Release to Embassy of.....

29 May 2003

Dear Excellency,

Greetings and best wishes for a very good Asean meeting in June!

This week our ICBL Ambassador, Tun Channareth from Cambodia is in Indonesia, along with Ambassador Ross Hynes of Ottawa discussing ratification of the Mine Ban Treaty with the Indonesian government.

We are still hoping that Asean will have 10 out of 10 States at the 5th Meeting of States Parties to the Land Mine Treaty to be held in Bangkok in September. For this to be a reality, the countries of Singapore, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar/Burma need to accede to the treaty and Indonesia and Brunei need to deposit their documents of ratification. We encourage these governments to make this important step on behalf of the children, women and men injured by landmines and UXO.

We are eager also that countries like China, the United States, Cuba, South Korea, Finland, Russia and India, who have given aid and personnel over many years to help this mine affected country and its victims of landmines also become States Parties to this important treaty. We need to eradicate the problems caused by mines and UXO at their root, by banning them.

Not to use anti personnel mines has been accepted as an international norm for ethical behavior by states. Not to use anti personnel mines is one way to increase human security and to avoid further physical mutilation of children and adults. Not to use anti-personnel mines means that the land needing to be cleared from these explosive remnants does not become larger, and makes mine and UXO clearance more possible and more rapid.

As you celebrate Asean unity in June, we ask that you show solidarity with those countries of the region which count the elimination of mines and UXO as an important path in their poverty reduction strategy. Join the Mine Ban Treaty now. Ten out of ten for ASEAN in Bangkok!!

We enclose a booklet just received from colleagues in Thailand which conveys the information on the mines issue in the region.

Hoping you can respond to this challenge, and that we will see you in Bangkok in September,

Yours respectfully,

Ny Nhar, Denise Coghlan

Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines