ACTION

Public pressure has been the main spur to diplomatic moves towards outlawing antipersonnel landmines. Tireless campaigning has meant this has been the most efficient opposition to any arms issue ever. Now is a timely moment to add your voice to the campaign as the Ottawa Process envisions the first widespread ban to be agreed in December.

The key campaigning issues are

* A global ban on antipersonnel landmines (and weapons that function like them) with no exemptions or loopholes.

* Stringent verification of ban prohibitions.

* Greater resources to be allocated to mine clearance.

* Support for people disabled or bereaved by landmines.

There are hundreds of groups campaigning against mines and we are listing only those mentioned in this issue and some of the larger ones that perform a co-ordinating function and can provide more specific contacts in your area.

In addition to these it is worth remembering that many development charities such as Oxfam, World Development Movement, Christian Aid and Third World First work in areas affected by mines. Oxfam launches its Campaign on Conflict this month (www.oxfam.org.uk/campaign/cutconflict/) aimed at persuading governments to take responsibility for conflict.

INTERNATIONAL

Afghan Campaign to Ban Landmines
House No 13, Street 19, F-5/2, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92 51 855 939 Fax: +92 51 282 617
email:[email protected]

Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines
PO Box 2295, Phnom Penh - 3, Cambodia
Tel/Fax: +855 23 723 242
email:[email protected]

Campanha Angolana para a banimento das Minas
Rua Dak Doy 19 D, Luanda - CP No.1730, Angola
Tel/Fax: +244 2 351 505

Handicap International
104/106, rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 43 14 8700 Fax: +33 1 43 14 8707
email: [email protected]
Website: www.mediartis.fr/handicap/

International Committee of the Red Cross
19, avenue de la Paix, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 734 6001 Fax: +41 22 733 2057
Website: http://www.icrc.org

Red Cross units in various countries may be contacted for local information.

medico international
Obermainanlage 7, D-60314 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Tel: +49 69 94 4380 Fax: +49 6943 6002
email: [email protected]

United Nations
Department of Humanitarian Affairs
Mine Clearance and Policy Unit, United Nations, S-3600 New York, NY 10017
Tel: +1 212 963 4635 Fax: +1 212 963 1312
Website:http://www.un.org/Depts/Landmines

In addition, the Department of Peace-keeping Operations has a Demining Unit and UNICEF campaigns against the threat that landmines pose to children.

AUSTRALIA

International Campaign to Ban Landmines (Australian Committee)
GPO Box 9830, Adelaide, SA 5001
Tel: 08 8210 8172 Fax: 08 8223 3880

Community Aid Abroad
156 George St, Fitzroy, VIC 3065
Tel: 03 9289 9444

Country position: Officially anti-mines but hasn't committed to the Ottawa Process yet, stating a preference for the usually inconclusive UN Conference on Disarmament. Prohibits production and export of antipersonnel landmines and has suspended use.

AOTEAROA / NEW ZEALAND

Campaign Against Landmines

6 John Sims Drive, Broadmeadows, Wellington, NZ 6004
Tel: 04 385 4874 Fax: 04 384 2112
email: [email protected]

Country position: Committed to the Ottawa Process and prohibits production, export and use.

BRITAIN

Mines Advisory Group
54a Main Street, Cockermouth, Cumbria CA13 9LU
Tel: 0900 828688 Fax: 0900 827088

HALO Trust
804 Drake House, Dolphin Square, London SW1V 3NW
Tel: 0171 821 9244 Fax: 0171 834 0198

The UK Working Group on Landmines
601 Holloway Road, London N19 4DJ
Tel/Fax: 01296 632056

Country position: Recently announced an intended ban, but with a provision to use mines in 'exceptional circumstances'. Committed to the Ottawa Process, but is manoeuvring to avoid mine-clearance in the Falklands. Has a current moratorium on export.

CANADA

Mines Action Canada
208 - 145 Spruce St, Ottawa, Ont. K1R 6P1
Tel: 613 233 1982 Fax: 613 233 9028
Website: www.lm-online.org and www.minesactioncanada.org

Project Ploughshares
Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies
Conrad Grebel College
Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G6
Tel: 519 888 6541, ext. 259 Fax: 519 885 0806
email: [email protected]

Project Ploughshares works on wider disarmament issues, but has supported the anti-mines campaign.

Country position: Driving force behind the Ottawa Process ­ cynics have said this because it doesn't need mines to defend borders. Has an indefinite moratorium on use and prohibits production and export.

SOUTH AFRICA

South African Campaign to Ban Landmines
c/o Richard Sherman
c/o PO Box 551, Newtown, Johannesburg 2000
Tel: 011 403 7666 Fax: 011 403 7563
email: [email protected]

Country position: A major supplier to its neighbours during the apartheid era, now prohibits exports, has renounced use, and supports the Ottawa Process.

UNITED STATES

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines as well as its US branch is co-ordinated by Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation
2001 S Street, NW, Suite 740, Washington DC 20009
Tel: 202 483 9222 Fax: 202 483 9312
email: [email protected]
website:http:www.vvaf.org/landmine/uscbl.htm

Human Rights Watch

Arms Project, 1522 K Street, NW, Washington DC 2005
Tel: 202 371 6592 Fax: 202 371 0124
email: [email protected]

Landmine Survivors Network
1701 K Street, NW, Suite 805, Washington DC 20006
Tel: 202 223 0873 Fax: 202 223 8298
email: [email protected]

Physicians for Human Rights
100 Boylston Street, Suite 702, Boston, MA 02116
Tel: 617 695 0041 Fax: 617 695 0307
email: [email protected]

Country position: Publicly anti-mines but won't give up use in the border region between North and South Korea. Hasn't joined the Ottawa Process, favouring the Conference on Disarmament. Current moratorium on export.

Contents page

Copyright New Internationalist Magazine 1997