Opening Statement

(Tuesday 27 April 2004 Kunming, China) by
Dr David Johnson
Australian Network
International Campaign to Ban Landmines

Assistant Governor of Yunnan Province Mr Tondrub WANGBUM, Ambassador Li Daoyu, President of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, Director-General Liu Jieyi of the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Mr Fu Cong, Deputy-Director-General of the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, distinguished representatives of governments and of non-government organisations.

On behalf of the Australian Network of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines I extend a warm welcome to you all.

I also wish to thank the Governments of Australia and Canada for their support to the Australian Network of the ICBL in co-sponsoring this meeting.

Thank you all for making the time and effort to be with us. This is a historic meeting.

As some of you know I am a geologist. You may also be aware that the Earth is a dynamic planet with the surface plates moving continually. There was a time 750 million years ago when Australia and China were adjacent landmasses, though they are now far apart. About 90 million years ago Australia broke away from Antarctica., and is now moving northward, towards Asia, at a rate of 67mm per year. So when I travel in Asia and speak with many of you, I do so in the knowledge that it is important we in Australia develop closer understandings with you – because we are getting closer all the time !

This meeting is to discuss the technical aspects involved in clearing landmines and unexploded munitions. There are a huge variety of munitions to deal with, and a wide range of environments in which they occur. There will be presentations on many of the technologies being utilised in this region.

In particular I welcome the opportunity to engage on this issue with China, and I thank the government of China, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs for inviting us to come to Kunming and hold this meeting. China has had much experience in landmine clearance.

Since these munitions now occur in populated areas the clearance operations have to take account of the people’s needs, and in fact it is the local people who can provide the best information on the location and types of munitions in that area. Programs to educate people of the dangers of munitions need to be ongoing so new children can be warned of the dangers.

The Australian Network of the ICBL hopes that this meeting will have three results :

Firstly, that we will understand China’s expertise in mine clearance and mine action. Most of us have had the opportunity at past meetings to see the landmine situation in other Asian countries. One of the main reasons we have made the journey here is to learn of China’s situation and experiences.

Secondly, that all of us will learn something new from the experiences and techniques used by others, and this new knowledge will help our own efforts. I hope we can speak openly and frankly, in a spirit of mutual understanding.

Thirdly, that our discussions will lead to future collaboration and projects in mine action. The problem in Asia is large and estimated to take decades to fix – the people of this region need all the help and co-operation we can offer.

Collaborative clearance and victim assistance is a very direct way of developing better and more peaceful relationships. It is a very clear sign that we each see a future of co-operation rather than conflict.

I look forward to working with Deputy Director-General Fu Cong. Together, as Joint Chairs of this meeting, we will do everything possible to make this meeting informative and enjoyable.

All of us are here because we are concerned about the humanitarian crisis posed by landmines and other unexploded munitions. The injury and killing continues today, even as we meet, and much of it is due to conflicts which ended decades ago. Most of the present victims have no connection with the political arguments and military conflicts which sowed those munitions. Many were not even born at the time.

I suspect every one of the countries represented here has such victims. It is my hope that this generation will, be the last to face this horrible prospect: that their lands and lives will be ruined by landmines. One of the main themes of mine action is the need for assistance to these victims and rehabilitation of the communities.

Landmines are above all else a humanitarian issue. It is a global humanitarian issue which all of us in the international community must address - whether we are a country affected by landmines and unexploded munitions, or whether we are an arms supplier, or whether we are free of mines and can be a donor for mine action.

For us I believe, this is the common ground. The Australian Network of the ICBL is a passionate believer in the eradication of landmines. Clearing those remaining in the ground is the one of the steps required to meet that goal.

I look forward to the next three days as we examine together both the problem and the possibilities for action.