The ICBL Mine Action
Working Group was formed in February 1998 to serve as the focal point for
addressing issues related to mine action, with a particular focus on the work in
the field. The core members of the group have been project-implementation
organizations, such as Handicap International (HI), Mines Advisory Group (MAG),
Mines Clearance Planning Agency (MCPA), Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA),
Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), and medico international, as well
as the German Initiative to Ban Landmines. In addition to this core, there is
wider participation from a number of other organizations either involved or
interested in the issue. The MAWG is a loose structure, where the main basis of
communication is by e-mail, but members of the group also meet for discussions
within the context of various international mine action meetings.
The goals of the MAWG are to promote the ICBL call for more resources for
mine action programs, to ensure meaningful NGO participation in all relevant
political and decision-making processes that define the parameters for mine
action, and to promote an understanding and general acceptance of integrated
mine action, as formulated in the “Bad Honnef Guidelines.” Overall,
the MAWG collaborates with other working groups of the ICBL to promote full
implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.
Activities
First Meeting of States Parties: The MAWG presented a written
statement at the beginning of the meeting, outlining key points that the
international community had to address in order to solve the crisis of
landmines:
The need for more and better information on the impact of landmines on
peoples and communities in order to set true and clear priorities of the work.
To make use of the knowledge and competence of the NGO mine action
community.
To recognize the mine action agencies’ need for longer funding cycles
in order to increase effectiveness and efficiency of mine action programs.
To create funding mechanisms and procedures that enable the agencies to
focus on the work on the ground, not on extensive bureaucracy.
To focus research and development efforts on methods that are relevant to
the situation on the ground, aimed at improving the speed, safety and efficiency
of existing mine clearance methods.
The MAWG also presented the Bad
Honnef framework for integrated humanitarian mine action to the plenary of the
FMSP.
ICBL General Meeting: During the ICBL General Meeting, MAWG members
facilitated workshops on mine action with participants at the general meeting.
A key issue in the discussions was the need to ensure that mine awareness was
given sufficient emphasis in the mine action discussions. Partly as a result of
these discussions, a sub-group addressing mine awareness issues was established
later in 1999.
Mine Awareness Subgroup: Since its creation the group as been working
on the following issues : Preparation for and participation in the ISCE on
Victim Assistance, Socio-Economic Reintegration and Mine Awareness; production
of a short video presentation on mine awareness, in collaboration with ICRC; and
preparation of a draft recommendation paper for the SCE.
The subgroup has also been actively involved in follow-up on a Warner
Brothers’ and U.S. State Department initiative to use animated
characters/comics as mine awareness learning tools, sending out State Department
questionnaires and collecting the answers on the initiative. It has also
followed-up on the UNMAS/UNICEF Superman field test in Kosovo. The ICBL,
because of concerns from member organizations about the use of the Superman
comic, was invited to participate in a field test in Kosovo, but so late that
participation was virtually impossible. The subgroup sent a letter to
UNMAS/UNICEF regarding the process.
Intersessional Work: Members of the MAWG have participated actively
in the ICBL delegations to the meetings of the Standing Committees of Experts
that carry out the intersessional work related to the treaty. MAWG members have
been particularly active, in the SCEs related to mine action: Mine Clearance;
Technology; and Mine Awareness, which is integrated into the SCE on Victim
Assistance, as well as participating in the SCE on the General Status and
Operation of the Convention.
The main goal of the MAWG has been to ensure that realities of mine action
work in the field are reflected in global mine action policies developed by the
international community. It also seeks to assist the State Parties to the Mine
Ban Treaty to achieve the goals as outlined in the obligations of the treaty.
Throughout the intersessional work, it has promoted the views of the ICBL and
its members concerning mine action programs, technology, and mine awareness, as
formulated in the revised Bad Honnef Guidelines for humanitarian mine
action.
The following issues have been raised in particular: funding for mine action
programs in countries/areas that are not parties to the Mine Ban Treaty; the
problem of various political, legal and bureaucratic obstacles to undertaking
mine action programs in mine affected areas; the need for comprehensive surveys
on impact of landmines; the need to use mine awareness methods and tools that
are relevant to the field situation; the need to promote and coordinate
technology initiatives that are relevant to the reality in the field, as well as
emphasizing the need for overall and effective coordination of mine action
efforts. In addition to these issues, the MAWG has forwarded the view that
State Parties should refrain from retaining live APMs for training or research,
as permitted under Article 3, as well as raising the concern about antivehicle
mines with antihandling devices. In the intersessional process, the MAWG has
enjoyed a fruitful cooperation with the chairs of the various committees.
Interaction with donors: The MAWG participated in the December 1999
meeting of the Mine Action Support Group (MASG), an informal group of donor
countries that meets regularly in New York. At this meeting, MAWG presented the
mine action agencies’ views on cooperation with donors, their analysis of
the mine action situation, as well as the mine action NGOs’ views on
policies and priorities for funding. This was the second time that MAWG
participated in a MASG meeting, and the exercise was encouraging.
Survey Action Center: Although not a direct MAWG initiative or
project, the SAC is probably the most active arena for cooperative efforts
between the mine action NGOs. All members of the MAWG are actively represented
in the Survey Working Group, which meets regularly to advise the SAC on matters
of Global Landmine Impact Survey policy and implementation. The Survey Working
Group and SAC also provide a venue for fruitful contact between the NGOs and
UNMAS and the Geneva International Center. The MAWG continues its call for
support of the Global Impact Survey, and stresses the need to put the results to
use.
Other activities: Members of MAWG have been closely involved in the
revision process of the UN standards for humanitarian mine action, and in the
UNDP initiative on undertaking socio-economic analysis of the impact of mine
action.
Communication: The MAWG has established two email subscription lists
to facilitate discussion on mine action, the icblmineaction@egroups.com and the
mineawarenessdiscussion@egroups.com. The MAWG also has a designated page on the
ICBL website, where relevant statements and documents can be found.
Sayed Aqa of MCPA has been chair of the MAWG during this period. HI and NPA
have served as co-chairs. The Mine Awareness subgroup has been chaired by Anne
Capelle of HI (Belgium).