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Landmine Monitor 2000 Report on Bur

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Landmine Monitor 2000 Report on Burma
Released today in Rangoon

The Landmine Monitor 2000 Report will be launched on 7 September 2000, 
prior to Second Meeting of States Party to the Mine Ban Treaty which is to 
open on the 11 September, in Geneva. The Landmine Monitor contains reports 
on over 100 countries, one of which is Burma. Landmine Monitor researchers 
have released the Burma Report today in Rangoon. Copies of the report were 
distributed to members of the ruling junta and all key ministries in an 
attempt to persuade the State Peace and Development Council to cease both 
production and use of the anti-personnel landmines.
The Landmine Monitor global report states that the Burmese Army is one of 
only 3 government military forces alledged to have used anti-personnel 
landmines during the past year in all of Asia, and the only one in ASEAN. 
Almost all of ASEANs core members have signed or ratified the Mine Ban 
Treaty, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia.
The Landmine Monitor believes that landmine use in Burma is producing more 
casualties today than in any other country in SE Asia. Even more than it's 
more well known mine-effected neighbor Cambodia, where casualty figures 
have dropped dramatically since it signed the treaty and activated mine 
awareness and humanitarian de-mining programs. The Landmine Monitor has 
confirmed that anti-personnel landmine pollution is to be found in 10 out 
of 14 of Burma's States and Divisions. This pollution ranges from minimal 
to severe, and is mostly located close to its borders with Bangladesh and 
Thailand where long running civil wars with ethnic combatants continue to 
be fought.
In January of 2000 the Committee Representing the People's Parliament 
stated that they would "recommend to the Peole's Parliament, when it is 
convened, as a matter of immediate national concern, accession to the 
Convention [Mine Ban Treaty]"
Anti-personnel landmines have been used widely during the past year by 
Tatmadaw units in Arakan, Shan, Karenni and Karen States and the Tenaserrim 
Division. Landmine Monitor research has found that several of the ethnic 
militias are also engaging the SPDC in mine warfare, using both mines 
purchased on regional arms market or self-made mines with explosives 
obtained from quarries both within Burma and in neighboring countries. 
"Landmine use by the ethnic militias is a desperate act", states researcher 
Moser-Puangsuwan, "It is their 'final solution' to keep the Burmese Army 
from entering these areas, but they will ultimately act as an obstacle to 
post-conflict development for the foreseeable future."
  "Landmines are an effective weapon - soldiers are frightened of them and 
will not knowingly enter an area which contains them without a gun at their 
back", states Moser-Puangsuwan. This has led, in some cases, to seizure of 
local villagers by Burmese Army units to walk ahead of military columns and 
clear the path as human mine sweepers, a practice condemned as a gross 
violation of human rights by the International Labor Organization and by 
Amnesty International.
The Executive Summary of the global Landmine Monitor report may be found on 
the worldwide web at:  www.icbl.org/lm,
The Monitor report and other documents related to the landmine crisis in 
Burma can be found at:
www.igc.org/nonviolence/burmamines/lm2.html

For further information and/or hard copies of the report, please contact 
the research office.


The Landmines Crisis in Burma Homepage, which has further material, 
including the 1999 report is:
http://www.igc.org/nonviolence/burmamines/
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<html>
<b>Landmine Monitor 2000 Report on Burma <br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica">Released today in Rangoon<br>
<br>
</b>The Landmine Monitor 2000 Report will be launched on 7 September
2000, prior to Second Meeting of States Party to the Mine Ban Treaty
which is to open on the 11 September, in Geneva. The Landmine Monitor
contains reports on over 100 countries, one of which is Burma. Landmine
Monitor researchers have released the Burma Report today in Rangoon.
Copies of the report were distributed to members of the ruling junta and
all key ministries in an attempt to persuade the State Peace and
Development Council to cease both production and use of the
anti-personnel landmines.<br>
The Landmine Monitor global report states that the Burmese Army is one of
only 3 government military forces alledged to have used anti-personnel
landmines during the past year in all of Asia, and the only one in ASEAN.
Almost all of ASEANs core members have signed or ratified the Mine Ban
Treaty, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and
Cambodia. <br>
The Landmine Monitor believes that landmine use in Burma is producing
more casualties today than in any other country in SE Asia. Even more
than it?s more well known mine-effected neighbor Cambodia, where casualty
figures have dropped dramatically since it signed the treaty and
activated mine awareness and humanitarian de-mining programs. The
Landmine Monitor has confirmed that anti-personnel landmine pollution is
to be found in 10 out of 14 of Burma?s States and Divisions. This
pollution ranges from minimal to severe, and is mostly located close to
its borders with Bangladesh and Thailand where long running civil wars
with ethnic combatants continue to be fought. <br>
In January of 2000 the Committee Representing the People's Parliament
stated that they would &quot;recommend to the Peole's Parliament, when it
is convened, as a matter of immediate national concern, accession to the
Convention [Mine Ban Treaty]&quot; <br>
Anti-personnel landmines have been used widely during the past year by
Tatmadaw units in Arakan, Shan, Karenni and Karen States and the
Tenaserrim Division. Landmine Monitor research has found that several of
the ethnic militias are also engaging the SPDC in mine warfare, using
both mines purchased on regional arms market or self-made mines with
explosives obtained from quarries both within Burma and in neighboring
countries. ?Landmine use by the ethnic militias is a desperate act?,
states researcher Moser-Puangsuwan, &quot;It is their 'final solution' to
keep the Burmese Army from entering these areas, but they will ultimately
act as an obstacle to post-conflict development for the foreseeable
future.? <br>
&nbsp;?Landmines are an effective weapon - soldiers are frightened of
them and will not knowingly enter an area which contains them without a
gun at their back?, states Moser-Puangsuwan. This has led, in some cases,
to seizure of local villagers by Burmese Army units to walk ahead of
military columns and clear the path as human mine sweepers, a practice
condemned as a gross violation of human rights by the International Labor
Organization and by Amnesty International.<br>
The Executive Summary of the global Landmine Monitor report may be found
on the worldwide web at:&nbsp;
<a href="http://www.icbl.org/lm"; eudora="autourl">www.icbl.org/lm</a>,
<br>
The Monitor report and other documents related to the landmine crisis in
Burma can be found at:<br>
<a href="http://www.igc.org/nonviolence/burmamines/lm2.html"; eudora="autourl">www.igc.org/nonviolence/burmamines/lm2.html</a><br>
<br>
For further information and/or hard copies of the report, please contact
the research office.<br>
<br>
<br>
</font>The Landmines Crisis in Burma Homepage, which has further
material, including the 1999 report is:<br>
<a href="http://www.igc.org/nonviolence/burmamines/"; eudora="autourl">http://www.igc.org/nonviolence/burmamines/</a></html>

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