Celebrating Survivor Action on the Tenth Anniversary of the Mine Ban Treaty
Feb 27, 2009
"The Mine Ban Treaty anniversary that we celebrate on March 1st is a testament to the spirit of survivorship, and the amazing achievements that are possible when survivors come together as productive citizens and enlightened leaders."
- Ken Rutherford, landmine survivor, activist and board member of Survivor Corps.
On March 1, 1999, the Mine Ban Treaty became international law, effectively banning all signatory governments from using, producing, stockpiling and trading in landmines. The treaty also requires governments to remove landmines already in the ground, making the land safe for civilians once again. Most notably, the Mine Ban Treaty was the first international weapons treaty in history to require governments to assist survivors of the weapon - an historic achievement that resulted from unprecedented participation of survivors in the treaty process.
The Mine Ban Treaty also laid the foundation for even stronger victim assistance requirements in the more recent Convention on Cluster Munitions, which entered into force on December 3, 2008, and paved the way for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which entered into force on May 3, 2008. By bringing survivors to the negotiating table where their voices could be heard, Survivor Corps helped ensure that these international laws reflected the universal human rights of all people.
But 39 countries have not yet signed Mine Ban Treaty, including the United States. "Survivors around the world are looking for Obama’s leadership," says Jerry White, Executive Director of Survivor Corps, who is also a landmine survivor. "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 lead the way in eliminating these killing machines?"
Survivor Corps continues to work with survivor advocates to realize our collective vision, first for a mine-free world, then a barrier-free world, and some day, a victim-free world.
Learn more about Survivor Corps leadership in the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.
Call on President Obama to sign the Mine Ban Treaty.