Landmines - The Mine Ban Treaty

In 1996 a political initiative was launched by Jody Williams, the Ambassador for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) to, in her words, "develop a declaration that states would sign signaling their intention to ban antipersonnel mines and an 'Agenda for Action' outlining concrete steps to reach such a ban."

Following this initiative, Canadian Foreign Minister, Llyod Axworthy, posed a challenge to leaders of the world to return to Canada within one year to sign a treaty that would accomplish Williams' outlined goals. This challenge resulted in the 1997 Ottawa Convention. This successful push for an international treaty to ban landmines was truly an accomplishment for established Non-Governmental Organizations.

The Ottawa Convention was first agreed upon and implemented in 1997 in Ottawa, Canada. The official title of the Ottawa Convention is: The 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer or Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.

By nature, a treaty is an international agreement. States that sign the Mine Ban treaty agree to cease development, manufacturing, stockpiling, and trading of anti-personnel landmines. Furthermore, existing landmine stocks must be destroyed within four years of signing the treaty - making this the most inclusive landmine treaty to date. As with any treaty, for states to be legally bound by it, they must ratify it after they have signed it.

Some countries, such as the United States, have refused to sign the Mine Ban Treaty because of their vested military interests. For the United States, their military interest lies between the border of North Korea and South Korea. The U.S. believes there should be an exception for this strategy as they argue that landmines prevent an invasion from the North and therefore preserve peace.

For the full text of the treaty, click here.