Landmine Treaty Turns 10
Past Time for the U.S. to Join

(March 1, 2009) – On the tenth anniversary of when the treaty banning antipersonnel landmines became binding international law, the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines calls on President Barack Obama to seek Senate ratification of the treaty this year.

“U.S. accession to the mine ban treaty would be a low-cost, meaningful gesture of diplomatic goodwill with both humanitarian and practical benefits,” said Lora Lumpe, coordinator of the U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines. “This treaty has literally saved thousands of lives and limbs.”

On March 1, 1999, the Mine Ban Treaty entered into force, just 15 months after it was completed—very fast by diplomatic standards.  The treaty comprehensively bans all antipersonnel mines, requires destruction of stockpiled mines within four years and clearance of mines already in the ground within ten years, and urges extensive programs to assist the victims of landmines.  Today 156 countries are party to the treaty.  

As a result, the world has seen a near total end to the use of these indiscriminate weapons by national militaries, as well as a reduction in their use by non-state combatants.  The landmine treaty has resulted in the destruction of more than 40 million stockpiled mines.  It has also brought international assistance to thousands of mine victims and billions of dollars for clearing mines and other explosive ordnance left over from wars long ended. 

“In the decade since the Mine Ban Treaty took effect, the weapon has become so stigmatized that it is almost inconceivable that the United States would ever use it again,” said Steve Goose, director of the Arms Division at Human Rights Watch and a steering committee member of the U.S. Campaign.

As President Obama seeks to repair America’s reputation abroad, as well as to restore its alliances, U.S. participation would almost certainly aid efforts to universalize the treaty by increasing pressure on other hold-out nations like Russia—one of only two states, along with Myanmar, that has laid new anti-personnel mines in recent years.
  
The U.S. government has spent more than one billion dollars since 1993 to clear mines and aid victims of these weapons, making it the largest national donor. This financial commitment has been undermined, however, by the lack of political commitment to ending their use. 
“Survivors around the world are looking to President Obama for leadership. It is one thing for the U.S. to be a leader in providing fake legs to landmine survivors around the world, but wouldn’t it be far better for the administration to join in eliminating these killing machines,” asked Jerry White, Executive Director of Survivor Corps.  White lost a leg to a landmine in the Golan Heights in 1984, while visiting as a tourist. 

The United States has not used antipersonnel mines since the 1991 Gulf War, has not exported them since 1992, and has not produced them since 1997.  But, it still stockpiles more than 10.4 million antipersonnel mines for potential use in the future.

The Clinton administration in 1997 set the objective of joining the Mine Ban Treaty in 2006, but the Bush administration reversed course in February 2004 and announced that it did not intend for the United States to ever to join the treaty.

“The U.S. has not needed antipersonnel mines in any of its military operations in the past 17 years,” said Lt. General Robert Gard (USA, ret.), who commanded troops in Korea and Vietnam and noted the severe toll that landmines took on U.S. troops in those conflicts.  “It is an outmoded weapon with no real military utility. Yet using landmines today would put the U.S. squarely at odds with NATO allies and other friends.” 
  
On February 10, 2009, leaders from 67 national non-governmental organizations issued a letter calling on President Obama to join the Mine Ban Treaty.  Though Mr. Obama was supportive of efforts to restrict landmines during his time in the U.S. Senate, the new administration has not yet taken a position on the agreement.
  
The US Campaign to Ban Landmines is one of 70 national campaigns comprising the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).  It includes dozens of national organizations and thousands of individual members.  

For additional background on landmines, see 
Landmine Monitor Report 2008:United States of America

Read USCBL letter to President Obama.

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For more on the Mine Ban Treaty, go to www.icbl.org

US Campaign to Ban Landmines
c/o Handicap
International — US
6930 Carroll Avenue,
Suite 240
Takoma Park, MD 20912
Tel: (301) 891-2138
USCBL@handicap-international.us