Since the late 1990s, the Sri Lanka Campaign to Ban Landmines (SLCBL) has been advocating for Sri Lanka’s accession and ratification of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
In 2015, the SLCBL published three publications on “Why Post-war Sri Lanka Should Ban Anti-Personnel Landmines”; “Why Post-war Sri Lanka Should Ban Cluster Munitions” and “Why Post-war Sri Lanka Should Ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.” These three publications were published in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages, along with the treaty text of the Conventions. The publications were presented to the President, Prime Minister, parliamentarians, government officials, the media, civil society activists and likeminded personnel.
In 2016, the SLCBL submitted a petition to the President of Sri Lanka requesting Sri Lanka’s accession to the APMBC and CCM without further delay. The petition was endorsed by the 131 signatories, including former senior diplomats, former senior government officials, academia, civil society activists, professionals, members of the corporate sector and other interested parties.
Sri Lanka presided over the 9th Meeting of States Parties (MSP) to the CCM in 2019. During Sri Lanka’s Presidency of the 9th MSP to the CCM, the country gained international recognition and was commended by the international humanitarian disarmament community. The 9th MSP was the first time a South Asian country—Sri Lanka, became President of the CCM. The SLCBL advocated for Sri Lanka’s Presidency of the 9th MSP to the CCM. The SLCBL played a pivotal role during Sri Lanka’s CCM Presidency in Geneva, Switzerland.
In March 2018, Special Envoy to the APMBC HRH Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein visited Sri Lanka. HRH congratulated Sri Lanka on becoming the 163rd State Party to the Convention (during 20th anniversary of the Convention) and praised the ongoing National Mine Action Programme of Sri Lanka. HRH Prince Mired’s visit to Sri Lanka was historic not only for Sri Lanka, but also for the entire South Asian Region, as it was the first visit of the Special Envoy to the APMBC, to the region. The SLCBL assisted the GoSL in coordinating the APMBC Special Envoy HRH Prince Mired’s visit to the country from 4th to 7th March 2018.
The SLCBL encourages Sri Lanka to become the President of the MSP to the APMBC before Sri Lanka completes its demining activities in 2030 (as stipulated in the National Mine Action Strategy).
The SLCBL continues to advocate for the passing of local regulation through the Parliament of Sri Lanka to implement the CCM and UNCRPD, and ratify of the CCW Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War (local regulation to be passed after ratification).
Sri Lanka passed the local regulation implementing the APMBC in 2022.
In 2005, Landmine Ban Advocacy Forum successfully lobbied the GoSL to submit a Voluntary Article 7 Transparency Report to the APMBC and encouraged Sri Lanka to become a party to the CCW and its protocols. The SLCBL has been involved in the preparation of National Mine Action Strategies, and engages with national and international mine action workshops, advocacy forums/discussions on CRPD, and events, which includes the International Mine Action Awareness Day, MSPs to the APMBC and the CCM.
In 2018, the SLCBL collaborated with the Government Film Unit and produced a documentary film titled “Quest for a Mine-Free Land” which was screened during the 17th MSP to the APMBC held in Geneva in 2018. The event was organized and supported by the Sri Lankan Mission in Geneva to the UN and International Organizations.
In 2019, the SLCBL produced a documentary film with the support of the Government of Canada on “Stepping Without Fear: Women in Mine Action in Sri Lanka” in Sinhala, Tamil and English. It also published “Sri Lanka’s Mine Action Story: Achievements, Challenges and Opportunities”. The documentary and publication were screened and launched during the 4th Review Conference of the APMBC held in Norway.
After successful advocacy work in Sri Lanka on the APMBC, CCM and CRPD, the SLCBL is in the process of reaching out to regional governments on acceding to or ratifying these three key Conventions and other related Conventions. As its first mission, the SLCBL Secretariat, the Forum on Disarmament and Development (FDD) visited the Maldives in 2018, to meet with the Maldivian Government, and discussed their possible accession to the CCM and other Conventions. The Maldives acceded to the CCM, Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in 2019. The FDD continues to advocate for the accession to the CCM and other Conventions by Bangladesh and Bhutan. Bangladesh ratified the TPNW in 2019.
The youth wing of the SLCBL continues to engage with the international humanitarian disarmament community through their active participation in MSPs to the APMBC and CCM. They are also a part of the Mine Action Fellows—a group of dedicated and experienced youth leaders supported by Mines Action Canada. The youth wing of the SLCBL has supported Campaign advocacy, through their active engagement with the Campaign, especially through written material including articles and contributions to Campaign publications.
In the past, the SLCBL functioned under South Asia Partnership International, Inter Religious Peace Foundation, Landmine Ban Advocacy Forum under the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies, South Asia Small Arms Network and Sri Lanka Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled. Since 2018, the SLCBL has functioned under the Forum on Disarmament and Development (FDD).
The SLCBL is affiliated with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)—the Nobel Peace Prize Co-Laureate in 1997 and the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC).