A Global Survey Acknowledgements
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A global survey Acknowledgements The United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) funded the research and production of this report. Their support is greatly appreciated. The views expressed in this report, including the legal status of any country, territory or area, or of its authorities or armed groups, are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Landmine Action or DFID. Comments, clarifications and corrections from governments and others are welcomed. Written by John Borrie With research assistance from: Richard Liu, Lucien Maire, Vanessa Martin (UNIDIR). Editors: Rosy Cave and Richard Lloyd Published in June 2003 by Landmine Action, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP, UK www.landmineaction.org Copyright © Landmine Action 2003 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record of this report is available from the British Library. ISBN 0 9536717 5 5 Landmine Action is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales no. 3895803. John Borrie is Visiting Research Fellow, UNIDIR Design and print by Calverts 020 7739 1474 Contents Glossary 1. Introduction 3 2. Background 4 3. How ERW can affect communities 8 4. Global overview 10 5. Sub-saharan Africa 16 6. The Americas 27 7. Asia and the Pacific 32 8. Europe, the Caucasus and central Asia 45 9. Middle East and north Africa 58 10. Conclusions 67 Select Bibliography 70 Endnotes 71 Glossary of acronyms and terms Abandoned ordnance: explosive ordnance clearly that UXO-risk education and awareness Landmine Monitor: Landmine Monitor is that has not been prepared for use or used and are important components of demining, and an initiative of the International Campaign to which is not under the control of a party or parties not only physical clearance. Ban Landmines (ICBL). It aims to assess the to a conflict, but which remains in any area in DPICM: Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional international community’s response to the which combat between armed forces has taken Munition. A type of cluster munition produced humanitarian crisis caused by anti-personnel place, and which can cause loss of civilian life, by the United Kingdom, United States and mines. Data is gathered on an annual basis by injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects. Former Republic of Yugoslavia/Serbia. a civil society global reporting network. AFV: Armoured fighting vehicle. Explosives: a substance or mixture of Although this reporting network is focused principally on APMs, it also generates some Amended Protocol II: Amended Protocol II to substances that, under external influences, is information on other types of explosive the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons capable of rapidly releasing energy in the form remnants of war.2 ‘prohibits the use of allundetectable anti-personnel of gases and heat. mines and regulates the use of wider categories of EOD: explosive ordnance disposal. The Mine: a munition designed to be placed mines, booby-traps and other devices. For the detection, identification, evaluation, render under, on or near the ground or other surface purposes of the IMAS, Article V lays down safe, recovery and disposal of UXO. EOD may area and to be exploded by the presence, requirements for the marking and monitoring of be undertaken: proximity or contact of a person or a vehicle mined areas. Article 9 provides for the recording –Asa routine part of mine clearance (Ottawa Treaty definition). and use of information on minefields and mined operations upon discovery of UXO. Mine action: A sector of international aid areas. The technical annex provides guidelines on, –To dispose of UXO discovered outside addressing landmine and UXO contamination inter alia, the recording of information and interna- mined areas through ERW and mine clearance, awareness tional signs for minefields and mined areas.’1 (this may be a single UXO, or a larger number education and accident survivor assistance. Ammunition: see munition. inside a specific area. Munition: a complete device charged with APM: anti-personnel mine. A mine designed –To dispose of explosive ordnance which has explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics, initiating to be exploded by the presence, proximity or become hazardous by damage or attempted composition, or nuclear, biological or chemical contact of a person and that will incapacitate, destruction. material for use in military operations, injure or kill one or more persons. ERW: explosive remnants of war. For the including demolitions. AVM: anti-vehicle mine. AT (anti-tank) mines purposes of this study, ERW is defined as NGO: Non-governmental organisation. are included within this term. unexploded ordnance of all types except anti- NPA: Norwegian People’s Aid, a non- BL755: Cluster bomb manufactured in the UK personnel and anti-vehicle mines. It also governmental organisation that conducts by Insys (formerly Hunting Engineering Ltd); includes abandoned stockpiles of munitions. landmine clearance and explosive ordnance each bomb contains 147 submunitions. GICHD: Geneva International Centre for disposal projects as well as undertaking other BLU 97: Combined Effects Munition: cluster Humanitarian Demining. It supports relief and development work. humanitarian mine action through research, submunition manufactured in the US by Olin Ottawa Treaty: the 1997 Convention on the operational assistance and contributions to the Ordnance (formerly Aerojet) and Alliant Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production implementation of the Ottawa Treaty. It is an Techsystems Inc. and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on independent foundation supported by 18 Blind: a munition or component containing their Destruction. Referred to in this Survey as governments. explosives, which fails to function as intended the Ottawa Treaty. HALO Trust (The): UK based after projection or release. A blind is normally SALW: Small Arms and Light Weapons. non-governmental organisation specialising treated as being in a potentially dangerous in landmine clearance and explosive ordnance Self-destruction: action generated by condition. disposal. means of a device integral to the munition, Booby-trap: an explosive or non-explosive ICRC: the International Committee of the Red which results in the complete destruction of the device, or other material, deliberately placed to Crossisan impartial, neutral and independent munition after a predetermined period of time. cause casualties when an apparently harmless organisation whose exclusively humanitarian Self-neutralisation: action generated by object is disturbed or a normally safe act is mission is to protect the lives and dignity of means of a device integral to the munition, performed. victims of war and internal violence and to which renders the munition inoperative, but CBU: cluster bomb unit. A bomb containing provide them with assistance. It directs and not necessarily safe to handle. In landmines and dispensing submunitions. These sub- coordinates the international relief activities this process may be reversible. munitions may be mines (anti-personnel or conducted by the Red Cross Movement in Submunition: any munition that, to perform anti-tank), penetration (runway cratering), situations of conflict. It also endeavours to its task, separates from a parent munition. bomblets, fragmentation bomblets etc. prevent suffering by promoting and strength- UNIDIR: United Nations Institute for CCW: Convention on Prohibitions or ening humanitarian law and universal Disarmament Research. Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional humanitarian principles. UNMAS: Weapons Which May be Deemed to be IMAS: International Mine Action Standards. United Nations Mine Action Service. Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Documents developed by the UN on behalf of UXO: The (evolving) IMAS definition, although Effects (1980), often known as the Convention the international community that aim to not universal, is used here: explosive ordnance on Certain Conventional Weapons for short. improve safety and efficiency in mine action by that has been primed, fuzed, armed, or Demining: for the purposes of this survey, providing guidance, by establishing principles otherwise prepared for use or used. It may ‘demining’ applies to activities designed to and, in some cases, by defining international have been fired, dropped, launched or alleviate or remove the impacts of all UXO, not requirements and specifications. projected yet remains unexploded either only mines. ‘Mine action’ is also used as an IMSMA: Information Management System for through malfunction or design or for any other alternate term, as it apparently conveys more Mine Action. reason. Mines are not included. 2 explosive remnants of war – a global survey Introduction 1 International humanitarian law seeks to minimise civilian casualties in armed conflict by, among other things, requiring that weapons be used in the most discriminating manner possible. Weapons that are indiscriminate by their very nature are prohibited, and only military objectives can be targeted legally. Even when properly targeted, however, many explosive weapons fail to function as designed and become explosive remnants of war (ERW). These remnants may threaten civilians for decades after they have ceased to serve any useful military purpose. Awareness is growing of the devastating impact that (CCW) made similar calls during their discussions on ERW in explosive remnants of war have on the lives and livelihoods Geneva, Switzerland in 2002. There appears to be of post-conflict