ICBL Newsletter April 2007

 

Contents:

1. ICBL Takes On Cluster Munitions
2. Oslo kick-starts cluster ban process
3. A Campaigner in Oslo Writes From the “Interpreters’ Booths”
4. Country focus: Pakistan
5. Achieving economic inclusion for landmine survivors
6. Implementation workshops in Yemen and Tajikistan
7. Researchers and campaigners training in Aden
8. Campaign News In brief
9. Celebrating 1 March

 

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1. ICBL Takes On Cluster Munitions

In a significant development, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines has decided to engage extensively in the global effort to prohibit cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians. This marks the first time that the ICBL has added substantial work to its agenda on an issue other than antipersonnel mines.

The main reasons for the ICBL decision are: (1) cluster munitions inevitably end up leaving behind large numbers of what are essentially antipersonnel mines; (2) many ICBL members are already working extensively on clusters; and (3) the world is at a crucial point in trying to address cluster munitions, a point where the ICBL can and should make a real difference.

The ICBL has already taken a number of important steps on the cluster munition front. It has joined the Steering Committee of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC), the NGO coalition that is leading the charge against cluster munitions. In February, the ICBL brought on board Kasia Derlicka as Campaigning and Advocacy Officer, a newly created position that will focus on coordinating the ICBL’s work on cluster munitions and enhancing the ability of ICBL member organizations to effectively engage on the issue. At the joint ICBL-Landmine Monitor meeting in Yemen in February, workshops were conducted to help educate and build the capacity of ICBL members on clusters.

The ICBL participated extensively in the Oslo Conference on Cluster Munitions in late February (see pages 2-3) and in March took the lead in organizing the first Regional Forum on Cluster Munitions in Southeast Asia, which was highlighted by Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister formally announcing the country’s support for the process launched in Oslo.

There are plans to add a cluster munition component to many of the ICBL events on the calendar for 2007 and 2008, and the ICBL will work cooperatively with the CMC to help organize many other campaigning activities in the coming months. The next major event on the horizon is the government-sponsored conference in Lima, Peru, on 23-25 May to move the treaty process forward; an NGO-sponsored Regional Forum on Cluster Munitions in Latin America is being planned for 22 May.

While we do not envision that cluster munitions will become a major focus of the ICBL's work, we believe that combining work on mines and clusters could serve to invigorate some ICBL member activities, and even create new opportunities that would benefit progress on both fronts.

ICBL members are very excited about this and ready to dedicate themselves to helping bring about a new treaty on cluster munitions that will—like the Mine Ban Treaty—make a huge difference in preventing more landmine-like contamination around the world, as well as promote expanded clearance of the existing mess, and assistance to affected persons and communities.

- Steve Goose, Human Rights Watch

 

2. Oslo kick-starts cluster ban process

It doesn't take much to look around the world today and be struck by howmuch needs to change, how much better things could be. Poverty, armedconflict, HIV/AIDS, discrimination, environmental damage, the list goes on.

It is not surprising then that so often, when we think about making change inthe world, it can appear too daunting, we feel insignificant in the face ofseemingly all powerful entities like states, large companies and politicalparties. We need to remember that making change is not only possible, it isvital and we as individuals and organizations can and must play a role.

Members of the ICBL know from experience that success can reach well beyondour expectations. The resounding success of the Oslo Conference on ClusterMunitions in February 2007 reinforced the hope and determination of all thosecommitted to ending the harm caused by cluster bombs. Cluster MunitionCoalition and ICBL campaigners left Oslo knowing they had witnessed thefirst leg of an international process to ban cluster munitions, a processdriven by public concern, a process where civil society and states work inequal partnership, a process where people put their concern for humanityabove their day jobs, a process where humanitarian, not commercial ormilitary imperatives take priority.

In Oslo the role of civil society was crucial. The Civil Society Forum with100 NGO participants from over 30 countries set the scene the day before thestate conference. Workshops held in parallel with the conference helpedincrease knowledge and capacity and allowed for NGO engagement with staterepresentatives. The diversity of CMC speakers and our capacity to respondto negative contributions had a tangible impact on the tone and direction ofthe Oslo Conference. The result was remarkable: 46 out of 49 states agreed adeclaration committing them to conclude a treaty by 2008 to "prohibitcluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm." Half of the world's 34producers, a third of the world's stockpilers, 6 users or former users, 6affected states and 7 non-CCW states agreed to the declaration.

Majorsurprises were key user, stockpiling or producer states such as the UK, France,Netherlands, Egypt and Canada. Only Japan, Poland and Romania refused. Aclear process of meetings was agreed and treaty text will be discussed inLima from 22-25 May, with meetings in Vienna in late 2007 and Dublin inearly 2008. A core group of Norway, New Zealand, Ireland, Mexico and Austriaemerged as driving forces behind this new process. Austria and Bosnia andHerzegovina announced moratoria and Belgium hailed its own ban law for thefirst time. In the wake of the conference several governments are rethinkingtheir policies, including considering renouncing the weapon through amoratorium.

We need to pressure all our governments to renounce cluster munitionsofficially, to commit to this new process outside the CCW and to playpositive, active roles internationally to achieve our goal: a new treatysigned in 2008 prohibiting cluster munitions. There is no reason to believethis is not possible, on the contrary the success of Oslo gives us everyreason to believe that we can make it happen.

-Thomas Nash

Coordinator, Cluster Munition Coalition

 

3. A Campaigner in Oslo Writes From the “Interpreters’ Booths”

Thursday, 22 February

Morning: Arriving at Soria Moria

After a 45-minute bus ride out of Oslo we arrive at the venue of the Conference on Cluster Munitions, by the mysterious name of Soria Moria, hidden atop of a snowy hill…

Soon we discover that the number of delegates attending the conference has exceeded all expectations and we are taking up almost the entire conference complex connected by a labyrinth of corridors. As the delegates are listening to the opening address of the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs and are confronted with facts from the field, we are discussing in workshops how to do campaigning and media work, what cluster munitions are and what are the myths and realities about them…

Noon:Conquering the main building

By noon everyone of our crowd makes their way to the main building, where the official meeting takes place. A lot of action in the corridors – journalists, delegates, and us - trying to find out about the latest news from the plenary room, lobby, and talk to media… Some made it already to the empty interpreters’ booths, from where NGOs not on the official CMC delegation can follow what’s going on in the plenary. Silence: Grethe from NPA is talking about the ‘wonderful’ M85 submunitions with a self–destruct mechanism and how many of those were still found in Lebanon after the end of the conflict…

Afternoon: Jody speaks, the room falls silent

Nobel Laureate Jody Williams sits down at the podium and starts slowly with a very exhausted voice. We are not sure where she is heading to and what the refugee camps she has just visited in Chad, have to do with cluster munitions… Soon the link between camps in Chad and cluster munitions becomes perfectly clear: the testimonies of victims of the conflict in Sudan, and banning cluster munitions to protect people and prevent new victims—it is all about human security and the responsibility of states to protect civilians and not the weapons worth millions of dollars in their arsenals. She raises her voice; everybody else seems to have stopped breathing… I can’t help but to think all these ‘people in suits’, as Jody calls them, look quite scared… I try to imagine how it must have been 10 years ago when the Mine Ban Treaty was negotiated, were the ‘men in suits’ also so pale and breathles? She finishes. Big applause in the plenary; up at the booths we are all screaming: ‘yes, yes! Bravo! Jody!”

Evening: The big question mark…

The official meeting is over. Delegates are on a sleigh ride organized by the hosts. We gather to hear updates from the CMC delegates who were in the plenary all day. Steve Goose says there will probably be some 6-8 states that will not support the process, among them the UK, probably France… We don’t know what tomorrow will bring...

Friday, 23 February

Morning: How long can a coffee break be…

Second and last day of the conference. Today we are all in the main building, together with the governments’ delegates. No access to the plenary for us but the corridors and interpreters’ booths are undoubtedly ours! While the Norwegians are presenting an outline of a future treaty, we are hearing about the scope of the problem in Afghanistan from Firoz and investments in cluster munitions from Chris from Belgium.

Coffee break. Instead of enjoying refreshments and chatting politely, the delegates are running around, making phone calls, forming groups then dispersing rapidly, talking nervously, waving papers, throwing arms, shaking heads… Thirty minutes pass, 45 minutes pass, coffee gets really cold… What is going on?! I see Bob from Zambia: relaxed, slowly going around, now and then approaching surprised delegates and with his huge smile putting into their hands the CMC badges – a red one saying: ‘stop killing civilians’ and a green one: ‘start banning cluster munitions’. They have no choice but to smile back. Now I know that everything is going to be fine, just fine…

Noon: The interpreters booths are shaking

The coffee break is finally over and now the final session of the meeting begins. Nobody is out in the corridors. We are all squeezed like sardines in the interpreters’ booths, looking down on the delegates and listening in deep silence as the governments are making their final statements on the Oslo declaration. Now and then someone says: ‘What?! Who is speaking?’ Then the people in the front who can see, respond: ‘France’ or ‘Austria’ or ‘Bosnia’… Now and then we go: ‘Yes! Yes!’ and give a hand, sometimes we go ‘Ehhh, what is this?!’

Finally the meeting is closing with 46 countries, including the UK and France, supporting the final declaration and the ban on cluster munitions! Up in the interpreters’ booths we are laughing, screaming, and hugging! Victory! There will be a new treaty!!!

-Kasia Derlicka

ICBL Advocacy and Campaigning Officer

 

4. COUNTRY FOCUS: Mining the Afghanistan Pakistan Border

In early 2007, Pakistan announced a decision to selectively fence and mine the 2,430 km long border with Afghanistan. As of this writing it has not started to do so.

This decision came after a wave of criticism on many fronts, and lengthy deliberations by Pakistan’s government, as well as a mission from Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay to explore alternatives.

Since the start of the American led fight against terrorism in Afghanistan, the US, NATO and the Afghan government have constantly accused Pakistan of supporting Taliban activities inside Afghanistan. Pakistan strongly denied these allegations, stating that 80,000 regular troops were deployed to achieve the basic objective to halt any possible militant infiltrations from Pakistan into Afghanistan.

Due to non-stop allegations that Pakistan was sponsoring Taliban militants, Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan announced that he would task the Army to work out modalities for selective fencing and mining of the Pak-Afghan border in order to prevent any militant activity from Pakistan into Afghanistan. The proposal was reiterated on 4 January during a visit to Kabul by Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz when he stated that selective fencing and mining would achieve the goal of stopping people from crossing the border and that Pakistan had every intention of going through with the plan.

Sustainable Peace and Development Organization (SPADO) strongly condemned the decision of the Pakistani government and stated that mining of the border would only bring devastating and horrible consequences to the people living in the border areas. SPADO, a member of ICBL in Pakistan, instantly started a mobilization campaign involving media, youth, political parties, diplomats and religious scholars. SPADO revealed that there are still thousands of landmine survivors living in the tribal areas without any support, so the laying of new mines would only exacerbate this problem.

The ICBL sent a letter to the President of Pakistan in which Executive Director Sylvie Brigot expressed «extreme concern about and opposition to any plans Pakistan may have to lay antipersonnel landmines along the border with Afghanistan. » She urged the Pakistani government to explore alternatives for border surveillance that do not entail the use of antipersonnel landmines.

The decision undertaken by Pakistan has confronted a huge criticism, grave concerns and condemnation at the national and international level including by governments, political parties, civil society organizations, tribal elders and the tribal union of journalists.

For example, political Parties like Jamat-e-Islami (JI) and Awami National Party (ANP) in separate press conferences strongly rejected the plan and clearly added that this will worsen Pak-Afghan relations. According to Senior Media representative, Rahimullah Yousafzai who talked on TV, vast opposition to the plan in the whole tribal belt will further increase insecurity and tension. Therefore, total care is essential to tackle the issue and achieve the core objective of combating terrorism. More importantly, former chief of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Gen (Rtd) Hameed Gul strongly apposed the decision and added that « 90 % of victims of antipersonnel mines were civilians and non combatants. »

Additionally, a foreign government – Canada – was a significant voice in the opposition to this action and seemed, initially, to bear influence. During his meeting with President General Pervez Musharraf, the Canadian Foreign Minister said that the President agreed to explore some other options. In his joint press conference with his Canadian counterpart, Foreign Minister Khurshed Mahmood Kasuri stated, « Before we finalize the plan, we will definitely give due consideration, as the objective of Pakistan and Canada is the same, that is to make sure that the undesired movements is controlled. »

He also told media that consideration would be given to alternatives such as aerial surveillance and use of modern technology like a Biometrics system. He expressed gratitude that Foreign Minister MacKay agreed to extend technological assistance to help Pakistan tighten border controls.

Pakistan has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty. While expressing support for the goal of the eventual elimination of antipersonnel mines, Pakistan continues to insist that such mines are essential to its national defence at this time. Since 2002 there is no evidence that Pakistan has used antipersonnel landmines and the government.

-Wanda Muñoz, Handicap International

 

5. VICTIM ASSISTANCE: Achieving Successful Economic Inclusion

That is why the Mine Ban Treaty, in its article 6.3, affirms that “Each State Party in a position to do so shall provide assistance for the care and rehabilitation, and social and economic reintegration, of mine victims...” The Nairobi Action Plan calls for stakeholders to “Actively support the socio-economic reintegration of mine victims…” in Action #32. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities further articulates these rights through its Article 27 on work and employment.

What are the main obstacles for the economic inclusion of mine survivors?

Persons with disabilities, including mine survivors, usually have a higher rate of unemployment than the rest of the population. When they work, they usually receive lower incomes, face a greater risk of becoming unemployed for longer periods, and have fewer chances of promotion.

Barriers to successful economic inclusion are varied. Some relate to personal characteristics (lack of formal education or relevant training, lack of motivation to resume work, low self-confidence…) while some relate to an inaccessible environment (preconceived ideas from potential employers about people with disabilities, lack of physical accessibility to the workplace, difficult or no access to starting capital or loans).

What opportunities for economic inclusion can be explored?

It is important to remember that not every person is in a position to work. In case of severe impairments, some persons may require pensions or other solutions that respond better to their requirements.

For those in a position to work, two main options are available: regular waged employment and self-employment. Like the rest of the population in developing economies, most people with disabilities turn to self-employment because of a lack of opportunities in the job market. It is estimated that in developing countries, for each person with a disability that is employed in the formal sector of the economy, four more generate their own income through self-employment, most of them in the informal sector.

What are the main requirements for successful self-employment?

Establishing a micro or small business is a big challenge. There are different requirements according to the situation of each person, the type of business that is targeted, and the context in which it will be developed. To facilitate economic inclusion, we need to work with the individual and also to make the environment more accessible. At the individual level, a person will have higher chances of success in self-employment when he or she has:

Depending on individual requirements: access to medical care, physical rehabilitation, psychological support and social inclusion programs supported by a legal framework that recognizes and enforces the rights of people with disabilities;

• Self-confidence and motivation;
• Technical skills, vocational training, or prior experience that responds to market demand;
• Some notions of business management;
• Access to capital to start the business.

While various organizations work on the first elements, only a few work towards facilitating access to capital. In the next issue, we will look at mechanisms to make microfinance more accessible for mine survivors and other people with disabilities.

-Wanda Muñoz, Handicap International

 

6. FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION: Yemen

As part of its continuing focus on implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty, the ICBL has been holding “implementation workshops” in a series of States Parties to assess the state of implementation, including achievements and challenges. Treaty Implementation Director Tamar Gabelnick reports on the two most recent ones.

The ICBL, in coordination with the Yemen Executive Mine Action Center (YEMAC), organized a workshop on the implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 February in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen. The goal of the workshop was to enhance understanding about the provisions of the Mine Ban Treaty among all parties working on mine action and victim assistance in Yemen, as well as to measure progress and discuss remaining challenges in the treaty’s implementation. The workshop was well attended, with over 75 participants including Mr. Kassem Al-AJam, Minister of State and Chair of the National Mine Action Committee, the Deputy Ministers of Education, Information, and Health, the Director of YEMAC, ICBL staff, Landmine Monitor (LM) editorial board and team members, and a wide variety of other representatives from the Yemeni government, NGOs, and the media.

The day began with a set of opening speeches, and then continued with presentations by the ICBL and LM on the details of the treaty’s obligations on mine clearance, victim assistance, and other aspects. The bulk of the day was spent in small roundtable discussions on mine clearance, mine risk education, and victim assistance, where participants were asked to discuss the current status of work in those areas, remaining problems, and possible solutions. The sessions were co-facilitated by representatives of the Yemeni government and LM thematic editors for each subject. Participants then reported back their findings. A brief summary of the problems identified and recommendations made follows.

On mine clearance, work seems to be advancing at a good pace. The main problems are finding funding to shift to a larger number of smaller platoons; finding explosives to destroy the cleared AP mines in situ rather than moving them back to storage depots for later destruction; finding funds and ways to mark areas in areas of shifting sand, and identifying the technology to clear these sand dune areas. The ICBL emphasized that Yemen should refrain from referring to the marking of the dune areas as “permanent,” and noted that it had an obligation to continue to look for technological solutions to eventually clear them. Finally, Yemen might need to ask for an extension of its 10-year mine clearance deadline. If so, it should request as short a period as possible and should submit it nine months ahead of the 9MSP, making use of the template to be finalized at the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in April 2007.

Concerning Mine Risk Education, it appears that the major challenges are reaching communities that are spread out and hard to access because of difficult geographical terrain. A lack of funding prevents travel to these areas and printing enough materials. It was also noted that more effort needs to be made to reach women and children, as they make up the majority of victims but due to cultural restrictions cannot always access information in the same way as men. The LM research coordinator inquired into the provision of “emergency MRE” done after new landmine accidents (which appears to happen), the reclassification of villages after such accidents to higher priority (which does not occur), and provision of MRE to villages outside of mine clearance operations (apparently not a priority because there have not been recent victims in these areas).

On the subject of Victim Assistance (VA), the key problems to redress were the lack of widespread knowledge about the services available to survivors and about their rights; lack of coordination and communication among those active in VA and services for persons with disabilities – including NGOs, government agencies, independent bodies and international organizations; insufficient economic reintegration programs; no programs for psychosocial support; and a need to clarify the roles and responsibilities of YEMAC, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Affairs. Finally, it was suggested that setting up a health and social insurance mechanism could allow for higher pensions and affordable continuing medical care. Lessons learned on the creation of such a mechanism could be taken from other countries in the region, such as Jordan.

-Tamar Gabelnick,

lCBL Treaty Implementation Director

 

FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION: Tajikistan

Another workshop to look at the progress made and remaining challenges in the implementation of the Antipersonnel Mine Ban Treaty was held jointly by the ICBL and the Tajik Mine Action Center (TMAC) on 30 March. The ICBL decided to go to Tajikistan because of its interest in supporting a state that has developed strong programs in mine action and victim assistance but is having unusual difficulties attracting international assistance. The goal was to explore this and other implementation challenges and to discuss possible solutions. Tajikistan’s deadline for destruction of mines in mined areas under Article 5 of the treaty is 1 April 2010, and it is one of the “VA24” states facing particular challenges with regard to survivor assistance.

The workshop was well attended by the major actors in mine action and victim assistance in Tajikistan including representatives of the Tajik government, the Tajikistan Mine Action Center (TMAC), the UNDP, the ICBL – including its Tajikistan campaign — the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), UNICEF, the Tajikistan Red Crescent Society (TRCS) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as well as local and international NGOs (including the only mine action operator, Fondation Suisse de Deminage). Of the major donor states and organizations invited to participate in the workshop, however, only Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom attended part of the workshop.

The main conclusion of this workshop is that Tajikistan has taken great strides towards fulfilling its obligations under the treaty, but other States Parties to the treaty have fallen short of their duty to support Tajikistan’s efforts. The lack of international assistance coupled with Tajikistan’s inability to provide additional funding of its own are putting at risk ongoing mine clearance and victim assistance activities and making it difficult to plan future work. TMAC has developed a plan of action to clear the remaining 25 square kilometers of suspected mined areas, but it will require at least $12 million and another three years to complete clearance. In addition to a shortage of funds, mine clearance in Tajikistan is complicated by the difficult terrain (93% of the country is mountainous) and the fact that much of the mined areas lie along disputed international borders.

At the same time, the workshop took note of the need for Tajikistan to speed up nationalization of the mine action work currently being run by TMAC with UNDP support and executed by the Fondation Suisse de Deminage (FSD). Treaty implementation is ultimately the responsibility of the government of Tajikistan, which needs to have the capacity to run mine action operations, in part so that it can maintain work after international operators, technical advisors, and donors have left the country. The transition should begin with the establishment of a civilian agency to manage mine action and an increase in Tajikistan’s own spending on mine clearance and victim assistance.

TMAC has also developed a national plan for victim assistance that the UNDP has held up as a model for other countries. But no international support has been provided for this work to date. Despite a lack of funding, TMAC continues to run small-scale projects to provide economic and medical assistance to Tajikistan’s approximately 600 landmine victims. Mine Risk Education is being provided to 128 mine-affected communities, but more needs to be done to establish and disseminate MRE standards and to integrate MRE with other social sectors such as housing, construction and agriculture.

-Tamar Gabelnick,

ICBL Treaty Implementation Director

 

7. Ensuring Further Success: Campaigner & Researcher Training Meeting

With so much achieved already – over 150 countries now members of the Mine Ban Treaty, millions of mines cleared, production and export of antipersonnel mines drastically cut – how do we sustain this success? How can ICBL and Landmine Monitor maintain the momentum needed to reach our ultimate goal, a world free of antipersonnel mines?

“People” is my one-word answer to this question. The ideas and energy needed to “ensure further success” come from the many people involved in the campaign – and the fact that new people continue to get involved is remarkable in a campaign that has been around for so long. Some of these campaigners and researchers, old (like me) and new, came together in Aden, Yemen, from 4 to 7 February for a series of workshops and field visits all intended to ensure the further success of ICBL.

The Ensuring Further Success meeting was unusual in that it combined both campaigning and Landmine Monitor research. Workshops were advocacy-focused, research-focused or general interest. What impressed me was how campaigners and researchers interchanged, going to almost all workshops, and how over-subscribed most workshops were. It was really encouraging to see long lists of names signed up for each workshop. This shows how well ICBL and Landmine Monitor have succeeded in maintaining people’s interest and enthusiasm.

Advocacy workshops focused on the main treaty obligations – for clearance of mined areas (Article 5), victim assistance (Article 6), stockpile destruction, legislation, etc, and also cluster munitions, ICBL’s new campaigning issue.

Research workshops focused on the practicalities of researching for Landmine Monitor on countries’ ban policy, mine action, mine risk education, victim assistance, funding, and non-state armed groups. There were also workshops on writing research reports and an introductory briefing session for new researchers which was very well attended. Campaigners came along too, saying they’d like to get involved in Landmine Monitor research in future. Jackie Hansen, Landmine Monitor’s Project Manager, joined me in facilitating this introductory session, and afterwards we both thought this is a “must” for future meetings.

Other workshops covered an interesting range of topics relevant both to campaigning and research. John Rodsted gave several very popular sessions on how to take photos and videos “like a pro.” From these, Jackie is expecting a lot of good photographs for the new Landmine Monitor report and the Executive Summary (yes, this is a reminder to everyone!).

Field visits were also a big part of the Yemen training meeting. They provided a good opportunity for researchers and thematic experts to observe real-life conditions and to discuss best practice with local practitioners; feedback and dialogue with local people is continuing as part of the Landmine Monitor research process.

The national NGO Yemen Mine Awareness Association and the Yemen Executive Mine Action Center’s cooperation was much appreciated for these field visits; several of them were re-arranged from what had originally been planned.

ICBL staff organized the Ensuring Further Success training meeting in Aden, so special thanks should go to them as well as local ICBL members and Canadian Young Professional Natalie Abdou. It is now our task to ensure that this excellent combined ICBL/Landmine Monitor meeting benefits the research and editing process for Landmine Monitor Report 2007, as we accelerate towards our production deadlines

-Ian Doucet,

Editor-in-Chief, Landmine Monitor

 

8. Campaign News in Brief

Azerbaijan CBL RELEASES Update D 2006 Statistics

Research conducted by the Azerbaijan Campaign to Ban Landmines (AzCBL) and its local coordinators indicates that there were 35 new mine/UXO victims in 2006.

Four people were killed, while 31 were wounded in a total of 20 accidents. Eleven of the victims were civilians, including two children who were wounded, and two Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) deminers, also injured. There are reports of a least a dozen more incidents involving military personnel still being investigated by AzCBL and the possibility of unreported incidents also exists.

Some incidents took place in the Shaqan settlement of Baku city while others were recorded in Aghjabedi, Aghdam, Aghstafa, Gedebey, Ter-Ter, Goranboy, Gazakh, and Fizuli regions.

The 2006 figures are substantially lower than in 2005, which saw the highest number of casualties this decade due to a single deadly explosion in a UXO workshop. Azerbaijan’s mine contamination problem is due both to a six-year conflict with Armenia and Soviet-era munitions dumping.

CONGRATULATIONS!

On 28 December 2006, Angola marked in a public ceremony the destruction and demilitarization of its known stock of antipersonnel landmines, thus meeting its 1 January 2007 deadline under Article 4 of the Mine Ban Treaty.

Indonesia - State Party #153!

On 20 February 2007, the Republic of Indonesia deposited its instrument of ratification to the United Nations, thus becoming the 153rd State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. The treaty will enter into force for Indonesia on 1 August 2007. Indonesia was one of the original signatories of the Mine Ban Treaty in 1997. There are now only two remaining signatories that have not yet ratified: Poland and the Marshall Islands.

CAMBODIA JOINS PROCESS TO BAN CLUSTER MUNITIONS

During a landmine-related conference in Phnom Penh on 14 March, Deputy Prime Minister Sok An stated that Cambodia will join the international process to ban cluster munitions, initiated in Oslo in February 2007.

THAI MFA RECOGNISES IMPORTANCE OF SOLVING LANDMINE PROBLEM

Representatives of the Thai Campaign to Ban Landmines and other relevant NGOs met with Thailand’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Sawanit Kongsiri on 4 April 2007, International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. During the meeting, Mr. Sawanit also commended TCBL and other NGOs for driving forward the governmental mechanisms to end landmines in Thailand. He acknowledged that the landmine problem has a major impact on the disadvantaged people in poor regions of the country and stressed the determination of the Ministry to act in accordance with the Mine Ban Treaty and to provide cooperation to both public and private organizations to clear landmines along Thai borders.

Discussions also touched upon the direction in which the work on landmine clearance should proceed to meet the requirements of the Treaty, and focussed especially on: 1) the extension of the deadline for the completion of clearance, which is set for 1 May 2009 under article 5 of the Treaty; 2) the restructuring of Thailand’s Mine Action Center, which is the main agency dealing with the landmine problem; and 3) the extension of cooperation from Thailand’s Prostheses Foundation to Vietnam to enhance the efficiency of prosthetic services in that country.

Mine awareness day in Sudan

On 4 April, a group of national and international NGOs (AAR Japan, ABRAR, Jasmar and Friends of Peace and Development FPDO), and UN agencies organized a “Special Mine Awareness Campaign” in Sudan.

The celebration started with a rally, followed by speeches by the Sudan Campaign to Ban Landmines, which has 55 member NGOs, by the Director of the National Mine Action Office, Mr. Awad Albasheer and UNMAO Senior Technical Advisor Mr. Jim Pansegrouw.

Mr. Alio, State Minister of the Ministry of Interior, was the guest of honor. Alio is from the SPLA and said that they were supportive of the Mine Ban Treaty since the beginning and they will always be against landmines. He also said that mines do not only affect the survivors but also their families and the whole society.

Mr. Badreldin Ahmed Hassan delivered a speech on behalf of survivors, reflecting their challenges and hopes, talking about the laws and national constitutions, as well as congratulating Sudan for the signing of the International Convention on the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. He called for ratification of the Convention and for better implementation of national laws. He also called on donors to support Mine Action projects, and especially rehabilitation centers.

The day’s programme also included children presenting songs about landmines, and several different exhibitions.

ACTIVITIES in Cambodia

Members of the Cambodian Campaign organised a series of activities — including a blessing dance performed by landmine survivors and other disabled youth in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Sok An — at the Forum on “Mine Action: Implications for Peace and Development”, convened by the governments of Cambodia and Canada in Phnom Penh on 12-14 March.

NEPAL: WORKSHOP ON THE ROLE OF STUDENTS IN MRE

On 2 April, representatives of 11 student organizations — including the Maoist sister organization — and of various student unions gathered in Kathmandu to discuss the role of student organizations in minimizing the risk of mines in Nepal. Victims from Ramechhap and Gulmi districts addressed the workshop, which reached the following conclusion: "To minimize the risk of mines, student organizations need to play a vital role". Recommendations from the workshop included, among others: giving special Mine Risk Education (MRE) training to members of the student organizations’ central committees; publishing and distributing MRE materials nationwide including through student networks, which should also be encouraged to find creative tools for MRE including drama, art etc; involving parents in MRE and including MRE in the school curriculum. The workshop also recommended advocating with the government to join the Mine Ban Treaty and with the Maoists to surrender their weapons as soon as possible. Advocacy activities should also focus on encouraging the creation of Joint (government and Maoist) Survey Teams to identify mined areas and carry out mapping and clearance. The new armed groups emerging in the Terai region should be closely monitored. And finally, victim assistance should be encouraged and improved, without any distinction between victims on the basis of caste or geographic location.

For a mine-free world, days of analysis, action and commitment in Barcelona

On 4 and 5 April, experts representing the ICBL, the Colombian and Sahrawi Campaigns to Ban Landmines,Geneva Call and the Lebanon Landmines Resource Centre, met in Barcelona for two days of activities focusing on the challenges of universalization andimplementation of the Mine Ban Treaty, action to involve Non-State armed groups in the mine ban and on the newly-launched process to reach a ban on cluster munitions The programme of the event, organized by Catalan NGO Moviment per la Pau, included roundtable discussions, a presentation on Lebanon in the aftermath of the summer 2006 conflict, the showing of videos on cluster munitions and photo exhibitions on victim assistance in Colombia — where Moviment per la Pau supports VA projects carried out by the Colombian CBL — and on the mine situation in Western Sahara.

8MSP preparations under way

On 10-11 February 2007, ICBL conducted a mission to Jordan to visit the conference venue and scout out hotels, venues and services to prepare for the 8th Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty (8MSP), scheduled to be held from 18 to 22 November 2007 at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center in Jordan. The delegation also met with the National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation, as well as representatives of ICBL members in Jordan, to discuss the NGO role and presence at the 8MSP, and how to get ready for this important event.

Cycling for a Mine-Free Colombia

The journey began on 10 December 2006 when three Colombians left Bogotá to cycle to Ushuaia in Argentina — the southernmost tip of the American continent — in a bid to support the Colombian Campaign to Ban Landmines and to draw international attention to their

INDIAN CBL COORDINATES ADVOCACY SEMINARS IN THE NORTH EAST

In the last months of 2006, the Indian CBL along with the Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament & Environmental Protection arranged a series of seminars to educate about the dangers of landmines and advocate against their use.

The seminars took place in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura. These states are situated in the North Eastern part of India, bordering with China, Burma, Bangladesh and Bhutan. More than 68 militant groups are active in this region. They are using landmines and IEDs and innocent civilians— including women and children—have already lost their lives and limbs as a consequence. In the 1962 India-China war, the Indian army planted landmines along the long border of Arunachal Pradesh.

The seminars received tremendous response from the public, politicians, bureaucrats, policy makers, and wide coverage in the electronic and print media. The message from the seminars was also conveyed to the people in Delhi, urging the Indian government to sign the Mine Ban Treaty.

Thai CBL Urges Burmese peace negotiators to discuss landmines

On the occasion of talks between representatives of the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the 7th Brigade of the ethnic armed opposition group Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) in Yangon in January, the Thailand CBL called on negotiators to include in the final agreement the following points:

• That both parties clearly and unambiguously marks their mine fields on the date of the commencement of a ceasefire;
• That both parties commit to refrain from any use of landmines, and that laying of landmines be considered a violation of a ceasefire or an act of aggression;
• That both parties seek the assistance of the United Nations Mine Action Service and other international agencies in developing mine action plans for implementation prior to the return of any displaced persons

"Landmines laid by these and other parties to the conflict will remain in the ground after any agreement they sign. An acknowledgment of the urgency of this issue within any cessation of hostilities would build confidence and would show a real commitment toward a lasting peace," said Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan, Landmine Monitor researcher for Burma/Myanmar.

ICBL speaks at Cluster Munition Press Conference

The ICBL joined forces with Handicap International, Human Rights Watch, and Netwerk Vlaanderen for a press conference on 28 February in Brussels, Belgium. The topic was “Cluster Bombs - Who is on the black list?” and was intended as an update on cluster munitions policy and production, on investments in cluster munitions producers and on the humanitarian needs of cluster munitions survivors and affected communities. It came after the Oslo conference on clusters earlier in the month, and ahead of the March 1 anniversary of the Mine Ban Treaty. The media turn-out was very high and resulted in extensive international coverage. For more information see www.netwerkvlaanderen.be

Pakistan: RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS PASS RESOLUTION

On March 7th SPADO held a religious scholar workshop entitled “The Role of Religious Scholars in Banning Landmines” in the Auditorium of Seikh Zyed Islamic Center. It was held in collaboration with Department of Islamic Studies of the University of Peshawar. A large number of religious scholars, teachers and students of Islamic studies attended the workshop to discuss the issue in detail. The group passed a resolution asking the government to not lay mines on its Afghan border.

Universalization in the Gulf hope for

In March 2007 an ICBL delegation conducted advocacy visits to Bahrain and Kuwait to promote universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty. Both countries showed encouraging signs of openness. In Bahrain the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs undertook to raise the issue with the Ministry of Defence and Prime Minister’s Office, and high ranking parliamentarians promised that they would proactively encourage the government to join. In Kuwait the delegation learned that the accession bill was unanimously approved by the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee and is now pending for approval by the plenary.

SOUTHEAST ASIA REGIONAL FORUM ON CLUSTERs

Government representatives from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, Afghanistan, Jordan, Japan, Austria, Canada, Germany, and Norway ,UN agencies, the ICRC, and NGOs met in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 15 March for the first regional forum on cluster munitions, organised by the ICBL and CMC. The forum aimed to raise awareness on the impact of cluster munitions in South-east Asia and globally, and to secure regional support for the new international process aimed at achieving a legally binding instrument on these weapons.

 

9. CELEBRATING 1 MARCH

CANADA— Left to right: Steve Goose (HRW), Simon Conway (Landmine Action), Paul Hannon (Mines Action Canada) and Isabelle Daoust (Canadian Red Cross) testify before Canada’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development on the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions.

CANADA/2— A total of 32 events, including a press conference on Capitol Hill and several shoepiles, took place across the country throughout Canadian Landmine Awareness Week. The theme chosen for the week was Lethal Barriers to Development – Landmines are NOT the Exception!

PAKISTAN—A conference was held in Islamabad on 1st March 2007 titled “1997-2007: Ten Years of the Mine Ban Treaty, A Success in Progress” The conference consisted of four panels including Political, Media, Experts and Religious scholars. The keynote speech was delivered by the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner Mr. Stuart Hughes, who expressed support for SPADO towards banning antipersonnel landmines and termed the Ottawa Convention of 1997 as a significant accomplishment. He also said he hoped to welcome Pakistan to the Ottawa Convention meetings.

The Political panel saw the participation of the Leaders of the People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPP), Pakhtoonkhwa Mili Awami Party (PMAP) and Awami National Party (ANP). Former Ambassador and vice President of the Pakistan Muslim League Akram Zaki urged the international community to make meaningful the Ottawa Convention and to put pressure on major powers to join, while Haji Adeel leader of the Awami National Party urged the government to withdraw its decision to mine the border. He said that the ANP is against the use of landmines which have killed and maimed thousands of innocent people in the tribal areas adjoining Afghanistan. Similarly, leaders of the PPPP and PMAP also supported SPADO in its efforts to stop the government of Pakistan to mine the border. The political parties suggested that SPADO should arrange an all parties conference on landmines in Pakistan where they will pressurize the government not to use landmines. Speakers of the political panel said they will suggest their leaders and think tanks to include the issue of landmines in their manifestoes and will work jointly with SPADO to ban this pernicious weapon.

NEPAL — On 1 March, the Nepal Campaign to Ban Landmines published the first issue of its new monthly newsletter “Mine Action”.