Letters from Survivors to Clinton on 1 march 2000
March 1, 2000
The Honorable William J. Clinton
President of the United States of America
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Clinton,
We are landmine explosion survivors from countries around the world. We have been campaigning against landmines and in support of the Mine Ban Treaty within our own countries for we have experienced firsthand the horrible pain inflicted by these indiscriminate weapons. Anti-personnel landmines continue to kill and maim thousands of new victims each year and threaten our families and the communities in which we live.
As landmine survivors ourselves, we cannot feel healed and we cannot feel secure until the scourge of landmines is eliminated and our families and neighbors can "walk the earth in safety," as you yourself have said.
We write to you now on the first anniversary of the entry into force of the 1997 Landmine Ban Convention, on behalf of ourselves and other landmine victims around the world, to urge you to fulfill and complete the leadership you initiated in 1994 when you were the first head of state calling for a ban on anti-personnel landmines.
We urge you to review United States landmine policy again before you leave office, and use your power to align America with the Landmine Ban Treaty rather than leaving this to the chance of some future President.
Support and participation by the USA will strengthen the treaty banning landmine use, destroying stockpiles, demining war-torn areas that are already landmine polluted, and assisting mine victims.
We know that you are concerned with our well being. And we know that you want no child’s future cut short by a landmine. We urge you to take this historic step and sign the treaty now.
We thank you very much for taking our request into consideration.
Respectfully yours,
