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Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, St.
Vincent and the Grenadines and
Trinidad and Tobago.
Law No. 2 24 was enacted in Peru.
This law, which incorporates Article
2 9-D that penalizes the use, production
and transfer of antipersonnel
mines, was enacted on July 21st,
200 and published in “El Peruano”,
the Peruvian Official Gazette, on
July 22nd, 200 .
In September 200 , the Committee
for the Implementation of International
Humanitarian Law of Guatemala
created a working group to
discuss the actions required to assist
victims of anti-personnel mines in
the country. This is a follow-up of
the Nairobi Action Plan and the experts’
meeting held in Buenos Aires
in August 200 to discuss “Weapons
in International Humanitarian Law”.
This group, which is formed by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Congress Committee on Peace and
Demining, receives ICRC advice. Its
first activity was planning a survey
to assess the number of anti-personnel
mine victims and where they
are located.
At the end of the year, the Argentine
Senate is still discussing a bill
on anti-personnel mines, and the
national administrations of Panama
and Paraguay are also working
on bills to enforce the Ottawa
Treaty.
Cultural Property in the Event of
Armed Conflict
International humanitarian law
also seeks to protect the cultural
heritage of nations from the effects
of armed conflicts. This goal seems
particularly relevant today, since
many armed conflicts are ethnically
motivated and even translate
into attacks against cultural expressions.
States have pledged to safeguard
and respect cultural property
from the effects of armed conflicts.
This requires the States to take measures
to safeguard cultural property.
Respect for Cultural Property
requires the States to refrain from
any use of the property and its immediate
surroundings for purposes
which are likely to expose them to
destruction or damage in the event
of armed conflict, as well as to refrain
from any hostile act directed
against such property, particularly
from attacking them.
1. Participation in Relevant
Treaties
1954 Hague Convention for the
Protection of Cultural Property in
the Event of Armed Conflict
This Convention establishes a general
framework for the protection
of cultural property.
It has been ratified by 11 States, 20
of which are from the Americas.
…queda prohibido cometer actos
de hostilidad dirigidos contra los
monumentos históricos, las obras
de arte o los lugares de culto que
constituyen el patrimonio cultural o
espiritual de los pueblos, y utilizarlos en
apoyo del esfuerzo militar.
Protocolo adicional II, 1977
29
Report on the Participation of the States in the Relevant Treaties Concerning
International Humanitarian Law and its National Implementation