Protect civilians - keep landmines banned
To the European Union and the Member States
Petition
We call on:
The five countries that have withdrawn from the Mine Ban Convention (Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland) to:
- Immediately halt all plans for the production, procurement and use of antipersonnel mines
- Publicly commit to not deploying antipersonnel mines
All EU Member States to:
- Uphold the Mine Ban Convention and its norms
- Actively discourage fellow EU Member States from producing, procuring, or using antipersonnel mines
- Reaffirm their commitment to civilian protection and international humanitarian law
The European Union to:
- Ensure that no European Commission funding (including SAFE loans) is used for the production, stockpiling, or deployment of antipersonnel mines
- Actively defend and promote the Mine Ban Convention, both within the EU and globally
Why is this important?
“We’re in a position to mine any border within 48 hours.” [1] Read that again.
The Polish leadership said they need just forty-eight hours to bring back a weapon the world banned decades ago. A weapon that cost us thousands of lives, destroyed and lost. [2]
They are trying to bring landmines back to Europe.
Poland is preparing for large-scale production. Finland is already planning to train troops to use them. And in Germany, political voices are beginning to suggest abandoning the ban altogether. [3]
Landmines stay in the ground - killing people long after conflicts end. Survivors face amputations, permanent disabilities, and trauma. Their victims are kids walking to school, families travelling by car, or farmers using tractors. [4]
But the ban is still in place. Countries like Sweden are still deciding. The European Union can still uphold the ban.
This is how disasters are averted: when people like you and me speak out early - before decisions harden and before production begins at scale. Add your voice before this quiet shift becomes a permanent one!
References:
- https://tvpworld.com/91077168/poland-border-with-russia-could-be-mined-in-48-hours
- https://www.hi-us.org/en/civilian-casualties-remain-alarmingly-high-as-use-of-landmines-spreads
- https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/poland-start-producing-anti-personnel-mines-lay-along-eastern-border-2025-12-17/ ; https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2025/12/29/baltic-states-have-withdrawn-from-anti-personnel-mine-ban-convention/
- https://the-monitor.org/reports/landmine-monitor-2024
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