LM Report 2004

Taiwan

Key developments since May 2003: In March 2004, the Ministry of National Defense informed Landmine Monitor that it continues to maintain minefields for military purposes. In June 2004, a five-month project to clear the 114,300-square meter Shuitou-Hsiashu beach was completed, with the destruction of 2,239 landmines. In 2003, Taiwan provided $294,768 to Honduras for mine clearance on its border with Nicaragua and $80,000 to the Organization of American States to fund mine clearance projects in Guatemala, apparently Taiwan’s first contributions to international mine action.

Key developments since 1999: Since 1999, officials on many occasions have expressed Taiwan’s support for a comprehensive ban on antipersonnel mines. In March 2001, a Ministry of National Defense spokesman stated that Taiwan no longer uses, produces, or transfers antipersonnel mines. In 2002, Taiwan sent 42,175 stockpiled antipersonnel mines to Germany for destruction. But, Taiwan has not formally taken any steps domestically to restrict or ban antipersonnel mines, and the military continues to believe some existing minefields are necessary. Six minefields on Kinmen Island and eleven on Matsu Island were cleared from 1998 to April 2001. In 2002, an area of 66,362 square meters on Kinmen was cleared, and another 114,300 square meters in 2004.

Mine Ban Policy

Due to its international status, Taiwan cannot accede to the Mine Ban Treaty. Taiwanese officials have never attended any meetings of States Parties.^[1] Since 1999, government officials on many occasions have expressed Taiwan’s support for a comprehensive ban on antipersonnel mines, even though the military continues to believe some existing minefields are necessary.

Taiwan has not formally taken any steps domestically to restrict or ban antipersonnel mines. In May 2002, the Eden Social Welfare Foundation announced the completion of a draft bill to prohibit the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of antipersonnel landmines, but no progress has been made in the legislative process. As of June 2004, the draft bill was still waiting to be considered by the National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan (Parliament).^[2] The government funded participation by the Eden Social Welfare Foundation in the Fourth and Fifth Meetings of States Parties in 2002 and 2003.^[3]

Production, Transfer, Stockpiling, Use

At a March 2001 public hearing a Ministry of National Defense spokesman stated that Taiwan no longer uses, produces, or transfers antipersonnel mines.^[4] However, officials also maintained that certain minefields still have a defensive purpose and need to be kept.^[5] In March 2004, the Ministry of National Defense informed Landmine Monitor that it continues to maintain minefields for military purposes.^[6]

Taiwan states that it terminated the production of antipersonnel mines in 1982.^[7] In the past, the company Hsing Hua produced copies of US M2A4, M3, M16A1, and M18A1 Claymore mines.^[8] The government has not provided any information on past import or export of antipersonnel mines, but Taiwan is not known to have exported mines. Taiwan imported 36,747 antipersonnel mines from the United States, including 2,592 ADAM scatterable mines in 1992.^[9]

Taiwan will still not provide details on the size or composition of its remaining stockpile of antipersonnel mines.^[10] In 2002, Taiwan transferred 42,175 antipersonnel mines to Germany for destruction, including M2, M3, M12/M12A1, and M14 mines.^[11] In addition, the Ministry of National Defense told Landmine Monitor in January 2003 that in recent years it has destroyed a total of 2,527 M6A2 and M7A1 stockpiled antipersonnel mines and 408 mines of other types.^[12]

Landmine Problem and Mine Action

There are minefields laid in the early 1970s on Kinmen Island and Matsu (Lian Jiang County).^[13] In March 2004, the Ministry of National Defense stated that some of the minefields on Kinmen, Matsu and Dong-Yin Island are maintained for military purposes, due to the threat from China. The Ministry said that the minefields will be reduced gradually to match the threat or cleared when alternatives to landmines are available. The size of the mined areas is considered confidential information under the “National Confidential Documents Protection Law.”^[14]

In 1993, largely in response to development needs, the Ministry of National Defense initiated plans to survey mine-affected areas. On the basis of a survey conducted in 1996, two areas on Kinmen were prioritized and then cleared by Specialist Gurkha Service UK in 1999.^[15] The Ministry of National Defense allocated New Taiwanese Dollars (NTD) 85.13 million (US$2.5 million)^[16] to clear six minefields on Kinmen and eleven on Matsu from 1998 to April 2001.^[17]

In 2001, additional mine clearance was conducted on Kinmen Island for several companies.^[18] In 2002, an area of 66,362 square meters on the southern side of the Shang-Yi airport on Kinmen Island was cleared.^[19] In June 2004, the Kinmen County government announced the completion of clearance of the 114,300-square meter Shuitou-Hsiashu beach. Singapore’s Explomo Technical Service Pte. Ltd won the bid for the demining in late 2003, and during the five-month project destroyed 2,239 landmines, all of them US-made M3 antipersonnel mines. The demining will permit the construction of a commercial wharf at Shuitou port.^[20]

From 2006 to 2008, Taiwan intends to provide NTD400 million ($11.6 million) to private demining companies to clear 12 minefields on Kinmen Island and three minefields on Matsu.^[21] The deputy commander of the Kinmen Defence Command said that priority will be given to minefields that could affect tourism and public safety, naming Kuang-ao, Tzuti, Chienkungyu, Hsipien, Mashan and Hsishan. The Kinmen County magistrate said the minefields have discouraged private corporations from investing in Kinmen and have hindered economic development for decades.^[22]

Mine Action Assistance

In 2003, Taiwan provided $294,768 to Honduras for mine clearance on its border with Nicaragua and $80,000 to the Organization of American States to fund mine clearance projects in Guatemala.^[23] Landmine Monitor is not aware of any previous or more recent financial contributions to international humanitarian mine action.

Landmine Casualties and Survivor Assistance

Landmine Monitor has no information on any new landmine casualties in Taiwan in 2003 or 2004. The Committee of Compensation for Civilian Damages of the Ministry of the National Defense awarded compensation to 21 landmine survivors injured between 1949 and 1992. The total amount of compensation was NTD19,850,000 (US$576,934).^[24] As of February 2003, a total of 53 landmine casualties (families and survivors) had received compensation, with a further 57 applications for compensation from landmine survivors or the families of those killed still pending.^[25]

In 2003, the Eden Social Welfare Foundation donated 550 wheelchairs to mine survivors and other persons with disabilities through local organizations in Iraq, Jordan, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Vietnam, valued at NTD1,925,000 ($55,950); 470 wheelchairs were distributed in 2002.^[26] All the wheelchairs are produced at the Eden Sheltered Wheelchair Factory in Nan-Tou, where 14 of the 22 employees have a disability.^[27]

On 13 July 2003, the Eden Social Welfare Foundation organized a charity banquet to raise funds for the manufacture of wheelchairs and for other awareness-raising activities. Guests included political representatives, celebrities, and spokespersons from various enterprises and associations.^[28] The banquet is an annual event. In 2003, the “Love Without Borders” project raised NTD8,147,319 ($239,799).^[29]

In October 2003 the Eden Social Welfare Foundation established the War Injured Children’s Aid Fund to provide assistance to children disabled by war-related injuries. A 12-year-old Iraqi boy received reconstructive surgery and artificial limbs in Taiwan after losing his left leg below the knee and right hand to a piece of unexploded ordnance. The War Injured Children’s Aid Fund has raised NTD863,210 ($25,089).^[30]

[1] Email from Rebecca Pan, Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of China in Nicaragua to Eden Social Welfare Foundation, Taipei, 27 February 2003.
[2] Telephone interview with Chen Zhen Teng, Political Affairs Aide, Legislator Chen She-Saint Office, Taipei, 3 June 2004.
[3] Email from Emma Lee, Eden Social Welfare Foundation, 30 August 2004.
[4] Press conference/public hearing on landmine problem on Kinmen Island, Taipei, 27 March 2001. See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 593.
[5] Letter from Gen. Lee T. S., Ministry of National Defense to Legislator Chang L. S., Taipei, 9 March 2001.
[6] Letter from Gen. Kwan-Dan Lai, Military Combat and Planning Staff Office, Ministry of National Defense, 2 March 2004.
[7] Ibid.
[8] See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, p. 520.
[9] US Defense Security Assistance Agency table, “U.S. Landmine Sales by Country,” provided to Human Rights Watch, 29 March 1994. The U.S. also shipped 34,155 M3 mines in 1970 and 1974.
[10] Letter from Ministry of National Defense, 2 March 2004. Gen. Kwan-Dan Lai stated that information on stockpiles could not be revealed for national security reasons.
[11] Germany Article 7 Report, Form D, 10 April 2003.
[12] Letter from Col. Chien-Kuo Huang, Ministry of National Defense, 14 January 2003.
[13] Letter from Ministry of National Defense, 2 March 2004.
[14] Ibid.
[15] For more details see Landmine Monitor Report 2000, pp. 557-558.
[16] Exchange rate: US$1=NTD34.406 used throughout. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (annual),” 5 January 2004.
[17] Letter from Ministry of National Defense, 2 March 2004.
[18] The Kinmen Water Company, Tai Power Electricity Plant and Harbor Administration of Kinmen Port contracted the British company BATEC. See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 594.
[19] The Civil Aeronautics Administration of the Ministry of Transport and Communications commissioned BATEC. See Landmine Monitor Report 2003, p. 766.
[20] Sofia Wu, “More than 2,000 landmines in Kinmen beach cleared up,” Central News Agency (Kinmen), 5 June 2004.
[21] Letter from Ministry of National Defense, 2 March 2004. A press article cites NTD468 million for 12 minefields on Kinmen covering 317,000 square meters. Sofia Wu, “Kinmen Chief to seek foreign aid to clear landmines,” CNA, 17 October 2003. See also, Sofia Wu, “More than 2,000 landmines,” CNA, 5 June 2004.
[22] Sofia Wu, “Kinmen Chief to seek foreign aid to clear landmines,” CNA, 17 October 2003.
[23] Letter from Dept. Central and South American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 March 2003.
[24] Letter from Ministry of National Defense, 2 March 2004.
[25] Letter from Col. Yung-Ho Hwa, Ministry of National Defense, Taipei, 19 February 2003.
[26] “Love Without Borders Foreign Wheelchair Donation Chart,” Eden Social Welfare Foundation, Taipei, updated 5 February 2004 and 21 January 2003.
[27] Department of Resource Collection, Eden Social Welfare Foundation, 19 February 2004.
[28] Eden Social Welfare Foundation, “2003 Love Without Borders Charity Banquet Report,” 30 August 2003, p. 3.
[29] Dept. Resource Collection, 19 February 2004; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2003, p. 767.
[30] Eden Social Welfare Foundation, “Khaldoun Taiwan Dream Report,” 8 March 2004, p. 10.