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Saturday, 15 November 2008 |
Press/Public Announcement & Communique
MORO ISLAMIC LIBERATION FRONT SIGNS NEW DECLARATION FOR REBEL GROUP ADHERENCE TO INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW ON LANDMINES, BRINGING TO FOUR THE SIGNATORY REBEL GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL), affiliate of the 1997 Nobel Peace laureate International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), hereby announces the recent signing by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of a new instrument developed by PCBL entitled “Rebel Group Declaration of Adherence to International Humanitarian Law on Landmines” – bring to four the number of signatory rebel groups in the Philippines, all in this year.
This declaration allows non-state armed groups (NSAGs) to adhere to, become accountable for, and generate assistance for compliance with the key norms, standards and undertakings of existing international humanitarian law (IHL) on landmines, not limited to those of the 1997 Ottawa Treaty totally banning victim-activated anti-personnel mines.
The MILF declaration was signed (not just initialed) by its representatives on 21 October 2008 and was received by PCBL on 10 November 2008. It was signed by two important MILF Central Committee members, namely Atty. Lanang S. Ali, who is Vice-Chairman of the Maglis Al Shoorah (the MILF legislative body), and Sammy Al Mansor, Chief of Staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF, the MILF army).
What is significant about this MILF declaration is its being signed while there are ongoing armed hostilities (since last August) in Central Mindanao between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and at least three base commands of the MILF/BIAF which had reacted violently to the aborted signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the MILF. Since last August, there have been a number of field reports, mainly from the AFP, regarding alleged landmine use by the MILF. But this has yet to be verified by independent, competent and credible entities.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 15 November 2008 )
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Friday, 13 June 2008 |
THREE PHILIPPINE REBEL GROUPS
SIGNED
(Announcement at the 2-6 June 2008 Geneva Meeting of the Intersessional Committee for the Mine Ban Treaty Banning Anti-Personnel Mines)
The Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL), affiliate of the 1997 Nobel Peace laureate International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), is proud to announce the development of and initial signatories to a new instrument for non-state armed groups (NSAGs) to adhere to, become accountable for, and generate assistance for compliance with the key norms, standards and undertakings of existing international humanitarian law (IHL) on landmines, not limited to those of the Mine Ban Treaty totally banning victim-activated anti-personnel mines. The document is entitled "Rebel Group Declaration of Adherence to the International Humanitarian Law on Landmines."
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 14 June 2008 )
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Tuesday, 29 April 2008 |
Three weeks before major negotiations start in Dublin for an
international treaty to ban cluster munitions, Southeast Asian
countries have met under the auspices of the International Committee of
the Red Cross (ICRC) in Bangkok 24-25 April to share views on the draft
treaty and the weapon that has affected their region so severely.
The contamination caused by the use of cluster munitions in South East
Asia is the most severe and widespread of any region on earth. Laos,
Vietnam and Cambodia have dealt with the human, social and economic
impacts of cluster munitions for four decades.
Cluster munitions with at least 380 million bomblets were scattered
across these countries in the Vietnam War and according to the best
estimates available at least 115 million of these were left on the
ground unexploded and are maiming and killing civilians to this day.
"These weapons cause unacceptable harm and must be banned" said Alfredo
Lubang, member of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC)
and regional representative of Nonviolence International in Thailand.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 29 April 2008 )
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Sunday, 24 February 2008 |
After week of tough talks, nations agree to move forward
Wellington, 22nd February 2008 – After a week of tough diplomatic talks, the voice of survivors and committed states has prevailed and a draft treaty to ban cluster munitions has been endorsed for formal negotiation. The so called “Wellington Declaration” provides the draft treaty text to be negotiated and agreed in Dublin in May 2008 to ban cluster munitions, assist survivors and ensure clearance of their land.
“We are encouraged that the draft agreement was not weakened or compromised over the course of this crucial meeting,” said Mary Wareham, Advocacy Director, Oxfam New Zealand. “New Zealanders played a significant part in achieving this outcome by expressing their strong support for a clear and unequivocal ban on cluster munitions.”
More than 500 representatives from 122 governments as well as campaigners and survivors of cluster bombs from 38 countries gathered in New Zealand for the penultimate meeting of the Oslo Process.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 24 February 2008 )
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