CONTAMINATION AND IMPACT

Taiwan has contamination with mines that were laid by the military on the islands of Kinmen and Matsu, mostly on beaches and coastline, to resist possible invasion from China. Matsu was declared free of mine contamination in 2011. Taiwan also has explosive remnants of war (ERW) resulting from Chinese artillery bombardments that continued until the 1970s.

Mines

Official estimates of contamination have decreased steadily since organized demining activities started in 2007. In June 2008, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it had identified 154 minefields covering approximately 3.4km² in Kinmen County and 154 minefields covering approximately 0.4km² in Matsu.[1]

By the end of March 2012, the army reported that Kinmen had 27 recorded minefields covering 259,027m² and containing an estimated 11,000 mines.[2] These are believed to include M1, M6A2, and M7A2 antivehicle mines, and M2A4, M3, and M14 antipersonnel mines.

The army reported in April 2011 that it had completed clearance of all Matsu’s 154 mined areas.[3] Village heads and local representatives said they knew of three mined areas outside the 154 cleared areas,[4] but the army reports that investigation of these areas by Matsu Defense Command conducted with the collaboration of the village heads confirmed they were mine-free.[5]

Cluster munition remnants and other explosive remnants of war

Taiwan is also affected, though to a lesser extent, by unexploded ordnance (UXO) left from conflicts dating back to World War II or even before, some of it too old to identify, as well as from more recent military training.[6] Items cleared in 2011 included mainly aircraft bombs, mortars and hand grenades.[7] Contamination is not believed to include cluster munition remnants.

MINE ACTION PROGRAM

Key institutions and operators

Under the “Regulations on Eradication of Antipersonnel Landmines in Minefield” published by the Ministry of National Defense in January 2008, the ministry is the national mine action authority responsible for setting policy, approving programs and annual plans, and for monitoring the safety and environmental impact of demining. The army is responsible for implementing policy. It prepares mine action plans, arranges funding, and calls for tenders, as well as coordinating, implementing, and reviewing operations.[8]

The Regulations required the Ministry of National Defense to give top demining priority to land needed for development, followed by regions that are not militarily sensitive. The last areas to be demined will be “military surveillance regions” where the ministry considers Taiwan needs alternative forms of defense.[9] However, officials report all land required for development had already been cleared and all remaining mined areas would be cleared by the end of 2012.[10] The Antipersonnel Landmines Regulations Act, which came into effect in June 2006, requires the Ministry of National Defense to disclose the location of all minefields and to complete clearance of all mines within seven years: by 2013.[11]

LAND RELEASE

Accelerated clearance on Kinmen has more than compensated for slower productivity on Matsu, where the army completed demining in April 2011. Total land released in 2011 was the highest since organized demining started in 2007 and 42% higher than the previous year.

Five-year summary of clearance[12]

The Matsu Defense Command announced the completion of demining in April 2011, after clearing almost half a square kilometer in five years. It upheld that statement after an investigation of areas identified by village heads as being mined found them to be mine-free.

Survey in 2011

The Ministry of National Defense reported in February 2012 that the Army Demining Division had completed a survey of two areas of Wouchiou in Kinmen confirming three minefields in Dachoiu totaling 45,000m² and two minefields in Hsiaochiou totaling 9,317m².[13]

Mine clearance in 2011

Mine clearance output increased by 42% in 2011 over the previous year as G4S operations, which started on Kinmen in 2010, gathered momentum. The completion of clearance in Matsu is expected to result in lower overall clearance in 2012 as Geomines SAS, which had been conducting clearance on Matsu’s Dongju and Sijan islands, left Taiwan at the end of April 2011.[14]

The Ministry of National Defense told Landmine Monitor in March 2012 that clearance operations had already removed more than 80% of all mines from Taiwan.[15]

 Mined area clearance in 2011[16]

Other Risk Reduction Measures

The Army said it put up 141,443 meters of fencing and 23,753 signs around mined areas to ensure public safety.[17]

RISK EDUCATION

The Ministry of National Defense reported making 11 risk education presentations to the public in 2011.[18] In Kinmen, the ADD distributes mine risk educational advertisement that circulated in airports, wharfs, bus stops, national parks, towns and village offices during June 2011 to February 2012.