Gulf States Urged to Do More to Eradicate Landmines

(Monday 08 December 2003 Sharjah)

At the opening of the Gulf region’s first meeting on landmines since the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty was opened for signature, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) called on the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to support the humanitarian objectives of the treaty by joining it without delay.

“A total of 150 governments now accept that the long-term humanitarian impact of the antipersonnel mine far outweighs its short-term military utility and have chosen to ban the weapon,” said Ms. Mary Wareham, Global Research Coordinator for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). “We have come to Sharjah to ask Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates: ‘Why have you not joined yet?’ ‘What are the obstacles?’”

None of the GCC member states are believed to have used antipersonnel mines in recent years and all indicate that they have never manufactured or exported antipersonnel mines. Yet Qatar is currently the only member of the Gulf Cooperation Council to have joined the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, which prohibits use, production and trade of antipersonnel mines, and requires destruction of stockpiled mines within four years and destruction of emplaced mines within ten years.

On 3 December 2003, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the treaty entered the sixth year since it was opened for signature in Ottawa, Canada in 1997. Today the Mine Ban Treaty has the support of 141 States Parties and nine signatories.

“It is clear that the Gulf countries share our goal of a mine-free world and our appeal is for GCC member states to reinforce their humanitarian efforts by joining the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty,” said Dr. Ghassan Sharour of the Arab Network of Researchers on Explosive Remnants of War. “This treaty is not just about prohibiting this weapon; it provides the framework for mine clearance and victim assistance measures,” he added.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has funded mine clearance activities in Egypt, Kosovo, Lebanon and Sri Lanka, while Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have made major donations to mine clearance efforts in Lebanon and Yemen. Of the GCC members, two - Kuwait and Oman - have a mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) problem. The UAE, although not a mine-affected country, suffered casualties this year among citizens travelling abroad.

Even more needs to be done to support landmine victims, mine clearance and mine risk education in the Gulf and the wider Middle East region. In Kuwait for example, where ten new mine/UXO casualties were reported in 2002, there is limited mine clearance and no mine risk education. In Iraq, the needs of the ever-increasing number of mine/UXO survivors are overwhelming in a country where much of the health care infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al-Qasemi of the UAE’s Supreme Ruling Council and Governor of Sharjah opened the two-day Regional Workshop on the Risks of Landmines and Explosive Remnants of War this morning. The meeting has been organized by the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services and the Arab Network of Researchers on Explosive Remnants of War. ICBL members, mine action practitioners and government representatives are participating from around the region and beyond.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:

• Sue Wixley, ICBL, + 44 7 932 688 431 or +1 (202) 352-2968
• Dr. Ghassan Sharour or Mr. Ahmed Al-Hammadi, Tel. +971 (50) 66-69-339
• For media enquiries only please email: SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">media(insert at sign)icbl.org