The Mine Ban Treaty and the Use of Land mines in Afghanistan

The purpose of International Humanitarian Law is to reduce unnecessary sufferings, loss of life and damages caused by armed conflicts. Mines are the greatest violations of International Humanitarian Law. Mines strike blindly, cannot distinguish between combatants and civilians, go on killing long after hostilities are ended and often children suffer maximum. The Mine Ban Treaty of 1997is the prime humanitarian and disarmament treaty aimed at ending the suffering caused by land mine by prohibiting their use, stockpiling, production, and transfer and ensuring their destruction and assisting the victims. In spite of being one of the most comprehensive international instruments for eradicating landmines Afghanistan continues to suffer from one of the highest levels of contamination from landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in the world resulting from the continuous armed conflict over the past three plus decades. UN agencies, International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Government of Afghanistan work towards the goal of achieving Afghanistan�s bid to be a landmine free country by 2023.