Media Advisory: Launch of First Arabic Website on Landmines

Amman, Jordan, 17 November 2007 - The International Campaign to Ban landmines (ICBL) is pleased to annunce the launch of the first information website on landmines in Arabic.

The website www.mena-protection.org will be managed by Cairo-based ICBL member organization Protection and will contain background sections about the landmine problem, the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty and developments in the struggle against landmines with a special focus on the Middle East and North Africa.

This unique, comprehensive on-line resource on the issue in Arabic is being launched on the eve of the Eighth Meeting of the Sates Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, which will take place in Amman, Jordan, from 18 to 22 November 2007.

Some facts on the landmine issue in the Middle East and North Africa:

• Only seven countries in the region are party to the 1197 Mine Ban Treaty which prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and trade of antipersonnel mines. There are: Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Tunisia and Yemen. Kuwait and Iraq joined the treatry in the summer of 2007.
• Eleven countries in the region are still outside the teatry. This accounts for more than a quarter of all states that are still not party to it (40 in total).
• At least 15 countries/territories in the region are affected by landmines and other explosive remnants of war. These are:Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Marocco, Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Tunisia, Kuwait, Oman, Israel, Palestinian territories, and Westwr Sahara.
• As a conseguence of the conflict in July-August 2006, Lebanon saw a tenfold increase in the number of casualities caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war. The vast majority of new casualities were caused by unexploded cluster munitions.

For more information or to arrange an interview on the landmine situation in the Middle East and North africa please contact Ayman Sorour on +96 (0)2795506846.