WASHINGTON: Global use of antipersonnel mines fell dramatically in 2002, dramatically reducing the number of people killed by the devices, according to a report released on Tuesday by a global anti-landmine consortium.
“We are thrilled to say that progress on landmine issues remains firm and forward-moving,” Jodie Williams, 1997 Nobel Peace Prize co-winner for her work to ban landmines and founder of the International Coalition to Ban Landmines (ICBL), told a press conference here.
The good news included a drop in the number of countries using the arms, signing of the anti-landmine treaty by 12 countries and ratification (approval by a nation’s legislature) by another 10 countries.
One dark spot was the record of the United States, according to Stephen Goose, executive director of the arms division at Human Rights Watch. HRW acts as the coordinating agency for the ICBL, an international coalition of over 1,400 NGOs committed to banning landmines, and is one of the main editors of the annual report.
Although the United States did not produce or deploy landmines in 2002, it cut funding for mining action and has still not committed to explicitly ban landmines, added Goose. Since 1997, 136 countries have ratified the Mine Ban Treaty.
The US Congress, which must ratify any treaty the government proposes to join, has not ratified the agreement. Washington’s landmine policy is currently under a “governmental review” started in 2001 and is due to be completed later this year.
Belarus and Afghanistan were two of this year’s signatories. The latter, one of the most heavily mined nations in the world, was also one of the largest recipients of aid for “mine action”, which includes de-mining, destroying and other activities to end the use of mines.
Belarus was the most recent nation to sign the treaty (Sept 3). Its accession is important not only because it has the world’s sixth largest stockpile of landmines (that it will now have to destroy), but also because it is in a “region of former Soviet Republics that has been a weak spot” for mine action, according to Goose.
The report, “The Landmine Monitor report 2003: Toward A Mine- Free World”, identified significant decreases in landmine use by both governments and non-government actors.
It will be presented at the annual states parties meeting (of treaty signatories) on Sept 15 in Bangkok.
“The number of governments and rebel groups using anti-personnel mines has continued to decrease,” said HRW’s Mary Wareham. “There are currently only two governments — Myanmar and Russia — planting anti personnel mines on a regular basis.”
The only country to start using mines in 2002 was Iraq, leading up to and during the recent conflict with the US-led coalition that attacked the country in March.
The coalition also “identified a decrease in use by non-state actors”, such as guerrilla and rebel groups, Goose added. The only increases were noted in Colombia and Nepal, where growing use by anti-government movements has led to increased casualties.
Global production of landmines fell off tremendously, to only 15 producers in 2002. Many of the 15 nations that retain producer status are not currently manufacturing landmines, but retain the capacity to do so.
Encouragingly, the number of global landmine victims also decreased, from 26,000 in 2001, to 15,000-20,000 for 2002.
Another positive development was the boost in funding for mine action worldwide to 309 million dollars, a 30 per cent increase from the previous year.—Dawn/The InterPress News Service.