Interventions to prevent withdrawals from the Mine Ban Treaty
Last week, Norwegian People's Aid's Per Nergaard and Darvin Lisica and Director of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), Tamar Gabelnick, traveled to Vilnius to try to convince Lithuania to uphold its legal obligations under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and reverse its intention to withdraw from this life-saving treaty.
Several countries bordering Russia and Belarus (currently Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland) have initiated processes to leave the Mine Ban Convention that prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and sale of anti-personnel mines. In addition, Finland is preparing measures that can lead to further use of these types of weapons.
"As one of the world's largest mine clearance operators, it is our duty to speak up against this alarming development. We have experienced first-hand the bestiality of these weapons and know better than most the trauma they inflict on affected communities. 8 out of 10 mine victims are civilians, not a soldier, 40 percent are children," Nergaard underlined.
On Tuesday 1 April, the delegation from NPA and ICBL met with representatives of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, as well as key advisers in the Lithuanian Parliament.
“We fully respect the fact that the extraordinary security situation we are now witnessing in Europe requires extraordinary security measures. Unfortunately, the only extraordinary quality of an anti-personnel landmine is its ability to kill and maim children and civilians for decades after war," said NPA’s Special Advisor Per Nergaard.
NPA and The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) are currently doing what it takes to prevent countries from leaving the Mine Ban Treaty.
“The military utility of an anti-personnel landmine is very limited. A modern defence with precision artillery, rocket systems and drones make anti-personnel mines completely obsolete. They don’t contribute to winning wars or hinder access for armed forces, and a minefield laid out to stop the enemy is more likely to hinder their own tactical mobility and harm their own personnel than provide any real gain”, said Nergaard.
The horrific humanitarian consequences of anti-personnel landmines have been thoroughly documented. Nergaard doubts that it is in any nation's interest to revisit the extreme humanitarian landmine crisis the world witnessed 30 years ago.
“Anti-personnel mines should never be used by anyone, under any circumstances. They are and should remain a horrific blast from the past. Withdrawing from the Mine Ban Convention is a tacit acceptance to new generations of amputated children. We hope our European neighbours come to realise their citizens deserve better. “
