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Contamination and Impact
Cluster munition remnants and other explosive remnants of war
In October–November 1983, during the invasion of Grenada, United States (US) Navy aircraft dropped 21 Mk-20 Rockeye cluster munitions in air-support operations.[1]
The extent to which Grenada is affected by cluster munition remnants was not known until June 2012 when, at the invitation of the government of Grenada, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) conducted a non-technical survey and found no evidence of cluster munition contamination. NPA also conducted a technical survey of a random sample of five percent of the suspected contaminated area for quality assurance. Additionally, NPA interviewed a small sample of the local population, the Royal Grenada Police Force, the government of Grenada and US embassy personnel.[2]
On 16 July 2012, NPA notified Grenada that no further action was needed and Grenada could declare with confidence its compliance with Article 4 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.[3]
At the Third Meeting of States Parties in September 2012, Grenada declared it was free of cluster munition contamination and noted that the areas where cluster munitions were dropped by the US were now used for new housing and resort development for tourism.[4]
[1] US records state that this took place in November 1983; see US Department of the Navy, Memorandum from Commanding Officer, Attack Squadron Fifteen, to Chief of Naval Operations, “Command History: Enclosure 5, Ordnance Expenditure for 1983,” 18 February 1984, declassified 28 April 2000. A personal account by one of the commanders of the operation claimed there were approximately 30 Mk-20 Rockeye cluster strikes. See Timothy J. Christmann, “TacAir in Grenada,” Naval Aviation News, November–December 1985, p. 8.
[2] Statement of Grenada, Convention on Cluster Munitions Third Meeting of States Parties, Oslo, 11 September 2012.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.; Caribbean Land and Property, “Grenada: Egmont;” and “Grenada Egmont Development.”
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