The delisting of Nepal comes following the government’s request for it
KATHMANDU, NOV 25 -
Nepal is considering becoming a party to the Mine Ban Treaty, and the “Landmine Monitor 2010” has removed it from its list of mine producers, leaving a dozen countries on the list, of which as few as three are believed to continue to actively manufacture anti-personnel mines.
The 65-page report released at the United Nations on Wednesday is an annual survey issued by the Human Rights Watch and other members of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).
“Nepal was removed from the list of producers following an official declaration by it,” states the report adding that India, Myanmar and Pakistan were believed to be actively manufacturing the landmines.
The delisting of Nepal comes in the light of the official letter sent by the government to Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor in June stating that Nepal is a non-producer of mines and the landmines that the Nepal Army was using had been produced abroad. Following the admission by Nepali officials in 2003 and 2005, the Monitor had continued to list Nepal as a producer of landmines until Nepal made an official statement against it.
The report has concluded that there has been record breaking progress in the use and production of mines, casualty rates and clearance of the explosive remnants of war. The Monitor has removed Russia also from its list of mine users, leaving Myanmar as the only country country using landmines in 2009-2010.
There has also been significant progress in demining in certain nations not party to the Mine Ban Treaty, notably in China, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Nepal, and Sri Lanka as well as in Taiwan, states the report. The Landmine Monitor has also recognised Nepal’s initiative for the development of a five-year national strategic framework for victim assistance.
“There was confusion in the past about whether Nepal produces landmines or not as officials used to give varying opinions,” said Purna Shova Chitrakar, coordinator of Ban Landmines Campaign in Nepal.
She said the report “Land Mine Monitor 2010” has given a positive message by recognising the significant progress made by Nepal in removing the mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) planted during the decade-long conflict.
According to Nepal Army, it has cleared anti personnel mines planted in 33 out of 52 places and efforts are underway currently to clear such mines in three places. The Nepal Army website maintains 5,950 anti personnel mines have been destroyed after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of November 2006.
Of the IED’s possessed by the Maoists during the decade long Maoist insurgency, at least 17 tonnes of the explosives have been destroyed under the UN’s supervision, according to officials. However, a “considerable amount” of explosives are still stray as the Maoists had not put any identification while planting or storing them.
Chitrakar said over 5,000 people were victimised by the mines during the conflict however the number has declined to 300 per year after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Nov. 2006. The Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction has been studying the responsibilities of and opportunities of becoming a state party to the Mine Ban Treaty.
Posted on: 2010-11-25 08:37
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