On Tuesday, June 22 1999, 66 scientists
of international repute sent an appeal to 191 heads of state calling
"for a mine free Earth". At the same time, they mobilized
the scientific community in all the countries in favor of the
application and respect of the Ottawa Treaty to ban landmines.
The first signatories were from 20 countries, notably Israel,
Russia, Estonia, India, Turkey and United States of America, the
governments of which had not signed the Treaty and which should
be the targets of high priority efforts toward universal acceptance.
Josette Dupuy-Philon, physicist and research
director in CNRS, at the Claude Bernard University in Lyon until
1997, took this unusual initiative and was immediately supported
by Hubert Curien, Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences, (formerly
Minister for research) and by a group of 20 french scientists.
She called on Handicap International to bring this appeal before
the Heads of State and the NGOs participating in the International
Campaign to Ban Landmines.
The presence of mines in Kosovar territory demonstrates,
if this was still necessary, the urgency for the universal acceptance
of the Ottawa Treaty. This Treaty became effective on the 1st
of last march. The treaty forbids the use, storage, production
and transfer of landmines. It has been signed by 139 States and
ratified by 111.
The sections of Handicap International, its teams
on the ground, and NGOs belonging to the International Campaign
to Ban Landmines are to bring this Call to the attention of each
government and to the scientific community of each country. The
signatures will be grouped on the Handicap International web site
(http://www.handicap-international.org). In course of the year
2001, the appeal to the Heads of States will be renewed and will
be accompanied by a list of all signatures.
Founded in 1992 by six NGOs (Handicap International
- France and Belgium, Human Rights Watch/Arms Project - USA, Medico
International - Germany, Mines Advisory Group - England, Physicians
for Human Rights - USA and Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation
- USA), the International Campaign to Ban Landmines was awarded
the Nobel Peace Prize for its decisive role in the prohibition
process. Today it represents 1,300 organizations in 70 countries.
