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Table of Contents
Country Reports
MAURITIUS, Landmine Monitor Report 2000
LM Report 2000 Full Report   Executive Summary   Key Findings   Key Developments   Translated Country Reports

MAURITIUS

Mauritius was the first African country to sign and ratify the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997. In a written response to Landmine Monitor’s request for updated information, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that “the Government is working on a Bill with a view to enforcing” the ban treaty.[1] While Mauritius has not yet submitted its Article 7 transparency report, due by 27 August 1999, Landmine Monitor was told in April 2000 that it was “in the process of sending its report.”[2] An earlier article in Le Mauricien suggested that this omission was due mainly to administrative constraints and personnel shortage.[3]

Mauritius participated in the First Meeting of States Parties in Maputo in May 1999 with a delegation led by Hon. Rajkeswur Purryag, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The Minister called for universalization of the treaty and paid tribute to the ICBL, urging the meeting to “set up a suitable framework that encourages Civil Society’s further engagement.”[4]

Mauritius has not participated in any of the treaty intersessional meetings in Geneva. Mauritius voted for UN General Assembly Resolution 54/54B supporting the Mine Ban Treaty in December 1999, as it had done on key pro-ban UNGA resolutions in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

Public awareness and sympathy on the landmines issue was heightened following media reports of new dangers posed by mines that had shifted after the flooding in neighboring Mozambique in February-March 2000.

The situation in the country remains the same, in that Mauritius has never produced, exported, or used any antipersonnel mines. A number of AP mines have been retained for training purposes in accordance with Article 3 of the treaty and are in the custody of the Mauritius Police Force, in a classified location.[5] Details on the number and type of mines retained were not disclosed.

Mauritius is a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its original Protocol II on landmines, but it has not ratified Amended Protocol II.

In May 1999, Mauritius pledged a contribution of US$50,000 over a period of five years to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance.[6] As a developing country, which is not affected by a mine problem, Mauritius made such a gesture as a mark of solidarity toward those territories that are mine-infested, and toward victims of these indiscriminate weapons.[7]

<MAURITANIA | MOZAMBIQUE>

[1] Statement to Landmine Monitor, 27 April 2000, p. 2. Fax from Ms. P. Soogree for the Supervising Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, “Question for Landmine Monitor 2000,” Ref: TS/M/67/1, 27 April 2000.
[2] Interview with Ambassador Jagdish Koonjul, Head of Multilateral (Political) Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Port Louis, 27 March 2000.
[3] “Traite sur les mines antipersonnels - Maurice n'a toujours pas soumis de rapport,” Le Mauricien, 3 December 1999.
[4] Statement by Hon. Rajkeswur Purryag, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Mauritius to the First Meeting of States Parties, Maputo, 3-7 May 1999, p. 3. Shortly after the release of Landmine Monitor Report 1999, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent the ICBL a letter congratulating the ICBL on the report, which it described as a “major contribution.” The letter noted, however, that the report gave the wrong name for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The letter was immediately placed in the “Comments and Clarifications” section of the Landmine Monitor web site. Landmine Monitor apologizes for this error. Letter from B. Gokool for Supervising Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, to Coordination Team of the ICBL, Ref: TS/M/67/1, 13 May 1999, p. 1. Go to http://www.icbl.org/lm/1999/comments.html
[5] Statement to Landmine Monitor, Ref: TS/M/67/1, 27 April 2000, p. 3.
[6] Statement by Hon. Rajkeswur Purryag to the FMSP, Maputo, 3-7 May 1999, p. 3.
[7] Interview with Ambassador Jagdish Koonjul, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Port Louis, 27 March 2000.