Landmine Monitor Report 2006: Toward a Mine-Free World will be launched by the Minister for Disarmament, Hon Phil Goff, at Parliament today (13 September) to coincide with the international release of this year’s report on the global landmine situation and the implementation of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.

The treaty comprehensively prohibits use, production, and trade of antipersonnel landmines. It requires clearance of mined areas within 10 years and the destruction of stockpiled antipersonnel mines within four years.

Along with release of the Landmine Monitor, CALM will launch a fundraising campaign to assist with the clearance of mines, cluster munition duds and other unexploded ordnance in Lebanon. The campaign involves the distribution of tomato sauce sachets with a young boy’s legs printed on the sachet. The perforated tearing section cuts across his right ankle. The back of the sachet invites Kiwis to donate $3 by texting the word, “CALM”, to 336.

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The Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, the Hon Phil Goff, Launches Anti-Mine Appeal

Campaign Against Landmines, CALM, is appealing to New Zealanders to donate money to help clear landmines in Southern Lebanon.

On the 13th of September, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, the Hon Phil Goff, will launch the appeal with a dinner, flavoured with a special sachet of ketchup. A young boy’s legs are printed on the sachet with the perforated tearing section cutting across his right ankle. The back of the sachet invites Kiwis to donate $3 by texting the word, “CALM”, to 336.

The shocking sachet is one of 20,000 which will be distributed throughout restaurants in the North and South island.

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On Wednesday 13 September, the major, global findings of Landmine Monitor Report 2006 will be released in wellington. A function hosted by Hon. Phil Goff, Minister for Disarmament and organized by the New Zealand Campaign Against Landmines (CALM) will be held at Parliament Buildings.

At the event CALM will be presenting the global report findings and launch of a fundraising appeal to support Mines Advisory Group’s mine action program in Lebanon.

CALM Convenor David Zwartz, Hon. Phil Goff, Minister of Disarmament and the Executive Officer of Publicis Mojo will be speaking at the event.

Reports of deaths and injuries from unexploded cluster munitions used by Israel in the recent fighting in Lebanon underline the need for all governments to declare an immediate moratorium on the use of cluster munitions.

Early in the conflict, the New Zealand Campaign Against Landmines (CALM) alerted government ministers to the use of cluster munitions and urged them to call for use of the weapons to stop. CALM joined international calls for Israel to refrain from using cluster munitions due to the unacceptable risk to civilians both during and after attacks. Israel has refused to heed the calls.

Israeli cluster munitions killed and injured civilians during attacks, as Human Rights Watch reported in the village of Blida last month, and now people devastated by war are being killed and injured as they return to their homes only to find unexploded cluster submunitions littering their houses and their land.

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A team of staff from Write Group Limited in Wellington recently chose to support a landmine survivors’ project based in Thailand. The project, which is managed by Handicap International, will assist people in the provinces of Sisaket and Ubonrachtani in the North Eastern region of Thailand. This region shares a border with Cambodia, so people living here face the ever-present danger of landmines laid during historical border disputes with the Khmer Rouge.

The team sent $1000 (New Zealand) to Handicap International to support self-help groups for landmine survivors and disabled children. The project has been running for about 18 months, but still needs more support to make sure they are well managed and able to operate independently. This on-going activity equips participants with vocational ideas and suggestions on how to improve accessibility in their living environment. A significant part of the project is community education aimed to reduce the stigma experienced by people injured by landmines. It is hoped this will improve the level of their acceptance, and increase their participation in the local community.

The Write Group team selected the project after their director decided to fund a company sponsorship programme. Staff teams selected for themselves a project or agency they could build an ongoing connection with during the year. The team said, ‘when there are so many projects to choose from it is important to know that our contribution will make a real and practical difference for the people we want to help. We have regular contact with the programme coordinator and there by with the people the project is funded to assist.’

Details of this project, and others managed by Handicap International in Thailand can be seen on http://www.handicap-international.or.th.

Brian Hayes accepting award (center) with Group Captain Vorachat Tharechat and Mrs Tharechat.

Wellington long-time anti-landmine campaigner Brian Hayes has received an award as part of the King of Thailand’s 60th anniversary celebration of his accession to the throne.

Brian has been actively involved in the anti land mine campaign for many years, but for the past 4 years he has been fundraising to assist landmine survivors on Thailand’s borders. This effort is supported by the New Zealand anti-landmine campaign group CALM (Campaign Against Land Mines).

The funds raised have been sent to the Chiang Mai Prosthetic Foundation and have provided for the fitting of artificial limbs for more than 200 men, women and children. This enables the adults to continue working to support their families and the children to grow up without being disadvantaged because of a disability.

“My wife Leang told me that her relatives in Thailand saw the award ceremony on Thai TV,” Brian said. “The award also recognizes the generosity of New Zealanders and their awareness of the problems that other countries face, especially from the scourge of landmines.”

Brian Hayes holding award.

Brian and his wife are active members of the Wellington Marathon Clinic. Brian is organizing a 5-hour walk/run at Labour Weekend in Wellington as the next CALM fundraiser for the Chiang Mai Prosthetic Foundation. (It is said that 5 hours is about the average time it takes to get a person who steps on a landmine to appropriate medical assistance)

Brian’s award, as a Companion of the Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand, was presented by Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr.Kantathi Suphamongkhon, in the presence of NZ government representative Jim Sutton and the Ambassador of Thailand Mr Norachit Sinhaseni.

A couple of days ago, at 7 in the morning, she was handing out sauce sachets at Wellington Railway Station.

In two weeks she will be flying to Vientiane in Laos to attend a regional youth leadership workshop.

22-year-old Laura Owen is a 4th-year student at Victoria University who is concerned about much wider things than just her law and arts studies.

“I have always had an interest in human rights, much of my history major has a human rights focus, and I am currently studying international law,” Laura said.

“I know people involved in the Campaign Against Land Mines (CALM) and have been extremely impressed by their work in helping land mine victims, and their tireless campaign against the use of land mines.”

The free tomato sauce sachets Laura was handing out to early morning commuters are an award-winning fundraising promotion for clearing landmines and unexploded cluster munitions in South Lebanon.

“It was great that a member of the Wellington Lebanese community joined us at the station,” Laura said.

The Youth Leadership Workshop Laura is attending from 12-15 October in Vientiane, Laos, is organised by the Australian Network to Ban Landmines and the Lao Youth Union. She joins 30 other young people from the Asia-Pacific region who are willing to commit to working in their country for a mine-free world.

The sauce sachet promotion supporting the campaign to ban land mines has won two gold public relations awards for Auckland’s Publicis Mojo agency, one at Cannes.

“Minister of Disarmament Phil Goff has endorsed the sauce sachets; the NZ government and CALM work together in promoting the international campaign to ban landmines,” said CALM Convenor David Zwartz

CALM are running a new fundraising campaign. You can make a $3 donation by texting calm to 336.

Donations will go to Mine Action (mine risk awareness, clearance and survivor assistance) in Lebanon.

Landmine Monitor 2005, the annual report on progress towards a mine free world, shows significant progress is being made to rid the world of these indiscriminate weapons.

The report will be released in Wellington on Friday 25 November at 12.30pm, in the Civic Square. The public will have an opportunity to cross a mock-minefield and experience the terror caused by the weapons.

“This year’s report demonstrates that multi-lateral cooperation can deliver significant results on disarmament issues. Global use of antipersonnel mines and the number of reported mine casualties have fallen. International funding for mine action increased to US$399 million in 2004, and in the past year 135 square kilometers of mine-affected land were cleared. Afghanistan reported clearance of the largest amount of mined land, followed by Cambodia,” said CALM Convenor, Deborah Morris-Travers.

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Goal: To raise funds for 50 new legs for landmine survivors on THAILAND’s borders.

50 People needed: or a team of 2 persons completing 25 km each.

Course: Karori Swimming Pool to Porirua Aquatic Pool and return (Showers and drinks available at each pool).

Date and times:

Labour Weekend: Sunday 23rd October (Rain Day Monday 24th October.)

Suggested start times: Slow walkers 8.00.a.m.
Walking Teams. 10.30.a.m.
Medium runners 11.15 a.m
Faster runners 12 noon

Aim to arrive back at Karori Pool between 4.30.pm and 5.00 pm.

Activities to follow:

5.30 pm Complimentary drinks: View a Display of photos of Chiang Mai Prosthetic Centre – Enjoy live entertainment from a Thai Cultural dance group.

6.00 pm – 7.30pm Dinner: Formal Thai Dinner (free) compliments of Wellington Thai Community – Karori Hall

Entry Requirement:

Donation of $50.00 to Chiang Mai Prosthetic Foundation, which will obtain a new leg for a landmine victim. Payable on registration.

We encourage each entrant to obtain the $50 entry fee from 10 friends at $5.00 each (This will assist our aim to publicise the plight of Landmine survivors).

Entrants’ family can attend the dinner on request – (Koha welcome).

Questions/Registration

Brian Hayes, Treasurer, Campaign Against Landmines N.Z.(CALM)
Phone: 918 8331
Brian.hayes@justice.govt.nz

Or, Khun Nattaya (Leang) Payanon. Phone 476 8305 (evenings)