Saturday, September 29th, 2012 - 6th Pyramid of Shoes: Montreal and over 30 cities in France rally to celebrate 30 years of activism

MONTREAL, Sept. 19, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Handicap International, committed to the fight against antipersonnel mines and cluster munitions for the past 30 years, is organizing its 6th Pyramid of Shoes on Saturday, September 29th, 2012, in Montreal's Phillips Square, in the presence of spokesperson Marie Fugain. It invites the public to rally against these indiscriminate weapons that continue to claim victims or wound at least 4,000 people every year, and hinder the development of affected countries. This year, the event will focus on the need for Canada to fix the draft bill which aims at ratifying the Oslo Treaty.

Cambodia 1982 - Libya 2012: 30 years of action on behalf of the victims
Handicap International was born in 1982, in the Cambodian refugee camps in Thailand, with the aim of assisting the thousands of landmine victims fleeing the Khmer Rouge dictatorship. The organization set up fitting centers for orthopedic and prosthetic devices and conducted rehabilitation sessions. Ever since, Handicap International has been engaged in providing aid to landmine victims and in fighting against the use of these barbaric weapons throughout the world. Its most recent project to date centers on Libya.

But our work is not done yet…
Although banned by the Ottawa Treaty (1997) and the Oslo Treaty (2008), landmines and cluster munitions are still used by several countries. Since 2011, Libya, Syria, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and Israel have sporadically made use of one or the other of these weapons. Handicap International is alarmed by their resurgence and strongly condemns the use of these devastating weapons that do not distinguish between civilians and armed forces.

… to stop the injustice
More than ever, Handicap International Canada is committed to speaking for the victims who will need life-long assistance. In over 80 countries, men, women, children are in danger of stepping on an explosive remnant of war. An intolerable situation that decimates families and prevents people from returning to a normal life after the war. Beyond these human tragedies, the presence of unexploded ordnance constitutes a major barrier to the development of the affected countries.

Pyramids of Shoes to say NO and take action against landmines and cluster munitions
Since 2007, the Pyramids of Shoes have been the yearly highlight of Handicap International's mobilization against landmines and cluster munitions. The organization invites citizens to show their support to the victims by bringing a pair of shoes as a token of their solidarity. The shoes collected are sorted by our partner association Certex and recycled or distributed to disadvantaged people in Canada and abroad. This year, actress and author Marie Fugain is supporting Handicap International's fight against landmines and cluster munitions.

Citizens are also invited to sign a petition that calls on Canada to amend Bill S-10, which aims at ratifying the Oslo Treaty. In its present form, this draft bill contains significant flaws, as it would allow Canadian troops to use cluster munitions in certain circumstances.

SOURCE: HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL

For further information:

Andrea Barsony
[e-mail]
[phone], ext. 227

Mathieu De Latour
[e-mail]
[phone]

For more information: www.handicap-international.ca