LANDMINES CAMPAIGN URGES FULL UNIVERSALIZATION & IMPLEMENTATION, CONDEMNS MINE USERS ON SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF BAN TREATY SIGNING

The Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) today commemorated the second anniversary of the opening for signature of the landmine ban treaty with events around the world. "The past two years have demonstrated that a new standard of behavior is being established, completely rejecting antipersonnel mines. Those who won't sign the ban treaty should be stigmatized; those who continue to use this indiscriminate weapon should be ostracized," said Elizabeth Bernstein, Coordinator of the ICBL.

The ICBL calls on all governments to accede to or ratify the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty and to implement it fully by assisting victims of landmines, removing mines already laid, destroying stockpiled mines, and never again using, producing or exporting this perverse weapon. "It is fitting that the ban treaty was opened for signature on December 3rd, as this is the International Day for Disabled Persons and this treaty is about assisting people around the world whose lives are ruined daily by mines," said Ms. Bernstein.

To date 136 nations have signed the treaty and 89 have ratified, astonishingly high numbers in such a short period of time. Recent ratifications include Argentina, Cambodia, Chad, Czech Republic, Tajikistan and Tunisia. The ban treaty entered into force on 1 March 1999 with its fortieth ratification, thus becoming binding international law more quickly than any major treaty ever. The ICBL has set a target of no less than 100 ratifications by 1 March 2000.

Over the past year, the ICBL has condemned continued use of antipersonnel mines by a number of countries, including ban treaty signatory Angola. Both the Angolan government and UNITA rebels are increasingly using mines as their conflict escalates. The campaign has also singled out Russia for using air-dropped mines in its recent conflicts and Yugoslavia for extensive use of mines in Kosovo, and raised concern over the use of weapons by NATO member states that may have similar effects to antipersonnel mines.

"Despite instances of continued use, overall we have seen a distinct decrease in use, production, transfer and stockpiling of antipersonnel mines as the global norm begins to take effect," said Ms. Bernstein.

According to the ICBL's Landmine Monitor initiative:

• the number of mine victims in high-risk places such as Afghanistan, Cambodia and Mozambique has decreased significantly;
  
• more than 12 million stockpiled antipersonnel mines have been destroyed in recent years, though a staggering 250 million remain in stocks;
  
• at least 38 countries have halted production of AP mines, while a further 16 refuse to stop, including China, Russia and the USA;
  
• there have been no significant exports of AP mines by any nation in recent years;
  
• significant funds have been pledged for mine action and a number of new initiatives are underway, but the ICBL remains concerned that too few funds are actually reaching the field.

The ICBL created the ground-breaking Landmine Monitor to ensure that governments are held accountable to their commitments under the ban treaty. It is the first time that civil society elements are in a systematic, coordinated way monitoring and reporting on compliance with a humanitarian law or disarmament treaty. The ICBL released the 1,100-page Landmine Monitor Report 1999: Toward a Mine-Free World at the First Meeting of States Parties to the treaty in Mozambique in May 1999.

Landmine Monitor's Online Database was launched on the web today. This comprehensive Database contains information on landmine in every country of the world - 201 entries in total. Access the Database at http://www.lm-online.org
If there is any interruption, go to http://209.217.125.32

This anniversary is being celebrated with activities around the world in countries including Angola, Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Nepal, South Korea, Sweden, Ukraine and the United States. For a full listing of the events see the attached "Activities Around the Globe on the Second Anniversary of the Opening for Signature of the 1997 Landmines Convention and International Day for Disabled Persons"

For more information, please go to http://www.icbl.org
Or contact Mary Wareham, Human Rights Watch +1 (202) 612-4356 or email wareham-at-hrw-org

Calendar of Landmine related events around the world after 3 December.

Activities Around the Globe on the Second Anniversary of the Opening for Signature of the 1997 Landmines Convention and International Day for Disabled Persons

Angola:

A basketball match between two disabled teams was held in the morning followed by cultural activities including theatre, dance and music performances organized by the Angolan Campaign to Ban Landmines, the Angolan Federation of Disabled People and UNICEF.

Australia:

Australia Network of the ICBL issued a Press Release.

Belgium:

Press Release issued by Handicap International-Belgium.

Cambodia:

Sok Eng and Song Kosal, landmine survivor and youth ambassador, visited Japan; seminar was held with CMAC and government representatives on Landmine Monitor data; distribution of brochures with update of mine incidents in Khmer; newspaper article on landmine museum in Siem Reap all were organized by the Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines. Various media articles appeared.

Canada:

A two day public interactive mine action exhibition was held to attract the public to see and meet those working on the landmines issue, and several press events were held which received extensive media coverage. All were organized by Mines Action Canada in conjunction with the Canadian Red Cross and the Mine Action team of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Egypt:

Landmines Struggle Center, ICRC-Cairo and the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights organized a seminar on Landmines in Cairo with a screening of an ICRC film on the Treaty in Arabic.

Germany:

The German Campaign to Ban Landmines held a press conference and an advocacy dialogue with German parliamentarians regarding the progress of banning landmines and the progress of mine victim assistance.

France:

Press Release issued by Handicap International-France.

Italy:

The Italian Campaign to Ban landmines launched the Italian Landmine Monitor report, edited into book form, dedicated to Paola Biocca, Italian Campaign co-founder who died in the recent World Food Programme airplane crash in Kosovo.

Japan:

Visit of Cambodian survivor and youth ambassador Song Kosal. Letters sent to Prime Minister Obuchi and government officers. Launch of a postcard campaign asking Japanese citizens to send cards to the Tokyo embassies of the countries that have not signed or ratified the treaty. Special issue of newsletter was issued.

Mauritius

Ban Landmines Group (Mauritius) delivered a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in order to remind Mauritius of its commitment to send its report under Article 7 of the Treaty and to call for support in mine clearance and victim assistance. An article appeared in Le Mauricien Newspaper.

Nepal:

Handed over letters to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the ambassadors and SAARC Secretariat and issued media release by the Nepal Campaign.

South Korea:

Special exhibition on landmines and the ban movement organized by the Korean Campaign to Ban Landmines.

Sweden:

Campaigners met the Finnish ambassador in Stockholm to hand over petitions collected in Sweden to urge Finland to sign the treaty and to discuss Finland’s mine policy. Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society also issued a press release.

Switzerland:

Chris Moon, a British deminer who lost his hand and his leg to a mine and since has competed in marathons around, participated successfully in the popular run "la course de l'escalade". The run and other campaign activities organized by the Swiss Campaign garnered media attention.

Thailand

Article in the press, Bangkok Post.

Ukraine:

UN/UNDP /Ukraine – Ukraine Campaign held a joint landmine conference and press conference in Kiev which included a presentation of Landmine Monitor.

USA:

- USCBL issued a Press Release which generated several media stories.

- Boston: U.S.-Russia Special Hockey Match, on 4 Dec. All members of the Russian team are landmine survivors - amputees from wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya. The event was held to raise funds for completion of the International Prosthetic Rehabilitation Center for Children Landmine Victims in St. Petersburg, Russia.

- New York: Conference entitled "Landmines: How Global is the Ban" on December 2nd was organized by Columbia University, the Canadian Consulate General and the Canadian Permanent Mission to the UN.

- Singer-Songwriter Concert Series was held 1-5 December organized by Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation.

Cyberspace/globally: the Landmine Monitor database was launched online on the web and can be accessed at http://www.lm-online.org

The contact details of our country campaigns you can find here