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Secretary General Insulza Reaffirms OAS Commitment to Demining and Rehabilitation of the Victims in the International Day against Antipersonnel Mines

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today participated in a ceremony commemorating the International Day against Antipersonnel Mines in Medellin, Colombia, where he described the effort and commitment of the hemispheric institution to eradicate the scourge and bring rehabilitation to survivors as a "high priority."

Secretary General Insulza called for renewed efforts by the international community to continue eradication programs and assistance to mine victims. "Our greatest tribute to the children, women and men injured by landmines is to bring about their physical and psychological recovery and social and economic reintegration, and thus enable them to have a future and hope for tomorrow and realize that such tragedies never happen again," he said during a ceremony in he took part together with the Vice President of Colombia, Angelino Garzón, and representatives of the United Nations, non-governmental organizations and individuals who were wounded by mines.

The OAS Secretary General said that "despite the many tragedies due to the use of these treacherous weapons, more than 65 million landmines threaten the lives of citizens in 56 countries of the world, including Colombia," adding this is the only country in the Americas where "groups outside the law continue to spread these deadly and treacherous weapons."

The OAS leader referred to the demining programs of the hemispheric institution in Central America, where after 19 years of work it was possible to eradicate these weapons from this region. "The task of removing hundreds of thousands of mines and restoring the lives of thousands of victims in different regions marked by conflicts in Central America seemed impossible in 1991. Still, the OAS responded to the call of the Central American states with the creation of the "Program of Assistance for Demining in Central America (PADCA) designed to assist regional efforts in humanitarian demining," he recalled. He noted that "our effort has been crowned with success because, after completion of clearance of Nicaragua in 2010, we could declare Central America as a territory free of landmines," and said: "this means that we can achieve it."

Later, during a lunch with representatives of the donor community of the OAS Program for Comprehensive Action Against Antipersonnel Mines, Secretary General Insulza said that through this initiative that OAS has been able to support the efforts of the Government of Colombia to destroy more than 19,000 mines that were stored, and finish clearing 35 minefields under the jurisdiction of the Colombian Armed Forces.

Insulza highlighted other achievements of initiatives aimed at the eradication of anti-personnel mines in Colombia, such as clearance in the municipalities of San Carlos (Department of Antioquia) and El Dorado (Department of Meta); the clearance of more than 4,000,000 square meters of land that were affected by the suspected presence of mines, allowing the return of hundreds of families who had moved away for fear of this threat; and the destruction of more than 4,700 mines and unexploded ordnance.

He also mentioned that in terms of care for victims, the OAS has helped over 500 people in Central and South America, and in the case of Colombia, the program has funded "transportation, room and board for 248 survivors and has provided them with ocular prostheses, glasses and hearing aids to those who have need. Similarly it has trained 49 survivors and collaborated with others in their working relationship." Secretary General Insulza also noted that the OAS has supported 34 productive projects in Colombia benefiting 292 families (with a total of 1,164 beneficiaries) belonging to displaced communities who are returning to their cleared land.

Secretary General Insulza emphasized the role played by the OAS Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia, (MAPP-OAS), noting that the OAS demining program must be included as part of this initiative. He also noted the importance of the Ottawa Treaty (Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines) of the United Nations), and especially highlighted the role played by NGOs in this field. The OAS Secretary General especially thanked the governments of the United States, Canada, Italy, Spain and Japan for their contributions to demining program.

For his part, the Vice President of Colombia, Angelino Garzón, who served as host at the ceremony which took place early in the morning for the International Day Again Antipersonnel Mines, called on the leaders of the international community to commit to fighting to eradicate such arms. The Vice President of Colombia said that he will ask the United Nations to intensify its efforts in the fight against antipersonnel mines, and called on the leaders of the Colombian insurgent groups, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) to commit to "cease this criminal practice."

Secretary General Insulza and Vice President Garzón, as well as other participants in the event, rolled up their pants legs as a symbolic act of solidarity with the victims of anti-personnel mines.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-130/14