LM Report 2004

Samoa

Key developments since 1999: Samoa became a State Party on 1 March 1999.

The Independent State of Samoa signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, ratified on 23 July 1998, and the treaty entered into force on 1 March 1999. To implement the treaty domestically, Samoa cites Part II of its Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism Act 2002, which prohibits “the use of any devices that endangers human life and personal safety” and includes penal sanctions of up to fifteen years.^[1] In March 2002, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs said that the transfer of antipersonnel mines through Samoa is not allowed.^[2] Samoa has submitted two Article 7 reports, both of them are “nil” reports, as the country states it has never produced, stockpiled, transferred or employed antipersonnel mines.^[3] As it has done in previous years, Samoa voted in support of UN General Assembly Resolution 58/53 on 8 December 2003. The islands are not mine-affected and on 15 April 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed to Landmine Monitor that there have been no Samoan mine or unexploded ordinance (UXO) casualties.^[4]

[1] Article 7 Report, Form A, 14 April 2004.
[2] Letter to Neil Mander, Convenor, NZ Campaign Against Landmines, from Perina J. Sila on behalf of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Samoa, 11 March 2002.
[3] See Form F in Article 7 reports submitted 14 April 2004 (for the period July 2002- April 2004) and 24 June 2002 (for the period January 1999-June 2002).
[4] Letter to Landmine Monitor (Deborah Morris), from Desna Solofa, Principal Foreign Services Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 15 April 2004.