfortunately we could not accept all, but greatly appreciate your interest and ongoing support.

Landmine Monitor continues to monitor every country in the world, but the 2005 annual report will feature updates from a priority list of 91 countries, selected due to their treaty status and/ or landmine problem. The Editorial Board has created a .Watch List. of some 16 countries to be closely monitored and, if necessary, included as a country update in the 2005 report.

Members of the Thematic Editorial Team and Research Specialists will undertake a series of field missions to mine-affected countries over the next two months to provide more in-depth reporting on countries of particular concern. Research missions are scheduled for Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Iraq, Libya, Mozambique, Namibia, Peru, Rwanda, Sudan and Yemen.

Researchers must complete their first draft report by 30 April and final draft reports are due on 31 May. Research Specialists must submit all their reports for editing by 30 June. Editing by the Thematic Coordination Team will be ongoing from 18 June - 15 August and final editing will finish in September. The Annual Report goes to print on 30 September and will be released globally on 23 November. Information about release locations will be shared in the coming months.

Landmine Monitor will not be holding regional research meetings this year since we are already so far into the reporting cycle. We planned to organize a Global Research Meeting in Geneva, however, due to difficulties in finding suitable and reasonably-priced accommodation and meeting space in the peak tourist season are not able to hold the meeting.

The Editorial Board, Thematic Coordination Team, Research Specialists and a small group of researchers will meet in Geneva, Switzerland on 11 June and will remain in Geneva from 13-17 June to participate in the Intersessional Standing Committee meetings. Invitations to the Geneva meeting will be circulated by the end of April. We regret that we cannot bring the full research network to Geneva and hope to have a larger ICBL and LM delegation at the Sixth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty being held 28 November - 2 December 2005 in Zagreb, Croatia.

The Editorial Team would like to extend its gratitude to Mines Action Canada, particularly to Paul Hannon and Maja Zivic, for organizing the discussions in Ottawa, and to Stan Brabant and his team at Handicap International for organizing the recent meeting in Brussels. Our deepest appreciation goes out to members of the research network and friends of the Landmine Monitor for their continued support and guidance as we underwent our recent organizational changes.