WORLDWIDE: LEGACY OF PRINCESS DIANA'S ANTI LANDMINE CAMPAIGN

Описание: (2 Dec 1997) English/Nat

As more than 120 nations gather in Canada to sign a treaty banning anti-personnel mines, APTV looks at the legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales' anti-landmine campaign.

Her work in recent years on behalf of anti-landmine groups helped raise worldwide awareness of the dangers and problems facing countries where mines have been used.

Campaigners say Princess Diana would have been very proud of the Ottawa Treaty - which is seen, in some quarters, as a tribute to her work.

Pictures of Princess Diana on a field during a trip to Bosnia earlier this year helped draw attention to the problem of landmines which kill and maim 25-thousand people every year.

Despite courting controversy during the trip, particularly in her native Britain, Diana said she was determined to highlight the problem of mines and the plight of victims.

She not only visited the world's trouble spots to see the damage mines caused for herself she also campaigned hard to make their ban a reality.

In Washington last June she attended a fund raising Red Cross dinner where she spoke of her work.

SOUNDBITE:
"For the mine is a stealthy killer. Long after conflict has ended, its innocent victims die or are maimed in countries of which we hear little."
SUPER CAPTION: Diana, Princess of Wales

She also paid tribute to those who suffered from landmines.

SOUNDBITE:
"I visited some of the mine victims who survived and saw their injuries. Injuries too awful to describe. So permit me not to tell you exactly what I saw, but suffice to say that when you look at the mangled bodies of some of the children caught by these mines, you can only marvel at their survival."
SUPER CAPTION: Diana, Princess of Wales

And the Princess had some heavy weight champions, notably Elizabeth Dole.

SOUNDBITE:
"We added our voices to those of other humanitarian organisations and governments calling on the total ban on the manufacture, stockpiling , transfer and use of anti- personnel land mines, to be achieved as soon as feasible using all venues possible."
SUPER CAPTION: Elizabeth Dole, President of American Red Cross

When Diana was killed in a car crash in August, people the world over paid tribute to her work including U-S President Clinton.

SOUNDBITE:
"Let me say again how very sad Hillary and I are about the terrible accident that has taken the life of Princess Diana and the others who were with her. We liked her very much, we admire her work for children, for people with AIDS, for the cause of ending the scourge of landmines in the world and for her love for her children William and Harry."
SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, U-S President.

As more than 120 nations gather to sign the treaty in Ottawa, many will remember Princess Diana and her work that helped make this international ban a reality.

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