LM Report 2003

Estonia

Key developments since May 2002: Estonia’s Prime Minister has stated that the government is seriously considering joining the Mine Ban Treaty and has started the process of internal deliberations for joining. In 2002, a total of 1,675 pieces of unexploded ordnance were destroyed.

Mine Ban Policy

The Republic of Estonia has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty. In July 2003, Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts stated, “Estonia strongly condemns the indiscriminate effects of anti-personnel landmines and supports an effective prohibition of these weapons.” He said, “I am pleased to confirm that Estonia is seriously considering joining the Ottawa Convention and has started the process of internal deliberations for joining the treaty.”^[1]

Estonia participated as an observer in the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in September 2002 and attended intersessional Standing Committee meetings in February and May 2003. On 22 November 2002, Estonia voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution 57/74, which calls for the universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.

Estonia is a State Party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Amended Protocol II. It attended the Fourth Annual Conference of States Parties to the Protocol in December 2002. Estonia submitted its annual report, as required by Article 13 of the Protocol, on 14 October 2002.

Estonia’s response to the annual questionnaire on landmines by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in December 2002 stated that it has not produced or exported, and does not possess, antipersonnel mines.^[2] Export and transit of antipersonnel mines have been banned since 1999. Explosives, including landmines, continue to be used in criminal activities in Estonia.^[3]

Landmine/UXO Problem, Clearance and Casualties

In October 2002, the government stated, “There are no special mine clearance programs in Estonia. Estonia is not a mine-affected country, but some old munitions left over from the World War II can be found in the ground.... In these areas, demining activities are carried out by the Estonian Defense Forces and/or Rescue Board.”^[4]

In 2002, a total of 1,675 pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXO) were destroyed, compared with 1,356 UXO in 2001.^[5]

The Rescue Board of the Ministry of the Interior has been using the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) database since its installation in 2001, to plan areas for scheduled clearance work and to start UXO clearance of former battlefields. Clearance operations usually start in May and continue for several months.^[6]

The Rescue Board reports that mine/UXO risk education is a compulsory part of the school curriculum. Since early 2001, it has produced a program to warn children in case they find UXO, which includes dissemination of mine risk education booklets and videos in schools.^[7]

In its fiscal year 2002, the United States provided Estonia with $254,000 for the purchase of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and demining equipment. The US also provided $853,000 in FY 2001 and $998,000 in FY 2000 for demining assistance.^[8]

In 2002, Estonia contributed $2,000 to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action.^[9]

From July 2002 until January 2003, an explosives detection dog team (three dogs and five personnel) from the Rescue Board joined the peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan. A second team was deployed in early February 2003 for a six-month tour.^[10] Estonia has offered to support other US and NATO peacekeeping operations.^[11]

In 2002, one civilian was killed and seven others injured in UXO incidents.^[12] In 2001, nine people were injured, including a deminer, and three people were killed, including a deminer.^[13]

In October 2002, Estonia reported, “There are no special rehabilitation programs for persons injured by mines in Estonia. If incident(s) happen, the injured person(s) is treated in civilian hospitals with all available medical means and resources.”^[14]

[1] Letter to Philippe Chabasse, Co-Director, Handicap International, from Hon. Juhan Parts, Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia, 9 July 2003.
[2] Estonia response to OSCE questionnaire, 15 December 2002, p. 1. Estonia had in the past indicated a small stockpile of antipersonnel mines for training purposes, but in March 2002 said the mines had been destroyed. See Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 648.
[3] The Estonian Rescue Board reports that in 2002, there were 24 explosions, including some of a criminal character, and 93 bomb threats (compared with 25 explosions and 214 bomb threats in 2001). Email from Margus Kurvits, Director, Rescue Board, 3 April 2003; telephone interview with Margus Kurvits, 22 May 2003.
[4] Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form B, 14 October 2002.
[5] Email from Margus Kurvits, Rescue Board, 3 April 2003; telephone interview with Margus Kurvits, 22 May 2003.
[6] Ibid. For details of the Rescue Board’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Operations Center, see Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 649.
[7] Email from Margus Kurvits, Rescue Board, 3 April 2003; email from Arno Pugonen, Senior Specialist, Rescue Board, 12 June 2003.
[8] US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety,” September 2002.
[9] Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form E, 14 October 2002.
[10] Email from Arno Pugonen, Rescue Board, 12 June 2003; Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form F, 14 October 2002.
[11] Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form F, 14 October 2002; Ausra Radzeviciute and Kristaps Petersons, “Baltieši aktīvi palīdz Afganistānā” (Active assistance by Balts in Afghanistan), Diena (Latvian daily newspaper), 31 January 2003.
[12] Email from Margus Kurvits, Rescue Board, 3 April 2003; telephone interview with Margus Kurvits, 22 May 2003.
[13] Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 649.
[14] Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form B, 14 October 2002.