“Today’s decision to leave the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention is a retrograde move that will only further weaken the global consensus aimed at minimising civilian harm during armed conflict,” said Esther Major, Amnesty International’s deputy director for research in Europe.
“We call on the Lithuanian government to reverse this decision that could put civilian lives at risk,” she said, adding that anti-personnel mines have devastating effects on civilians.
The one thing I truly appreciate is that they have chosen to remain neutral, not picking a good or bad side but calling out everyone’s bad behaviour. They decided to be one of the forces in the balance of powers. If you’re the good guy, and do to the bad guy what the bad guy does to you, you’re still doing a bad thing and deserve to be called out upon. Lithuania is free to decide on what they want to do, Amnesty’s judgement doesn’t have legal power.