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]
[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.