The Ottawa Treaty

In September 1997, representatives from 121 nations convened for more than two weeks to negotiate a comprehensive international land mine treaty. Known as the Ottawa Treaty, the ban prohibits the production, transfer, stockpiling and use of antipersonnel land mines of any sort around the world. Publicized by Princess Diana and championed by ICBL leader Jodi Williams, who won the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts, 137 nations have so far signed the treaty banning the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of antipersonnel land mines.

Princess Diana helped bring international attention to the land mine crisis.

Though President Clinton was the first world leader to call for a global ban on land mines, the United States is conspicuously absent from the list of signatories. According to U.S. policy as stated in a 1996 fact sheet on the Department of Defense Web site, the United States advocates an international ban, but maintains the right to use self-deactivating land mines in South Korea. The U.S. has also vowed to cease using land mines altogether if viable alternatives have been developed by 2006, and allocated several million dollars to research in that area.

The United States is a leading donor to de-mining efforts around the world; however, many activists feel the U.S. refusal to sign significantly hampers the international anti-land mine campaign. Some fifty other nations still refuse to sign the treaty, including Russia, China, Cuba, Iran, Iraq and Vietnam.

"The United States, by not signing, provides political cover for other countries that continue to use land mines," according to Eileen Campbell, a grassroots organizer for USCBL.

As of this writing, the Bush administration has not announced its position on the issue. Campbell remains optimistic that the change in administration might mean a change in policy.

"Signing the land mine treaty is a huge opportunity for Bush to join the international community," Campbell offers. "The U.S is the only country in the Western Hemisphere except Cuba not to sign. The company we're keeping isn't the kind of company we normally like to keep."

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Photo: Landmine Survivors Network