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Statement by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, UN Briefing on the Mine Ban Treaty

Delivered by Steve Goose, Director

[Note: Other panelists included Ambassador Jurg Streuli of Switzerland, President of the Ninth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty; Dr. Hilde Janne Skorpen, Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN in New York; and Ambassador Jairo Montoya Pedroza, Deputy Permanent Representative of Colombia to the UN in New York.]

It is a privilege to be on this panel. Ambassador Streuli is widely admired for the strong and pro-active leadership role that he has played as President of the Ninth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty. Norway of course has provided unparalleled leadership and vision and dedication in bringing about and promoting the success of both the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Colombia has played an important role in the Mine Ban Treaty from the beginning, and has been our shining example of a state that has demonstrated the necessity and benefits of being part of treaty not just as an affected country, but as a country that is still at war, and at war with an enemy that continues to use antipersonnel mines.

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines sees the Second Review Conference-the Cartagena Summit for a Mine-Free World-as a special moment in the life of the Mine Ban Treaty. It is a critical opportunity to assess if the treaty is delivering on its promise to mine-affected communities and to elaborate concretely on how to address the many issues still preventing fulfillment of this promise. It is a time to revitalize and reinvigorate our work on the treaty, and to recommit for the long run. We need to make sure that the road to Cartagena does not end there, but rather lays a solid foundation for the continuing path to a mine-free world.

In looking at the successes and importance of the Mine Ban Treaty over the past five and even ten years, it is clear that in most areas, its impact has been impressive and its implementation has been excellent. Use of antipersonnel mines by states is now rare; in recent years, only one state has made significant use of mines, and that is Myanmar. Trade in the weapon is virtually non-existent. Production has fallen dramatically, with the most notable exceptions being India, Pakistan, and Myanmar. More than 40 million stockpiled mines have been destroyed, never to take a life or a limb. Vast tracts of land have been de-mined with numerous countries now declaring themselves mine-free. And most importantly, the number of new victims each year has declined drastically, to some 6,000 or fewer recorded casualties the last few years.

The norm against the weapon is becoming firmly entrenched, and the stigma against it now runs deep. With 156 States Parties, 80% of the world's nations have fully embraces the treaty, but even those still outside the treaty are for the most part in de facto compliance with many of its key provisions. It is time for these 39 countries to come on board, including my own country-the United States. The humanitarian and political benefits of joining will be great, while there is little to no cost in giving up an outdated relic of a weapon.

For those who insist on continuing to go slow, there are important interim steps states can take on their way to joining, such as national bans on production and trade, and a moratorium of use while accession is under consideration. 

Another step, as has been mentioned by Amb. Streuli and others, is support for the annual UN General Assembly resolution urging universalization and full implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty. Half of the states that have not yet joined the treaty nonetheless vote in favor of the resolution in order to demonstrate their support for the treaty's humanitarian objectives and their intention to join in the future. It is time for those who continue to abstain, to instead vote in favor, reflecting the nearly universal view that these weapons should at some point be eliminated from the face of the Earth.

Beyond the undeniable successes on the ground, the Mine Ban Treaty and the Ottawa Process creating it are notable for producing what has been called a new diplomacy, citizen diplomacy, which is above all responsive to the humanitarian needs of victims and affected communities, and is responsive to the call of civil society. It is characterized by a partnership between states, NGOs, the ICRC, and UN agencies. It is not a slave to consensus rules. It thrives on bold leadership and a willingness to engage in non-traditional diplomacy. It has served as a model for work on the Convention on Cluster Munitions and other issues, and should be carried forward into other areas of humanitarian disarmament.

The Cartagena Summit is a key opportunity for looking at ongoing challenges and planning for the future.  The Summit should be a signal to the world that the landmine problem is not solved and needs the continued energy of all actors until the treaty's promise is fulfilled. There are still 39 states that are not yet party to the treaty; millions of stockpiled mines remain to be destroyed, with three states currently in violation of the treaty for missing their destruction deadlines; thousands of square kilometers of mined land need to be cleared, and last year a disappointingly high 15 states had to ask for extra time to complete clearance; hundreds of thousands of survivors are still waiting to see a real difference in their daily lives. 

More specifically, the ICBL's expectations and calls for the Summit are as follows. We join the other panelists in calling for participation at the highest level possible. High level participation by all States Parties will help give teeth to the quite strong political declaration and Action Plan that have been drafted. We hope to see lots of non-States Parties participate in this meeting as well; most have attended some previous Mine Ban Treaty meeting-and Cartagena is a crucial one that all should strive to attend.

We hope that states identify the progress that has been made and come ready to pledge new steps to take. We would like to hear about notable accomplishments, and even more importantly about what you will do in the future. We hope to hear that clearance has been completed in some countries, such as Albania, and that stockpile destruction has been completed in others. We hope to hear that national plans for victim assistance have been or are being put into place. We hope to hear about increased support for mine action from both donors and affected states.

For its part, the ICBL will have a large delegation in Cartagena, including many survivors-who are the best advocates. We will organize many side events and exhibitions, as well as participate actively in the substance of work. The ICBL will utilize the Cartagena Summit to rededicate itself and to show its commitment to ending the suffering caused by antipersonnel mines. See you in Cartagena!

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