STOCK PILES OF MINES DESTROYED. GOOD !
POSSIBLE MINE USE IN IRAQ. BAD !

Stockpiles of anti-personnel mines from 43 countries- 30 million anti-personnel mines – have been destroyed by the fourth anniversary of the Ottawa Treaty to Ban Landmines. In addition, there has been a virtual halt to antipersonnel mine exports, a dramatic drop in mine production, notable decrease in mine use, and clearance of large tracts of mine-infested land. However, antipersonnel mines still claim an estimated 15-20,000 new victims each year in some 70 countries.

"The tide has turned against antipersonnel mines and much has been achieved in the last four years," said ICBL ambassador and co-laureate of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, Jody Williams. "However, any new use threatens the progress we've made and may undercut the international norm against mine use," said Williams. Today, there are 131 member states, plus a further 15 signatory states. Still, 48 nations have failed to sign up to the treaty, including China, Egypt, India, Israel, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia and the USA.

On the anniversary, the campaign reiterated its call on Iraq, the US and other parties to a possible war in Iraq to refrain from mine use. "Any new use will multiply the daily devastation caused by Iraq's existing mines," said campaign coordinator, Elizabeth Bernstein. Iraq is a severely mine-affected country, its minefields a legacy of the last Gulf War, the Iran-Iraq War, decades of internal conflict and World War II. The United States last used antipersonnel mines in the 1991 Gulf War, and has deployed about 90,000 landmines to the region already for possible use in Iraq.

The campaign also warned U.S. military allies, the majority of which are States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, to stick to their treaty obligations. The Mine Ban Treaty requires all States Parties to "never under any circumstance assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention."

Of the 43 States Parties to complete stockpile destruction, the most recent are Japan (8 February), El Salvador (mid-February), Macedonia (20 February), Djibouti (27 February) and Mozambique (28 February). Among those states with a deadline of 1 March 2003, the ICBL is concerned about Turkmenistan, which previously declared a stockpile of 233,529 antipersonnel mines, but has not reported on its destruction program.

In Cambodia the anniversary week was celebrated in Angkor Thom (Siem Reap), in Prey Thom, (Battambang) and Reasmey Samaki (Banteay Meanchey) with plays, dances and mine risk demonstrations. In Prey Thom, a small girl Srey Nieng who lost her leg to an anti-personnel mine while picking flowers in her home garden last August called on all the participants 'TO DO ONE THING EVERY DAY TO MAKE PEACE GROW LIKE A FLOWER'.

ICBL has launched an ASIAN APPEAL to get all countries in the region to become states parties to the Ottawa Treaty before the 5 Meeting of States Parties in Bangkok in September 2003. ICBL Ambassador Tun Channareth will visit Brunei and Indonesia. Papua New Guinea has declared its intention to join the Treaty in a letter from Prime Minister Michael Somare to Cambodia Campaign.

1 March 2003

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