Jody Williams' Speech
Ban Landmines Week Press Conference, Thursday March 8, 2001

I've asked Song Kosal to stand with me so we don't forget for one second why we're here. My name is Jody Williams, and I was the founding coordinator of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. I currently serve as its international ambassador. In 1997 the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and myself were the recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize.

When we were awarded the prize, the Nobel committee said that we had made a utopian dream a reality. Unfortunately there is still a huge gap in that reality. I am a US citizen and yet my country stays outside the treaty. The sole remaining superpower needs to join this treaty.

We're told that American citizens don't care about this issue. I ask the new administration to look out the window and rethink that position. There are people from 47 states of the United States of America here to show that yes, in fact, we do care about this issue. Last week I went to Missouri - Is Ken Rutherford here? Professor Rutherford at SMSU, Southwestern Missouri State University, a founder of the Landmine Survivors Network, was blown up by a landmine helping others in Somalia, knows personally the pain, invited me to come and speak with his students and the people of Missouri. There were hundreds in the audience, so don't tell me US citizens don't care.

When Ken introduced me, he kind of cracked me up, he said, "The first time I ever saw this woman I called my wife into the room to look at her on the TV and I said, "Here's this able-bodied person caring about landmines, you know, she never got blown up, why does she care?" I'll tell you why I care. My brother was born deaf, he cannot hear a sound. My brother cannot speak. In adolescence he developed severe violent schizophrenia. He is 54 years old. My family has lived with severe disability my entire life. I have no doubt about the impact of disability on a family and a community.

I live in the United States of America where there is some possibility to help the disabled. But let me tell you there's still a lot of gaps here, too. And when I think about that reality, and I think about the people here from the poorest countries in the world trying to live with disability, trying to provide for their families when they can barely manage on a daily basis, I care very deeply and very profoundly. I feel it in my bones because of my own experience.

And all of you came here because all of you care. I will go next Monday to South Africa. The day after I get back I will go to Washington state to speak to people about this issue. In April-May I will go to India and Pakistan to speak to those governments about this issue. In October I will go to the Koreas to speak to the governments about this issue. In November I will go to Armenia and the Caucuses, former Soviet States plagued by landmines to speak about this issue. And I can tell you, in every one of those countries, I will be asked: "Where is the United States of America?" In every one of those countries, I will be asked: "Why should we sign if the sole remaining superpower, who has every weapon and more, cannot give up this little weapon? Why should I?" What can I say?

Please, President Bush, please listen to the cries of the people of your own country and the world. I echo the words of Congressman McGovern, and Reverend Edgar, in the assessment of the needs of the military for the next century, recognize landmines are not part of that need. Please give them up so when I go around the world I can say, "Yes, yes, yes. We have joined so please join, too."

Before I ask the children to sing again - I hope they'll tolerate my obsession with their fabulous song - I want to say one thing about the young people of America. I think we've all been horrified at the recent shootings in the last couple of days. Southern California; the child yesterday in Seattle who was holding students hostage with a gun, and somehow they were able to disarm him. And that's the image we have of young people in America, unfortunately. We have an image of violence and guns in schools. I want you to look at these young people. These are the young people of America - the future generations of activists who understand that you work toward peace every single day.

Peace is not a vision for the future. Peace is something, as Song Kosal said, that you work on every single day to make the flower of peace grow. And I am profoundly moved and appreciative that these young kids are part of the future and theyôre grabbing the future now when they're eleven, ten, nine, twelve, thirteen. At that age, I didn't know what activism was. So I want to say these kids rock, they roll, they rule, they're going to make this country come on board. Will you sing one more time and close the conference?

[Children sing]