A/HRC/13/48 Infantry Battalion No. 48, in the Than Tha Bin Township in the Pegu Division on 5 November 2009. 68. The Special Rapporteur reminds the Government of its obligations to fully implement Legislative Order No. 1/1999 on the Eradication of Forced Labour. The Special Rapporteur has received specific reports about human rights abuses in relation to extractive industry projects. 69. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government and all armed groups to ensure the protection of civilians, in particular children and women, during armed conflict. In this regard, recruitment of child soldiers, displacement of villagers, the use of anti-personnel landmines and the forced labour of civilians should stop without any delay. 70. He calls upon the Government to abide by international humanitarian law, especially the four Geneva Conventions to which Myanmar is a party. In particular, article 3 of the Geneva Conventions provides for the protection of civilians from inhumane treatment and violence to life and person. 71. Since 2000, the Security Council has passed four resolutions finding that the growing use of violence against women in situations of armed conflict threatens international peace and security. Resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888 and 1889 require that specific measures be taken to ensure women’s right to equality and justice both during and after conflict. 72. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has expressed deep concern at the high prevalence of sexual and other forms of violence, including rape, perpetrated against rural women from the Shan, Mon, Karen, Palaung and Chin ethnic groups by members of armed forces. The Committee also expressed concern at the apparent impunity of the perpetrators of such violence, although a few cases have been prosecuted, and at reports of threats against and intimidation and punishment of the victims. 73. The use of anti-personnel mines along Myanmar’s border areas, particularly in the east, endangers villagers. Both the military and non-State armed groups use anti-personnel mines. It is reported that from May until June 2009 and again since September the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army has increased the number of landmines it has placed in civilian areas throughout the Bu Tho and Dweh Loh townships. According to the information, villagers are not being notified of the location of the new landmines, which are on busy paths used by villagers, in farm field huts, around paddy fields and along the banks of canals. 74. Of grave concern are reports that civilians are forced by the military to clear brush in suspected mined areas or to serve as porters for the military in areas where there is a mine hazard. According to sources, civilians have been ordered to remove mines without training or protective equipment or to repair fences of mined areas, which have caused serious casualties. The Special Rapporteur calls for a moratorium on the use of landmines and for Myanmar to accede to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (1997), which some 156 states have already ratified, acceded to, accepted or approved. He encourages the authorities to seek effective international cooperation and support in order to begin demining efforts and to provide support to victims of landmines. 75. The Special Rapporteur commends the efforts of the Committee on the Prevention of Military Recruitment of Underage Children, which include: the education of officers, military personnel and communities on the law regarding recruitment of underage children and the purpose and activities of the Committee; training on adhering to the law; discharging soldiers who were found to be underage; and investigating complaints received from ILO on forced military recruitment. Nevertheless, reports from numerous reliable 14 GE.10-11915