INDIA/NEPAL: ICBL delegation to India and Nepal
The Indian Campaign to Ban Landmines and guests celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Mine Ban Treaty in New Delhi. Photo: Mine Action Canada.
On 27 September the Indian CBL organized a conference to mark 10 years of the Mine Ban Treaty, with the participation of ICBL Executive Director Sylvie Brigot, Justice JS Verma, Former Chief Justice of India and Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, the Canadian High Commissioner, representatives from the Indian government, UN agencies and the ICRC, as well as landmine survivors. Other activities included a photo exhibition, a talk at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, and official meetings with the Ministries of External Affairs and Defense. India is not a StateParty to the treaty but the participationof senior government representatives in the anniversary events, presenting their views on the mine ban for the first time in a public forum in India, reflects increasing openness and flexibility on this issue and should hopefully result in a freer and more forthcoming dialogue. In Nepal, ICBL delegates received assurances from both government representatives and the Maoists that they were willing to ban antipersonnel landminesand collaborate to ensure the success of humanitarian mine clearance which is about to start in the country following the peace agreement. During the three-day mission, the delegation met with the Hon. Speaker of the Parliament, leaders of various political parties, including CPN/ Maoists, senior officers of the Nepal Army as well as members of the National Mine Action Steering and Technical Committees – all of whom expressed a strong commitment to ban antipersonnel landmines and join the Mine Ban Treaty. On 3 October, a National Conference on ‘Human Security and Landmines – Problems & Challenges’, organized by the Nepal CBL was inaugurated by Hon. Ram Chandra Yadav, State Minister for General Administration, and was attended by diplomats, members of international organizations, government and army officials, scholars, civil society as well as landmine survivors.
The Indian Campaign to Ban Landmines and guests celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Mine Ban Treaty in New Delhi. Photo: Mine Action Canada.
On 27 September the Indian CBL organized a conference to mark 10 years of the Mine Ban Treaty, with the participation of ICBL Executive Director Sylvie Brigot, Justice JS Verma, Former Chief Justice of India and Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, the Canadian High Commissioner, representatives from the Indian government, UN agencies and the ICRC, as well as landmine survivors. Other activities included a photo exhibition, a talk at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, and official meetings with the Ministries of External Affairs and Defense. India is not a StateParty to the treaty but the participationof senior government representatives in the anniversary events, presenting their views on the mine ban for the first time in a public forum in India, reflects increasing openness and flexibility on this issue and should hopefully result in a freer and more forthcoming dialogue. In Nepal, ICBL delegates received assurances from both government representatives and the Maoists that they were willing to ban antipersonnel landminesand collaborate to ensure the success of humanitarian mine clearance which is about to start in the country following the peace agreement. During the three-day mission, the delegation met with the Hon. Speaker of the Parliament, leaders of various political parties, including CPN/ Maoists, senior officers of the Nepal Army as well as members of the National Mine Action Steering and Technical Committees – all of whom expressed a strong commitment to ban antipersonnel landmines and join the Mine Ban Treaty. On 3 October, a National Conference on ‘Human Security and Landmines – Problems & Challenges’, organized by the Nepal CBL was inaugurated by Hon. Ram Chandra Yadav, State Minister for General Administration, and was attended by diplomats, members of international organizations, government and army officials, scholars, civil society as well as landmine survivors.
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