Finish The Job 2025: A Mine Free World & The Status Of Sri Lanka

By Vidya Abhayagunawardena –April 4, 2016 

Vidya Abhayagunawardena

Today is the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.

In anti-personnel (AP) landmine-contaminated countries every day some 10 people loose their life or limbs and that means every year around 4,000 people get maimed or killed. Those injured and killed include civilians and animals during and after the conflict. This victim-activated AP landmine is considered to be an outdated and outlawed weapon in the modern world and has never helped win any war since it came into use. Around 60 countries around the world are contaminated by AP landmines. The international mine action community has set a target make the world free of AP landmines by the year 2025 and much work needs to be done in this regard.

Against AP Mines – The Mine Ban Treaty

The Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) widely known as the Ottawa Convention adopted in 1997 and entered into force in March 1999. Twenty years ago the ICRC estimated approximately 20,000 individuals, mainly civilians, were maimed or killed each year due to AP landmines. That number has gone down drastically since the treaty entered into force.

The MBT commits to: never use antipersonnel mines, nor to develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer them and destroy mines in their stockpiles within four years, clear all mined areas in their territory within 10 year, in mine-affected countries, conduct mine risk education and ensure the exclusion of civilians from mined areas, provide assistance for the care and rehabilitation, and social and economic reintegration, of mine victims, offer assistance to other States Parties, for example in providing for survivors or contributing for mine clearance programs, adopt national implementation measures (such as national legislation) to ensure that the terms of the treaty are upheld in their territory and report annually on progress in implementing the treaty.

States Parties to the MBT

Up to date 162 States Parties to the MBT and this include the entire European Union (EU), developed Commonwealth member states and other developed nations around the world. The world should be thankful that these nations support banning this weapon and their support for a mine-free world by various means. Those 162 nations’ militaries should not use, produce or stockpile such weapons since they became state parties to the MBT and particularly during recent wars. They had no security related issues protecting their land borders or military installations due to non use of AP mines.

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