Landmine Action Week, May 2004.

The Edmund Rice Centre is an institutional member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. (ICBL) This year is a significant one for the anti landmine campaign as it marks the last year of Australia ’s commitment to fund landmine action. Ten years ago, as a consequence of the Ottawa Convention, Australia donated 100 million to landmine clearance, education and victim support. The Australian ICBL Network is currently petitioning both major Federal parties in the hope of raising 0 million for the next decade.

Although the ant-landmine campaign has been one of the most successful peoples’ movements to date, activists still estimate that someone is killed or injured by a landmine every 22 minutes. Additionally, landmines alienate farmers from their fields, while the need to care for victims diverts health and hospital resources from other priority areas. There remains much to be done.

In late May 2004, ICBL in conjunction with Austcare launched Landmine Action Week (LAW). The week’s stated goals were to advance awareness about landmines and to galvanize public support for the funding campaign. NSW LAW was launched at a gala event in Martin Place attended by the Deputy Premier, Andrew Refshauge as well as other state politicians and Sydney City Councillors. The Edmund Rice Centre contributed to the morning by the construction of a 3 tonne pyramid of shoes, each shoe representing a victim. A band played throughout the morning and the Australian Army held a landmine clearance display. Students from St.Mary’s Cathedral College also supported the day, both as workers on the shoe pyramid and as eager participants in the clearance display.

Individuals can still support the aims of the week by signing the web petition to the Australian Senate at the address below.

(www.petitiononline.com/mjebsb1/petition/html)

Michael Elphick.