LM Report 2005

Qatar

The State of Qatar signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 4 December 1997, ratified on 13 October 1998, and became a State Party on 1 April 1999. Qatar has taken no national legal measures to implement the treaty.^[1] In May 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Landmine Monitor, “There was no immediate need to formulate legislation because Qatar has not had any landmine problems and does not use landmines.”^[2]

As of 30 September 2005, Qatar had not yet submitted its Article 7 transparency report for calendar year 2004, due by 30 April 2005. Qatar submitted its second Article 7 report on 31 March 2004, which was essentially a “nil” report containing no new information.^[3]

In November-December 2004, Qatar participated in the First Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty in Nairobi, but did not make a statement to the high level segment. Qatar also attended the ban treaty’s June 2005 intersessional meetings in Geneva, but again made no interventions. Although not a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), Qatar was present as an observer at the annual meeting of States Parties to CCW Amended Protocol II on landmines in November 2004.

The government has stated several times that it has never used, produced, or exported antipersonnel mines, and has no stockpiled landmines of any type.^[4] Qatari military officers have told Landmine Monitor that Qatar possesses a small training stockpile of inert antipersonnel mines (without fuzes or detonators).^[5]

Before the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, the United States—which is not party to the Mine Ban Treaty—had stockpiled approximately 11,000 antipersonnel mines at two facilities in Qatar. The US Army disclosed that in July 2002, the Army moved equipment and ammunition from Qatar to Kuwait, but it is not known if the mines were moved.^[6] Qatar has not formally stated if any US mines stored in Qatar fall under Qatar’s jurisdiction or control.^[7] Any antipersonnel mines under Qatar’s jurisdiction or control were required to have been destroyed or removed before Qatar’s 1 April 2003 treaty-mandated deadline for completion of stockpile destruction.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Landmine Monitor in May 2003 that the government and Qatari citizens would not “carry, transport, or store any antipersonnel mines with the US.”^[8] Qatari military officers told Landmine Monitor in February 2003 that Qatar would not participate in any joint military activity where the military partner lays mines in front of a coalition position.^[9]

Qatar is not mine-affected.^[10] There have been no reports of mine casualties in Qatar, or of Qatari nationals suffering mine injuries abroad. Qatar is not known to have contributed to any international mine action programs since 1999.

The post of United Nations Special Rapporteur on Disability is held by a Qatari woman. In March 2005, she organized the First Arab Parliamentary Symposium on Disability Legislation to discuss the implementation of the proposed Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities.^[11]

^[1] Article 7 Report, Form A, 31 March 2004.

^[2] Reply to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2003 (unofficial translation by Landmine Monitor).

^[3] Qatar’s initial Article 7 report, due by 27 September 1999, was submitted on 3 August 2002 and covered 2001-2002. The UN site lists the submission date as 23 April 2003; see Landmine Monitor Report 2003, p. 405.

^[4] Statement by Qatar, Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 16 September 2003 (unofficial translation by Landmine Monitor); reply to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2003; Article 7 Report, 3 August 2002.

^[5] Interview with Col. Hassan Al Mohandi and Lt. Col. Fraj J.F. Al-Adba, Geneva, 6 February 2003.

^[6] Charles Aldinger, “U.S. Army moves arms near Kuwait in mobility exercise,” Reuters (Washington DC), 5 September 2002.

^[7] Qatari military officers told Landmine Monitor that there is a written cooperation agreement between Qatar and the US regarding Camp Al-Saliyah, and the US is responsible for providing security for the camp. The officers also indicated that Qatar does not exercise jurisdiction or control inside US facilities in Qatar. Interview with Col. Hassan Al Mohandi and Lt. Col. Fraj J.F. Al-Adba, Geneva, 6 February 2003.

^[8] Reply to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2003.

^[9] Interview with Col. Hassan Al Mohandi and Lt. Col. Fraj J.F. Al-Adba, Geneva, 6 February 2003.

^[10] Statement by Qatar, Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 16 September 2003; reply to Landmine Monitor Questionnaire by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2003; Article 7 Report, 3 August 2002.

^[11] “Amman Declaration on Disability Legislation,” Amman, Jordan, 16-17 March 2005.