DRC condemns the USA’s approval of transfer of anti-personnel mines to Ukraine
Posted on 25 Nov 2024
The Danish Refugee Council condemns the decision by US President Joe Biden to transfer anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine. These weapons are banned by 164 countries, including Ukraine, for their indiscriminate nature.
Ukraine is already severely contaminated with landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) from the ongoing conflict, which began in 2014 and escalated with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. With more than 100 km² of reported contamination and 580 casualties recorded in 2023 alone, Ukraine ranks among the top ten countries globally for explosive ordnance casualties. As of August 2024, there were around 1,286 civilian victims of mines and explosive remnants as a result of the war (UNDP source). The inability to systematically survey and address the existing contamination due to active hostilities compounds the crisis. Transferring and using more antipersonnel mines into this dire situation will only exacerbate the humanitarian toll, hinder future recovery efforts, and deepen the suffering of civilians.
The timing of this announcement is particularly disheartening, coming just days before the Fifth Review Conference of the, which will take place next week in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The APMBC came into effect on March 1, 1999. Since then, the use of anti-personnel mines has sharply declined due to compliance with the Convention and the broad recognition of its principles by countries that are not formal parties to it.
The transfer of anti-personnel mines into Ukraine is a grave humanitarian, legal and ethical failure. These indiscriminate weapons threaten to deepen civilian suffering and exacerbate one of the world’s most severe contamination crises. Introducing more mines will hinder recovery efforts and undermine global progress toward eradicating these inhumane weapons. This decision risks eroding international norms and sets a dangerous precedent. We urge the U.S. administration to reconsider and align its actions with the principles of humanity and international law.
/ Charlotte Slente, Secretary General, DRC Danish Refugee Council
The USA is not a state party to the APMBC but has actively contributed to strengthening its norms and supporting humanitarian demining efforts worldwide. However, this latest move could increase the threat of explosive ordnance for civilians in Ukraine, weaken the established norm against anti-personnel landmines, and diminish the stigma surrounding this indiscriminate and devastating weapon.
Any claims that American anti-personnel landmines can be used because they disactivate after a period should be rejected firmly. In fact, the issue with landmines is their indiscriminate nature: they don't distinguish between civilians and combatants. No matter how long they ‘last’.
Ukraine is one of the 164 states parties of the convention who committed to never under any circumstance use anti-personnel mines. Ukraine also adopted the Oslo Political Declaration in 2019 expressing firm commitment to end the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines and condemning the use of anti-personnel mines by any actor. Using AP mines is not just illegal but will have terrible consequences for Ukrainian civilians for long years to come.
/ Richard MacCormac, Head of Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding, DRC
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) clear lands, raises awareness about the risks posed by explosive ordnance, and assists victims in more than 10 countries around the world, from Colombia to Afghanistan. We witness the devastating impact of these weapons daily. Only last year in Ukraine, DRC teams have released 281,077 sqm, helped more than 200 victims and delivered risk education sessions to almost 70,000 people.
As an International Campaign to Ban Landmines (campaigner and mine action operator, is deeply alarmed by these developments and calls on:
All States Parties to the Convention to Publicly condemn this announcement and urgently seek bilateral engagement with the US to withdraw the decision.
Defend and ensure strong language in the 5RevCon outcome documents related to condemnation of use by anyone under any circumstances, as well as condemnation of production, stockpiling and transfer of AP mines.
On the Biden administration to reverse this decision and not transfer antipersonnel mines to Ukraine.
Danish Refugee Council also fully supports the efforts made by the US Campaign to Ban Landmines, their latest statement is here: U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines
