Zro And Landmine

Press Release The Zomi Re-unification Organisation commits to the ban on anti-personnel mines Geneva, 4 March 2009 The quest to rid Asia of anti-personnel (AP) mines has taken another step forward with an armed non-State actor (NSA) - the Zomi Re-unification Organisation (ZRO) signing Geneva Call’s Deed of Commitment. By signing this instrument, the ZRO has joined 35 NSAs around the world which have pledged to ban AP mines, as well as carry out, or co-operate in, necessary mine action. The ZRO becomes the third NSA operating in Northeast India to have signed the "Deed of Commitment for Adherence to a Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Mines and for Cooperation in Mine Action". The ZRO began to destroy its stockpiles and clear the mines that it had laid after commencing dialogue with Geneva Call in 2008. The ZRO reports that it was able to complete these tasks prior to its signing of the Deed of Commitment. ‘I am proud that as an armed revolutionary movement, we have prioritised humanitarian issues, and consider this a major step forward and hope it will serve as an example to others’, stated Thanglianpau, President of the ZRO. Katherine Kramer, Geneva Call’s Programme Director for Asia, commented: ‘We are delighted that ZRO has taken the step to renounce the use of AP mines. We believe that this sends a clear message to other armed NSAs operating in Northeast India that it is possible to give up mine use. We strongly urge these other organizations to consider urgently taking steps against the use of these insidious devices.’ About the Zomi Re-unification Organisation The ZRO formed in 1993. Its struggle is based on a desire to reunify the Zo people of the region (known variously as Zomi, Mizo, Kuki and Chin) who are dispersed throughout parts of northeast India, Burma/Myanmar and Bangladesh, and to strive for the establishment of a Zo homeland.

About Geneva Call Geneva Call is an international humanitarian organization dedicated to engaging armed non-State actors (NSAs) to respect and to adhere to humanitarian norms, starting with the ban on anti-personnel (AP) mines. In 2009, Geneva Call is expanding its operations to include the issues of women and children in armed conflict, with the aim of engaging NSAs on issues such as child recruitment and sexual violence. Geneva Call is committed to the universal application of the principles of international humanitarian law and conducts its activities based on the principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence. Geneva Call provides an innovative mechanism for NSAs, who do not participate in drafting treaties and thus may not feel bound by their obligations to express adherence to the norms embodied in the 1997 anti-personnel mine ban treaty through their signature to the "Deed of Commitment for Adherence to a Total Ban on AntiPersonnel Mines and for Cooperation in Mine Action". The Government of the Republic and Canton of Geneva serves as the guardian of these Deeds. For further information, please contact: Katherine Kramer, Programme Director for Asia +41 22 879 10 50, [email protected]

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