ICBL Visit to Cuba

(Monday 22 October 2001 Johannesburg, South Africa) The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) recently completed a visit to Cuba to discuss with relevant authorities their position regarding the production, use, stockpiling and transfer of antipersonnel landmines.

The Republic of Cuba is one of two countries in the Americas region that have not yet joined the Mine Ban Treaty. The other country is the U.S.

In April 2001, Cuba invited the ICBL and its Landmine Monitor (LM) researcher to visit Cuba for 'a mutual exchange of views on its position regarding landmines and the Ottawa Treaty' and to allow for a better acquaintance between the ICBL and the Republic of Cuba. Noel Stott, the LM Cuba researcher and Diana Roa-Castro from the Colombian Campaign, both ICBL Coordinating Committee members, represented the ICBL on the visit, which took place from the 23rd to 29th September 2001.

The programme included, meetings with high-level military personnel and officials of the Directorate of Multi-lateral Affairs (Director de la Direccion de Asuntos Multilaterales), as well as other relevant government stakeholders and independent associations such as the Centre for the Study of International Humanitarian Law (Centro de Estudios de Derecho Internacional Humanitario) and the Cuban Association of Physically Disabled People (ACLIFIM). The meetings took place in a climate of openness and have opened up channels for continual dialogue on the landmines issue and support for the ICBL aims and objectives.

Importantly, the ICBL delegation was allowed access to the area surrounding the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay in the southeast of Cuba, where Cuba has planted landmines to prevent U.S. troops crossing into Cuba. While this visit was of a humanitarian nature and not an 'inspection', the ICBL is the first international civil society organisation to be allowed into the area and to view the minefields surrounding the U.S. Guantanamo Naval Base.

The week-long visit provided the ICBL with a unique opportunity to vigorously advocate for the immediate and total ban on the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of antipersonnel landmines by Cuba and to explain to a wide range of Cuban diplomats, civil servants and organisations of civil society, the ICBL's vision and programmes. Also explored were concrete ways in which Cuba can involve itself in victim assistance, mine-clearance and mine action more generally.

A full report will be available in the near future.

Contact: Noel Stott: SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">masaSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org or Diana Roa-Castro: SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">cccmSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org