The
ICBL Mine Action Working Group (MAWG) was formed in February 1998 to serve as
the focal point for addressing issues related to mine action, with a particular
focus on work in the field. The core members of the group are project
implementing 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 email, but members of the group also
meet for discussions within the context of various international mine action
meetings.
MAWG’s main goal is to ensure that the realities of mine
action work in the field are reflected in global mine action policies developed
by the international community. It seeks to assist the State Parties to the
Mine Ban Treaty to achieve the goals as outlined in the obligations of the
treaty. It promotes the ICBL’s call for more resources for humanitarian
mine action programs and works to ensure meaningful NGO participation in all
relevant political and decision-making processes that define the parameters for
mine action. Some of the recent activities undertaken by the MAWG are listed
below.
Second 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. These include:
Refine the measurement of the impact of
landmines, and better prioritize areas for action based on reliable data to
make mine action more effective;
Establish a logical link between mine
action and other development activities ensuring cross-sectorial coordination to
maximize positive impact;
Base the allocation of funds on the needs of the
affected communities and improve partnership between donors and active field
agencies. Mine action funding must be long-term to allow proper planning and
effectiveness;
Acknowledge the lack of impact from expensive mine clearance
research; and
Prioritize the establishment of sustainable indigenous mine
action capacities.
The MAWG also presented the Bad Honnef framework for
integrated humanitarian mine action to the plenary of the Second Meeting of
State Parties. It is part of the Action Programme of the Presidency of the SMSP
as relevant guidelines for humanitarian mine action to be further revised and
disseminated by the MAWG.
ICBL General Meeting: During the ICBL Third
General Meeting, the MAWG chair reported on the group’s recent activities.
MAWG members facilitated discussions on the mine action components of the
ICBL’s 2004 Action Plan, which includes an overall goal of
“increased and sustained resource commitments for mine
clearance.”
Intersessional Work: Members of the MAWG
participated actively in the ICBL delegations to the intersessional meetings of
the treaty and contributed in particular to the work of the Standing Committee
on Mine Clearance and Related Technologies. MAWG members worked closely with the
SC’s co-chairs Netherlands and Peru on the agenda and goals of these
sessions. During this SC’s meeting in December 2000 and May 2001, MAWG
members made interventions on revising technical standards for mine action,
crucial needs for conducive operating environment, dissemination of good
practices and revision of guidelines and principles, an update on the Landmines
Impact Surveys, an update on third edition of the Landmine Monitor, an update on
the Compendium Document of NGO Projects, the impact of mine action standards in
the field, and field perspectives on technologies for mine action.
In
addition to these issues, MAWG members spoke in the SC on General Status and
Operation of the Convention on the issue of retaining live mines for training or
research, as permitted under Article 3, and concerns about antivehicle mines
with antihandling devices.
MAWG and Issues Related to Mine Action
Funding: MAWG members participated in a May 2001 meeting of the UNMAS
Steering Committee on Mine Action and in a meeting of the Mine Action Support
Group (MASG), an informal group of donor countries that meets regularly in New
York.
In a statement at a January 2000 Intersessional Standing Committee
meeting, MAWG said, "We believe that funding for Humanitarian Mine Action
should be based on the needs in affected areas, and not on the Landmine
Convention status. Sanctions against violators and encouragement of non-state
parties must be designed in a way that does not further victimize the people and
communities in mine and ordnance-affected areas..."
Survey Action Center
(SAC): The Global Landmine Impact Survey by SAC is not a MAWG initiative but
members of the MAWG are actively represented in the Survey Working Group, which
met regularly in 2000 and 2001 to advise the SAC on policy and implementation.
The MAWG continued to call for support for the Global Impact Survey, and
stressed the need to put the results to use through humanitarian mine clearance
and other actions.
Other activities: Members of MAWG were closely
involved in the revision process of the UN standards for humanitarian mine
action, and in the UNDP initiative on socio-economic analysis of the impact of
mine action. MAWG also presented the Bad Honnef integrated approach for
humanitarian mine action was presented to the EU conference "A day for a
mine-free world," 21 September 2000, in Brussels. Additionally, the Bad Honnef
Guidelines, originally drawn up in English, were translated into Arabic,
Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.
Mine
Action Environment: Together with GICHD, MAWG has advocated for
an improved environment conducive to operating mine action programs. Such needs
range from customs and transfer issues to fuel, salaries and permits. As best as
possible host governments are requested to facilitate the rapid and efficient
set up and implementation of mine action programs.
Coordination and
integration: MAG, HI and NPA have coordinated on implementation and policy
matters for many years. and have published a portfolio and compendium of
activities. While the NGOs have doubts as to how useful the compendium has been
for fundraising, it is a useful information and coordination tool.
Similarly
the NGOs of MAWG have continued to coordinate on the ground, nationally and
regionally, and believe this coordination has been beneficial for the affected
populations.
Mine Action and Development: MAWG believes that mine
action should be integrated with the wider concerns of social, infrastructural
and economic development at all levels -- national, regional, provincial and
local. Non-governmental agencies are often the best suited to
achieving these goals. MAWG and its member organizations contribute to and
support the “Guidelines for Mine Action Programmes from a
Development-Oriented Point of View.” MAWG will continue to foster work
with governments and other donors toward the achievement of these
goals.
Mine Action Technologies: MAWG stresses the need
for the support and maintenance of appropriate technologies and methodologies in
the field. Various MAWG members have addressed Intersessional Standing Committee
meetings and other fora on these issues, highlighting different technologies,
methodologies and combinations thereof from the mine action
“toolbox” that work in different environments.
Mine
Awareness Subgroup: Since mid-2000, the mine awareness sub-group
of MAWG focused on the following issues:
Preparation and participation in
the two intersessional meetings of the SC on Victim Assistance, Socio-Economic
Reintegration and Mine Awareness;
Establishment and improvement of
cooperation between the ICBL and other agencies engaged in mine awareness;
Preparation of input to the 2004 Action Plan; and
Drafting a code of
conduct for mine awareness practitioners.
A sub-group member, Radda Barnen,
hosted a mine awareness seminar in Aden (Yemen), which enabled most mine
awareness agencies to exchange information about methods of operation and work
out a better system of cooperation, in particular with UN
agencies.
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 page on the ICBL website, where relevant statements and documents can
be found. Sayed Aqa was chair of the MAWG during this period. The Mine
Awareness subgroup was chaired by Stan Brabant of HI (Belgium).
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