Issued by: The Department of Foreign Affais
MEDIA STATEMENT ON THE FINAL PHASE OF THE DESTRUCTION OF SOUTH AFRICA'S STOCKPILED ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES
South Africa today destroyed its remaining stockpiled anti-personnel landmines. The destruction is in accordance with the decision by the South African Cabinet on 19 February 1997 to prohibit the use, development, production and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines with immediate effect.
This destruction of South Africa's stockpile of 261 423 anti-personnel landmines commenced on 21 May 1997 with the first public destruction of anti-personnel landmines at Alkantpan. South Africa will retain 5 000 anti-personnel mines and 13 000 practise mines to maintain and further develop its demining capability to ensure that these landmines are removed in the shortest possible time and i the most cost-effective manner. This retention - for the purposes stated - is permissible in terms of the recently concluded total ban treaty.
On 18 September 1997 the Oslo Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Landmines adopted the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, production and transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. In terms of Article 4 of the Convention States Parties will be obligated to destroy their stockpile of anti-personnel landmines not later than four years after the entry into force of the Convention for that State Party. With this final phase of the destruction South Africa has therefore fulfilled its obligation in terms of this Convention even before the Convention is open for signature.
The South African Government has worked closely in partnership with othe governments, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and their affiliated partner, the South African Campaign to Ban Landmines (SACL) on a national, regional and international basis within the Ottawa rocess to ensure that efforts to deal with the global landmine crisis are ultimately successful. The South African Government will work to promote the universality of the Convention and to contribute to the removal of anti-personnel mines placed throughout the world and to providing assistance for the care and rehabilitation, including the social and economic integration, of mine victims.
BACKGROUND
The South African Cabinet decided on 19 February 1997 to prohibit the use, development, production ad stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines with immediate effect. The South African Cabinet further decided that South Africa's existing stockpile of anti-personnel landmines would be destroyed as soon as possible.
The Oslo Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Landmines was held from 1-18 September 1997 in Oslo, Norway with the objective to negotiate a Convention banning anti-personnel mines. On 18 September 1997 the Conference adopted the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.
The Conference was chaired by Ambassador JS Selebi, South Africa's Permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, and Mr AS Minty, Deputy Director-General for Multilateral Affairs, led the South African delegation to the Conference. The Convention sets a new norm in international humanitarian law where a weapon of war has been banned due to its indiscriminate effects and the suerfluus injury it causes to civilians. The Convention places an obligation on States Parties to, without exceptions or reservations, ban anti-personnel mines and ensure their destruction. TheConvention will be opened for signature on 3 December 1997 in Ottawa, Canada, and will enter into force after 40 instruments of ratification or accession have been deposited with the Depository.
he Conference was the result of an initiative started by Canada in October 1996 to build momentum towards the earliest possible conclusion of a legally-binding international agreement to ban anti-personnel landmines. This initiative was borne out of recognition that the extreme humanitarian and socioeconomic costs associated with the use of these landmines requires urgent action on the part of the international community to ban and eliminate this scourge to society.
This initiative has come to be known as the Ottawa Process which has as its main objective a fast track process to concluding a anti-personnel landmine ban. It differs substantially from the position of those States which promote the idea of step-by step negotiations to be held at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva. However, there has been no consensus among the members of the CD to negotiate the issue.
Chronology of South Africa's policy on landmines:
1993 - No coherent government policy to address the problem caused by landmines. 1994 - Moratorium on the marketing, export and transit of all types of landmines. 1995 - Accession to the Certain Conventional Weapons Convention (CCW) on 13 September 1995. Amongst others, this Convention restricts the use of landmines. 1996 - Ban on the export of all types of landmines and the suspension of the operational use of anti-personnel landines Support the Canadian initiative to ensure "the earliest possible conclusion of a legally binding international agreement to ban anti-personnel landmines." 1997 - 19 February, prohibition on the use, development, production and stockpiling of anti-personnel landmines. Destruction of stockpiled anti-personnel landmines commences. 1997 - 21 May, first public destruction of a liitednumber of South Africa's stockpiled anti-personnel landmines.
Chronology of international campaign by states to restrict the use and ban anti-personnel landmines:
1994 - United Nations resolution calling on States to adopt a moratorium on the export of anti-personnel landmines. 1995 - Review Conference of the Certain Convention Weapons Conventions (CCW). 1996 - Adoption of revised Protocol II of CCW which deals with landmines. Canada lunches initiative to ban anti-personnel landmines. United Nations adopts resolution on an agreement to ban such landmines. 1997 - Various regional initiatives, including an OAU meeting, in support of a global ban on anti-personnel landmines. Experts meeting in Vienna to provide inputs into what has become known as the Austrian draft text which will be the basis for negotiation in Oslo. Brussels meeting in June on landmines and the adoption of the Brussels Declaration. Oslo Diplomatic Conference adopts the "Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction". Signing ceremony in Ottawa on 3-4 December 1997.
Background document is attached for easy reference. (For further information please contact Tom Markram at (012) 351-1494.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 30 OCTOBER 1997