WVCBL advocates for United States to join the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. We also advocate for support of the treaties for ALL COUNTRIES.
ICBL URGENT ACTION ALERT
Defend the Mine Ban Treaty – Act Now!
- Contact your elected officials and let them know the importance of the Mine Ban Treaty.
The Issue
In July 2025, Ukraine notified the UN Secretary-General of its decision to “suspend the operation” of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) — invoking Article 62 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
But the Mine Ban Treaty does not permit suspension. Nor does the Vienna Convention justify it.
Following the circulation of Ukraine’s communication to all States Parties by the UN Secretary-General, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs informed that this issue must be “settled among the Parties to the [Mine Ban] Convention.”
Several States Parties – including Austria, Belgium, Norway, and Switzerland – have already, rightly so, formally objected to this “suspension”. Yet, many governments remain silent.
Why It Matters and Why All States Are Concerned
Ukraine’s claimed “suspension” is unlawful and dangerous:
- Disregards Article 1 of the Convention, which prohibits use, production, and stockpiling of antipersonnel mines “under any circumstances.” A “suspension” undermines that absolute foundation – and risks unraveling 25 years of progress toward a world free of landmines.
- Threatens the integrity of the Mine Ban Treaty and the international norm against antipersonnel mines.
- Create a precedent that could be used in the future by any state, in any region of the world, to abandon other humanitarian or disarmament conventions at any time that suits them, including during armed conflict.
This unprecedented threat demands a collective response by all States Parties. This is not a European issue – it affectsall regions of the world and requires all states to speak out.
Silence on this “suspension” is very dangerous – it equals consent. If left unchallenged, it could set a precedent that undermines not only the Mine Ban Treaty but also the broader international legal framework protecting civilians from inhumane weapons.
“Suspension of the Convention is not permitted. Its obligations apply at all times, under any circumstances.”
What Needs to Happen
Act NOW
- Contact your government immediately: Explain the issue and urge them to speak up and say that suspension is not permitted under the Convention.
Additional Resources
- Human Rights Watch & Harvard Law School IHRC (Sept 2025):
“Challenging Ukraine’s Mine Ban Treaty ‘Suspension’: A Humanitarian and Legal Imperative” - 22nd Meeting of States Parties (1–5 December 2025, Geneva) – programme and other key information
PAST ACTIONS:
Open Letter to Honorable Marco Rubio, Secretary of State: U.S. 90 Day Freeze on Foreign Aid
Updated: Feb 6
To: Hon. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
cc: The White House
From:
Douglas A. Hartwick, Amb. (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2001-2004
Patricia M. Haslach, Amb (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2004-2007
Victor L. Tomseth, Amb (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 1993-1996
Wendy J. Chamberlin, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 1996-1999
Harriet W. Isom, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 1986-1989
Charles Salmon, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 1989-1993
Ravic R. Huso, Amb. (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2007-2010
Daniel A. Clune, Esq., Amb. (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2013-2016
Karen B. Stewart, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Laos, 2010-2013
Charles A. Ray, Amb (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, 2002-2005
Kenneth M. Quinn, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, 1996-1999
Charles H. Twining, Amb. (ret.) U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, 1994-1995
Ted Osius, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 2014-2017
Pete Peterson, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 1997-2001
Michael Michalak, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 2007-2011
David Shear, Amb. (ret) U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, 2011-2014
Raymond Burghardt, Amb. (Ret.) U. S. To Ambassador to Vietnam , 2001-2004
Dear Honorable Secretary Rubio:
We are writing to urge you to end the 90 day stop work order for U.S. foreign assistance programming that suspends U.S.-funded mine clearance programs. A waiver or quick and affirmative review for these programs which includes global demining operations, victim assistance and explosive ordnance risk education, is urgently needed to allow demining professionals to get back to their vital life-saving work.
We completely understand the importance of a new administration reviewing assistance programs. That is an important thing to do. But doing so under a 3-month suspension, in still fragile post-conflict settings, risks seriously setting back or even causing programs to disappear entirely.
Clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) is in the best interest of our country. Clearing land of UXO allows the U.S. to provide a highly visible demonstration of American support to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, countries in a region of immense strategic importance to the United States. Demining not only saves lives but provides a measurable benefit by making contaminated land usable for agricultural activities and infrastructure building, boosting their economies and promoting self-sufficiency –relying less on aid from the U.S. and other funders.
These programs also benefit U.S. national security by reducing the risk of proliferation of explosive materials to potential bad actors who may re-purpose UXO for their benefit leading to violence or instability. Left uncleared, landmines and unexploded ordnance also threatens the lives of U.S. personnel in the region, contractors, and aid workers.
Mine clearance operators work at great personal risk to carefully and painstakingly survey, clear and destroy landmines and unexploded ordnance and release cleared land back to communities for farming, industry, infrastructure and other uses. With an average of 15 casualties a day worldwide from the explosive remnants of war – about half of which are children – these clearance efforts are critical to saving lives. In 2023 alone, U.S. funded programs cleared over 47,000 acres of land and provided medical and rehabilitative care to over 71,000 survivors of explosive remnants of war.
The U.S. partnership with Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam on important issues—such as mines and UXO clearance, dioxin remediation, and the search for Missing in Action personnel—has not only helped heal past wounds but has also fostered reconciliation and expanded cooperation in defense, economic growth, and people-to-people connections. As former Ambassadors, we can attest that these programs helped us advance US interests by generating goodwill and providing access to senior government officials.
As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-Vietnam relations and the 40th anniversary of U.S.-Laos collaboration on recovering MIA personnel, we reflect on the significant progress made in Southeast Asia. Our continued investments in areas like land clearance and other development initiatives will only strengthen these vital ties and drive even greater mutual success moving forward.
We thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this important matter.
U.S. Campaign expresses deep concern over suspension of funds for mine clearance and victim assistance
The U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines – U.S. Cluster Munition Coalition is deeply concerned about the global impact of President Trump’s 90 day stop work order for U.S. foreign assistance programming that suspends U.S.-funded mine clearance programs.
Mine clearance serves humanitarian, national security, and economic aims. Clearing land of landmines and unexploded ordnance such as cluster munition remnants allows displaced people to safely return home, enables delivery of humanitarian aid, revitalizes economic activity, and facilitates the transition from conflict to self-sufficiency. These programs survey and clear land contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance, and provide risk education to communities.
Mine clearance operators work at great personal risk to carefully and painstakingly survey, clear and destroy landmines and unexploded ordnance and release cleared land back to communities for farming, industry, infrastructure and other uses. With an average of 15 casualties a day worldwide from the explosive remnants of war – about half of which are children – these clearance efforts are critical to saving lives. In 2022 alone, U.S. funded programs cleared over 43,000 acres of land and provided medical and rehabilitative care to over 53,000 survivors of landmines and explosive remnants of war.
These programs also benefit U.S. national security by reducing the risk of proliferation of small arms, light weapons and explosive materials to armed groups such as narco-trafficking gangs in Latin America and the Caribbean. Left uncleared, landmines and unexploded ordnance also threatens the lives of U.S. troops, contractors, and aid workers operating in conflict zones.
In January, President Trump issued an executive order on “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,” and Pete Marocco, Director of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance, released a memo that together suspended U.S. foreign assistance for 90 days. The potential impact of the suspension of funds to mine clearance operators was detailed in The New York Times on January 26 and January 28.
The U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines and the U.S. Cluster Munition Coalition urges the Trump administration to act quickly to end the stop-work order for clearance operations and victim assistance programs. A waiver or quick and affirmative review for mine clearance and victim assistance programs is urgently needed to allow clearance professionals to get back to work making the world a safer place.
The U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines – U.S. Cluster Munition Coalition Call for Accession to Treaties
Seventh U.S. Transfer of Banned Cluster Munitions Condemned
Thursday, October 17, 2024
The U.S. Cluster Munition Coalition condemns the latest transfer of international-banned cluster munitions from the United States to Ukraine announced October 16, 2024. This is the seventh US transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine since July 2023 and it comes 21 days after a sixth transfer was announced.
“The U.S. seems to be doing all it can to transfer its stocks of obsolete cluster munitions to Ukraine, despite repeated warnings about the risk of civilian harm and long-term humanitarian impact,” said Sera Koulabdara of Legacies of War, Chair of the U.S. Cluster Munition Coalition. “Cluster munitions have been prohibited by a majority of the world’s countries so it’s deeply dismaying to see U.S. actions that run counter to the norm against these weapons.”
The first five transfer announcements were for U.S. cluster munitions delivered by 155mm artillery projectiles and by ballistic missiles (ATACMS). Yet, the type of cluster munitions announced on September 25 and October 16 were not specified by the State Department or the Department of Defense announcements, despite multiple requests for clarity and greater transparency.
The Cluster Munition Coalition is dismayed that the Biden Administration, and in particular the State Department and Department of Defense, have refused to answer basic questions regarding the types of cluster munitions being transferred let alone the quantities, failure rates, and transit points for its cluster munition transfers.
On September 25, the U.S. Cluster Munition Coalition wrote to President Biden to urge him to revise U.S. cluster munitions policy and move the United States to align with the core provisions of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which provides the framework for their eradication.A total of 124 countries have signed or ratified the convention, including 24 NATO member states.
On September 13, 2024, countries that have ratified the convention collectively “condemned any use of cluster munitions by any actor” and found that “any perceived military utility is outweighed by the harm that they cause.” The countries expressed “grave concern at the significant number of civilian casualties resulting from the repeated and well documented use of cluster munitions” since 2021.
Cluster munitions can be fired from the ground by artillery, rockets, missiles, and mortar projectiles, or dropped by aircraft. They open in the air to disperse multiple submunitions or bomblets over a wide area. Many submunitions fail to explode on initial impact, leaving duds that can indiscriminately injure and kill like landmines for years, until they are cleared and destroyed.
The U.S. Cluster Munition Coalition is a coalition of non-governmental organizations working to achieve a comprehensive U.S. ban on cluster munitions as well as U.S. accession to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which 124 countries have signed or ratified. Our coalition also calls for sustained U.S. government financial support for the clearance of cluster munition remnants and assistance for victims of the weapons.
Experts for Contact:
Sera Koulabdara, sera@legaciesofwar.org, Chair, US Cluster Munition Coalition and CEO, Legacies of War
Mary Wareham, wareham@hrw.org, Deputy Crisis, Conflict and Arms Director, Human Rights Watch
Ursala Knudsen-Latta, uknudsen-latta@fcnl.org, Legislative Director for Peacebuilding Policy, Friends Committee on National Legislation