While
the entire ICBL coalition works to promote ratification, universalization,
effective implementation, and strengthening of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, members
of the Treaty Working Group (TWG) are tasked with taking the lead in developing
and implementing the ICBL’s strategies and actions related to the treaty.
The TWG also deals with other mine-oriented international bodies and
instruments, such as Protocol II of the Convention on Conventional Weapons
(CCW), as well as with national laws and measures.
There are some
twenty-four ICBL member organizations in the Working Group. The ICBL Ambassador
Jody Williams, Coordinator Liz Bernstein, Government Relations Liaison Sylvie
Brigot, Intersessional Officer Susan Walker and Advocacy Officer Sue Wixley are
also very actively involved. It is chaired by Human Rights Watch.
In 2001,
the Treaty section on the ICBL’s website, where ICBL activities relating
to the Mine Ban Treaty are housed, was updated and expanded. Some of the
activities of the TWG follow.
Universalization: The TWG and the
Campaign overall continue work to convince the remaining non-signatories to
accede to the treaty. At the ICBL’s Third General Meeting in Washington
DC, a 2004 Action Plan was adopted, which includes a systematic and
comprehensive universalization strategy, as well as year-by-year country
targets. Members of the TWG participated in regular meetings of the
Universalization Contact Group, an informal information sharing and strategy
group consisting of several governments, the ICRC, UNICEF and the ICBL. Members
of the TWG were centrally involved in the ten regional Landmine Monitor
researcher meetings between October 2000 and January 2001, including the two
meetings in non-signatory countries, Lebanon and Nepal. Members of the TWG
played key roles in other regional landmine conferences, including Slovenia,
Mali, Hungary, Sri Lanka, Poland and Mongolia. Members of the TWG have visited
target countries to press for accession to the treaty, including India, and have
spoken on multiple occasions at regional and international bodies, such as the
United Nations both in New York and Geneva, the European Community and the
Organization of American States. Additionally, the Australian network has an
agreement to work with the Australian government in advocating accession to the
Mine Ban Treaty in Southeast Asia.
Ratification: On 26 July 2000, an
important milestone was reached when Mauritania became the 100th
signatory country to ratify the treaty. Following the 1 March 1999 entry into
force of the treaty, TWG members continued to press for the two-dozen or so
remaining signatories to ratify the Mine Ban Treaty. The TWG monitors the
ratification process, coordinates advocacy efforts with key governments and
international organizations, and shares relevant information through its regular
“Ratification Updates.”
Implementation and Monitoring: The
TWG works closely with national campaigns and other ban partners on the
implementation and monitoring of the Mine Ban Treaty. The TWG monitors the
progress by States Parties in submitting Article 7 reports, and issues regular
“Reporting Updates.” TWG members cooperated with VERTIC to produce
a “Handbook on Transparency Reporting” for governments. TWG members
closely tracked developments in national implementation measures (Article 9),
including commenting on draft legislation, and worked with the ICRC to produce
an “Information Kit on National Legislation.” In March 2001,
several TWG members attended a Technical Expert meeting on antivehicle mines
with sensitive fuzes or with sensitive anti-handling devices. TWG members,
including the German Initiative to Ban Landmines, Human Rights Watch, and
Landmine Action UK released several research reports on the development of
alternatives to antipersonnel mines and antivehicle mines of concern.
The
chair of the TWG serves as the coordination point of the Landmine Monitor and
Landmine Monitor’s data gathering process has served to reinforce the work
of the TWG and the ICBL; persistent inquiries from researchers have helped
convince governments to ratify and to better implement the treaty, especially in
terms of submission of Article 7 transparency reports.
Second Meeting of
States Parties: Nearly all TWG members participated in the SMSP in Geneva
in September 2000. Along with the release of the Landmine Monitor Report
2000, this presented great opportunities for educating and encouraging
governments on issues of concern to the ICBL. The TWG chair served as the Head
of the ICBL delegation to the SMSP and delivered the ICBL statement to the
Plenary. TWG members made interventions in other working sessions of the SMSP,
and also participated an opening press conference and several media
events.
Intersessional Work: The TWG chair was tasked with organizing
the ICBL’s participation in two intersessional groups, the SC on Stockpile
Destruction and the SC on General Status and Operation of the Convention. The
ICBL played a prominent role in these SCs by providing relevant information, by
clearly stating NGO positions and concerns, and by making specific
recommendations that the SCs could carry out. All ICBL suggestions on the
overall intersessional process were adopted.
General Status: The TWG
chair worked with SC co-chairs Belgium and Zimbabwe to include discussion on key
items of concern for the ICBL in this SC’s meetings including Article 1
(interpretation of “assist”), Article 2 (antivehicle mines with
antihandling devices), Article 3 (mines retained for training), Article 7
(reporting matters), Article 8 (compliance) and Article 9 (national
implementation measures). Prior to the December 2000 and May 2001 SC meetings,
the TWG in conjunction with the ICBL Coordinator sent letters to all States
Parties and signatories highlighting these and other issues with the aim of
spurring the governments to seriously prepare for discussion at the SC. At the
two SC meetings, a TWG representative gave a presentation on each issue. TWG
members also distributed fact sheets on antivehicle mines, Article 7 reporting
and joint operations.
Stockpile Destruction: The TWG chair closely
worked with SC co-chairs Malaysia and Slovakia to develop the agenda for the
SC’s meetings. The TWG chair also served as the chair of a session of
each SC meeting. A “Landmine Monitor Fact Sheet: Antipersonnel Mine
Stockpiles and their Destruction” was updated and distributed at both
meetings of the SC. TWG interventions have contributed to convincing several
governments to reduce or eliminate all together the number of antipersonnel
mines they intend to keep for training.
United Nations General
Assembly: In October and November 2000, the TWG chair circulated updates to
the campaign on UNGA Resolution 55/33V, which urged universalization and
implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty. The resolution, introduced by Norway,
Nicaragua and Mozambique, secured 143 votes in favor (including several
non-signatories), none against and 22 abstentions.
Convention on
Conventional Weapons (CCW): In December 2000, about a dozen NGOs from the
TWG/ICBL, in a delegation led by the TWG chair, attended the open sessions of
the Second Annual Conference of States Parties to Amended Protocol II in Geneva.
The chair of the TWG delivered a statement to the plenary, which urged all
states to strongly object to any use of antipersonnel mines. The ICBL took
advantage of the Conference to organize bilateral meetings with a number of
non-signatories and gave a press briefing on the opening of the meeting, as well
as various briefings for Conference delegates and the press during the course of
the meetings. The TWG/ICBL also participated in an April 2001 preparatory
meeting for the upcoming review conference of the CCW in December.
Conference on Disarmament (CD): No ICBL members participate or
interact directly at the Conference on Disarmament meetings in Geneva, but the
TWG monitors the CD’s continued lack of progress to reach agreement on
beginning negotiations on an AP mine transfer ban. The ICBL strongly opposes
any effort to negotiate a transfer ban, or any other mine-related measure, in
the CD. The CD has not taken any meaningful action on antipersonnel
mines.
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