VI. COUNTRIES SUSPENDED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH30

Sierra Leone (Freetown)

Rebel forces in the east and south have used a small number of landmines along roads. Of the thirty-seven landmine-related deaths in 1993, three were civilians. There has been an average of three to four landmine incidents every month. In 1997 following the coup, the Nigerian military has been responsible for laying new minefields, resulting in some civilian casualties. The Nigerian press also reported in September that the military had intensifiedlaying of landmines around and particularly on the passage routes of ECOMOG troops and that there had been civilian landmine casualties.31 On May 6, 1997 a local NGO Sierra Leone Campaign to Ban Landmines was launched, but it lasted only a few weeks because of the coup.

Sierra Leone was a co-sponsor of UNGA Resolution 51/45S. It committed itself to support the Ottawa Process on May 21, 1997, just prior to the coup. Foreign Minister Shirley Gbujuma told Human Rights Watch that the government in exile would sign in Ottawa.32

Nigeria (Abuja)

Nigeria claims to have had landmine incidents in the past (from the Biafra war) but to have eradicated their problem. Nigerian soldiers have used landmines in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and Nigeria is known to maintain a significant stockpile of landmines, including French MIAPID48 antipersonnel mines and British Ranger mines.33

Nigeria voted "Yes" on UNGA Resolution 51/45S but did not endorse the Brussels Declaration and did not attend the Oslo negotiations.