LM Report 2005

Taiwan

Key developments since May 2004: In January 2005, the National Defense Committee of the national legislature rejected a bill seeking to prohibit antipersonnel mines. From July 2004 to June 2005, land needed for dam construction on Kinmen Island was cleared of mines. On 25 April 2005, two Zimbabwean deminers were killed and one was injured, when stored antipersonnel mines exploded on Kinmen Island.

Mine Ban Policy

Taiwan is not able to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty due to its international status. Government officials have expressed Taiwan’s support for a comprehensive ban on antipersonnel mines on many occasions since 1999, although 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 January 2005, the National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan’s highest legislative body) rejected a bill to prohibit antipersonnel mines during its Second Reading.^{[1 ]} The bill sought to prohibit use of antipersonnel landmines, destroy stockpiled mines within four years, and remove mines from the ground within four years. The disability NGO Eden Social Welfare Foundation, which helped draft the bill in 2002, held public hearings with legislators and landmine survivors to promote the bill in September 2004.

Production, Transfer, Stockpiling and Use

According to the Ministry of National Defense, Taiwan does not use, produce or transfer antipersonnel mines.^{[2 ]} However, in March 2004 the Ministry informed Landmine Monitor that it continues to maintain minefields for military purposes.^{[3 ]}

Taiwan claims to have stopped production of antipersonnel mines in 1982.^{[4 ]} The government has not provided any information on past imports or exports of antipersonnel mines, but Taiwan is not known to have exported any antipersonnel mines. It was last known to import antipersonnel mines from the United States in 1992.^{[5 ]} The Taiwanese government refuses to provide details on the size and composition of its stockpiled antipersonnel mines.^[6]

Landmine Problem and Clearance

Minefields were laid in the early 1970s on Kinmen Island and Matsu Island (Lian Jiang County). In March 2004, the Ministry of National Defense stated that some of the minefields on Kinmen, Matsu and Dong-Yin islands 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.^[7]

A government official stated that there is no new information on the extent of the landmine problem and that an exact estimate of the size of mined areas is not possible. All mine-affected areas are, however, marked, fenced and checked weekly.^{[8 ]} There is no information available on any mine risk education conducted in Taiwan in 2004.

From July 2004 to June 2005, the Kinmen County government contracted the MineTech company to clear mines from land needed for dam construction on Kinmen Island.^[9]

Taiwan intends to contract private demining companies to clear 12 minefields on Kinmen Island and three minefields on Matsu Island between 2006 and 2008.^{[10 ]} The clearance projects, part of a civil development scheme in areas where minefields are said to have hindered economic development, were to receive funding of NTD400 million (US$11.6 million) from Taiwan.^[11]

Landmine Casualties and Survivor Assistance

In 2004, Landmine Monitor identified no new landmine casualties in Taiwan. However, on 25 April 2005, a mine accident on Kinmen Island killed two Zimbabwean deminers and injured another deminer. The accident reportedly occurred in a storage facility for mines that had been cleared; over 20 antipersonnel mines exploded.^{[12 ]}

The Ministry of the National Defense Committee of Compensation for Civilian Damages continues to pay compensation to mine survivors. In 2004, the committee paid compensation totaling NTD35,180,000 ($1,120,382) to 30 survivors.^{[13 ]}

In August 2004, the Eden Social Welfare Foundation organized an annual charity banquet to raise funds for the manufacture of wheelchairs that are distributed to mine survivors in mine-affected countries, and other awareness raising activities. Guests included politicians, officials, celebrities and spokespersons from various enterprises and associations. Also in 2004, the Love Without Borders project raised NTD4,688,489 ($149,315).^[14]

^{[1 ]}Telephone interview with Chen Zhen Teng, Political Affairs Aide, Office of Legislator Chen She-Saint, Taipei, 3 February 2005.

^{[2 ]}Press conference/public hearing on landmine problem on Kinmen Island, Taipei, 27 March 2001. See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 593.

^{[3 ]}Letter from Gen. Kwan-Dan Lai, Military Combat and Planning Staff Office, Ministry of National Defense, 2 March 2004. Similarly, the Ministry of National Defense said in 2001 that certain minefields still have a defensive purpose and need to be kept. Letter from Gen. Lee T. S., Ministry of National Defense, to Legislator Chang L. S., Taipei, 9 March 2001.

^{[4 ]}Letter from Gen. Kwan-Dan Lai, Ministry of National Defense, 2 March 2004. The Hsing Hua company manufactured copies of US-made M2A4, M3, M16A1 and M18A1 mines. See Landmine Monitor Report 1999, p. 520.

^{[5 ]}This included 2,592 artillery-delivered ADAM mines. The US also shipped 34,155 M3 mines in 1970 and 1974. US Defense Security Assistance Agency table, “US Landmine Sales by Country,” provided to Human Rights Watch, 29 March 1994.

^[6] Letter from Gen. Kwan-Dan Lai, Ministry of National Defense, 2 March 2004. He stated that information on stockpiles cannot be revealed for national security reasons. Taiwan transferred 42,175 antipersonnel mines to Germany for destruction in 2002, including M2, M3, M12/M12A1 and M14 mines. In 2003, the Ministry of National Defense said it destroyed 2,527 M6A2 and M7A1 stockpiled antipersonnel mines and 408 other mines. See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 1238.

^[7] See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 1238.

^{[8 ]}Telephone interview with Lt. Col. Yi-Ming Wu, Military Combat and Planning Staff Office, Ministry of National Defense, 1 June 2005.

^[9] Official letter from Legislator Wu Cheng-Tien, Taipei, 1 June 2005.

^{[10 ]}Telephone interview with Lt. Col. Yi-Ming Wu, Ministry of National Defense, 1 June 2005.

^[11] See Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 1239.

^{[12 ]}“Landmine blast kills two Zimbabweans on Taiwanese island,” BBC (Taipei), 25 April 2005; information provided by Chin-Sheng Lee, journalist, China Times (Taipei), 26 April 2005.

^{[13 ]}Information provided by Chin-Sheng Lee, China Times, Taipei, 26 April 2005; for more information, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 1239.

^[14] Information provided by the Department of Resource Collection, Eden Social Welfare Foundation, February 2005; for more information, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 1239.