Daily updates

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Monday 29th November 2004

ICBL Presentations
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) congratulated the summit presidency for the excellent documents prepared for the Review Conference and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to provide input during the drafting process, much of which was incorporated in the final texts. The ICBL also expressed the hope that these documents be not watered down, nor get overloaded with unnecessary provisions.
The ICBL delegation made reference to one impressive benchmark of the Convention’s success so far: the de facto ban on trade which also involves non State parties and some non state actors.
Finally, the delegation presented the key findings from the Landmine Monitor 2004.

Concerns for the ICBL

• Decrease in resource mobilization.
• Large stockpiles remain with countries that have not joined the Convention.
• Failure to reach common understanding regarding articles 1 and 2.
• The plight of landmine survivors is now globally known but implementation of the Convention has not made a real difference in the lives of most of them yet.

Highlights for the ICBL

• Ratification by Ethiopia, the 144th State Party to the convention.
• 75% of the world’s nations have now joined.
• Malawi announced incorporation of the Convention in domestic legislation to be approved early next year.
• The European Parliament plans to organize one full day of briefing on the outcomes of the Summit, inviting survivors to make their voices heard.

Quotes of the day
“If this trend [of diminished financial support] continues, the situation of landmine survivors is bound to further deteriorate in coming years.” (Peter Herby, International Committee of the Red Cross)

“A world free of landmines has to be made sooner rather than later” (Representative of Nigeria)

Tuesday 30th November 2004

ICBL Presentations
During discussion of the Review Conference documents, the ICBL made a presentation on the general status and operation of the Convention outlining concerns including the absence from the Treaty of the world´s biggest producers and stockpilers, and recent retrogade steps by the USA and Finland.
The ICBL also made presentations linked to the draft plan of action for the summit with regard to mine action, victims assistance and non-state actors, supporting language already in the text or, in the case of victims assistance and NSA calling for improvements.

Concerns for the ICBL

• Many government delegations said that they were not in favour of changes to the draft documents and therefore no new language was submitted by governments on NSAs.
• Inconsistent and contradictory implementation of articles 1,2 and 3.
• Poor implementation of article 8.

Highlights for the ICBL

• Completion of clearance in Honduras.
• No requests for extension of mine clearance deadlines.

Quote of the Day
"The lucky thing is that mines do not have sex. They do not breed. Once cleared, mines are gone, finito, terminado, khallas." (Guy Willoughby, Director, The Halo Trust)

Wednesday 1st December 2004

ICBL Presentations
On behalf of the ICBL Steve Goose remarked on the unwillingness of State parties to review the text of the draft action plan, describing it as surprising as it would seem natural that some changes would be sought out at this stage. He then commented that this Conference is not in line with the much praised Ottawa process, but more like the CCW or Conference on Disarmament process. Lastly he reiterated the amendments proposed by the ICBL including on articles 1,2 and 3 and expressed support by amendments put forward by the ICRC.
Shohab Hakimi, co-chair of the Mine Action Working Group also made a presentation with an overview of the situation in Afghanistan.

Concerns for the ICBL

• None of the proposed amendments to the action plan were taken on board (some States Parties said that these proposals could form part of future work but overall they unanimously supported the action plan as it was).
• The Plan of Action process has followed a consensus mode, unlike what normally happens in the Ottawa process.

Highlights for the ICBL
Government representatives were urged not to rely on NGOs and the ICBL’s pressure to implement the Convention. They have the authority and obligation to do so, and failing to do it would be a worrying sign.

Quote of the day
“I can’t help but feel that I am sitting in a CCW conference in 1994 and not an Ottawa Conference in 2004. ” (Steve Goose, head of ICBL delegation)

Thursday 2nd December 2004

No International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) presentations were made today.

Concerns for the ICBL
The Netherlands delegate, speaking on behalf of the European Union Presidency, acknowledged Finland’s efforts on anti-vehicle mines (Mines Other Than Anti Personnel Mines – MOTAPM) but completely ignored Finland’s failure to accede, or its statement that it will not join the Convention until 2012.
Few statements of commitment of new resources for mine action.

Highlights for the ICBL

• High level attendance and interventions, with Presidents, heads of State, Ministers and other high authorities reconfirming commitment to the mine ban treaty and to the goal to reduce the risk of mine incidents
• Many statements linked mine action goals to wider development/aid issues
• Recognition of the partnership between the governments, international agencies and civil society
• Numerous calls for States not party to join and for Non State Actors to be engaged

Quote of the day
“If small States can eliminate their use of landmines, there is no justification for the mighty and powerful, with their sophisticated weapons systems, to retain and use mines.” (Mwai Kibaki, President of Kenya)

Friday 3rd December 2004

ICBL presentations
Stephen Goose, head of the ICBL delegation made a presentation highlighting the record numbers of participants to this meeting – the highest since the signing ceremony in 1997. He described the 5-year review document and action plan as excellent, while expressing disappointment at the unwillingness of the majority of State parties to consider any changes to strengthen these documents. He said that the Treaty will not succeed unless we continue to work together, match the needs of survivors, increase resources and engage non-state actors in the mine ban. A sign of success of the Treaty is that even countries that have not joined it have endorsed the goal of elimination of anti-personnel mines. He also stressed that civil society will not allow the Treaty to fail.
In the Closing Ceremony Cornelio Sommaruga and ICBL ambassador Jody

Williams spoke. She highlighted some of the points from Steve Goose’s statement, noting that the action plan must be followed and implemented. The full text of both speeches will be available soon.

Youth and survivor representatives also took the stage and handed in youth and survivors’ summit declarations to the President of the Summit. President Petritsch then handed over the Nairobi Declarations, copies of which were signed by each Head of Delegation, to ICBL Ambassadors Tun Channareth and Song Kosal – so that civil society can keep the governments accountable to fulfilling the Nairobi Declaration.

Highlights for the ICBL

• China, not a State party, declared its endorsement of the purposes and objectives of the Convention and expressed the wish to see the early eradication of casualties and of the damage inflicted by landmines. China said it follows the Ottawa process closely and is ready to expand cooperation with States party to the Convention.
• Poland is ready to start the ratification process.
• Kyrgyzstan declared it is following a step-by-step approach towards a mine-free world.
• Kofi Annan intervened by videolink to stress the importance of the Summit.

Quote of the day
“The only way to be safe is to be mine-free” (Deputy Foreign Minister of Croatia)