UNICEF welcomes draft landmine treaty

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UNICEF welcomes draft landmine treaty

Thursday, 18 September 1997: UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy today praised the adoption of a draft treaty in Oslo, Norway, banning anti-personnel landmines, but expressed disappointment over the withdrawal of the United States at the last minute from the Canadian-led talks, and the failure of the Federation of Russia and China to participate at all.

"This is a victory for all the people and their governments who have fought to end the senseless maiming and killing of civilians, including many children, " Ms. Bellamy said.

"The survival of the text in its undiluted form demonstrates that the Ottawa process works. The international community has made the right choice in the face of unrelenting pressure to soften its provisions. There was a moment when the persistent lobby to weaken the treaty could have destroyed what we had achieved, but good judgment prevailed in the end."

The Ottawa process is an initiative that began in the Canadian capital in October 1996 with the first international strategy meeting of governments committed to a global landmine ban.

During the past year, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines has brought together civic groups, international and national non-governmental organizations, the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) as well as the UNICEF and other inter-governmental organizations.

Over 100 nations were represented in the three-week conference in Oslo, where they negotiated the text for the treaty. Ms. Bellamy expressed the conviction that the momentum has been created for other nations to join. "I am sure there will be hold-outs, but most of the world will come on board."

The treaty, which will be open for signature beginning on 3 December in Ottawa, prohibits the use, production, development, acquisition, sale, stockpiling and transfer of anti-personnel landmines. It is to come into force after a minimum of 40 national legislatures ratify it.

The US withdrew after failing to achieve a compromise on its demands to allow its use of mixed mine systems ( which include anti personnel landmines); to provide for a nine-year delay before the treaty takes effect; and to suspend the provisions of the treaty during war time.

For every mine removed worldwide, 20 new ones are planted. The mines are responsible for 800 casualties a month, a million since 1975, 30 per cent of them under the age of 15. More than 115 million unexploded mines remain concealed in the earth worldwide, a number that is growing by two million annually. Most of the mines are in some 70 developing countries, 18 of them in Africa.

A mine only costs about $3 to lay and $10 to produce, but up to $1,000 to remove.

The treaty does not cover anti-tank mines which usually need the pressure of a heavy vehicle to cause an explosion. Yet anti-tank mines have claimed the lives of civilians travelling in trucks and farmers on their tractors.

Besides continuing its support for the Ottawa process, UNICEF will continue to provide assistance to treat and rehabilitate mine victims, and support landmine awareness programmes, another clause in the treaty.

"Educating people about the dangers of landmines is particularly crucial since many of the landmines already laid will take decades to clear," said Ms. Bellamy.