LM Report 2000

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BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

Mine Ban Policy

Brunei Darussalam signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 4 December 1997, but has yet to ratify. Brunei’s support for a total mine ban has been lukewarm. It participated in the Ottawa Process meetings and treaty negotiations only as an observer. Yet it signed the treaty and has voted in favor of all pro-ban UN General Assembly resolutions since 1996, including the December 1999 resolution in support of the Mine Ban Treaty. It did not attend the First Meeting of State Parties in Mozambique in May 1999. It has not participated in any of the ban treaty intersessional Standing Committee of Experts meetings. It is not known to have made any official statements regarding a ban in 1999 or 2000.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense officials have not been responsive to requests for information for the Landmine Monitor Report 2000. In one letter, an official simply said that last year’s report “does not require any update.”^[1] In the only other response, an official said that “there is not much development on this subject.”^[2]

Brunei's signing of the ban treaty has been described as largely a “political decision” on the part of its monarch, His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.^[3] The Ministry of Defense has made it clear that, although Brunei supports a ban, the military at this time wants to retain the option of using antipersonnel mines and believes the current security environment is not ideal for ratification.^[4] Landmine Monitor Report 1999 indicated that there had not been discussions among the relevant agencies about moving forward on ratification, and that situation has apparently not changed.

Brunei has not signed the Convention on Conventional Weapons and is not a member of the Conference on Disarmament.

Production, Transfer, Stockpiling and Use

Brunei states that it has never been a landmine producer, exporter, or user.^[5] Brunei has a stockpile of antipersonnel mines. It is doubtful the number of mines is very large, considering that Brunei's armed forces number only approximately 5,000 personnel. According to the Ministry of Defense, antipersonnel mines are stockpiled largely for training purposes.^[6]

Landmine Problem and Mine Action

Brunei is not mine-affected. There have been no reported incidents of injuries or deaths resulting from landmines. Brunei has not participated in or contributed to any humanitarian mine action programs.

[1] Letter from Datin Tan Bee Yong, Director, Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to Landmine Monitor researcher, 17 November 1999.
[2] Letter from Yahya HJ Idris, Deputy Director, Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to Landmine Monitor researcher, 4 November 1999.
[3] Interview with Ministry of Defense Permanent Secretary Dato Mohd Alimin Abdul Wahab at the Bolkiah Garrison, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, 11 February 1999.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.