The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) urgently calls on all States Parties to confront the threats to the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT). Five European nations  Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have signaled plans to withdraw, risking a catastrophic reversal of 25 years of progress in humanitarian disarmament.

Why This Threat Demands Action:

• A Historic Breach: This would be the first mass withdrawal in the treaty’s history, shattering its near-universal norm (165 states) and legitimizing barbaric weapons that kill/cripple civilians (85% of victims).
• Humanitarian Crisis: Landmines caused 5,757 casualties in 2023 (+22% from 2022), primarily in Myanmar, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine (580), and Yemen. Russia’s use in Ukraine exemplifies their indiscriminate horror.
• Security should not justify the use of Indiscriminate Weapons: While security concerns are valid, landmines offer minimal military utility when compared to their humanitarian costs and the long-term civilian suffering and contamination they inflict on innocent civilians.

At the June Intersessionals, the ICBL expects the States Parties to:

• Publicly condemn the planned withdrawals and call on Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to remain in the MBT.
• Reaffirm unequivocally that antipersonnel mines violate international humanitarian law and cause unacceptable harm.
• Strengthen commitments to land clearance, victim assistance, and universalization of the treaty.
• Reject false narratives that mines are legitimate tools of defense, emphasizing alternatives compliant with IHL.

The Broken Chair monument, standing in Geneva with ICBL’s protest banner throughout June is a reminds for delegates of their obligation to protect civilians. Retreat is not an option.