Landmine Treaty Statement - 1997

Association of State Green Parties Supports Land Mine Treaty.

The Association of State Green Parties applauds the Nobel Peace Prize Committee for their 1997 choice. Jody Williams, an activist with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines is a shining example of a person working to bring peace to the planet. 

Anti-personnel landmines kill or maim 26,000 people every year, 80% of them civilians, and yet the United States is one of only two countries that refuse to sign the treaty, the other being China. 

The Clinton Administration claims that landmines are still needed to protect American troops in Korea and that such a ban would be ineffective as long as China does not sign. The Association of Green Parties believes that using outdated Cold War logic to preserve a technology that harms so many innocent people is unconscionable. 

Is such a devastating technology needed to protect the United States and South Korea from a destitute and starving country? The Association of State Green Parties does not think so and is delighted that the Nobel Peace Prize Committee has decided to recognize this threat to peace. Patrick Mazza, co-chair of the Association of State Green Parties says that, "Most people intuitively understand land mines are horrible devices that simply ought to be banned outright, no exceptions. President Clinton, however, in resisting this, is showing he is far closer to the Pentagon's generals than the sentiments of the vast majority of the American people." 

The ASGP also believe that to wait for China to take the lead and have the United States be the last signatory nation is wrong. Both China and the U.S. can use each other as convenient scapegoats. The U.S. should take the lead in putting the pressure on China by immediately offering complete support to the Landmine Treaty. 

The Association of State Green Parties strongly urges President Clinton to support the treaty to ban anti-personnel landmines and has asked each of the member states in the Association to work for the eradication of these instruments of destruction.