TAKE ACTION NOW to help prepare the Intersessional week in February!

(Monday 26 January 2004 )

Dear all,

The Standing Committees of the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) meet in two weeks, from 9 to 12 February 2004 in Geneva. This is an important week because it sets the tone for preparation of the 2004 “Nairobi Summit on a Mine Free World”. We need your energy to make sure that governments come to Geneva prepared to participate actively and constructively in the discussions and that means we need YOU to talk to and encourage them to do just that! Even the most committed States Parties need support and urging to remain fully engaged in this crucial Review Conference year.

Below you will find information on the priorities for the intersessionals and messages for the different thematic issues and standing committees. Please read the memo and take action!
Thank you for your lobbying work and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions on this memo or ideas and information to add!

2004 will be a great year for all of us, and another big step toward a mine free world, let's work on it now!

Good luck!

Sylvie

1) Introduction

Please meet now with your government contacts and discuss the upcoming intersessional week with them. The SC weeks are open to States Parties and States not Parties. For States Parties, attending the week demonstrates their commitment to full implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty and provides an opportunity to engage with all the major players in the mine ban community including donors and experts. For States not Parties, attending the week shows an openness to discuss the issue of eradicating landmines and would boost their understanding of how the Convention works.

Let them know that there is a sponsorship programme for the intersessionals. Although it is too late to get sponsorship for the February intersessionals, it might be a possibility for June. Say that their input in all areas of the Convention is welcomed. If interested in sponsorship, tell them to please contact the Implementation Support Unit (ISU). Contact info is below. As an introduction, please ask the following questions:

1. Do they plan to attend the next Standing Committee meetings, scheduled in Geneva from 9-12 Feb 04 ?
2. 2. Have they already registered ? No ??? They can/have to do it now and easily online at http://www.gichd.ch/mbc/iwp/SC_feb04/index.htm
3. What is the composition of the delegation? Will it include representatives from other ministries than MFA or Defence, like representatives of the Ministry of Health? or Social or Humanitarian Affairs?

►If your government does not intend to participate and is a State Party or a signatory to the MBT please try to convince them to come!

►If your government confirms its participation, then ask them to consider the following suggestions on how to best prepare each of the Standing Committee meetings. If they want to make an intervention on one of the issues below, and need help, they can either contact Kerry Brinkert, from the Implementation Support Unit at k.brinkert -=at=- gichd.ch or ICBL’s Intersessional Programme Officer, Susan B. Walker at walker-=at=-icbl.org.

2) Preparing the week

In February, the four Standing Committees will meet from Monday, 9 January, to Thursday, 11 January. On Friday, 12 January, a separate formal Preparatory Committee will be held on the 2004 Review Conference.

For mine-affected countries look at the Standing Committees on General Status and Operation of the Convention (I), Standing Committee on Victim Assistance (II)  and Mine Clearance etc (III).

For those who know your governments are not complying (eg. have not submitted reports, no legislation underway, no plans for stock destruction) look at the notes on the relevant standing committee (eg. Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention (I) or the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction (IV).

For donor countries please look particularly at the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention (I), though all Standing Committees are relevant.

You will find below details for each Standing Committees, but if you have any queries on the priority in your situation please feel free to get in touch with me.

You will find the whole agenda for the intersessional week at http://www.gichd.ch/pdf/mbc/SC_feb04/SC_feb04_Agenda.pdf

I. Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention

On Monday, 9 January, States will have the opportunity to provide updates or share their views on the following issues, which are key to the implementation of the treaty. Consider what you and your government can do to ensure we make significant progress by the Nairobi Summit.

1) Universalisation of the Convention:

Encourage your government to give an update on their effort to join the MBT or how they encourage other States to join.

See ICBL message on universalisation and our target countries at www.doc.icbl.org/universalisation.doc

non-state actors to universalise the norm represented by the ban on antipersonnel mines is also very important. Encourage your government to support the work of ICBL country campaigns and other NGOs engaging

• NSAs to stop the use, production, trade and stockpile of APMS,
• NSA cooperation in victim assistance and mine clearing activities

See our message on non states actors at www.doc.icbl.org/nsa.doc

2) Resource mobilization

Encourage your government to give an update on the place of mine action within its own development strategies, best practices to ensure mine action funds are well spent; and perspective on the Nairobi Summit outcomes on resource mobilization matters.

3) Article 7 reporting

Ask your government to give an update on the status of its transparency report or any proposal to assist other States in reporting.

See ICBL message on Article 7 and a list of late initial reports and reports due this year at www.doc.icbl.org/article_7.doc

4) Article 1, 2 and 3:

Ensuring that States Parties make progress toward a common understanding of these provisions before the Nairobi Summit is of utmost importance if we want to make the Convention stronger and remove possible ambiguities.

Encourage your government to share their views or best practices on the following issues:

Article 1: Joint Operations And Assist

Article 2: Antivehicle Mines With Sensitive Fuses And Anti Vehicle Mines With Antihandling Devices

Article 3: Mines Retained For Training

See ICBL message regarding these articles and more information at www.doc.icbl.org/art_123.doc

5) Compliance: Article 9 and Article 8.

Ensuring compliance with provisions of the Convention is a key element in progressing toward a mine free world. The adoption of a national implementation measure or law is one tool. Operationalisation of Article 8 of the Convention is another.

What can you do ?

• Encourage your government to provide an update on the status of the adoption of the national implementation measure (law or administrative measures) in accordance with Article 9 of the MBT.
• Encourage your government to seek/stimulate progress on the operationalization of Article 8 by the Nairobi Summit, as well as to deal with compliance concerns, if they occur, in a more coordinated, systematic and effective way.

You need help ?

See ICBL message on Articles 8 and 9 at www.doc.icbl.org/article_8.doc

and www.doc.icbl.org/article_9.doc

http://www.gichd.ch/pdf/mbc/SC_feb04/SCGS_feb04_Co_Chairs_Notes.pdf

Or contact Kerry Brinkert, ISU, or Susan B. Walker, ICBL.

II. Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio Economic Reintegration.

On Tuesday, 10 January, States will have the opportunity to provide updates or share their views on the issue of Victim Assistance and Social and Economic Reintegration. What can you do?

For mine-affected states:

1) Encourage the government to update participants on:

1. the problems they face, their plans, progress and priorities for assistance.
2. successes, good ideas and lessons learned in economic reintegration initiatives
3. their efforts, if any, in supporting, participating and/or organising regional victim assistance initiative.

2) Urge the country to be more involved in Victim Assistance!! Remember what Sheree Bailey stated last September, as LM coordinator for Victim Assistance “As the number of mine survivors continues to grow in every region of the world, in many mine-affected countries the assistance available for their rehabilitation and reintegration into society is hopelessly inadequate.”

See our lobbying points and message at www.doc.icbl.org/vaser.doc

Does the government need help to prepare?

use the” Framework to assist mine affected SP to prepare this meeting” available at http://www.gichd.ch/pdf/mbc/SC_feb04/SCVA_feb04_4Ps.pdf

Do you need help? Contact Susan at walker-=at=-icbl.org or Margaret at margaret-=at=-icbl.org or Becky at becky-=at=-lsn.org

III. Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies

On Wednesday, 11 January, States will have the opportunity to provide updates on their efforts to conduct mine action on their territory or support mine action in affected states.

What can you do?

1. For mine-affected states, encourage the government to update participants on the problems they face, their plans, progress and priorities for assistance with regard to meeting the deadlines for mine clearance, and implementing Mine Risk Education.
2. For donor countries, encourage the government to give an update on plans, efforts and initiatives in assisting mine affected states in their mine action programmes.

See ICBL main priorities and messages for Mine Clearance and Mine Risk Education at www.doc.icbl.org/article_5.doc

Does your government need help to prepare?

Suggest they use the” Framework to assist mine affected SP to prepare this meeting” available at http://www.gichd.ch/pdf/mbc/SC_feb04/SCMC_feb04_4Ps.pdf

Do you need more help? contact Sara at sara.sekkenes-=-=-icbl.org or Hachimi at mdcafghan-=-=-hotmail.com / afghan-=-=-icbl.org

For Mine Risk Education contact, Stan at stan.brabant-=-=-handicap.be or Habouba at habbouba-=-=-balamand.edu.lb.

IV. Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction

On Thursday, 12 January, States will have the opportunity to provide updates on their efforts to destroy their stockpiles of anti-personnel mines.

What can you do?

1) For States Parties who are in the process of destroying their stockpiles:

Encourage the government to give an update on their destruction programme including advances, challenges and request for assistance, particularly if the destruction must be completed by the Nairobi Summit.

See lists of countries at www.doc.icbl.org/article_4.doc

2) For states assisting other states to destroy their stocks:

Encourage them to share their views on all opportunities to provide assistance for stockpile destruction.

1. If you know the government has discovered anti-personnel mines after the end of destruction deadlines, encourage them to give an update during the Standing Committees, to include information in their Article 7 annual update and to destroy the additional stockpiles as soon as possible. In other words, encourage them to share their plans to deal with the formerly unknown stockpile.

Do they need help to prepare? Use the document prepared by the Co-Chairs of this Standing Committee available at http://www.gichd.ch/pdf/mbc/SC_feb04/SCSD_feb04_Co_Chairs_Notes.pdf

Do you need more information? see the ICBL webpage on Stockpile Destruction at www.icbl.org/treaty/stockpiles or contact Mary Wareham or Susan.