Key developments since May 2003: In 2003, Sweden provided SEK102.9
million ($12.7 million) to mine action, a very significant 45 percent increase
from SEK71 million in 2002. The Swedish Rescue Services Agency has become
Sweden’s main actor for humanitarian mine action, and expanded its
operations in 2003. In September 2003, Sweden became co-rapporteur of the
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technologies. In March 2004, Sweden appointed an ambassador for mines and small
arms/light weapons. Sweden, with the second highest number of retained mines,
reached an agreement in 2004 with the Saab Bofors Test Center that if demand for
the Test Center’s services does not increase, the 7,065 mines that it
holds will be destroyed in two phases, after evaluation in 2006 and 2007. In
February 2004, Sweden stated its conclusion that transit of antipersonnel mines
through the territory of a State Party is prohibited. In April 2004, the
Swedish company Biosensor signed an agreement with a subsidiary of a Singapore
antipersonnel mine producer to market Biosensor’s explosive detection
system in Asia. As a result, Swedish Rescue Services Agency and Norwegian
People's Aid halted cooperation with Biosensor. On 2 June 2004, Sweden adhered
to CCW Protocol V on explosive remnants of war, the first country in the world
to do so.
Key developments since 1999: Sweden became a State Party to the Mine
Ban Treaty on 1 May 1999 and domestic legislation to implement the treaty
entered into force on the same day. Sweden began destruction of its stockpile
of 3,365,000 antipersonnel mines in 1996, and completed it in December 2001,
well in advance of its deadline of 1 May 2003. Sweden reconstructed its
Claymore-type antipersonnel mines to prevent victim-activation. Sweden has
retained the second largest number of mines for training and development
purposes (15,706 at the end of 2003); in 2002 it was discovered that the Bofors
company held 3,069 more mines than previously known. In September 2003, Sweden
became co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk
Education and Mine Action Technologies. In March 2004, Sweden appointed an
ambassador for mines and small arms/light weapons.
From 1999 to 2003, Sweden donated SEK 466 million (about $48 million) to mine
action in at least 17 countries and regions. It has also provided considerable
technical expertise to mine action programs, particularly through SRSA and
SWEDEC. Sweden announced a new strategy on mine action in May 2002, with an
emphasis on integrating mine action into long-term development assistance.
Sweden has invested significantly in research and development on mine detection
and clearance technologies.
Mine Ban Policy
Sweden signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 25
November 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 May 1999. A Swedish movement to ban
antipersonnel mines started in 1993, led by national NGOs, and in June 1994 the
national parliament instructed the government to seek an antipersonnel mine ban
in the Convention on Conventional Weapons. On 13 December 1996, increasing
public and parliamentary pressure led the government to adopt a unilateral ban
on the weapon. However, Sweden was not among the core group of countries
leading the Ottawa Process and treaty preparations in
1997.[1]
National implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty was achieved primarily by
additions to existing legislation, including penal sanctions for violations of
the treaty’s prohibitions, which also entered into force on 1 May
1999.[2] This was followed by a
series of legal measures to implement the Article 8 compliance regime in Sweden,
and to require annual reports to
government.[3]
Sweden has participated in all of the annual Meetings of States Parties and
the intersessional work program meetings. At the Fifth Meeting of States
Parties in September 2003, Sweden became co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee
on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies.
In March 2004, Sweden appointed an ambassador for mines and small arms/light
weapons. Ambassador Johan Nordenfelt’s task is to represent Sweden
internationally and nationally on these issues and to coordinate relevant work
within the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.[4]
At the intersessional meetings in June 2004, Sweden supported the view of
mine action as an aspect of the wider development issue in mine-affected
countries. It called on donors and mine-affected countries to make a long-term
commitment to mine action and, particularly, mine clearance. It urged donors to
integrate mine action assistance into long-term development cooperation, and
urged mine-affected countries to make mine action plans a central part of
national planning, such as in poverty reduction
strategies.[5]
Sweden’s new integrated strategy on mine action, announced in May 2002,
includes a renewed commitment to work to universalize the Mine Ban
Treaty.[6] The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the issue is on the agenda when dialogue is
planned with countries not party to the treaty. In November 2003,
Latvia’s accession was raised at a Nordic/Baltic meeting on disarmament in
Riga. Sweden participates in European Union efforts to universalize the Mine
Ban Treaty, and during 2003 was responsible for démarches to Laos
and the Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea.[7] In February 2002,
then-Foreign Minister Anna Lindh told the Conference on Disarmament (CD) that
the Mine Ban Treaty had quickly created an international norm banning
antipersonnel mines and called on CD members that were not yet parties to join
the treaty.[8]
In December 2003, Sweden voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution
58/53, which calls for universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban
Treaty. Sweden also introduced Resolution 58/98, which calls on States to
adhere to Amended Protocol II of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW)
without delay. Sweden has voted for similar pro-ban UN General Assembly
resolutions since 1996 and sponsored similar resolutions on the CCW.
Sweden submitted its annual Article 7 transparency report for calendar year
2003 on 3 May 2004. The report includes the voluntary Form J, reporting details
of mine action funding and assistance. Sweden has submitted five previous
Article 7 reports.[9]
ICBL Issues of Concern
Sweden has participated in the extensive State Party discussions on matters
of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Mine
Ban Treaty. In September 2003, at the Fifth Meeting of State Parties in
Bangkok, Sweden delivered statements on the issues of transit of foreign
antipersonnel mines, and antivehicle mines with sensitive
fuzes.[10] In February 2004,
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Landmine Monitor that Sweden had started
reviewing its interpretation of Articles 1, 2 and 3 in preparation for the
Review Conference in November
2004.[11]
Joint Military Operations and Transit
In February 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Swedish
policy on joint military operations remains as stated in the integrated approach
to mine action of May 2002: “[I]t is prohibited for Swedish personnel
participating in international missions to have anything to do with
antipersonnel mines with the exception of activities relating to detection and
clearance.... Swedish participation in an international mission in which any of
the participating states uses antipersonnel mines could be regarded as violating
the spirit of the Ottawa Convention unless Sweden [has] not in all ways
counteracted the use.”[12]
On 25 March 2003, then-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anna Lindh, stated in
Parliament that Sweden “can participate in activities together with
countries that are not parties to the Ottawa Convention. But they can not use
antipersonnel mines in these
activities.”[13]
After the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in June 2004, Sweden
reported that it was prepared to accept the text on joint military operations
that Standing Committee co-chairs had distributed on the last day of the
meetings after consultations with States Parties. The text was part of a
Non-Paper with proposed language for understandings on Articles 1, 2, and 3 to
be agreed to at the Review Conference. While agreeing with the substance,
Sweden said that it has been hesitant toward “common
interpretations” that it believes “in principle create international
law.”[14]
Regarding the issue of the legality of transit of antipersonnel mines through
the territory of a State Party, at the Fifth Meeting of States Parties Sweden
announced its “preliminary interpretation that transit of antipersonnel
mines (for military use in an armed conflict) through the territory of a State
Party to the Convention would in fact be
prohibited.”[15] The
final position was stated in February 2004: “With regard to the aim and
purpose of the Convention it is suggested that transit should be regarded as
prohibited by the Convention. This shall mean that antipersonnel mines cannot
be transferred over Swedish land, sea or air territory in violation of the
regulations of the Convention.” Transit for the purposes specified in
Article 3 of the Convention is considered
permitted.[16]
Antivehicle Mines with Sensitive Fuzes and Antihandling Devices
In February 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Sweden supports
the aim of arriving at a common understanding on the issue of antivehicle mines
with antihandling devices at the Review Conference. However, the Ministry
reiterated its view that antivehicle mines with antihandling devices are not
comparable to antipersonnel mines. Its position was being reviewed in the
context of CCW proposals on “mines other than antipersonnel
mines.”[17]
At the Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Sweden stated that it
“recognizes the humanitarian problems posed by the irresponsible
use of anti-vehicle mines and anti-tank mines.... In our opinion existing
international norms are not satisfactory and need to be strengthened in order to
reduce humanitarian risks. To this end Sweden supports the ongoing
deliberations within the framework of the Certain Conventional Weapons
Convention (CCW) on mines other than anti-personnel mines, including best
practices on sensitive
fuses.”[18]
The Swedish strategy on mine action states that work within the Mine Ban
Treaty framework should focus on antipersonnel mines, and other types of mines
should be dealt with in other fora, preferably the CCW. On 5 July 2004, at the
CCW Expert Group Meeting on mines other than antipersonnel mines, Sweden issued
a detailed position paper that stated that, “the indiscriminate or
irresponsible use of certain types of MOTAPM, including those fitted with
sensitive fuses or anti-handling devices, could potentially pose a threat to
civilians and are therefore of a serious humanitarian concern,” but it did
not make specific recommendations regarding mines with sensitive fuzes or
antihandling devices.[19]
Sweden is a State Party to Amended Protocol II of the CCW, and submitted the
annual report required by Article 13 in October 2003. Sweden attended the Fifth
Annual Conference of States Parties to the Protocol in November 2003. It has
submitted annual reports and attended annual conferences in previous years.
Sweden has been very engaged in other CCW work, on mines other than
antipersonnel mines and on explosive remnants of war. On 2 June 2004, Sweden
adhered to CCW Protocol V on explosive remnants of war, the first country in the
world to do so.
Production and Transfer
In the past, Swedish companies FFV, Bofors and LIAB produced 21 types of
antipersonnel mines, which were both exported and used by Swedish forces.
Sweden was a also a major producer of explosives for use in antipersonnel mines,
much of which was exported. Explosives were sold to mine producers in Italy,
Spain and Singapore, from where antipersonnel mines were widely exported.
Swedish antipersonnel mines, mine components and mine-explosives have been found
in Afghanistan, Cambodia and
Iraq.[20]
In October 1993, Bofors unilaterally declared that it would no longer produce
antipersonnel mines. Although production and transfer were not banned until
entry into force of the Mine Ban Treaty on 1 May 1999, the government has stated
that Sweden has not produced or exported antipersonnel mines since 1974. This
did not include Claymore-type directional fragmentation mines, which Sweden did
not consider to be antipersonnel
mines.[21]
Regarding the conversion or de-commissioning of former production facilities,
Sweden noted in its first Article 7 report that, because it “has not
procured any anti-personnel mines for a long time...there are no facilities for
this purpose.”[22]
Stockpiling and Destruction
In April 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the first time revealed
the full scope of Sweden’s antipersonnel mine stockpile destruction
program: a total of 3,365,000 mines were destroyed from 1996 to December 2001,
when stockpile destruction was
completed.[23] After Sweden
became a party to the treaty on 1 May 1999, a total of 2,348,149 mines were
destroyed.[24]
In April 2002, Sweden reported that Claymore-type antipersonnel mines were
not included in the destruction program, but had been reconstructed to prevent
victim-activation, and so “rendered useless as anti-personnel
mines.” Similar plans for Claymore-type antivehicle mines were changed,
for cost reasons, and instead regulations were introduced to prohibit taking the
mines out of storage without removing the tripwires and to prohibit training
soldiers in their use with
tripwires.[25]
Mines Retained Under Article 3
At the end of 2003, Sweden retained 15,706 antipersonnel mines, including
8,460 Swedish mines and 181 foreign mines held by the armed forces, and 7,065
mines held by the Saab Bofors Test Center. During 2003, a total of 309 mines
were consumed in training and developing mine clearance techniques; details of
usage are given in the Article 7
report.[26] At the end of 2002,
Sweden retained 16,015
mines.[27]
Sweden originally declared that it was retaining 13,948 antipersonnel mines,
but in 2003 revised this total to 16,015 after Bofors revealed to Landmine
Monitor that it held 7,069 mines instead of the 4,000 reported
initially.[28]
At the Fifth Meeting of States Parties in September 2003, the Swedish
delegation stated with regard to the retained mines that “we are now in
the process of discussing how to reduce this
number.”[29] The Ministry
of Foreign Affairs has made clear that this refers only to the mines held by
Bofors.[30] Earlier,
Sweden’s Article 7 report submitted on 30 April 2003 stated that,
“During 2003 it will be further examined how the amount of mines should be
reduced.” Sweden reiterated this during the Standing Committee meetings in
May 2003.[31]
Although Bofors holds a large quantity of antipersonnel mines (4,866
Truppmina 10 and 2,199 Trampmina 49B), it consumed only four mines during 2003,
for testing of mine clearance equipment from Switzerland. Bofors claims that it
needs the mines for tests and for development of mine clearance equipment and
technology. But its largest mine-related project, the Mine Guzzler demining
machine, has failed to attract buyers since being put on the market in 2002.
Bofors also plans to perform tests for other companies developing mine clearance
equipment.[33] The mines were
handed to Bofors by the Armed Forces in 1998, for testing the Mine Guzzler. The
arrangement was made in an exchange of faxes, in which Bofors did not explain
why such a quantity is needed, and no method of accounting for use of the mines
over time was agreed.[34]
In July 2004, Landmine Monitor was informed that the government of Sweden,
mainly through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had further negotiations with
the Saab Bofors Test Center on this issue and that an agreement was reached.
According to a specific time plan, the Test Center will continually evaluate its
need for testing activities. If demand for Saab Bofors Test Center’s
services does not increase, the mines will be destroyed in two phases (after
evaluation in 2006 and 2007). Sweden intends to continue to inform the parties
to the treaty about use of retained antipersonnel mines, in accordance with
Article 3, in the most transparent way
possible.[35]
Mine Action Funding
Sweden reported in December 2003: “International humanitarian mine
action is of high priority for the Swedish Government. In 2003, Sweden
contributed over MSEK 102 [Million Swedish Kronor] to humanitarian mine action.
Swedish assistance to humanitarian mine action is channeled mainly through the
Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (SIDA) to the United
Nations and NGOs.”[36]
Disbursement of mine action funds in 2003 totaled SEK102.9 million
($12,731,682), which represents a very large (45 percent) increase from 2002
(SEK71 million). Funding from SIDA was SEK95.6 million ($11,828,463) and from
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was SEK7.3 million ($903,219) in 2003,
distributed for mine action in 11
countries.[37]
Afghanistan: SEK14 million ($1.73 million), including SEK4 million to DDG
for quality assurance and SEK10 million to MAP and UNMAS for mine clearance
Angola: SEK8 million ($990,000) to NPA for mine clearance
Bosnia and Herzegovina: SEK1.9 million ($235,000) to the ITF for mine
action[39]
Cambodia: SEK16 million ($1.98 million), including SEK13 million to CMAC
Trust Fund (not earmarked), and SEK3 million to CMAC Trust Fund/NPA for
technical assistance
Eritrea: SEK4.4 million ($540,000) to SRSA for mine action coordination
Guinea-Bissau: SEK1.5 million ($185,000) to HUMAID for demining
Iraq: SEK26 million ($3.2 million), including SEK9 million to MAG for
mine/UXO clearance and SEK17 million to SRSA for UN mine action operations
Mozambique: SEK8 million ($990,000), including SEK4 million to UNDP and ADP
for mine clearance, and SEK4 million to NPA for mine clearance
Nicaragua: SEK6.8 million ($840,000) to the OAS for mine clearance
Sri Lanka: SEK4 million ($495,000) to MAG for mine clearance and mine risk
education
Other: SEK500,000 ($62,000) for the treaty sponsorship program, SEK418,540
($52,000) for demining experts, SEK4 million ($495,000) to UNICEF for Mine
Action Strategy, and SEK70,000 ($8,660) for the EU standardization
program.
Mine Action Funding by Ministry of Foreign Affairs in
2003[40]
GICHD: SEK3.5 million ($433,000)
ICBL: SEK130,000 ($16,000) for Landmine Monitor Report 2003
Implementation Support Unit: SEK 200,000 ($24,745)
UNMAS: SEK3 million ($371,000)
Tajikistan: SEK500,000 ($62,000) to the OSCE Center in Dushanbe for capacity
building.
During 2003, SEK829,000 ($102,571) was returned to SIDA from previously
funded projects where not all resources had been
used.[41]
From 1999 to 2003, Sweden donated $47.8 million to mine action (1999: $9.8
million; 2000: $8.6 million; 2001: $9.4 million; 2002: $7.3 million; 2003: $12.7
million.)[42] In 2003, Iraq and
Tajikistan received Swedish funding for the first time. From 1999–2003,
at least 17 countries and regions received mine action funding from Sweden,
including Costa Rica, Honduras, northern Iraq, Kosovo, Laos, and Somalia, in
addition to the eleven funded in 2003.
In 2003, Sweden also contributed SEK230 million ($28.5 million) to the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), part of which goes to mine
victim assistance and mine risk
education.[43] This compares to
SEK220 million in 2002, SEK220 million in 2001, SEK233 million in 2000 and
SEK212 million in 1999.
For 2004, SIDA has made commitments to Angola, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq,
Mozambique, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and the treaty sponsorship program. For
2004–2005, SiDA has made funding commitments to Cambodia, Nicaragua, the
GICHD and UNICEF.[44]
Mine Action Funding Policy
In December 2003, a report by the Committee for Foreign Affairs noted with
satisfaction Sweden’s new strategy for integrated mine action, and asked
for it to be developed further. This report was accepted by Parliament, and is
binding on government.[45]
The integrated mine action strategy, announced in May 2002, reiterates the
main policy directions outlined by SIDA in November
2001.[46] The strategy,
summarized in the Landmine Monitor Report 2003, aims to reduce broad mine
clearance programs in favor of low-intensity, long-term activities in which mine
clearance is coupled to the need for infrastructure and reconstruction. It sets
mine action in a wider development
context.[47] The strategy set
up an inter-agency coordination group and recommended an evaluation of
inter-agency coordination within one to two years. The Armed Forces were tasked
with convening this group, mainly through the Swedish EOD and Demining Center
(SWEDEC), and instructed to present an evaluation no later then 31 October
2004.[48]
The Swedish mine action community has generally welcomed the integrated
strategy, but some members of the coordination group believe it should be more
forward-looking and include specific guidance on how Sweden should act in work
related to the Mine Ban
Treaty.[49]
The strategy also recommended that the government should present an annual
report on Swedish mine action to parliament and to international agencies. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented a report (for 2002) on 22 May 2003, which
consisted of the Article 7 report and a short document. The next report will be
after the opening of Parliament in October
2004.[50]
Survivor assistance is not included in the Swedish mine action strategy. At
the Fifth Meeting of States Parties in September 2003, the delegation explained
that Sweden supports mine victims from a human rights perspective, which
includes disability regardless of the cause and emphasizes socio-economic
reintegration as well as medical treatment. A special disability advisor is
tasked with mainstreaming disability rights into all sectors of development
cooperation.[51] A similar
statement was made at the Standing Committee meetings in February and June 2004.
The Article 7 report for 2003 states mine victims are a priority group among the
beneficiaries of Swedish bilateral aid programs with a health component, and
there are such programs in Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Cambodia, Mozambique, and
Nicaragua.[52]
Swedish Rescue Services Agency
The integrated strategy identifies the Swedish Rescue Services Agency as
Sweden’s main actor for humanitarian mine clearance. As a result, in
2003, the SRSA educated more personnel in mine action and conducted more mine
action projects.[53] In 2003,
the SRSA undertook the following
projects:[54]
DR Congo: quality assurance of demining operations during February and March
2003, financed by UNOPS (SEK258,655).
Eritrea: staff (currently a medical coordinator and an IMSMA officer) for
the UN mine action center in Eritrea since November 2001, financed by SIDA
(SEK4.4 million in 2003). In 2004, there will be additional support (a
technical advisor) to the UNDP.
Iraq: logistics, communications, IT, two staff and an EOD team for the UNMAS
Mine Action Coordination Team in early 2003, financed by SIDA (SEK17 million in
2003).
Kosovo: two IMSMA experts for two weeks in November 2003.
Lebanon: one Quality Assurance Officer for mine detecting dogs since April
2002, to continue at least until June 2004, financed by UNOPS (SEK1 million in
2003).
The SRSA works in cooperation with SWEDEC, where it had two personnel
stationed in 2003. It has been involved in several mine-related research and
development projects, and participates in the International Test and Evaluation
Program (ITEP) for humanitarian demining. SRSA carries out training courses in
mine action. Trainees on the IMSMA course are later deployed to mine-affected
countries to gain operational experience. During 2003, SRSA had trainees in
Somalia, Sri Lanka and
Sudan.[55] In 2004, the SRSA
had mine action projects in Sudan and Sri Lanka, as well as Eritrea and
Lebanon.[56]
Swedish Armed Forces
The integrated strategy states that the Armed Forces should be able to
conduct humanitarian as well as military mine clearance, and support other
activities such as mine risk education. During 2003, SWEDEC continued training
future members of the Kosovo ammunition clearance pool, and carried out quality
assurance of ammunition clearance personnel. SWEDEC also conducted mine risk
education for all Swedish soldiers sent to the UN mission in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and, in the NATO Partnership for Peace, for participants from
Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Denmark, and
Switzerland.[57]
During 2003, mine detecting dogs trained and handled by SWEDEC worked in
Laos. SWEDEC plans to recruit and train at least 35 detection dog units within
a period of five years.[58]
SWEDEC was established in 1997. Personnel from the Armed Forces and SWEDEC
with mine action expertise have been sent to UN missions and NGOs in
Afghanistan, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Eritrea,
Mozambique, and Balkan
countries.[59]
The Armed Forces also contribute to mine action through cooperation with the
GICHD on IMSMA and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Information System (EODIS).
The value of the Swedish contribution was SEK4 million in
2003.[60]
Sweden also participates in the European standardization of mine action, and
from November 2002 chaired the ITEP Executive
Committee.[61]
Research and Development
Sweden has been involved in mine-related R&D since 1994, with projects
aimed at advanced mine detectors, mechanical mine clearance systems and new ways
to use mine detecting dogs.[62]
The Swedish Armed Forces constructed software for EODIS and developed, with
GICHD, a field survey system to be integrated in the IMSMA system and EODIS.
Field tests will be conducted in the first half of
2004.[63]
During 2003, Sweden contributed an estimated SEK14 million to the Biosensor
system. Biosensor was launched in 1995 to develop an “artificial dog
nose” sensor system to detect the presence of the explosive
trinitrotoluene (TNT) in vapor form for humanitarian demining. Sweden has
invested over SEK198 million (approx. US$19 million) in the project since
1995.Until May 2004, SRSA was conducting extensive field trials of a
prototype with Norwegian People’s
Aid.[64] (See below for the
Swedish company Biosensor’s involvement with landmine producer Singapore
Technologies).
Countermine Technologies has developed a new demining machine, L90, which
will be certified for a project in the first half of 2004. During 2003,
Countermine Technologies cleared more than 500,000 square meters in
Croatia.[65]
In 2003, Bofors continued to find no buyers for its Mine Guzzler demining
vehicle. The project started in 1995, wholly financed by Bofors Defence
(SEK50–60 million; $5–6 million), plus marketing costs of SEK3
million per year until 2002.[66]
The mechanical demining machine, Scanjack, developed by the Scandinavian
Demining Group, cleared 2.3 million square meters in Croatia in 2003. It has
been in full operation in Croatia since April 2000 and total area cleared is
over 9 million square meters. During 2003 and early 2004, five Scanjack systems
were delivered to the Swedish Armed Forces. A Scanjack was delivered to the
Swiss Foundation for Mine Action, and another to the Piper commercial demining
company in Croatia.[67]
NGO Activities
During 2003, the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society (SPAS) carried out
activities to raise public awareness of the mine problem and its solutions.
SPAS also did advocacy work with the Swedish government, parliamentarians and
others involved in mine action, trying to ensure full implementation of the Mine
Ban Treaty and continued support for humanitarian mine action. SPAS put out a
press release on the launch of Landmine Monitor Report 2003, focused on
the fact that Bofors Defence had more antipersonnel mines than the government
had reported.
Similar activities were carried out in previous years.
SPAS has supported various mine action NGOs since 1993.
Rädda Barnen (Swedish Save the Children) was a major NGO supporter of
the campaign to ban antipersonnel mines. As part of its work for children
affected by war, Rädda Barnen has run victim assistance and mine risk
education programs in Afghanistan and Yemen. The Swedish Red Cross carried out
mine risk education work in Mozambique in previous years. Forum Syd ran mine
victim assistance programs in Cambodia, and supported projects in Northern
Iraq.[68]
On 13 April 2004, Biosensor and Chartered Electro-Optics Pte. Ltd. (CEO), a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore Technologies (ST), signed an agreement
under which CEO will have exclusive marketing and distribution rights to
Biosensor’s BIOSENS-D/E drug/explosive detection system in China, Taiwan,
Hong Kong, Macau and ASEAN countries, for a period of three
years.[69]
SPAS and Norwegian People’s Aid and immediately contacted Biosensor to
inform the company that ST is a producer of antipersonnel landmines. NPA and
SPAS told Biosensor that they considered it inappropriate for Biosensor, a
company that is developing landmine detection equipment, to cooperate with a
company that produces antipersonnel landmines, and therefore asked Biosensor to
terminate its cooperation with ST. Biosensor contacted its partners in CEO,
who, according to Biosensor, claimed that ST is no longer producing landmines.
A representative of Biosensor stated that he was satisfied with this answer from
his partners.[70] The Singapore
government acknowledged in writing to Landmine Monitor in 2003 and 2004 that
Singapore Technologies is a producer of antipersonnel
mines.[71]
On 14 May 2004, NPA decided to terminate its cooperation with
Biosensor.[72] On 17 June 2004,
SRSA also decided to terminate its cooperation with
Biosensor.[73] The same day,
SPAS sent a press release in which Biosensor was criticized for its cooperation
with ST. In the press release, SPAS also encouraged the Swedish Red Cross and
the Swedish Church, who are two of Biosensor’s owners, to make sure that
Biosensor stops its cooperation with
ST.[74] On 17 June 2004, the
Swedish Church stated that it would consider its
response.[75] On 18 June 2004,
the Swedish Red Cross stated that it would try to convince Biosensor to
terminate its cooperation with ST. If this did not work, the Red Cross would
consider selling its shares in
Biosensor.[76]
[1] See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp.
655–657. On 5 February 1998, Sweden declared the provisional
applicability of the treaty’s general obligations pending entry into force
of the treaty in accordance with Article
18. [2] Penal Code, 1988: 1703, Ch.
22, Sec. 6b. [3] Article 7 Report,
Form A, 3 May 2004; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p.
726. [4] Email from Sara Uddenberg,
Desk Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 April
2004. [5] Intervention by Amb. Johan
Nordenfelt, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine
Action Technologies, Geneva, 22 June
2004. [6] Parliamentary protocol, No.
2003/04:50, 16 December 2003. “Regeringens samlade syn på
minhantering” (“The Government’s integrated approach to mine
action”), Memorandum, Ministry of Defence, 23 May 2002, pp. 7, 27.
Translation by Landmine Monitor. For details of the strategy, see later
section. [7] Interview with Sara
Uddenberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Stockholm, 17 February
2004. [8] Speech by Anna Lindh,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, 7 February
2002. [9] See Article 7 Reports
submitted: 7 May 2004 (for calendar year 2003); 30 April 2003 (for calendar year
2002); 25 April 2002 (for the period 1 April 2001–1 April 2002); 30 April
2001 (for the period 1 April 2000–1 April 2001); 14 June 2000 (for the
period 1 September 1999–1 April 2000); and 29 October 1999 (for the period
1 May–30 September 1999). [10]
Statements by Catharina Kipp, Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fifth
Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 15–19 September 2003. See later
sections for details. [11] Interview
with Sara Uddenberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 February
2004. [12] Ibid; “Integrated
approach to mine action,” Ministry of Defence, 23 May 2002, p
19. [13] Anna Lindh, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Snabbprotokoll (Quick Protocol), 2002/03:78, 25 March 2003.
Translated by Landmine Monitor. For fuller quotation, see Landmine Monitor
Report 2003, p. 440. [14] Email from
Sara Uddenberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 6 July
2004. [15] Statement by Sweden, Fifth
Meeting of States Parties, 17 September
2003. [16] “Förslag till
svensk position vad gäller transit av antipersonella minor enligt
Ottawakonventionen” (“Proposal on Swedish position regarding transit
of antipersonnel mines according to the Ottawa Convention”), Memorandum,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 9 February 2004. Translation by Landmine
Monitor. [17] Interview with Sara
Uddenberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 February
2004. [18] Statement by Sweden, Fifth
Meeting of States Parties, 17 September 2003. Emphasis as in
original. [19] Position paper by
Sweden on MOTAPM, Paras 1, 2 and 4, CCW Expert Group Meeting on Mines Other Than
Anti-Personnel Mines, Geneva, 5 July
2004. [20] For types of antipersonnel
mine produced, see Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp. 657–658. Bofors
exported antipersonnel mines to Pakistan in 1958. It also exported Fordonsmina
13 and 13R (FFV 013 and 013R) Claymore-type antivehicle mines with tripwire
detonation options to Germany (1950s–1960s), Switzerland
(1958–1971), Norway (1978), Ireland (1987), and Japan (1990). In Sweden,
these mines have been placed in storage with a special order not to remove them
together with the tripwire. [21]
Government Bill 1997/98: 175; see also Landmine Monitor Report 1999, p.
658. [22] Article 7 Report, Form E, 29
October 1999. [23] Email from Sara
Uddenberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 April 2004. Landmine Monitor had
previously estimated the original stockpile to be 3.2 million antipersonnel
mines. See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p.
792. [24] See Landmine Monitor Report
2002, pp. 459–460. In its first Article 7 report, Sweden reported
possessing 1,666,639 antipersonnel mines of ten designations as of 30 September
1999. The ten designations were listed as: “Anti-personnel mine 9”
(2,001), 10 (1,198,934), 11 (121,000), 43T (41,141), “Contact land mine
41” (199,810), 49B (43,236), “Fragmentation mine 48” (10,717),
“Blast mine 43” (217), 43T 8cm (12,666), and 43T 10 cm (35,917).
Article 7 Report, Form B, 29 October
1999. [25] Article 7 Report, Form B,
25 April 2002; see Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p.
792. [26] Article 7 Report, Form D, 7
May 2004. 2,800 fuzes were also destroyed. Two types of Swedish mine are
retained (Truppmina 10 and Trampmina 49B) and five types of foreign mine
(PROM-1, PMA-1, PMA-2, PMA-3, PMR-2A, and MRUD).
[27] Article 7 Report, Form D, 30
April 2003; email from Lt. Col. Olof Carelius, Armed Forces Headquarters, 18
February 2003. [28] See Landmine
Monitor Report 2003, pp.
440–441. [29] Statement by
Sweden, Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 18 September
2003. [30] Interview with Sara
Uddenberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 February
2004. [31] Intervention by Sweden,
Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 16
May 2003; Article 7 Report, Form D, 30 April 2003.
[33] Email from Allan Carlsson, Sales
Director, Saab Bofors Test Center, 25 February
2004. [34] Email from Lt. Col. Olof
Carelius, 20 February 2004; copy of faxes “Delivery of mines” from
Lt. Col. Lars Olsson, Armed Forces Headquarters, 3 March 1998 and 15 June 1998;
faxes from Bengt Svensson, Saab Bofors Test Center, 24 February 1998, and from
Allan Carlsson, Bofors Weapon Center, 10 June 1998.
[35] Email from Sara Uddenberg,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 6 July
2004. [36] Sweden’s Response to
OSCE Questionnaire, 14 December 2003, p.
2. [37] Email from Linda Bergenheim,
SIDA, 5 February 2004; Email from Magnus Carlquist, Desk Officer, SIDA, 25
February 2004; Interview with Sara Uddenberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17
February 2004. Article 7 Report, Form J, 3 May 2004, reports funding of
“at least” SEK105 million, but with few details of projects funded.
For 2003 funding, exchange rate was $1=SEK8.0822 in 2003, used throughout this
report unless official figures are given. US Federal Reserve, “List of
Exchange Rates (Annual),” 2 January
2004. [38] Emails from SIDA, 5
February 2004 and 25 February 2004.
[39] The ITF records $232,099
received from Sweden in 2003, and used for activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
ITF, “Annual Report 2003,” pp. 19,
40. [40] CCW Amended Protocol II
Article 13 report, 7 October 2003; Response to OSCE Questionnaire, 14 December
2003, p. 2; Interview with Sara Uddenberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17
February 2004. [41] Funding was
returned to SIDA from Angola (SEK9,843 from NPA); Bosnia and Herzegovina
(SEK271,120); Eritrea (SEK302,358 from DDG and SEK 61,497 from SRSA/MACC);
Somalia (SEK 170,701 from DDG); and Somalia (SEK 13,096 from DDG). Emails from
SIDA, 5 February 2004 and 25 February
2004. [42] Ibid; Interview with Sara
Uddenberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 February 2004. Historical funding
was given in SEK (1999: SEK83.3 million; 2000: SEK107.9; 2001: SEK100.9; 2002:
SEK71 million) which has been converted to US$ using the exchange rate in the
Landmine Monitor reports for each
year. [43] Response to OSCE
Questionnaire, 14 December 2003, p.
2. [44] Email from Linda Bergenheim,
SIDA, 5 February 2004. See Landmine Monitor Report 2002, pp. 463–464, and
Landmine Monitor Report 2003, pp.
443–444. [45] “Sveriges
politik för global utveckling” (“Swedish policy for global
development”), Consideration from the Committee of Foreign Affairs,
Parliament, 2003/04:UU3, Parliamentary protocol, 2003/04:50, 16 December
2003. [46] See Landmine Monitor Report
2002, pp. 463–464. [47]
“Integrated approach to mine action,” Ministry of Defence, 23 May
2002, pp. 12–13. See Landmine Monitor Report 2003, pp.
443–444. [48] Email from Lt.
Col. Olof Carelius, 19 April 2004; interview with Sara Uddenberg, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, 17 February
2004. [49] Report from the
inter-agency coordination group to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 22 October
2003; email from Magnus Carlquist, SIDA, 14 April
2004. [50] Email from Sara Uddenberg,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 15 April
2004. [51] Statement by Catharina
Kipp, Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fifth Meeting of States Parties,
Bangkok, 18 September 2003. [52]
Article 7 Report, Form J, 3 May
2004. [53] Email from Pehr Lodhammar,
Swedish Rescue Services Agency, 12 February
2004. [54] Emails from Pehr Lodhammar,
SRSA, 9 February and 6 April 2004; email from Magnus Carlquist, SIDA, 25
February 2004. IMSMA is the Information Management System for Mine
Action. [55] Emails from Pehr
Lodhammar, SRSA, 9 and 12 February
2004. [56] “Ongoing Mine Action
Projects,” SRSA Newsletter, June 2004, p.
1. [57] “Swedish sniffer dogs
tracking unexploded ordnance in Laos,” Agence France-Presse, 12 December
2003; SWEDEC Annual Report 2003, Annex 10 “Särskild Redovisning am-
och minröjningsverksamhet” (“Special Report on Ammunition and
Mine Clearance activities”), 26 January
2004. [58] “Integrated approach
to mine action,” Ministry of Defence, 23 May 2002, p.
16. [59] Article 7 Report, Form J, 3
May 2004; Response to OSCE Questionnaire, 14 December 2003, p. 3; email from
Claes Wolgast, SWEDEC, 12 February
2004. [60] Email from Lt. Col. Olof
Carelius, 19 April 2004. [61] Response
to OSCE Questionnaire, 14 December 2003, p.
3. [62] Ibid, 18 December 2002, p.
3. [63] Ibid, 14 December 2003, p.
3. [64] Email from Lilian Li,
Biosensor, 11 March 2004. [65]
Countermine Technologies, “Annual report for the period 1 January 2003 to
31 December 2003,” 27 February
2004. [66] Email from Allan Carlsson,
Saab Bofors Test Center, 25 February 2004, and www.boforsdefence.com,
accessed on 13 December 2002. [67]
Email from Ola Modigs, Project Manager PMP, Scandinavian Demining Group AB, 27
February 2004. [68] See Landmine
Monitor Report 1999, p. 666. [69]
Press release from Biosensor Applications Sweden AB, 13 April
2004. [70] Email from Carl Lundberg,
Biosensor, 29 April 2004, and subsequent telephone
conversations. [71] See Singapore
country report in this edition of Landmine Monitor
Report. [72] Letter from Sara Sekkenes
and Per Nergaard, NPA, 14 May
2004. [73] Letter from Kjell Larsson,
Swedish Rescue Service Agency, 17 June
2004. [74] Press release from the
Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, 17 June
2004. [75] Email from Anna-Lena
Milgren, Swedish Church, 17 June
2004. [76] Telephone conversation with
Monica Lorentzon, Swedish Red Cross, 18 June 2004.
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