MAG's response to the news that the defence ministers of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have recommended their withdrawal from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the Ottawa Convention.
We recognise that there are no easy choices for states that feel under threat of armed aggression, but international humanitarian law (IHL) is designed precisely for times like these, when people are in the gravest danger and the risk of conflict is at its highest. We encourage the governments of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to review the recommendation to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention with a view to fully preserving its essential norm, in line with the broader commitments to IHL and protection of civilians.
Extensive experience shows that the tactical utility of anti-personnel mines is outweighed by the civilian harm they cause, the tragic effect of which we witness day-in, day-out, across the world.
