Thursday, 1 March 2012
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Thursday, 7 April 2011
“The effects of landmines in the Western Sahara and the international community”
by Gaici Nah / Translation Tim Kustusch
On April 4, 2007, a 10-year-old girl named Irma Janeth was severely injured after tragically stepping on an anti-personnel landmine in the Quebardona region of Colombia. Each year, this date marks the observance of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
This initiative inspired the UN General Assembly to condemn the use of these often unperceivable weapons and raise awareness of the growing threat that they pose to human beings.
It would be ideal if this decision – which represents a considerable achievement for humankind – were to be implemented equally around the world. Since the beginning of the war against the Saharawi people, the Moroccan army undertook a massive, systematic mining of the territory of the former Spanish colony. In just a few short years, the Western Sahara was transformed into one of the world’s most contaminated territories, with mines and other unexploded ordinances.
The double standard with which the international community treats the Sahara and its people is manifested not only in political issues, but also in humanitarian concerns, such as landmines and their grave consequences. Indeed, on February 2, 2011, a 4-year-old Saharawi girl named Muna Elhafed – who, for a lack of parks for children, was walking around in her native region of Bir Lehlu – picked up a French-made M-42 cluster bomb and threw it to the ground, ending in a painful tragedy. Rather than being condemned or discussed in the UN General Assembly, as was the case of the Colombian girl Irma, no international media outlet so much as mentioned this terrible accident. The indiscriminate nature of landmines and the double standards of the international community prey on the innocent.
There is no doubt that the Moroccan army is the primary guilty party for the contamination of the Sahara, but there are also accomplices – in fact, some of the countries that are currently undertaking the attacks on Libya are providers of the millions of mines that make the Western Sahara a dangerous tinderbox. These mines continue to maim and kill Saharawis every day, as do explosive remains of war (ERWs) and unexploded ordinances (UXOs). The wall of shame, which was built by Morocco in the early 1980s and splits the territory in two to this day, harbors millions of these weapons.
This criminal assistance and the double standard of the international community only encourage the government of Morocco to continue refusing to join the prohibition of anti-personnel landmines and cluster bombs. It is not surprising that someone once concluded that war is the continuation of politics by more violent means. Landmines represent the continuation of war, but in an even more cruel and shameful manner. Why then, do other countries not intervene to protect Saharawi civilians? The Saharawis face daily these terrible remains of war, yet no European country denounces the precarious landmine situation in the Western Sahara. These biased policies deepen the pain of landmine victims and lengthen the suffering of a people.
To give an example, would it not be more practical and less costly to – in defense of human rights – persuade Morocco to destroy the anti-personnel landmines and prohibit their use, rather than to mobilize an arsenal of aircraft carriers, fighters, warships, and bombers to undertake a questionable war “on behalf of human rights” in Libya?
It is for these supposed reasons that Spanish President Zapatero has joined the coalition for a war in Libya. The same Zapatero defended the Spanish position regarding the incidents at Gdeim Izik last November, citing overlapping interests. Unfortunately, the human rights interests of Spain and France are not on the same scale in Libya and in Morocco or the Western Sahara.
And why did France veto the supervision of human rights in the Western Sahara in April of 2010? If these utopian rights do not become universal, they will remain a mere instrument of interest or payoff. It is too soon after the start of the war in Libya for France to forget the very reasons for which that war was begun!
In the next Security Council meeting in April, France and the international community will essentially square off against themselves.
This initiative inspired the UN General Assembly to condemn the use of these often unperceivable weapons and raise awareness of the growing threat that they pose to human beings.
It would be ideal if this decision – which represents a considerable achievement for humankind – were to be implemented equally around the world. Since the beginning of the war against the Saharawi people, the Moroccan army undertook a massive, systematic mining of the territory of the former Spanish colony. In just a few short years, the Western Sahara was transformed into one of the world’s most contaminated territories, with mines and other unexploded ordinances.
The double standard with which the international community treats the Sahara and its people is manifested not only in political issues, but also in humanitarian concerns, such as landmines and their grave consequences. Indeed, on February 2, 2011, a 4-year-old Saharawi girl named Muna Elhafed – who, for a lack of parks for children, was walking around in her native region of Bir Lehlu – picked up a French-made M-42 cluster bomb and threw it to the ground, ending in a painful tragedy. Rather than being condemned or discussed in the UN General Assembly, as was the case of the Colombian girl Irma, no international media outlet so much as mentioned this terrible accident. The indiscriminate nature of landmines and the double standards of the international community prey on the innocent.
There is no doubt that the Moroccan army is the primary guilty party for the contamination of the Sahara, but there are also accomplices – in fact, some of the countries that are currently undertaking the attacks on Libya are providers of the millions of mines that make the Western Sahara a dangerous tinderbox. These mines continue to maim and kill Saharawis every day, as do explosive remains of war (ERWs) and unexploded ordinances (UXOs). The wall of shame, which was built by Morocco in the early 1980s and splits the territory in two to this day, harbors millions of these weapons.
This criminal assistance and the double standard of the international community only encourage the government of Morocco to continue refusing to join the prohibition of anti-personnel landmines and cluster bombs. It is not surprising that someone once concluded that war is the continuation of politics by more violent means. Landmines represent the continuation of war, but in an even more cruel and shameful manner. Why then, do other countries not intervene to protect Saharawi civilians? The Saharawis face daily these terrible remains of war, yet no European country denounces the precarious landmine situation in the Western Sahara. These biased policies deepen the pain of landmine victims and lengthen the suffering of a people.
To give an example, would it not be more practical and less costly to – in defense of human rights – persuade Morocco to destroy the anti-personnel landmines and prohibit their use, rather than to mobilize an arsenal of aircraft carriers, fighters, warships, and bombers to undertake a questionable war “on behalf of human rights” in Libya?
It is for these supposed reasons that Spanish President Zapatero has joined the coalition for a war in Libya. The same Zapatero defended the Spanish position regarding the incidents at Gdeim Izik last November, citing overlapping interests. Unfortunately, the human rights interests of Spain and France are not on the same scale in Libya and in Morocco or the Western Sahara.
And why did France veto the supervision of human rights in the Western Sahara in April of 2010? If these utopian rights do not become universal, they will remain a mere instrument of interest or payoff. It is too soon after the start of the war in Libya for France to forget the very reasons for which that war was begun!
In the next Security Council meeting in April, France and the international community will essentially square off against themselves.
Saturday, 30 October 2010
A Finite Problem That Can Be Resolved
A Finite Problem That Can Be Resolved
On 25 October 2010 as Disarmament Week opened, the ICBL addressed the United Nations' First Committee on Disarmament and International Security. Zach Hudson from the United States Campaign to Ban Landmines called on all states to ensure the landmine issue remains high on the disarmament agenda: "We as civil society, governments, and international organizations, can and have made a big difference," he said. "Our work is not done yet, but it is a finite problem that can be resolved."
Remarks to the United Nations First Committee (Disarmament and International Security)
Delivered by Zach Hudson of the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines, ICBL Delegation
New York, United States
25 October 2010
Photo: Giovanni Diffidenti
Delegates and Colleagues,
I would like to start my statement with a quote to remind us why the landmine issue should remain at the top of the disarmament agenda until the Mine Ban Treaty has universal membership and is fully implemented. Perhaps some of you know the source of this quote, 25-year-old landmine survivor and ICBL campaigner from Cambodia Song Kosal. While in a recent meeting between landmine survivors and the U.S. State Department as part of the U.S. government's review of its landmine policy, Kosal paused for a moment to catch her breath before trying to explain what it was like to be the victim of a landmine. Her voice breaking but mastering control of it, she bravely told the listeners, "I just want my life back. I just want my childhood back, but this will never happen. I want to be a normal girl and get married, but this will be so difficult now. It's hard to explain how quickly everything changed. One minute I was a young girl of six playing and laughing with my family in the backyard. The next minute, with a flash and a bang, my brother was dead, and I was lying in a hospital after losing my leg. Nothing would ever be the same again. And for what? I know that what's done is done, but you cannot let this happen to anyone else ever again…."
We have come a long way since Kosal had her landmine accident. At the Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World, the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, States Parties reflected proudly on 10 years of accomplishments.
To begin with, casualty rates over the last few years have descended below the 5,000 mark, a sharp contrast to the annual estimates in the mid-1990's of somewhere around 20,000 new casualties per year. This represents a dramatic drop in loss of human lives and limbs, although we know many casualties go unreported, and the real numbers are probably much higher.
In the area of clearance, over 1300km2 of mine-contaminated land has been cleared thanks to the hard work of deminers worldwide, releasing much needed land for resettlement, farming, roads, schools, and hospitals. Just this past year five states declared themselves mine-free: Albania, Greece, Rwanda, Zambia, and recently Nicaragua. The region of Central America is now again free of landmines. A total of 16 States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty have declared that they finished their clearance obligations, an achievement that would not be possible without the commitment and support of states and civil society alike.
Over 45 million stockpiled landmines have been destroyed, ensuring that these mines will never be used and never put a human life at risk.
These indicators clearly demonstrate that with determination and dedication, we as civil society, governments, and international organizations, can and have made a big difference.
In terms of universalization, we regret that no new State has become Party to the Treaty since November 2007. At the same time, the norm of a ban on antipersonnel landmines has held firm. Nearly all of those states outside of the Mine Ban Treaty are in de facto compliance with most of its provisions. Only one state has laid significant numbers of mines in recent years-Myanmar. Virtually no state has traded in the weapon for more than a decade. Only a handful are still actively producing-notably India, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
In addition, at the Cartagena Summit, the U.S. delegation announced that the United States would begin a formal review of its landmine policy. Since then, the National Security Council has led an inter-agency review involving both the Departments of State and Defense and in consultation with key legislators, NGO leaders, government officials from States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, and landmine survivors. It is our hope that the U.S., which has contributed more to mine action than any other country in the world, will now strengthen this support with a pledge to join the treaty.
So the possibility of a truly mine-free world is looking brighter than ever. But the job is not done yet.
Reaching the treaty's goal to "end the suffering caused by antipersonnel landmines," including the full protection and promotion of rights of landmine victims, is possible in "our lifetime," as States Parties reaffirmed in the Final Declaration of the Cartagena Summit.
It's not often states have the opportunity to achieve victory over a humanitarian problem. This opportunity must not be missed and should inspire us all. To achieve this, strong, long-term political commitment and resources by States Parties and donor organizations are required.
The Cartagena Action Plan outlines some of the challenges we still face and gives States Parties an ambitious and strong plan to address them.
To begin with, 39 states are still not on board. There can be no more excuses as to why a state cannot ban this weapon when its horrendous humanitarian consequences so clearly outweigh its military utility.
Hundreds of thousands of survivors worldwide still need to see their rights respected and their needs met. States need to heed the call made by landmine survivors to give priority to socio-economic inclusion, so they can once again be productive members of their communities.
More than 70 states and territories are still affected by landmines to various degrees, and far too many States Parties have been unable to meet the Mine Ban Treaty's 10 year deadline. We ask States Parties requesting more time to clear mined areas to present clear and ambitious plans to complete clearance, and we ask those who have been granted more time to faithfully implement their plans.
At the same time, we urge donors to provide multi-year support to enable States Parties to implement clearance and victim assistance plans. We also call on mine-affected states to increase their own contributions. And we call on all parties to think creatively, strategically and in a coordinated manner about how to get the job in the most efficient way.
Finally, four States Parties with a remaining obligation to destroy stockpiles missed their mandatory 4-year deadline: Belarus, Greece, Ukraine and Turkey. These cases need to be quickly resolved so these states can come back into compliance with the treaty. States not Parties such as USA, China and Russia still stockpile over 160 million antipersonnel mines.
In order to finish the job, we need to keep up the momentum that we have generated over the last decade. So we would like to say "Keep up the energy" in your efforts to eradicate landmines. We ask you to come to the 10th Meeting of the States Parties this November with good news on recent accomplishments or clear plans to get the job done soon. We ask you to please vote in support of the UN General Assembly resolution calling for the universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty. Half of the states that have not yet joined the treaty vote in favor of the resolution to show their support for the treaty's humanitarian objectives. It is time for those who continue to abstain, to instead vote in favor.
This year we are also celebrating the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, whose 1st Meeting of the States Parties will take place in Lao PDR in November. We call on all States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty to come on board the new convention, and vice versa. We count on you.
We must always remember that every casualty number is a real person-it's your brother, your sister, your wife, your husband, your son, your daughter that we are protecting. And we ask you, as the UN famously asked in its 2005 public service announcement, "If landmines were here …"-meaning in your backyard, on your street, or in your daughter's soccer field-"…would we allow them anywhere?"
Our work is not done yet, but it is a finite problem that can be resolved. But if at any point we get bogged down in technical complexities or politics, or waver in our commitment, we must remember that we are protecting our family. In the end, we are protecting Kosal… because Kosal could be your daughter… because Kosal is your daughter... because Kosal is everyone's daughter.
Thank you.
source: ICBL
On 25 October 2010 as Disarmament Week opened, the ICBL addressed the United Nations' First Committee on Disarmament and International Security. Zach Hudson from the United States Campaign to Ban Landmines called on all states to ensure the landmine issue remains high on the disarmament agenda: "We as civil society, governments, and international organizations, can and have made a big difference," he said. "Our work is not done yet, but it is a finite problem that can be resolved."
Remarks to the United Nations First Committee (Disarmament and International Security)
Delivered by Zach Hudson of the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines, ICBL Delegation
New York, United States
25 October 2010
Photo: Giovanni Diffidenti
Delegates and Colleagues,
I would like to start my statement with a quote to remind us why the landmine issue should remain at the top of the disarmament agenda until the Mine Ban Treaty has universal membership and is fully implemented. Perhaps some of you know the source of this quote, 25-year-old landmine survivor and ICBL campaigner from Cambodia Song Kosal. While in a recent meeting between landmine survivors and the U.S. State Department as part of the U.S. government's review of its landmine policy, Kosal paused for a moment to catch her breath before trying to explain what it was like to be the victim of a landmine. Her voice breaking but mastering control of it, she bravely told the listeners, "I just want my life back. I just want my childhood back, but this will never happen. I want to be a normal girl and get married, but this will be so difficult now. It's hard to explain how quickly everything changed. One minute I was a young girl of six playing and laughing with my family in the backyard. The next minute, with a flash and a bang, my brother was dead, and I was lying in a hospital after losing my leg. Nothing would ever be the same again. And for what? I know that what's done is done, but you cannot let this happen to anyone else ever again…."
We have come a long way since Kosal had her landmine accident. At the Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World, the Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty, States Parties reflected proudly on 10 years of accomplishments.
To begin with, casualty rates over the last few years have descended below the 5,000 mark, a sharp contrast to the annual estimates in the mid-1990's of somewhere around 20,000 new casualties per year. This represents a dramatic drop in loss of human lives and limbs, although we know many casualties go unreported, and the real numbers are probably much higher.
In the area of clearance, over 1300km2 of mine-contaminated land has been cleared thanks to the hard work of deminers worldwide, releasing much needed land for resettlement, farming, roads, schools, and hospitals. Just this past year five states declared themselves mine-free: Albania, Greece, Rwanda, Zambia, and recently Nicaragua. The region of Central America is now again free of landmines. A total of 16 States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty have declared that they finished their clearance obligations, an achievement that would not be possible without the commitment and support of states and civil society alike.
Over 45 million stockpiled landmines have been destroyed, ensuring that these mines will never be used and never put a human life at risk.
These indicators clearly demonstrate that with determination and dedication, we as civil society, governments, and international organizations, can and have made a big difference.
In terms of universalization, we regret that no new State has become Party to the Treaty since November 2007. At the same time, the norm of a ban on antipersonnel landmines has held firm. Nearly all of those states outside of the Mine Ban Treaty are in de facto compliance with most of its provisions. Only one state has laid significant numbers of mines in recent years-Myanmar. Virtually no state has traded in the weapon for more than a decade. Only a handful are still actively producing-notably India, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
In addition, at the Cartagena Summit, the U.S. delegation announced that the United States would begin a formal review of its landmine policy. Since then, the National Security Council has led an inter-agency review involving both the Departments of State and Defense and in consultation with key legislators, NGO leaders, government officials from States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, and landmine survivors. It is our hope that the U.S., which has contributed more to mine action than any other country in the world, will now strengthen this support with a pledge to join the treaty.
So the possibility of a truly mine-free world is looking brighter than ever. But the job is not done yet.
Reaching the treaty's goal to "end the suffering caused by antipersonnel landmines," including the full protection and promotion of rights of landmine victims, is possible in "our lifetime," as States Parties reaffirmed in the Final Declaration of the Cartagena Summit.
It's not often states have the opportunity to achieve victory over a humanitarian problem. This opportunity must not be missed and should inspire us all. To achieve this, strong, long-term political commitment and resources by States Parties and donor organizations are required.
The Cartagena Action Plan outlines some of the challenges we still face and gives States Parties an ambitious and strong plan to address them.
To begin with, 39 states are still not on board. There can be no more excuses as to why a state cannot ban this weapon when its horrendous humanitarian consequences so clearly outweigh its military utility.
Hundreds of thousands of survivors worldwide still need to see their rights respected and their needs met. States need to heed the call made by landmine survivors to give priority to socio-economic inclusion, so they can once again be productive members of their communities.
More than 70 states and territories are still affected by landmines to various degrees, and far too many States Parties have been unable to meet the Mine Ban Treaty's 10 year deadline. We ask States Parties requesting more time to clear mined areas to present clear and ambitious plans to complete clearance, and we ask those who have been granted more time to faithfully implement their plans.
At the same time, we urge donors to provide multi-year support to enable States Parties to implement clearance and victim assistance plans. We also call on mine-affected states to increase their own contributions. And we call on all parties to think creatively, strategically and in a coordinated manner about how to get the job in the most efficient way.
Finally, four States Parties with a remaining obligation to destroy stockpiles missed their mandatory 4-year deadline: Belarus, Greece, Ukraine and Turkey. These cases need to be quickly resolved so these states can come back into compliance with the treaty. States not Parties such as USA, China and Russia still stockpile over 160 million antipersonnel mines.
In order to finish the job, we need to keep up the momentum that we have generated over the last decade. So we would like to say "Keep up the energy" in your efforts to eradicate landmines. We ask you to come to the 10th Meeting of the States Parties this November with good news on recent accomplishments or clear plans to get the job done soon. We ask you to please vote in support of the UN General Assembly resolution calling for the universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty. Half of the states that have not yet joined the treaty vote in favor of the resolution to show their support for the treaty's humanitarian objectives. It is time for those who continue to abstain, to instead vote in favor.
This year we are also celebrating the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, whose 1st Meeting of the States Parties will take place in Lao PDR in November. We call on all States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty to come on board the new convention, and vice versa. We count on you.
We must always remember that every casualty number is a real person-it's your brother, your sister, your wife, your husband, your son, your daughter that we are protecting. And we ask you, as the UN famously asked in its 2005 public service announcement, "If landmines were here …"-meaning in your backyard, on your street, or in your daughter's soccer field-"…would we allow them anywhere?"
Our work is not done yet, but it is a finite problem that can be resolved. But if at any point we get bogged down in technical complexities or politics, or waver in our commitment, we must remember that we are protecting our family. In the end, we are protecting Kosal… because Kosal could be your daughter… because Kosal is your daughter... because Kosal is everyone's daughter.
Thank you.
source: ICBL
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Western Sahara: The Desert Of Landmines
Sixteen years of fighting between Moroccan and Polisario forces, from 1975-1991, has left Western Sahara contaminated by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). During the conflict Morocco constructed a 2500 km defensive wall, known as the Berm. This earthwork fortification divides Western Sahara in two with Polisario controlling the area east of the Berm and Morocco controlling the area to the west. The barrier minebelt that runs alongside the berm is believed to be the longest continuous minefield in the world.
Survey work undertaken by Landmine Action (the only organization dealing with the problem in Western Sahara) has revealed that civilian settlements throughout the Polisario controlled area are also affected by mines and items of unexploded ordnance, including cluster munitions.
Landmine and ERW contamination hinders safe movement throughout Western Sahara for the local population and United Nations observers. Landmine Action has documented instances of mine laying along roads and tracks and at water points. Whilst this problem persists the almost 200,000 Saharawi refugees currently residing in camps in Algeria will be unable to safely return to Western Sahara and the conflict will remain frozen.
The overall objective of this programme is to develop a Saharawi capacity that is capable of responding to the landmine and ERW threat in the region. This will help to facilitate the safe return of displaced Saharawis in Algeria and will enable the resident population and UN peacekeepers to travel safely within the country.
Since the beginning of the conflict thousands of Saharawi civilians have been victims of this engines, with accidents happening almost every week. The most recent case occurred during a peaceful protest against the Moroccan wall. The blast occurred when the five victims were attempting to approach the wall by clearing a path through a barbed wire barrier that surrounds it. Ibrahim Hussein Abait, from the Saharawi refugee camp of Dakhla, suffered the gravest injury, losing his left foot in the explosion.
Ibrahim is now one of the new residents of the Landmine and War victims centre in Rabouni refugee camp, the only hospital capable to treat and provide assistance to victims and families in the all Western Sahara.
more pictures:http://www.gaia-photos.com/western-sahara-the-desert-of-landmines/
Source: Photojournalism for a globalised world!
Survey work undertaken by Landmine Action (the only organization dealing with the problem in Western Sahara) has revealed that civilian settlements throughout the Polisario controlled area are also affected by mines and items of unexploded ordnance, including cluster munitions.
Landmine and ERW contamination hinders safe movement throughout Western Sahara for the local population and United Nations observers. Landmine Action has documented instances of mine laying along roads and tracks and at water points. Whilst this problem persists the almost 200,000 Saharawi refugees currently residing in camps in Algeria will be unable to safely return to Western Sahara and the conflict will remain frozen.
The overall objective of this programme is to develop a Saharawi capacity that is capable of responding to the landmine and ERW threat in the region. This will help to facilitate the safe return of displaced Saharawis in Algeria and will enable the resident population and UN peacekeepers to travel safely within the country.
Since the beginning of the conflict thousands of Saharawi civilians have been victims of this engines, with accidents happening almost every week. The most recent case occurred during a peaceful protest against the Moroccan wall. The blast occurred when the five victims were attempting to approach the wall by clearing a path through a barbed wire barrier that surrounds it. Ibrahim Hussein Abait, from the Saharawi refugee camp of Dakhla, suffered the gravest injury, losing his left foot in the explosion.
Ibrahim is now one of the new residents of the Landmine and War victims centre in Rabouni refugee camp, the only hospital capable to treat and provide assistance to victims and families in the all Western Sahara.
more pictures:http://www.gaia-photos.com/western-sahara-the-desert-of-landmines/
Source: Photojournalism for a globalised world!
Friday, 10 September 2010
Mine explosion killed one person and injured two others
A four-wheel-drive car was blasted Thursday by a Moroccan-planted land mine near the city of Asa , killing one person and injuring two others.
According to a statement of the Collective of Saharawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA), the explosion caused the death of Saharawi child Said Daida Swailem, 14, and injured his father Daida Swailem, 71, and citizen Bushab Abdi, 20, who were on board the car checking a herd of camels.
The victims remained for more than 6 hours at the place of explosion, before an ambulance arrived to take them to the regional hospital, the same source added.
It should be recalled that Western Sahara is plagued by land mines planted by the Moroccan occupying forces which continue to hurt dozens of Saharawi citizens each year.
Source:UPES
According to a statement of the Collective of Saharawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA), the explosion caused the death of Saharawi child Said Daida Swailem, 14, and injured his father Daida Swailem, 71, and citizen Bushab Abdi, 20, who were on board the car checking a herd of camels.
The victims remained for more than 6 hours at the place of explosion, before an ambulance arrived to take them to the regional hospital, the same source added.
It should be recalled that Western Sahara is plagued by land mines planted by the Moroccan occupying forces which continue to hurt dozens of Saharawi citizens each year.
Source:UPES