Letter to Putin

(12 May 2000) In a letter sent to Prime Minister Putin today, the Nobel-Peace Prize winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) condemned Russia's planned deployment of antipersonnel mines on its border with Georgia. "The ICBL urges you to abandon immediately any plans to mine the border with Georgia, and to instruct Russia's armed forces to halt the use of antipersonnel landmines in ongoing operations in Chechnya," said Elizabeth Bernstein, Coordinator of ICBL.

The ICBL letter urges Putin to take the steps necessary for Russia to join to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, which has been signed by 134 nations to date. "We believe Russia can join the Mine Ban Treaty without delay, and without significant harm to its national defense," said Bernstein.

The ICBL has previously criticized use of antipersonnel mines by rebel forces in Chechnya, as well as Russian use of antipersonnel mines in Chechnya and Dagestan, including the incident in which Russia claims to have accidentally dropped antipersonnel mines on Georgian territory.

Recent media reports have stated that Putin has instructed the lower house of the Duma to debate ratifying the amended Protocol II of the Convention on Conventional Weapons. Protocol II places restrictions on certain uses of certain antipersonnel mines, and has been widely criticized by the ICBL, International Committee of the Red Cross and many governments as ineffective. Only five countries that are states parties to the amended protocol have not signed the Mine Ban Treaty: China, Finland, India, Pakistan, and the United States. In December 1999 the ICBL criticized Russia for using mines in Chechnya that were prohibited even by Protocol II.

The ICBL also expressed concern about reports that the Russian military has declared Grozny completely clear of landmines and unexploded ordnance. "Until independent, humanitarian non-governmental organizations expert in mine clearance and mine victim assistance can verify the current mines situation in Chechnya and Dagestan, we cannot accept this description of Grozny as "mine free," wrote Bernstein.

A copy of the letter is available below. For further information contact:

• Roman Dolgov +7 095 901 752 2383 ·
• Mary Wareham (wareham-at-hrw-org)/Elizabeth Bernstein (banemnow-at-icbl-org)+31 62 2996258

President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
The Kremlin
Moscow
RUSSIA

Via email transmission: president-at-gov-ru
Via Fax transmission: +7 095 206 8510

11 May 2000

Dear President Putin:

I write on behalf of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), the umbrella coalition of 1,400 non-governmental organizations in over ninety countries of the world. In 1997 the ICBL was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to secure the comprehensive ban on antipersonnel mines.

The ICBL expresses its gravest concern at recent reports that Russia intends to mine its border with Georgia. We believe that such a step is likely to have serious humanitarian consequences, and is in direct contravention of international humanitarian law. Any short-term military utility of this weapon, shunned by the international community, is far outweighed by its long-term humanitarian impact. The ICBL has previously criticized use of antipersonnel mines by rebel forces in Chechnya, as well as Russian use of antipersonnel mines in Chechnya and Dagestan, including the incident in which Russia admitted to accidentally dropping antipersonnel mines on Georgian territory.

The ICBL urges you to abandon immediately any plans to mine the border with Georgia, and to instruct Russia's armed forces to halt the use of antipersonnel landmines in ongoing operations in Chechnya.

The antipersonnel mine is a weapon abhorred by the international community due to its uniquely indiscriminate nature. To date 137 countries have joined the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (1997 Mine Ban Treaty). Moreover, virtually all of the remaining fifty-seven non-signatories, including Russia, have endorsed the notion of a comprehensive ban on antipersonnel mines at some point in time.

In the past, the ICBL has expressed appreciation for the positive steps Russia has taken on this issue, including official statements that Russia will accede to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty in the future, its halt in the production of blast antipersonnel mines, and the current export moratorium. We note recent media reports that in a letter submitted to the Duma head Gennady Seleznyevon on 7 May you instructed the lower house of Parliament to debate ratifying amended Protocol II of the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).
These positive steps have been completely overshadowed by Russia's decision to use antipersonnel mines in the recent conflicts in Chechnya and Dagestan and are further contradicted by its planned deployment of antipersonnel mines on Russia's border with Georgia. The ICBL views any use of antipersonnel mines by any party as contrary to the emerging international norm against the weapon, and condemns it as such. Thus, the ICBL has also condemned use of antipersonnel mines by the Chechen forces and has called for an immediate halt to use. Our message against antipersonnel mines is the same for everyone.

We are also concerned about reports that the Russian military has declared Grozny completely clear of landmines and unexploded ordnance. Prior to the renewed fighting in Chechnya, the British-based HALO Trust was engaged in mine clearance in Grozny and its surrounding districts to clear mines left over from Russia's previous campaign in Chechnya 1994-1996. When HALO stopped its operations in December 1999, its job removing the mines and UXO was far from complete. Until independent, humanitarian non-governmental organizations expert in mine clearance and mine victim assistance can verify the current mines situation in Chechnya and Dagestan, we cannot accept this description of Grozny as "mine free."

We urge you, as President of the Russia Federation and Commander in Chief of Russia's Armed Forces, to give your military commanders instructions to halt use of this weapon now, and to forego plans to mine the border with Georgia. Such an order would be consistent with Russia's statements of humanitarian concerns about antipersonnel mines and will dramatically help to prevent the maiming and death of innocent civilians caused by landmines many years after the conflict is over.
It is already apparent that at the war's end, it will be essential to establish as quickly as possible major programs for humanitarian mine clearance, mine awareness, and victim assistance, with involvement by international organizations, humanitarian non- governmental organizations, and others with independent expertise.

We urge you to take the steps necessary for Russia to join to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. We believe Russia can join the Mine Ban Treaty without delay, and without significant harm to its national defense. Such a step would contribute greatly to the alleviation of the human and socio-economic disaster caused by antipersonnel mines.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Bernstein
Coordinator
International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)

CC: Minister of Defense Igor Sergeev
CC: Maj.- Gen. Vladimir Shamanov, Commander of the
Western Group of Forces in the Northern Caucasus