A world Free of Landmines

10th ANNIVERSARY OF MINE BAN TREATY
BRUSSELS - 08-MAY-2007
Firoz Ali ALIZADA

I am Firoz Ali ALIZADA from Afghanistan working for Handicap International in Kabul. I have the pleasure travelling from far away to join Belgium in order to celebrate the 10th anniversary of mine ban treaty.

As billions of people I hate the landmines too, because I am one of the hundreds of thousands survivors, as I lost both legs 11 years ago in Afghanistan.

In the past three decades of war hundreds of thousands children, women and other innocent people in Afghanistan have been maimed by landmines and cluster bombs. This tragedy is not ended yet however there is a huge decrease in causalities from 60 People per day to 60 people per month but still Afghanistan remains one of the highest affected countries by landmines in the world.

As all of you know Afghanistan is post-conflict country which needs to be reconstructed, but existence of mines in many cases prevents and even stops the work of construction and reconstruction, so landmine is not only a threat for human beings it has been a big challenge in the field of development too. For ex: Kabul airport was contaminated by landmines, which could strongly discourage the flight agencies … to fly over Kabul or tourists can not visit many parts of Afghanistan due to landmines’ risks while before of war thousands of tourists were visiting Afghanistan and it was a good income for Afghanistan.

Afghanistan joined the MBT in 2003. More than 140 square km of mine contaminated land was cleared, more than 65.000 mines of stockpiles were destroyed, 1,8 millions of people became aware of mines’ danger through the Mine risk educations programs. Afghanistan as member of MBT very strongly could refuse the mining of Afghanistan-Pakistan border which was planed by Pakistan, If Afghanistan was not a member of MBT it would be difficult to resist against Pakistan's plan, and so the regional and bilateral political impact of MBT has been very positive and constructive as well.

But still there are hundreds of new victims every year with all the others survivors do need adequate assistance, and many contaminated areas by landmines requiring clearance. Afghanistan still has a very long journey to clear the mines and meet the needs of survivors.

10 years ago Mine Ban Treaty opened the windows of hopes; Mine Ban Treaty intends to stop human suffering caused by landmines that so far millions of children, women and other innocent people’s life and livelihoods have been rescued. As Kosal said there are achievements at the result of Mine Ban Treaty but further successes are depend on commitment of states parties and international communities.

We can achieve more if we include mine action and victim assistance in our long term plans, such as national development strategy, poverty reduction strategy paper, and economic development programs. Too often some of the affected countries do not prioritize mine action or wait for full supports from international communities! Affected States must take the responsibility to make it happen!




This is not acceptable to witness human suffering even today, so I call on developed countries to consider these issues seriously and encourage the affected countries by supporting them through sustaining mine action, capacity building of national mine action authorities.

States parties specially affected states by mines must develop national legislation or adapt the existing legislation to make sure the terms of the MBT are Included In the local law, Mines are illegal weapons and using or possessing them must be sanctioned by law.

Victim assistance is one of the components of MBT, it was good to have this component in the treaty but it would be better if it was fully implemented in the field. The critical situation of Afghan victims can prove the inadequate attention of government.

Article 6 of MBT it is says that “every country in a position to do so shall provide victim assistance" for me every country is a position to do something:

So I would like to insist on the following points:
- States affected by mines must assist their own victims via providing:
- Rehabilitation
- Social and economic reintegration services
- And establishment of national coordination body to define and Implement victim assistance plan

- States that are not affected must assist the affected states through providing:
- Financial supports
- Technical supports
- Capacity building of national victim assistance actors

Victims want their rights and dignity to be protected as a human being. Fortunately the new convention for protection of rights and dignity of persons with disabilities approved by general assembly and opened for signature since March 2006 gives a strong hope to persons with disabilities but this hope will not be achieved unless the states do ratify and fully implement it.

Disability Rights Convention (DRC) is a good complement of MBT in terms of assisting victims while in MBT the VA is not a compulsory but the DRC is specifically and obligatory calling on states to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.

A treaty is only a piece of paper unless the real needs of victims or persons with disabilities are properly addressed and the daily tragedies are ended.

Thank you!