Shaheed Al Hafed (refugee camps), March 24, 2012 (SPS) - The Saharawi Association of the Victims of Mines (ASAVIM) has launched the campaign “lend your leg for a mine-free Western Sahara”, as a part of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines that started on March 1st this year and will be concluded on April 4 coinciding with the UN Day for Mine Awareness, to raise awareness of the Saharawis about the danger of millions of mines laid in Western Sahara, according to a statement reached Saturday SPS.
The objective of this campaign is to raise awareness about danger of millions of landmines and cluster bombs laid in Western Sahara, as well as draw the attention of the international community to this problem and ask for assistance, both to the Sahrawi people to get rid of this problem and all other people in the world facing the danger on daily basis, indicated the statement.
“ASAVIM through the campaign "Lend your leg" wants to encourage local actors, humanitarian organizations and the international community to take part in this action, get involved and fulfill their respective responsibilities,” underlined the statement.
The statement asked the international community “to put pressure on the Kingdom of Morocco to accede to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction.”
ASAVIM praised the great efforts made by Action on Armed Violence (formerly Landmine Action) which cleared over 12 million km square of the Saharawi liberated zone and disposed of more than 22000 of these explosive weapons.
The campaign is participated by the following national organizations: National Union of Women (NUSW), Union of Journalists and Writers (UPES), Union of Jurists (UJS), Union of Youth (UJSARIO), Union of Students (UESARIO), Union of Workers (UGSARIO), Association of Families of the Sahrawi Prisoners and Disappeared (AFAPREDESA).
The campaign is open to non-governmental organizations and humanitarian institutions, both Saharawis and friends. For more information visit: http://www.remmso.org. (SPS)
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