The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is currently working on surveying and collecting data on explosive ordnance victims, in line with Article 7 of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC). 

The data collection form for "Victim Assistance Needs Assessment" was reviewed yesterday, with the relevant ministries and partner organizations. The Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines (SLCBL) actively engages with the Government in this regard. The survey is to be conducted at the end of 2024.

This effort is coordinated by the National Mine Action Center (NMAC) of Sri Lanka.






This week (19 Aug-23Aug), the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) celebrated its 10th anniversary at the 10th Conference of States Parties (CSP) to the ATT at Centre International de Conférences, Genève - CICG. 

At present, there are 115 states parties and 130 signatory states to the ATT. The Maldives is the only State Party from South Asia to the ATT since 2019. The FDD is happy about the Maldivian Government’s commitment towards implementation of the ATT in the Maldives. The FDD continues to advocate for Sri Lanka’s accession to the ATT and encourages Sri Lanka to accede to the ATT without delay.





Yesterday, the Forum on Disarmament and Development met the Peace and Development Advisor to the United Nations in Sri Lanka—Mr. Patrick Mc Carthy at the United Nations Office in Colombo. At the meeting, the FDD highlighted our advocacy efforts that have resulted in Sri Lanka and other countries in the region joining and implementing key disarmament and disability rights conventions and treaties. The advocacy efforts of the Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines has resulted in the successful implementation (via local legislation) of the Ottawa Convention in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s mine action success was also acknowledged at the meeting.

Further, Sri Lanka’s role as a soft power in the region on the subject of disarmament (especially on matters concerning nuclear weapons) was also discussed at the meeting. 

In addition to this, due to the escalation of small arms use in the country in the past few months, the FDD highlighted the need to constructively engage with the UNPoA, re-establish the Small Arms Commission and amend existing acts relating to small arms and light weapons in order to improve the overall human security of Sri Lanka.



The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Secretariat in Geneva conducted a "Train the Trainers" workshop in Bangkok, Thailand from the 8th to the 12th of July, 2024.

The workshop was attended by states, signatory states, non-state parties and civil society representing China, Japan, Maldives, Philippines, Thailand, Mongolia, Cambodia, Nepal and Sri Lanka.


At the workshop, the Thai Government noted that they are currently working towards ratifying the ATT. We would also like to commend the Government of Maldives' productive engagement with the ATT at the workshop.


Our engagement with the Maldivian Government has paved the way for Maldives accede to the not only the ATT but the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) and Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as well.


We wish the parties that took part in the workshop all the best with their treaty implementation efforts and encourage them to continue supporting the universalization of treaties.




This week, the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC)'s Victim Assistance (VA) experts were invited by the Government of Sri Lanka to assist with the implementation of VA in #SriLanka. Mr. Firoz Alizada of the ISU of APMBC met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs  - Sri Lanka, Ministry of Justice, Social Services, Ministry of Health - Sri Lanka, National Mine Action Center, local and international organizations and experts in the field to discuss the challenges faced in VA and provided information on VA commitments under the APMBC. The Forum on Disarmament and Development is happy to be a part of this important discussion.




.

 

Sri Lanka acceded to the TPNW during the ongoing 78th UN General  Assembly at the UN Headquarters   in New York on the 19th September, 2023. Foreign Minister M.U.M. Ali Sabry deposited the instrument of accession to the TPNW, making Sri Lanka the 69th state party to the TPNW.

The Forum on Disarmament and Development (FDD)   which is the Secretariat for Sri Lanka Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Coordinator Vidya Abhayagunawardena welcomes this achievement as a reaffirmation of Sri Lanka’s long-standing commitment towards nuclear disarmament in favour of international peace and security.

Sri Lanka also ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in July this year, 27 years after signature.  Further, Abhayagunawardena stated that “Sri Lanka’s accession to the TPNW and ratification of the CTBT sends a strong message to India and Pakistan, both nuclear armed-states that are still not party to both treaties.”

The FDD published two publications in 2019 on “Why Sri Lanka Should Accede to the TPNW” and “Why Sri Lanka Should Ratify the CTBT” in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages. “These two publications helped in their advocacy work towards Sri Lanka’s accession and ratification of the TPNW and CTBT.” Vidya Abhayagunawardena mentioned.





The Sri Lanka National Mine Action Completion Strategy was launched on the 30th of March, at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo. The attendees at the launch event included officials from the National Mine Action Center, Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Health and the Department of Social Services. Representatives from the GICHD, humanitarian demining organizations as well as the diplomatic community were also present at the launch.




Today, the Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines (SLCBL) met the Director of the National Mine Action Center (NMAC) of Sri Lanka and Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing W.S. Sathyananda at the Ministry and presented a translated version (Sinhala and Tamil) of Sri Lanka's section of Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor 2022.  

During the launch, the SLCBL discussed the success of Sri Lanka’s mine action story, as well as important steps that need to be taken to declare Sri Lanka a mine-free country. The SLCBL urged the Secretary to consider the positive implications of the Anti-Personal Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), Convention on Cluster Munition (CCM) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), especially when supported with local legislation. 

During the discussion with the Secretary and officials of the NMAC, the SLCBL stressed the importance and mine-clearance well before 2028, meeting the 10-year obligation under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. Sri Lanka in a process of finalizing and launching the National Mine Action Strategy 2023-2028 soon with the support of Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Disarmament (GICHD).   

The participants on this occasion included: V. Premachandran Deputy Director NMAC; Rohana Jayalath IMSMA (Information Management System for Mine Action) Officer at NMAC; Vidya Abhayagunawardena Coordinator SLCBL and Nimaya Dahanayake, Youth Campaigner SLCBL. The translation work of the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor was supported by the Investing in Action, a project of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munition Coalitions. 

Click the link below to access the Landmine Monitor:

English- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YPvZadodTyw2i-7ge2i8WOvnjhgkfx2_/view?usp=share_link

Sinhala- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DD3BDgbdkrs-KyT-twdw2Kw43V3nAA5_/view?usp=share_link

Tamil- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TtA_-7g7NQnaPEwNje40FumpHfh5AoHu/view?usp=share_link






The Forum on Disarmament and Development (FDD) had a discussion with the Director General of United Nations and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on engagement with the UN Disarmament treaties and way forward. 

Last December, FDD sent a letter to the President advocating the ratification, accession or engagement with Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and UN Programme on Illicit Small Arms (UN PoA). The FDD presented publications on "Why Post-War Sri Lanka Should Accede to the ATT", "Why Sri Lanka Should Accede to the TPNW" and "Why Sri Lanka Should Ratify the CTBT."

The MFA thanked the FDD for its continuous engagement with the Ministry.


The Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines (SLCBL) congratulates the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) on their 30th and 25th Anniversaries this year. The SLCBL commends them for their tireless efforts towards creating a world free of the use, suffering and casualties of anti-personnel mines. 

On the 16th December, the SLCBL travelled to the operational areas of The Halo Trust and Mines Advisory Group (MAG) as they celebrate their 20th work Anniversary in Sri Lanka. The HALO Trust and MAG are key operators involved in mine clearance and completion in Sri Lanka. Further, SLCBL thanks them for their work in making Sri Lanka the first mine-free nation in Asia, before 2028.







 !"# $
 !"   $%    &$ !"   '(

 )*

&   +#,$ - . #$.,
,  -# $ ,$%  
/0

1#2&$ ,  & +
!"+ #2  )(

.& +  
+ ###$3,
.4 %,$ 2,)(


Today, the Forum on Disarmament and Development (FDD) engaged in a discussion with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on the "Way Forward for Sri Lanka's Disarmament Sector for 2022/2023" at the Ministry. The discussion was broadly based on improving the country's human security, which will eventually benefit its national security, human rights, non-aligned foreign policy, and becoming a soft-power in the South Asian region. On many occasions in the past, Sri Lanka has been recognized as a “Champion of Disarmament”. 

At the discussion, the FDD urged Sri Lanka to become party to and ratify the Total Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War (ERW), Arms Trade Treaty (ATT); as well as create a local regulation to implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) and the UN  Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It was also highlighted that Sri Lanka needs to re-engage with the UN Programe of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (UN PoA). Continued support from the Government on prohibition of autonomous weapons and submitting relevant documents on the CCM to the CCM Secretariat was also encouraged. 

The FDD also handed over a copy of a 2008 report published by the National Commission Against Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms (NCAPISA) to the Ministry and stressed the importance of re-establishment of the NCAPISA which was dismantled since 2009.  

Click the link below to access the key discussion points with the Ministry today. 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/1FHqZUH3OmSsBecYmdlTbjWj3s3ZawK-g/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=msword

Today, the Forum on Disarmament and Development (FDD) participated in a meeting organized by the Ministry of Justice on finalizing the Draft Bill on Disability Rights. Sri Lanka signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on the 30th of March 2007, and ratified the same on the 8th of February 2016. At today's discussion, all the parties agreed that two draft documents by the Ministry of Social Services and Disability Organizations on the Draft Bill should amalgamated into one document and presented at the next meeting on the 9th of November. 

During the discussion, FDD stressed the importance of mentioning in the introduction section of the Draft Bill that "This national law has been developed to domesticate the UN CRPD, Child Rights Convention (CRC) as well as International Humanitarian Law (IHL), especially the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC). 

Senior Officials of the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Social Services, Presidential Secretariat, Attorney General's Department, Legal Draftsman's Department and Disability Organizations participated in today’s meeting. The meeting was chaired by Member of Parliament Ajith Mannaperuma who was appointed by the Minister of Justice to this Committee. The FDD is hopeful that the Draft Disability Bill will be presented to Parliament soon.



Another meeting on linking the railway line to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) was held at the Sri Lanka Railway Department Headquarters today. The Chairman and Officers of the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Ltd , Sri Lanka Railway and FDD were among the participants at today’s meeting.