Ottawa Convention
This is an anti people mines abolished wordily by 80 signing countries. It contains approx. 60 grammes of explosives that can maim or kill a person. Main suppliers of this cheap weapon are countries like China and a few countries of the former eastern block.
This is an anti tank mine not mentioned once in the adjacent contract. It contains up to 11 kg of explosives, which can maim or kill the entire passengers of a busy school bus at once. Main suppliers of this more expensive weapon are all 'civilised' countries of the world, including the Federal Republic of Germany.
This is a so-called cluster bomb, American built. They get dropped from high altitude, and disperse at a certain height over the ground into many (apprx. 200) smaller so-called bomblets. Approximately 10 to 25 percent of these bomblets do not explode on impact, but are exploded by curious children for example who pick up the striking yellow cannisters. There are thousands and thousands of these in Kosovo that constantly lead to serious accidents. Not a word about these weapon systems is mentioned in the Ottawa convention. Also not mentioned - and not illustrated here - are so-called "area protection systems", expensive HiTech weapons which get buried in the ground, triggered by the unsuspecting victims themselves which might cripple or kill them. (Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?. And also not mentioned are the familiar "Claymore" style directional fragmentation mines feared by all deminers. Canada wanted to keep these for its "peace-keeping" needs so has renamed them so that, despite the lettering on their sides, they are not "mines" after all.
The Ottawa Accord
Agreement on the abolition of the use, storage, manufacturing and the distribution of Anti-Personnel mines and their stockpile destruction.
(Editor’s note: with the attempt to read - and understand - the following text, composed by politicians and their lawyers, we got the sinking feeling that even the way to formulate an intent had something to do with the effect or better yet, non-effect, on the reality of the people threatened by mine danger. We assume that this was no intent on behalf of the word-manipulators but we ask everyone to form their own opinions. And to try to read the following sentence out loud, in one breath):
Preamble
The States Parties, Determined to put an end to the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines, that kill or maim hundreds of people every week, mostly innocent and defenceless civilians and especially children, obstruct economic development and reconstruction, inhibit the repatriation of refugees and internally displaced persons, and have other severe consequences for years after emplacement,
Believing it necessary to do their utmost to contribute in an efficient and coordinated manner to face the challenge of removing anti-personnel mines placed throughout the world, and to assure their destruction,
Wishing to do their utmost in providing assistance for the care and rehabilitation, including the social and economic reintegration of mine victims,
Recognizing that a total ban of anti-personnel mines would also be an important confidence-building measure,
Welcoming the adoption of the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices, as amended on 3 May 1996, annexed to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects, and calling for the early ratification of this Protocol by all States which have not yet done so,
Welcoming also United Nations General Assembly Resolution 51/45 S of 10 December 1996 urging all States to pursue vigorously an effective, legally-binding international agreement to ban the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel landmines,
Welcoming furthermore the measures taken over the past years, both unilaterally and multilaterally, aiming at prohibiting, restricting or suspending the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines,
Stressing the role of public conscience in furthering the principles of humanity as evidenced by the call for a total ban of anti-personnel mines and recognizing the efforts to that end undertaken by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and numerous other non-governmental organizations around the world,
Recalling the Ottawa Declaration of 5 October 1996 and the Brussels Declaration of 27 June 1997 urging the international community to negotiate an international and legally binding agreement prohibiting the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines,
Emphasizing the desirability of attracting the adherence of all States to this Convention, and determined to work strenuously towards the promotion of its universalization in all relevant fora including, inter alia, the United Nations, the Conference on Disarmament, regional organizations, and groupings, and review conferences of the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects,
Basing themselves on the principle of international humanitarian law that the right of the parties to an armed conflict to choose methods or means of warfare is not unlimited, on the principle that prohibits the employment in armed conflicts of weapons, projectiles and materials and methods of warfare of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering and on the principle that a distinction must be made between civilians and combatants,...
(… and here the actual text begins. We will spare you and us and will, with your agreement, clear some mines in the meantime. Because they can't be formulated away through rhetoric and grammatical cabinet acts)
Overview "The global mine problem"
Need for Private Funding
There is an immediate need for Private Funding to drive forward an initiative MgM needs to push forward in Malanje Province. MgM has the equipment, resources and expertise to make this project a success, the demining huge piles of mine infested earth that present a definite threat to local communities, we just require money to start this emergency project.
Info - The global mine problem
An overview and current numbers on the land mine issue
Interview - Haller Da Silva
An interview with MgM Angola national manager Haller Da Silva talking about his job for People against landmines: Interview with Haller