Posted on 04 December 2007
Ottawa, December 4, 2007- Island Senator Elizabeth Hubley today called for the eradication of anti-personnel landmines and other similar weapons which indiscriminately kill and injure civilians.
Speaking in the Senate to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Ottawa Treaty to ban the production, stockpiling and use of landmines, Senator Hubley said, “In 2006, 5,751 people from 58 countries were known to be killed or injured by landmines. Three quarters of these were civilians, and one third of these were children. The hard fact is that somewhere in the world someone is killed or mutilated by a landmine every twenty-eight minutes. In some countries fifty percent of victims are children. The true horror of landmines is how they are silent killers, preying on innocent civilians long after the conflict has ended.”
The Ottawa Treaty is considered a remarkable achievement by international observers of disarmament issues for its rapid development and adoption. In the span of fourteen months, an extraordinary agreement was reached culminating in a treaty in 1997 banning a conventional weapon for the first time in history.
“As we mark this tenth anniversary of the signing of the Ottawa Treaty, we can reflect with pride on the leadership shown by Canada and the efforts that our nation has made in reducing weapons of war that have an inordinate impact on civilians rather than their intended military targets. However, ratification is only the beginning,” said Hubley.
“Although it only costs about $3 to build and place each of these mines, it can cost $300 to $1000 to locate and destroy a single mine. Most countries which have used these weapons can barely afford civil administration, let alone the costs to clean up past war zones. The result is enormous social and economic suffering as poor, rural, post-conflict societies can be overwhelmed by challenges of repairing infrastructure and replacing lost agricultural production. Landmines disrupt trade and commerce, producing food shortages and inflation, perpetuate poverty and are a major obstacle to sustainable development,” stated Senator Hubley.