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Action Alert for Landmine Victim Assistance On September 13, 2002 the Senate unanimously passed the "International Disabilities and Victims of Landmines, Civil Strife and Warfare Assistance Act of 2002." Contact your House Member and urge him/her to work for its passage in the House before the end of the session. This bill, if passed, will help thousands of landmine survivors worldwide with medical and rehabilitative care. In order to attract new supporters in Congress, it is to our advantage NOT to mention the Mine Ban Treaty or the current U.S. landmine policy review when contacting legislators about this bill. See sample letter below Thank you! To find out who your Representative is in the House and how to contact him or her, visit www.house.gov or www.vote-smart.org Sample Letter of Support in Favor of Landmine Victim Assistance Bill Date Dear Representative (name): Recently, the Senate unaminously passed the "International Disabilities and Victims of Landmines, Civil Strife and Warfare Assistance Act of 2002" (S. 1777). I am writing to urge you to work for the swift passage the Senate-passed version of the bill in the House before the end of the session. Today, innocent civilians are threatened by up to 80 million landmines buried in over 80 countries. Thousands of Americans have been killed or maimed by these weapons. It is estimated that 15,000-20,000 people, many of whom are women and children, are annually maimed or killed by landmines. While the Federal Government invests over $120 million in landmine-related activities annually, primarily for demining, less than ten percent of these funds are directed toward addressing the human suffering among those injured by mines. This bill expands authority at the USAID and the Department of Health and Human Services to provide assistance to individuals with disabilities, including victims of landmines and other victims of civil strife and warfare. Such assistance includes medical and rehabilitation services, research, prevention, public awareness campaigns, and peer support. Let's work together to help mine victims and others with disabilities to alleviate their pain and to improve their prospects. Thank you. Sincerely, (Name and Address)
Her Majesty described the plight of landmine victims worldwide and made the case for the importance of increased support for victim assistance programs. Her Majesty spoke passionately about the situation landmine survivors face in the developing world with few medical supplies, little sanitation or clean water, and a scarcity of surgeons, physical therapists and psychologists. With 500,000 landmine victims in Afghanistan alone, their needs are great. Her Majesty was joined by Lincoln Bloomfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs and Special Representative for the President and Secretary of State for Mine Action, who provided an overview of the landmine situation in Afghanistan and the need for assistance programs for victims of landmines, civil strife and warfare. Representatives from the Agency for International Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were also on hand to detail their current and future programs in Afghanistan and to provide an overview of their partnerships with international relief organizations in the areas of victim assistance. USCBL Coordinator Gina Coplon-Newfield praised Her Majesty Queen Noor, Senator Clinton, and the other leaders present for their support of this very important victim assistance legislation. |
On
April 11, 2002, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan appeared as Guest
Speaker at a Senate Briefing titled "Landmines in Afghanistan: A
Case for Victim Assistance." The Senate Briefing was sponsored by
Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York), Patrick Leahy (D-
Vermont) and Arlen Specter (R- Pennsylvania). Landmine Survivors
Network Board Member, Ambassador Karl R. Inderfurth introduced the
panel and moderated the discussion. | FREE EMAIL CAMPAIGN UPDATES |
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Ban Treaty and countries that have ratified it, contact the International
Campaign to Ban Landmines www.icbl.org
US Campaign to Ban Landmines |