MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am delighted to announce that Australia will contribute an extra $4 million
over three years from our overseas aid program to combat the effects of
anti-personnel landmines (APL) in Cambodia and Mozambique.
This contribution demonstrates yet again the Australian Government's
determination to play a leading role in rectifying the humanitarian disaster
caused by landmines.
The money will be used in Cambodia, one of the most heavily-mined countries
in the world, and Mozambique, where the presence of an estimated two million
landmines continues to devastate the country.
$2 479 900 will go to the Australian Red Cross for production and fitting
of artificial limbs and walking aids along with ongoing rehabilitation for
people who have lost arms and legs as the result of landmines in Cambodia.$1 470 009 is to go to World Vision Australia for mine clearance, mine
awareness training and data collection in Battambang province in Cambodia.$220 000 to Austcare for landmines detection in Mozambique. The funds will
be used to buy 17 new sniffer dogs and train ex-soldiers from both sides of
the civil war in the country as their handlers.
This new funding comes on top of a $12 million demining program for Cambodia
and Laos, which this Government announced shortly after coming to office and a
further $8.5 million before that.
The decision to increase dramatically aid funding is part of a principled and
compassionate response by the Australian Government to the crisis caused by the
misuse of anti-personnel landmines. This has included:
The initiation of early Parliamentary action with a view to ratifying the
strengthened Protocol of the Inhumane Weapons Convention, dealing with APL.
Australia expects to be one of the first states to ratify the revised Protocol
in early 1997.Active participation in the October 1996 Ottawa strategy conference of
states and NGOs in favour of banning APL.Co-sponsoring the UN General Assembly resolution late last year calling for
the vigorous pursuit of an APL ban.Recent lobbying of all member countries of the Conference on Disarmament
(CD), for the CD to begin negotiations on an APL ban in that forum in
1997.Participation in a series of meetings aimed at enhancing international
cooperation in the search for improved demining technology.
In addition, a principal focus of my address to the Conference on Disarmament
on 30 January will be to call on that body to deliver a treaty banning
anti-personnel landmines,in a timeframe commensurate with the scale and urgency
of the problem.
Media contact:Peter Collins (Mr
Downer's Office) 06 277 7500/0411 414 695 Andrea McLaughlin (AusAID) 06 206
4966