Key
developments since May 2000: A White House-directed landmine policy review
began in June 2001. Decisions are pending on the continued development and
production of two key alternatives to antipersonnel mines, RADAM and NSD-A, both
of which may be inconsistent with the Mine Ban Treaty. The total budget for the
landmine alternatives program was nearly $50 million in fiscal year 2000;
spending estimates for fiscal years 2001 and 2002 are $100 million for each
year. The United States contributed $97 million to mine action programs in 37
countries is fiscal year 2000 and plans to spend a comparable amount in fiscal
year 2001. The U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines hosted the ICBL’s General
Meeting and held a “Ban Landmines Week” in Washington, DC in March
2001. There were two mine incidents that injured U.S. military personnel during
the reporting period, in Kosovo and South Korea.
The United States has not acceded to the Mine Ban
Treaty. President Clinton committed the United States in 1998 to cease using
antipersonnel mines, except those contained in “mixed systems” with
antivehicle mines, everywhere in the world except for Korea by 2003. By 2006,
if alternatives have been identified and fielded, the United States will cease
use of all antipersonnel mines and will join the Mine Ban Treaty.
In early
June 2001, the Bush Administration began a review of landmine policy, which is
being coordinated by the National Security Council. It is unclear whether this
policy review will build upon, alter or replace current policy set forth in
Presidential Decision Directive (PDD) 64 issued on 23 June 1998.
Ambassador
Donald Steinberg, the Special Representative of the President and Secretary of
State for Global Humanitarian Demining, attended the opening ceremony of the
Second Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in September 2000 and
attended the intersessional Standing Committee meeting on General Status and
Operation of the Convention in May 2001.
The United States was a co-sponsor
of the seminar on landmines in the Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden held in
Djibouti in November 2000, and participated in the Bamako Seminar on
Universalization and Implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty in Africa, held in
Mali in February 2001. A technical expert on munitions destruction from the
Environmental Protection Agency made a presentation at the seminar on the
destruction of PFM mines held in Budapest in February 2001.
In November
2000, the United States abstained on UN General Assembly Resolution 55/33V,
calling for universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty. During the debate in the
UNGA, the U.S. representative stated, “The United States welcomes the
international commitment to protect civilians around the world from landmines
embodied in the Ottawa Treaty and the Convention on Conventional Weapons.”
He went on to state, “I know that many around the United States and around
the world would have us take a different course on the Ottawa Treaty. Still,
this disagreement must not deter us from our common vision of eliminating the
threat of landmines around the world by the year
2010.”[1]
The United
States is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), Protocol II,
and Amended Protocol II. It attended the annual conference of states party to
Amended Protocol II in December 2000. The United States submitted its annual
report under Article 13 of Amended Protocol II on 4 December 2000. The head of
the U.S. delegation noted, “All of us, whether party to the Ottawa
Convention or not, have a strong interest in the observance of the most rigorous
restrictions that can be accepted by those states which find it necessary to
retain [antipersonnel mines] for the time
being.”[2]
The United
States introduced several proposals in December 2000 at the first preparatory
meeting for the Review Conference of the CCW to be held in December 2001. These
proposals include: a compliance mechanism; a requirement that antivehicle mines
be detectable to common mine detection equipment; a requirement that all
remotely delivered antivehicle mines are equipped with a reliable self-destruct
or self-neutralization mechanism; and, expanding the scope of CCW to apply
during times of internal armed conflict.
On 8 March 2001, the “Landmine
Elimination and Victim Assistance Act” was introduced in the Senate by
Senator Patrick Leahy and has attracted 29 cosponsors as of July 2001; it was
introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Lane Evans and has
attracted 82
cosponsors.[3]
In conjunction
with the General Meeting of the ICBL, the USCBL held “Ban Landmines
Week” in Washington DC, in early March 2001. Secretary of State Colin
Powell met with HM Queen Noor, Cambodian youth survivor Song Kosal and the
co-chair of USCBL, Jerry White of the Landmine Survivors Network. Two hundred
campaigners from 46 states of the US came to Washington DC for “Ban
Landmines Week,” and participated in a national conference, conducted
lobbying, and held a petition handover in Lafayette Park opposite the White
House, among many other activities.
The Korea Exception
President Clinton in his decision not to join the
Mine Ban Treaty cited two reasons: the need for antipersonnel mines to defend
South Korea and the need to retain “mixed systems,” antipersonnel
mines packaged with antivehicle
mines.[4] Accepting the advice
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the president declared that antipersonnel mines
were critical to the defense of South Korea and its capital,
Seoul.[5]
New facts
regarding the manner and methods by which the United States plans to use
antipersonnel mines in the event of a conflict on the Korean Peninsula have
emerged because of research and interviews conducted by Vietnam Veterans of
America Foundation (VVAF).[6]
The U.S. has acknowledged retaining more than 1 million non-self-destructing
antipersonnel mines for use in a future Korean conflict. It was revealed in
briefings provided to VVAF by officers of U.S. Forces Korea that, upon threat of
attack, the United States plans to transfer approximately 500,000 U.S.
stockpiled non-self-destructing antipersonnel mines to South Korea forces.
South Korean forces would use the mines to create a set of barriers and
obstacles to help slow a North Korean invasion. The remainder of the U.S.
stockpile is destined for use by U.S. forces arriving to reinforce and
counterattack, days, if not weeks after the invasion. VVAF also notes that U.S.
military officers stated that self-destruct mines and mixed systems are of
limited value in Korea because of the mountainous and wooded terrain. VVAF
concludes, because the South Koreans are responsible for both the mines already
in the ground and those to be used in the initial defense of South Korea, that
antipersonnel mines are not critical to U.S. war fighting needs in Korea.
All
of the mines currently in the ground in South Korea are under the jurisdiction
and control of South Korea.[7]
The United States stockpiles some 50,000 self-destruct mines in South Korea, and
another 115,000 self-destruct mines in Japan for use in Korea. The U.S. also has
1.2 million non-self-destruct mines for use in South Korea. It is not known how
many of the 1.2 million non-self-destruct mines are physically located in Korea,
or stored in the immediate theater of operations, or stored in the United
States. Department of Defense officials have not commented on this point citing
a policy of not discussing the location of U.S. stockpiles. If the mines are
not located in Korea, it could take from 30-45 days to arrive there.
A 19 May
2001 letter to President Bush from six retired US generals and two admirals
said, “Several of us are former commanders of elements of I-Corps (USA/ROK
group), and believe that APM [antipersonnel mines] are not in any way critical
or decisive in maintaining the peninsula’s security.... It is our
understanding that the standing response plan to a North Korean attack does not
call for these weapons to be used to counter an initial
attack.”[8]
Production
The United States has not banned or placed a
moratorium on the production of antipersonnel mines, but has apparently not
manufactured any type of antipersonnel mine since
1996.[9] The military has no
known production plans for antipersonnel mines. The stockpile cap announced on
17 January 1997 does not preclude the production of new antipersonnel mines to
replace those used in future combat
operations.[10]
The United
States initiated contracts to produce 628,200 antipersonnel mines of nine
different types between fiscal
years[11] 1983 and 1992, at a
total cost of $1.7 billion.[12]
The United States is currently producing M87A1 Volcano mine canisters
containing antivehicle mines at the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant Texarkana,
Texas. This is a government-owned facility operated by the Day and Zimmerman
Company. The production of these mines will end in November
2002.[13] In the past, Volcano
canisters were produced with a mix of antipersonnel and antivehicle
mines.
Alternatives to Antipersonnel Mines
The Pentagon was directed by the President and the
Secretary of Defense on 16 May 1996 to begin to “undertake a program of
research, development and other measures needed to eliminate the requirement
[for exceptions in Korea and mixed systems] and to permit both the United States
and our allies to end reliance on [antipersonnel mines] as soon as
possible.”[14] A target
date of 2006 was established in 1998 by linking the success in identifying and
fielding alternatives to antipersonnel mines with the United States joining the
Mine Ban Treaty.[15]
The
Pentagon, however, is pursuing some alternatives that are not compliant with the
Mine Ban Treaty. This was apparently allowed to continue because of a
certification to Congress made by President Clinton as a condition of the
ratification of the Amended Mines Protocol that excluded compliance with the
Mine Ban Treaty as a criterion guiding the alternatives
program.[16] The contradiction
between President Clinton’s policy objectives and subsequent
interpretation of his instructions is jeopardizing the overall success of the
alternatives program and threatens the 2006 target date.
In its fiscal year
2001 budget, the Department of Defense proposed a multi-year, $820 million
program for pursuing three “Tracks” of
alternatives.[17] This plan has
apparently not changed in the President’s fiscal year 2002 amended budget
request.[18] The Bush
Administration’s budget request for the antipersonnel landmine alternative
program is presented in the table below (all values in millions of
dollars).[19]
Funding for U.S. Antipersonnel Landmine Alternatives Programs
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released a study of alternative
technologies to replace antipersonnel mines on 21 March 2001. This study was
mandated by Congress and sponsored by the Department of Defense. According to
the NAS, “New technologies under development could offer similar or
greater tactical advantages to antipersonnel landmines and reduce the risk to
civilians.” [21] The
chairman of the committee that wrote the report stated, “After carefully
evaluating many possibilities, we have concluded that alternative technologies
could one day effectively replace antipersonnel landmines without unnecessarily
endangering U.S. troops and non-combatants. With focused and consistent
funding, some alternatives could be ready by the 2006 deadline. However, in
certain situations, alternatives will not be available until later, and
antipersonnel landmines will need to be
retained.”[22] The study
finds that “the emergence of new technologies after 2006 will create
opportunities for the development of systems that outperform today’s
[antipersonnel
mines].”[23]
Because of
the change in administrations and the on-going landmine policy review, critical
decisions on the development of two projects under Track 1 (RADAM and NSD-A) of
the alternatives program are
delayed.[24] RADAM would be a
new artillery-delivered mixed mine system combining existing ADAM antipersonnel
mines and existing RAAMS antivehicle mines. NSD-A (Non-Self-Destructing
antipersonnel mine Alternative) aims at replacement for so-called dumb mines.
As originally planned, the total cost for RADAM is estimated to be $150
million for the procurement of 337,000 munitions through fiscal year
2004.[25] Congress reduced the
amount for RADAM by $20 million from $47.7 million to $27.7 million in making
appropriations for fiscal year
2001.[26] President Clinton
left the decision whether or not to produce RADAM for the Bush Administration.
The existing budget for fiscal year 2002 requests $83.8 million for producing
163,000 munitions.[27] The Army
plans to begin producing the initial 3,000 RADAM projectiles in January 2002 at
the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant in Texarkana,
Texas.[28] This is a
government-owned facility operated by the Day and Zimmerman Company. The policy
review that is underway will likely determine if these plans for 2002 move
forward.
A decision to proceed with the engineering and manufacturing
development of NSD-A was also deferred by President Clinton. The development of
NSD-A has stalled largely because of concerns about the “battlefield
override” feature, which allows the NSD-A to function as an antipersonnel
mine, raised by members of the USCBL, legislators, and in the media. According
to a Department of Defense report to Congress, “The Chairman, Joint Chiefs
of Staff, and the Service Chiefs, using best military judgment, feel that the
man-in-the-loop system without [the battlefield override] would be insufficient
to meet tactical operational conditions and electronic
countermeasures.”[29] The
Pentagon directed a study be conducted about the effectiveness of NSD-A with or
without the battlefield override feature be completed in April 2001, but this
study has not been made public. Once the new phase of development begins, the
Department of Defense General Counsel will conduct a legal review of
NSD-A.[30] In making
appropriations for fiscal year 2001, Congress provided an additional $25 million
for NSD-A. An additional $14.6 million and $3 million beyond what was requested
by in the President’s budget request were also provided for NSD-A in
fiscal years 2002 and 2003
respectively.[31] The Pentagon
plans to eventually procure 523,000
NSD-A.[32]
The two other
tracks of the longer-term search for innovative maneuver denial technologies and
alternatives to self-destructing antipersonnel mines in mixed systems are still
in the early stages of identifying and exploring concepts and component
technologies. In late September 2000, the Army awarded $13 million in contracts
for concept exploration efforts under Track 3 (mixed system alternatives) of the
alternatives program. Contracts went to Textron (Wilmington, MA), Raytheon (El
Segundo, CA), Alliant Techsystems (Hopkins, MN), Sanders [a Lockheed Martin
Company] (Nashua, NH), and BAE Systems, (Austin,
TX).[33] The Army also awarded
eight contracts for components and component technologies for Track
3.[34]
Stockpiling
The United States has the third largest stockpile
of antipersonnel mines in the world. It consists of more than 11.2 million
antipersonnel mines, including about 10 million self-destructing mines and more
than one million long-lasting mines. The U.S. stockpiles nine different types
of antipersonnel mines: ADAM, 9,516,744; Gator (Air Force), 237,556; Gator
(Navy), 49,845; M87 Volcano, 107,160; MOPMS, 9,184; PDM, 16,148; GEMSS, 76,071;
M14, 670,000; M16, 553,537.[35]
In addition, over 970,000 Claymore mines are stockpiled.
The United States
announced a cap on its stockpile of antipersonnel mines on 17 January 1997.
This cap, which includes antipersonnel mines contained in mixed systems, is
still in effect even though the precise cap figure has never been publicly
disclosed. The United States has declared possessing 11 million antipersonnel
mines to the Organization of American States mine register, not including
Claymore mines.[36]
The
number of antipersonnel mines destroyed annually as part of routine ammunition
stockpile operations is not known. The Department of Defense has not provided
such information to Landmine Monitor despite repeated requests. The U.S.
announced completion of the destruction of over 3.3 million non-self-destructing
M14 and M16 antipersonnel mines in
1998.[37] However, in its 4
December 2000 CCW annual national report, the United States claims that these
3.3 million non-self-destructing mines were M14 antipersonnel mines destroyed to
comply with Amended Protocol II. The office of the legal advisor of the
Department of State has not responded to Landmine Monitor’s request for
clarification for this discrepancy.
The United States has antipersonnel mines
stored in at least twelve foreign countries: Norway, 123,000; Japan, 115,000;
Germany, 112,000; Saudi Arabia, 50,000; Qatar, 11,000; United Kingdom (at Diego
Garcia), 10,000; Kuwait, 8,900; Oman, 6,200; Bahrain, 3,200; Greece, 1,100;
Turkey, 1,100, and South
Korea.[38] As noted above, the
U.S. has about 50,000 remotely-delivered self-destructing mines stored in South
Korea, and also has more than 1.2 million non-self-destructing mines reserved
for conflict in Korea, but, it is uncertain where these mines are stored.
Of those countries with US stocks, five are States Parties to the Mine Ban
Treaty (Germany, Japan, Norway, Qatar, and United Kingdom), and Greece is a
signatory. Germany, Japan, and the UK have stated that the U.S. mines are not
under their jurisdiction or control, and therefore are not subject to the Mine
Ban Treaty requirement for destruction of stockpiled mines within four years of
entry into force.
Transfer
U.S. law has banned the export of antipersonnel
mines since 23 October 1992.[39]
Claymore mines were exempted from this ban in 1996. The export ban has been
extended several times, most recently until
2003.[40] The Clinton
Administration announced in January 1997 that the U.S. “will observe a
permanent ban on the export and transfer of
APL.”[41] This ban also
includes the export and transfer of antipersonnel mine components and
technology.[42] Congress has
not codified this into a permanent export ban law.
The United States exported
over 5.5 million antipersonnel mines to 38 countries between 1969 and 1992. Of
this total, 4.14 million were non-self-destructing mines and approximately
80,000 were self-destructing mines. The remaining 1.36 million were Claymore
mines. These figures do not include direct commercial sales. A total of 16 of
these countries are now considered
mine-affected.[43]
Mine Action Funding
In fiscal year
2000,[44] the United States
provided approximately $97.6 million in mine action funding, which it calls
humanitarian demining. This aggregate amount consisted of $40 million for
Department of State programs, $25.6 million in Department of Defense programs,
$18 million in Department of Defense demining technology research and
development, and a contribution of $14 million to the Slovenian International
Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victim
Assistance.[45] This does not
include funding for survivor assistance programs because the U.S. government
does not identify mine victim-specific funding, as opposed to more general war
victim funding, but the latter totaled $11 million in fiscal year 2000.
The
total for fiscal year 2000 is the highest amount contributed by the United
States for mine action since it began providing assistance in fiscal year 1993.
The total for fiscal year 1999 was $81 million. The United States has provided
approximately $387 million in mine action assistance between fiscal years 1993
and 2000.
Recipient Countries
The number of countries receiving U.S. mine action
funding has risen from seven in 1993 to 37 in 2000. The most dramatic rise
occurred in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 when 19 countries were accepted into the
U.S. mine action assistance program. During 2000, Azerbaijan, Djibouti, Oman,
Vietnam, and Zambia were added to the
program.[46] The interagency
demining working group made a decision not to approve Algeria and Burundi for
inclusion in September 2000 due to the ongoing conflicts in those countries.
They noted that this decision would be revisited once peace agreements are in
place.[47] The working group
decided not to approve Malawi for inclusion in December 2000, “since there
is no evidence of landmines within its national
borders.”[48]
The ten
countries/regions that received the most U.S. demining assistance between 1993
and 2000 are Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Kosovo,
Laos, Mozambique, Namibia, Central
America,[49] and Rwanda.
The countries/regions that received U.S. mine action funding and the amount
of assistance provided in fiscal year 2000 are presented in the following
table.[50] The top recipients
were Kosovo ($9.9 million), Angola ($4.1 million), Mozambique ($3.9 million),
Central America ($3.9 million), Thailand ($3 million) and Afghanistan ($3
million). For detailed information on U.S. demining assistance, see the
Landmine Monitor reports for the individual recipient countries.
Recipients of U.S. Mine Action Funding, FY 2000
Afghanistan
3,000,000
Kosovo
9,902,151
Albania
1,049,000
Laos
1,886,000
Angola
4,071,609
Lebanon
1,366,000
Armenia
344,000
Mauritania
2,160,706
Azerbaijan
548,000
Moldova
43,000
Bosnia
1,557,014
Mozambique
3,852,999
Cambodia
2,579,500
Namibia
492,000
Chad
1,781,855
OAS/IADB
3,903,000
Croatia
2,425,853
Oman
1,117,000
Djibouti
846,000
Peru
2,100,000
Ecuador
2,100,000
Rwanda
291,999
Eritrea
500,000
Somalia
1,400,000
Estonia
2,200,000
Swaziland
289,000
Ethiopia
250,000
Thailand
3,020,000
Georgia
92,000
Vietnam
1,000,000
Guinea Bissau
164,145
Yemen
1,817,000
Jordan
2,263,000
Zimbabwe
1,908,000
Department of Defense Programs ($25.6 million in FY 2000)
Department of Defense demining assistance programs
are funded annually from the Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid
(OHDACA) appropriation. U.S. military personnel are prohibited from entering
minefields or removing mines as part of humanitarian demining
missions.[51] Funds can only be
used for U.S. forces participating in humanitarian demining training and
activities like supporting the national mine action center. Purchase of
equipment, supplies, and services is permitted as long as it directly supports
U.S. military forces participating in humanitarian demining training and support
missions. Donation of purchased equipment, supplies, and services can occur
upon completion of the program. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency
administers the funds while the regional military commanders execute the
programs. The regional Commander-in-Chief determines the types and bears most
of the cost of the measures taken to protect U.S. military forces deployed on
demining assistance
missions.[52]
The Department
of Defense has provided training and assistance to 42 countries since 1993. In
fiscal year 2000, U.S. military forces conducted training missions in the
following
areas:[53]
Southern
Command (27 training weeks)
Central America– Conducted two training missions and trained 140
deminers
Ecuador – Conducted one training mission and trained 40 deminers
Peru – Conducted one training mission and trained 35
deminers
Central Command (15 training weeks)
Jordan – Conducted two training missions and trained 184
deminers
Pacific Command (28 training weeks)
Thailand – Conducted four training missions and trained 222
deminers
European Command (31 training weeks)
Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia – Conducted 1 training mission and trained
47 deminers
Chad – Conducted one training mission and trained 78 deminers
Estonia – Conducted one training mission and trained 27 deminers
Mauritania – Conducted one training mission and trained 44
deminers
Zimbabwe – Conducted one training mission and trained 51
deminers
In previous years, the Department of Defense conducted
training in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Namibia, Rwanda Swaziland, and
Zimbabwe. In fiscal year 2001 training missions are scheduled for Cambodia,
Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Oman, Peru, Thailand,
Vietnam, and Zambia.[54]
The
demining research and development program of the Department of Defense provides
funding and program management for testing and modifying existing technology and
equipment for immediate use in demining assistance programs. Demining
technologies and equipment in development under the program include improved
protective gear for deminers, minefield marking and mapping systems and survey
equipment, vegetation clearing devices, in-situ neutralization devices,
mine awareness training materials, and mechanical clearance equipment for area
clearance and quality assurance
purposes.[55] The United States
joined the International Test and Evaluation Program on 17 July
2000.[56]
Department of State Programs ($40 million in FY 2000)
Funding for the programs administered by the
Department of State are provided annually by the Nonproliferation,
Antiterrorism, Demining, and Related programs (NADR) appropriation and can be
used to support mine clearance programs of individual countries, international
organizations and or can be transferred to other
agencies.[57] State Department
support to mine action frequently augments training and equipment programs
conducted by the Department of Defense. In a number of countries, however, the
State Department manages programs where the Department of Defense is not
actively engaged in mine action
assistance.[58]
The types of
programs that can by funded by the Department of State’s Office of
Humanitarian Demining Programs are more diverse. In fiscal year 2000 about 41%
of NADR mine action funds was allocated for mine clearance projects. About 36%
went to providing equipment and support to national demining organizations or
mine action centers. “Cross-cutting” initiatives accounted for 19%
of the allocation. Miscellaneous projects and administrative costs account for
the rest. Direct grants, purchases through the local U.S. Embassy, and transfers
to other U.S. government agencies have all been used in the past in NADR mine
action projects. A total of 43% of the $40 million fiscal year 2000 NADR
appropriation is channeled through the Integrated Mine Action Support (IMAS)
contract to a team of companies led by the RONCO Consulting
Corporation.[59] These findings
are presented in the following
chart.[60]
Mine
Clearance. A total of $16.2 million of the $40 million in FY 2000 NADR mine
action funds was allocated to mine clearance
activities.[61] A total of 49%
of the funds allocated in this category was directly granted to foreign
nongovernmental or charitable mine clearance organizations including NPA, MAG,
the HALO Trust, and MgM. Funds allocated through the IMAS contract for mine
clearance services, primarily mine detecting dogs from RONCO, account for
another 40% in this category. Finally, grants to UN mine clearance programs in
places like Afghanistan make up the remaining 12%.
Countries receiving NADR
funding for mine clearance projects in FY 2000 were: Afghanistan, Angola,
Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Ecuador, Guinea Bissau, Lebanon, Mozambique, Namibia, OAS
(Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua), Peru, Somalia (Somaliland), and
Thailand. Mine clearance programs funded by the United States that included the
donation of mine detecting dogs are located in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Lebanon,
Mozambique, OAS (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua), and
Thailand.[62]
Equipment
and Support. A total of $14.1 million was allocated to fund equipment
purchase and other diverse support activities. The largest allocation, nearly
72%, was directed through the IMAS contract for the procurement of equipment,
supplies, and logistics services. Another 16% was used to provide equipment
through channels other than the IMAS contract, like local procurements or funds
provided to regional bodies like the OAS for the purchase of equipment. The
final 13% was used for training and support to national demining organizations
and mine action centers. Countries that received FY 2000 NADR funding for
equipment and support are Angola, Cambodia, Chad, Djibouti, Ecuador, Estonia,
Georgia, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Mauritania, Mozambique, Oman, OAS (Costa Rica,
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua), Peru, Rwanda, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen, and
Zimbabwe.[63]
Cross-Cutting
Initiatives. A total of $7.5 million was allocated to projects with global
application. Included in this category are funds for the global landmine impact
surveys conducted under the auspices of the Survey Action Center, the
establishment of a Quick Reaction Demining Force (QRDF), a contribution to
UNICEF’s mine awareness program, the “Adopt-A-Minefield”
program, and other programs. Some of these initiatives, such as the
“Adopt-A-Minefield” and QRDF, fund mine clearance and mine awareness
activities, but are not directly attributed to country mine action programs
funded by the United States. The IMAS contractors received 27 percent of the
cross-cutting funds for establishing and maintaining the QRDF and special
studies.[64]
Public-Private Partnerships for Mine Action
Ambassador Donald Steinberg spearheads the
“Demining 2010 Initiative” that was launched in November 1997 with
the objective of identifying and clearing landmines posing threats to civilians
by the year 2010. Part of the Demining 2010 initiative is the development of
public-private initiatives for integrated mine action. The list of programs and
initiatives and recipients is quite varied including the Survey Action Center,
Adopt-A-Dog, Adopt-A-Minefield, Roots of Peace, DC Comics mine awareness comic
books, Warner Brothers mine awareness initiative, Landmine Survivors Network,
the Mine Action Information Center at James Madison University, and
more.
Mine Casualties
There were two mine incidents involving U.S.
military personnel during the reporting period, in Kosovo and South Korea.
On 25 June 2001, Sergeant Richard Casini stepped on a mine while on patrol
near Basici in Kosovo, near the border with Macedonia. He was evacuated from
the scene of the incident by helicopter within an hour and received medical
treatment at U.S. military hospitals in Kosovo, Germany, and Washington, DC. He
had his right foot amputated and will be fitted with a prosthetic device. He
reportedly will be able to return to military
service.[65] The area that he
was patrolling was not a known mined area, but subsequent investigations by the
MineTech Company found four other mines near the place of the incident.
According to Major Randy Martin, a military spokesman for U.S. forces in Kosovo,
“It’s very unfortunate what happened, and we must do whatever we can
to keep it from happening
again.”[66]
In mid-May
2001, while conducting a reconnaissance patrol along the demilitarized zone in
South Korea, a U.S. Army soldier received injuries to his right foot after
stepping on an M14 antipersonnel mine. The incident occurred in an area not
previously known to have been mined and it took 2.5 hours for the injured
soldier to reach a hospital, including “hopping” one-half mile to
reach an emergency
vehicle.[67]
Survivor Assistance
U.S. government funding for landmine survivor
assistance is distributed through the Patrick J. Leahy War Victims Fund (WVF),
administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The WVF provides
prosthetic devices for victims who have lost limbs because of landmines and
other war-related injuries. Since 1989, the WVF has provided $60 million in
support to eighteen projects for victims of war in fifteen countries: Angola,
Cambodia, OAS (El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua), Ethiopia, Laos, Lebanon,
Liberia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and
Vietnam.[68] The WVF received
$11 million in fiscal year 2000 and is expected to receive a similar
appropriation in fiscal year 2001.
A small number of private organizations
fund survivor assistance programs in mine-affected countries. For example, the
Prosthetics Outreach Foundation conducts programs in Vietnam that are entirely
funded from private sources. Another private organization, PeaceTrees Vietnam,
a project of the Earthstewards Network, has funded mine clearance and mine
awareness in Vietnam's Quang Tri province.
Most private organizations are
using a mix of private and public funds in their programs. The biggest source
of public funds is USAID through the WVF. Examples of such survivor assistance
programs in Vietnam include Catholic Relief Services, Vietnam Veterans of
America Foundation, Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped, and World Vision.
Some organizations in the U.S. raise funds and then pool resources at an
international level to support programs that may or may not be administered from
the original U.S. group. Jesuit Relief Services-USA and CARE are examples of
organizations that provide this type of assistance.
[1] Statement by Ambassador
Donald K. Steinberg, Special Representative of the President and Secretary of
State for Global Humanitarian Demining, United Nations General Assembly, New
York, 28 November 2000.
[2]
Statement of Edward Cummings, Head of U.S. Delegation, Second Annual Conference
of States Party to Amended Protocol II, Geneva, 11 December
2000.
[3] Library of
Congress, “Bill Summary & Status for the 107th Congress,” viewed
on 6 July 2001.
[4] The White
House, “Remarks by the President on Land Mines,” 17 September
1997.
[5] The White House,
Fact Sheet: “U.S. Requirements for Landmines in Korea,” 17 September
1997.
[6] Briefing provided
to Landmine Monitor by Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, “Landmines
and the Situation on the Korea Peninsula,” March 2001. This briefing
summarized the findings of visits to military officers of U.S. Forces Korea and
South Korean government and military officials by Lieutenant General (Retired)
Robert Gard and Dr. Edwin Deagle, 11-14 December
2000.
[7] Interview with
representatives of the Joint Staff and the Office of the Assistant Secretary
Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, 1 February
2001.
[8] Letter to President
George W. Bush, dated 19 May 2001, signed by Rear Adm-ret Eugene Carroll, Lt
Gen-ret Henry Emerson, Lt Gen-ret James Hollingsworth, Lt Gen-ret Harold Moore,
Lt Gen-ret Dave Palmer, Vice Adm-ret Jack Shanahan, Lt Gen-ret DeWitt Smith, Lt
Gen-ret Walter Ulmer.
[9] In
his next-to-last day in office, President Clinton claimed that antipersonnel
mine production was halted in 1993, but this was an error. (The White House,
Statement by the President, 19 January 2001.) At an April 2001 preparatory
conference for the review of CCW, a presentation made by a U.S. Army official
showed production of Volcano and Gator mixed mine systems as late as 1996.
“US Technology for Self-Destruct and Self-Deactivating Landmines,”
Presentation by Colonel Paul Hughes, Chief, National Security Policy Division,
U.S. Army, Geneva, 4 April
2001.
[10] Interview with
representatives of the Joint Staff and the Office of the Assistant Secretary
Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, 10 May
2000.
[11] U.S. government
fiscal years (FY) begin on the first day of October in the previous calendar
year and end on the last day of September of the current calendar
year.
[12] U.S. Army,
SARD-ZCA, Enclosure titled “Historical Quantities and Value of AP Land
Mine Procurements,” to “Information Paper, Subject: Mines,” 21
July 1992.
[13] Department of
the Army, “Committee Staff Procurement Backup Book, FY 2002 Amended Budget
Submission, Procurement of Ammunition, Army,” June 2001, pp.
291-293.
[14] The White
House, “Fact Sheet: U.S. Announces Anti-Personnel Landmine Policy,”
16 May 1996.
[15] Letter from
National Security Advisor Samuel Berger to Senator Patrick Leahy, 15 May
1998.
[16] The text of the
certification reads, “I will not limit the types of alternatives to be
considered on the basis of any criteria other than those specified in the
sentence that follows. In pursuit of alternatives to United States
anti-personnel mines, or mixed anti-tank systems, the United States shall seek
to identify, adapt, modify, or otherwise develop only those technologies that
(i) are intended to provide military effectiveness equivalent to that provided
by the relevant anti-personnel mine, or mixed anti-tank system; and (ii) would
be affordable.”
[17]
For a detailed description of the technical aspects of the alternatives, see
Landmine Monitor Report 2000, pp.
335-340.
[18] Office of the
Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller), “Descriptive
Summaries of the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Army Appropriation,
Budget Activities 4 and 5,” July 2001, p.
724.
[19] Complied from the
Amended Fiscal Year 2002 Defense Budget Materials and supporting descriptive
summaries and justification materials released by the U.S. Army, July
2001.
[20] Fiscal Year 2002
budget request amounts from the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency were
not available at time of
publication.
[21] National
Academy of Sciences, Press Release, “New Technologies Hold Promise for
Eliminating Antipersonnel Landmines, But Not by Target Date,” 21 March
2001.
[22]
Ibid.
[23] Statement by Dr.
George Bugliarello, Chair of the Committee on Alternative Technologies to
Replace Antipersonnel Landmines, 21 March
2001.
[24] Office of the
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics,
“Progress on Landmine Alternatives, Report to Congress,” 1 April
2001, p. 4.
[25] Assistant
Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller,
“Appropriation: 2034 Procurement of Army Ammunition, FYDP Procurement
Annex,” 14 February 2000, p.
26.
[26] U.S. House of
Representatives Report 106-754, Conference Report for Fiscal Year 2001 Defense
Appropriations, 17 July 2000, p.
154.
[27] Assistant Secretary
of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller, “FY 2002 Procurement
Program, Appropriation: 2034A Procurement of Ammunition, Army” June 2001,
p. A-15.
[28] Department of
the Army, “Committee Staff Procurement Backup Book, FY 2002 Amended Budget
Submission, Procurement of Ammunition, Army,” June 2001, pp.
246-247.
[29] Office of the
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics,
“Progress on Landmine Alternatives, Report to Congress,” 1 April
2001, p. 11.
[30] Interview
with representatives of the Joint Staff and the Office of the Assistant
Secretary Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, 1 February
2001.
[31] Office of the
Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller), “Descriptive
Summaries of the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Army Appropriation,
Budget Activities 4 and 5,” July 2001, p.
725.
[32] U.S. Army
TACOM-ARDEC, Solicitation Notice DAAE30-99-R-0108, 29 February
2000.
[33] U.S. Army
TACOM-ARDEC, Solicitation Award Notices, 27-28 September
2000.
[34] Office of the
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics,
“Progress on Landmine Alternatives, Report to Congress,” 1 April
2001, pp. 19-20.
[35]Landmine Monitor Report 1999, p. 330. Please note that these are the
number of individual antipersonnel mines, not the number of delivery systems
like artillery projectiles or air-delivered munitions
dispensers.
[36] Organization
of American States, “OAS Register of Anti-Personnel Land-Mines: Summary
Table of Information Submitted by Member States for the Period 1997-1999,”
CP/CSH-168/99, rev. 1, 21 May
1999.
[37] Office of the
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affair, News Release 324-98,
“Destruction of Last Non-Self-Destructing Anti-Personnel Landmines in
U.S.-Based Stockpile,” 25 June
1998.
[38]Landmine
Monitor Report 2000, pp.
344-345.
[39] Public Law
102-484, Section 1365; 22 United States Code, 2778
note.
[40] Conference Report
on House Report 3194, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2000, Sec.
553.
[41] The White House,
Office of the Press Secretary, Fact Sheet: “U.S. Initiatives on
Anti-Personnel Landmines,” 17 January
1997.
[42] Response to the
OSCE Questionnaire on Anti-Personnel Landmines, Question 4 (A), 15 December
2000.
[43] Human Rights Watch
obtained this information in August 1994 through a Freedom of Information Act
request to the Defense Security Assistance Agency and U.S. Army Armament,
Munitions, and Chemical Command concerning U.S. landmine deliveries under the
Foreign Military Sales Program and Military Assistance
Program.
[44] Note to reader:
U.S. Government fiscal years (FY) begin on the first day of October in the
previous calendar year and end on the last day of September of the current
calendar year.
[45] U.S.
Department of State, Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, “Demining
Program Financing History,” 24 October
2000.
[46] CCW Amended
Protocol II Article 13 report, Form B, 4 December 2000. Zambia was approved by
the interagency working group on demining on 7 December 2000, after submission
of this report.
[47] U.S.
Department of State, Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, “Fact
Sheet: Meeting of the Interagency Working Group on Demining, September 14,
2000.”
[48] U.S.
Department of State, Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, “Fact
Sheet: Meeting of the Interagency Working Group on Demining, December 7,
2000.”
[49] OAS/IABD
programs are conducted under the auspices of the Organization of American States
and Inter-American Defense Board in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and
Nicaragua.
[50] U.S.
Department of State, Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, “Demining
Program Financing History,” 24 October
2000.
[51] 10 United States
Code, Section 401.
[52]
Interview with officers from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense
for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, 1 February
2001.
[53] Office of the
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity
Conflict, “HD FY00 for Landmine Monitor,” 7 June
2001.
[54]
Ibid.
[55] U.S. Department of
Defense, “RDDS, PE 0603920D8Z: Humanitarian Demining,” February
2000, pp. 1-3.
[56] CCW
Amended Protocol II Article 13 report, Form E, 4 December
2000.
[57] U.S. Department of
State, Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, “Nonproliferation,
Anti-Terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs (NADR) Funds for Humanitarian
Demining Programs,” 4 January
2001.
[58] Interview with
Donald “Pat” Patierno, Director of the State Department’s
Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, Geneva, 6 April
2001.
[59] U.S. Department of
State, Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, “FY00 NADR Project
Status,” 27 December
2000.
[60] Ibid. Note that
rounding may affect
totals.
[61] There are other
programs counted under the rubric of “cross-cutting initiatives”
that also conduct mine clearance – the quick reaction demining force based
in Mozambique and the Adopt-A-Minefield which are not included in this
total.
[62] U.S. Department
of State, Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, “FY00 NADR Project
Status,” 27 December
2000.
[63]
Ibid.
[64]
Ibid.
[65] Specialist
Marshall Thompson, “Fort Stewart soldier awarded Purple Heart after
landmine accident,” Savannah Morning News, 1 July
2001.
[66] David Josar,
“Team Finds Additional Mines Close to Site of Accident in Kosovo,”
European Stars and Stripes, 8 July
2001.
[67] The Landmine
Monitor coordinator, Mary Wareham, interviewed the soldier at Walter Reed Army
Medical Center, Washington, DC, 6 July
2001.
[68] United States
Agency for International Development, “Patrick J. Leahy War Victims Fund,
Portfolio Synopsis,” Spring 2000. For details of the country programs see
Landmine Monitor Report 2000, pp. 365-367.