A concerning development has emerged from Finland: a government proposal to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty, which bans the use of anti-personnel (AP) landmines, has received support from numerous Members of Parliament during discussions on Tuesday, June 3rd.
This move has sparked alarm among peace and humanitarian organizations across Finland and internationally. The Ottawa Treaty, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, is a vital international agreement that prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines — weapons that are inherently indiscriminate and continue to harm civilians long after conflicts end.
A Call to Action
Peace organizations and humanitarian activists in Finland have been campaigning throughout the spring to urge MPs to reject the proposal. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munitions (ICBL-CMC), along with Finnish campaigners, is calling on international supporters to write to the Foreign Affairs Committee and Defense Committee of the Finnish Parliament and demand they vote NO on the bill.
Subject line for emails:
“Protect Civilians from Hidden Killers: VOTE NO on Withdrawal from the Mine Ban Treaty”
You can find contacts to:
- Foreign Committee in Finnish Parliament :
https://www.eduskunta.fi/EN/valiokunnat/ulkoasiainvaliokunta/Pages/default.aspx - The Defence committee :
https://www.eduskunta.fi/SV/valiokunnat/puolustusvaliokunta/Sidor/default.aspx
Support the Global Petition
A European petition is also gathering signatures to urge Finland to remain in the Mine Ban Convention:
“We call on you to stand with landmine survivors and millions of innocent people around the world who still live with the daily threat of landmines. Walking away now would bury decades of progress and open the door to indiscriminate killing for decades to come. We call on you to stay in the Mine Ban Convention and stand on the side of humanity.”
IPB Stands in Solidarity
The International Peace Bureau (IPB) supports the statement of the Campaign to Ban Landmines and has signed on to distribute it further. We urge all supporters of peace and disarmament to take a stand and act now — to protect civilians, preserve international law, and prevent a dangerous precedent.