- Title: [SW News](APIC)Africa: Landmine Treaty Ratification
- From:[]
- Date :[]Sun Feb 06 2000 - 15:01:42 MST
"Hon. Seyoum Mesfin Minister of Foreign Affairs Post Office Box 393 Addis Ababa
ETHIOPIA"
Africa: Landmine Treaty Ratification
Story Filed: Saturday, February 05, 2000 11:42 PM EST
Washington (Africa Policy Information Center, February 5, 2000) - Dear all, As you may
know, 1 March 2000 is the first anniversary of the entry into force of the treaty banning
landmines. We at the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) as well as our
colleagues at UNICEF and ICRC are launching a campaign to encourage maximum ratification
by signatory states by 1 March 2000. We are undertaking and urge all of you to participate
in:
1) a coordinated letter writing campaign, each sending letters to the Foreign Ministers
and/or Heads of State of all governments which have signed but not yet ratified the treaty
to encourage them to do so by 1 March. Go to http://www.icbl.org/action/1march2000.html
to edit your letter online.
2) visits to embassies of these states in various capitals
3) encouraging all government partners (states parties) to conduct demarches and other
means in various fora to encourage all signatories to ratify by 1 March 2000.
In addition to the impetus of the anniversary date, it is also important to mention that
those who ratify or accede by 1 March 2000 will be able to participate at the Second
Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in September 2000 as full states parties.
In order to target our efforts, we've drawn up a list of some priorities, although of
course it is important to get ALL 47 signatories to ratify.
Below is a list suggesting some priorities in AFRICA. We urge you to write all of them, or
at least those in your region, to select a few of those you deem important, perhaps
neighboring countries or those sharing a language or special relationship with your
country, and visit their embassy, call the embassy, call your government leaders and
encourage them to urge these countries to ratify.
For AFRICA:
21 states have not yet ratified. We will focus on 16 of those before 1 March -- Botswana,
Cape Verde, Cote D'Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Mauritania, Sao Tome, Seychelles, Togo,
Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia. Cameroon, Gambia and Togo have
apparently completed domestic steps and need simply to forward the ratification
instruments to the UN in New York by 1 March, and Cote d'Ivoire has nearly done so. Urge
them to do so ASAP!
For universalization, we'll focus on Nigeria [which has not yet signed the treaty]. During
an event and trip by Jody Williams last September, they indicated 'the wheels were in
motion for accession' and now is the time to ensure those wheels are moving, and complete
accession. We will visit Nigerian embassies in London, Paris and Washington, among others.
Below is the sample letter, also on line, followed by addresses. Thanks for your ACTION!
Liz Bernstein
Foreign Minister Title Street Capital X Country Y
26 January 2000
Dear Foreign Minister:
The first of March marks the first anniversary of the entry into force of the 1997
Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of
Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Mine Ban Treaty). As you certainly know,
governments have signed and ratified this Treaty more quickly than any other of its kind
in history -- and we in the International Campaign to Ban Landmines congratulate all those
who have been part of this historic movement to eradicate this indiscriminate weapon.
But our work is far from over and we must remain vigilant to maintain the momentum of the
ban movement. Thus, the ICBL set a target of at least 100 ratifications by 1 March. We
have been strongly encouraging treaty signatories to ratify by 1 March as a demonstration
of their commitment to completely eliminate antipersonnel mines. Up to and on this day,
ICBL members will hold activities worldwide to promote urgent ratification, as well as
universalization and effective implementation of the treaty, and increased funding for
mine action and victim assistance.
Our goal is within reach as we now stand at 90 ratifications! As a treaty signatory, your
government has been among the leaders in the ban effort -- but it remains among the 47
governments that have not yet ratified. We are writing now to encourage you to work for
the ratification of the Mine Ban Treaty by 1 March. Not only does this mark an important
date in the ban movement, but signatory states that ratify on or before 1 March 2000 will
be able to participate in the Second Meeting of States Parties in Geneva 11-15 September
2000 as full states parties.
Signing the Treaty is obviously an important step -- but ratification by all signatory
states is critical. We ask that you join the other 90 countries that have already done so
and undertake the necessary domestic steps to ensure the letter as well as the spirit of
the treaty are respected and enshrined through ratification. By undertaking your full
legal obligations, you will help to solidify the international norm against any possession
or use of antipersonnel mines, and will leave no doubts about your government's commitment
to abolishing antipersonnel mines urgently and as a top priority. The true test of success
of the Mine Ban Treaty will be when it is universalized and makes a difference for those
affected by landmines, and when survivors are assisted and land safely restored to the
people who depend on it. This can only happen when each country takes responsibility for
full and effective implementation of the treaty, including immediate ratification.
If there is anything we can do to assist with your ratification process, please let us
know. We would appreciate any information you can provide to us on the status of
ratification in your country. We look forward to continued cooperation in our common
struggle to eradicate antipersonnel mines forever.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Elizabeth Bernstein Coordinator 110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 504 Washington, DC 20002 USA
CC: ICBL Country Campaign Contacts
List of Addresses of African Foreign Ministers of signatories who have not yet ratified:
Mr. Yousef Yousfi Ministere des Affairs Etrangeres 6, rue Ibn Badran El- Mouradia, Algiers
16050 ALGERIA
Joao Bernardo de Miranda Ministerio das Relacoes Externas Avenida Commandante Gika Luanda
ANGOLA
Hon. Mompati Merahfe, Lt. Gen. (Ret) Minister of External Affairs Private Mail Bag 00368
Gaberone BOTSWANA
Hon. Severin Ntahomvukiye Ministere des Affairs Etrangeres Boite Postale 1.840 Bujumbura
BURUNDI
Hon. Augustin Kontchou Kouomegni Minister of Foreign Affairs Yaounde CAMEROON
Hon. Jose Luis Jesus Ministerio das Relacoes Externas Praca Doctor Lorena Praia CAPE VERDE
Hon. Amara Essy Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres Boite Postale V-109 Abjidan COTE
D'IVOIRE
Hon. Seyoum Mesfin Minister of Foreign Affairs Post Office Box 393 Addis Ababa ETHIOPIA
Hon. Jean Ping Ministere des Affairs Etrangeres Boite Postale 2.245 Libreville GABON
Dr. Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe Minister of External Affairs 4, Marina Parade Banjul GAMBIA
Hon. James Victor Gbeho Minister of Foreign Affairs Post Office Box M-53 Accra GHANA
Mr. Jose Pereira Baptista Ministerio das Relacoes Externas Caixa Postal Bissau
GUINEA-BISSAU
M. Bonaya A. Godana Minister of Foreign Affairs Post Office Box 30551 Nairobi KENYA
M. Ahmed Ould Sid Ahmed Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres et du Cooperation Boite Postale
230 Nouakchott MAURITANIA
Hon. Augustin Iyamuremye Ministere des Affairs Etrangeres Boite Postale 179 Kigali RWANDA
Hon. Paulo Jorge Rodrigues Do Espirito Santo Ministerio das Relacoes Externas Caixa Postal
111 Sao Tome SAO TOME E PRINCIPE
Hon. Jeremie Bonnelame Minister of Foreign Affairs Post Office Box 656 Mont Fleuri
SEYCHELLES
Dr. Sama S. Banya Minister of External Relations Glouchester Street Freetown SIERRA LEONE
Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail Minister of Foreign Affairs Post Office Box 873 Khartoum SUDAN
M. Jakaya Kikwete Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Post Office Box 9000 Dar Es
Salaam TANZANIA
Mr. Joseph Kokou Koffigoh Ministere des Affairs Etrangeres et
.
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