Ban on Antipersonnel land-mines

We academics, religious leaders and professionals from countries in Asia and the Pacific gathered in Manila for a workshop on Human Rights wish to convey our grave concern about the human suffering and damage caused by antipersonnel land-mines and the urgent need for clearance of these mines.

These instruments of war which do not recognize peace agreements, do not distinguish between soldiers and civilians and laying in the land they destroy the life of many communities and individuals, depriving them of land and livelihood, depriving their limbs and often their lives.Huge profits are made by the producers of these "seeds of destruction" a1 the price of enormous and long-term suffering to ordinary people, farmers, shepherd, women and children in many countries of the world.

We support the total ban on antipersonnel land-mines to protect future generations from this "poison" in our land.

Average number of people killed or injured worldwide each year - 15,000

Average Cost of a Land-mine - -

Cost to clear a land-mine - 0 - 00

Average number of land-mines produced every year - 10 million

Number of countries with land-mines incidents - 60+

Nations mot affected by land-mines -

Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kuwait, Mozambique, Somalia, Sudan, former Yugoslavia

Major producers and exporters of land-mines over past 25 years -

Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czechoslovakia, France, Hungary, Italy, former Soviet Union, United Kingdom, United States, former Yugoslavia

For more information of International Campaign to ban Land-Mines, please contact:

Land-mines Campaign,G.P.O. Box 2602, Adelaide SA001,Australia.