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Key developments since May 2001: Mine action funding in 2001 totaled DKK 119.4 million (US$14.4 million), a substantial increase from 2000.
Denmark signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 4 December 1997 and ratified it on 8 June 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 March 1999. No additional legal or administrative measures were deemed necessary for national implementation on the basis that existing weapons legislation and penal codes cover the requirements of Article 9 of the Mine Ban Treaty.[1]
Denmark participated in the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in September 2001 in Managua, Nicaragua.[2] A statement was delivered on behalf of European Union countries by Belgium.[3] Denmark did not attend the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in January 2002, but did participate in May 2002.
In the May meeting of the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention, during a discussion of Article 2 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Denmark stated that it shared the view expressed by the United Kingdom that the treaty does not cover antivehicle mines that may function as antipersonnel mines. This is the first time Denmark expressed this position during the intersessional meetings, although the Foreign Ministry indicates it is not a new position.[4] Denmark said it shared Japan’s concern that other interpretations will inhibit universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty, and that Denmark considers the Convention on Conventional Weapons to be the proper forum for discussion of antivehicle mines.[5]
Denmark’s annual Article 7 transparency report was submitted to the United Nations on 29 April 2002. It did not include use of voluntary Form J to report other matters such as mine action funding. Previous Article 7 Reports were submitted on 27 August 1999, 7 August 2000, and 30 April 2001.[6]
On 29 November 2001, Denmark cosponsored and voted for United Nations General Assembly Resolution 56/24M in support of the Mine Ban Treaty.
In response to a letter from the ICBL about joint military operations and possible use by the United States of antipersonnel mines in Afghanistan, the Defence Ministry stated that Denmark “remains firmly opposed to the use of antipersonnel mines. Denmark’s views on the use of antipersonnel mines are well known among our partners in NATO. We are not aware of any use of antipersonnel mines by the coalition partners in the current U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan.”[7] The Foreign Ministry confirmed that during joint military operations Denmark would not involve itself in the planning or in the implementation of activities that are related to the laying of antipersonnel mines.[8]
Denmark is a State Party to Amended Protocol II of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), and submitted its annual report as required by Article 13 on 14 November 2001. This notes that no additional legal or administrative measures were deemed necessary to comply with the protocol, and summarizes Danish mine action funding in 2001.[9]
Denmark attended the Third Annual Conference of States Parties to Amended Protocol II and the Second CCW Review Conference in December 2001. The Review Conference considered proposals co-sponsored by Denmark to increase the technical requirements for antivehicle mines and to consider ways of dealing with explosive remnants of war; a Group of Governmental Experts was set up to study these issues, and Denmark participated in its meetings in May and July 2002.
Denmark has not produced antipersonnel mines since the 1950s and has never exported antipersonnel mines.
Denmark completed destruction of its stockpile of 266,517 antipersonnel mines in December 1999. Following a decision in August 2000 to reduce the number of mines retained under Article 3 of the treaty, Denmark slated an additional 2,834 M58 antipersonnel mines for destruction.[10] These mines were transferred to Germany for destruction,[11] which was completed on 3 June 2001.[12]
In its most recent Article 7 Report, Denmark indicated that it had 2,091 mines retained, including 2,031 M58 mines and 60 M56 mines. In addition to the mines sent to Germany for destruction, in the last reporting period Denmark consumed 15 M58 mines “for training in mine detection.”[13] The number of M56 mines retained has not changed since 1999; these mines are being kept “for trials by Danish Defence Research Establishment.”[14]
The Skallingen peninsula in Denmark was heavily mine-contaminated in World War II. It is now a protected natural reserve, largely owned by the government. Mined areas are marked and at present there are no specific plans for clearance. There are no reports of mine incidents in the area.[15]
The Danish International Development Agency produced a policy paper on humanitarian mine action in 2001. It presents guidelines for future Danish activities in the field of mine action, and describes activities to date and lessons learned. The paper states that funding of all aspects of humanitarian mine action will continue. Future funding will be long-term, targeted and flexible, and “promote international coordination in order to secure quality and effectiveness.... All new Danish initiatives will be based on in-depth socio-economic analyses with a view to identifying priority areas where mine clearance will be most cost-effective and of greatest benefit to the local population.”[16]
To do this, Denmark will focus on local capacity building. Funding from the humanitarian budget will be directed to areas where there is acute need for humanitarian assistance, and assistance should generally be “concentrated geographically in areas where it is possible to create synergy with other Danish activities.” Coordination of Danish governmental, private, nongovernmental and military actors will be secured within the Humanitarian Contact Group in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[17] A sub-group of the Humanitarian Contact Group has been meeting in 2001 and 2002, with participation by all relevant actors.[18]
Mine action funding in 2001 totaled DKK 119,354,000 (US$14.38 million), which is an increase of approximately DKK 12,685,000 ($1.53 million) compared with 2000.[19]
a. According to the ICRC, CHF419,012 was from Denmark and CHF73,108 was from the Danish Red Cross.
b. Of the total amount, $44,175 was for victim assistance programs. Source: Eva Veble, Head of Department for International Relations, ITF, “Overview of the Donor Support to MVA Programs through ITF,” Presentation at the ITF Workshop “Defining Strategies for Success,” 2 July 2002.
Funding in 2002, as identified by late June, totaled DKK 59.7million ($7.2 million). This included: DKK 15 million ($1.8 million) for programs in Mozambique; DKK 14 million ($1.68 million) for Nicaragua; DKK 11.1 million ($1.34 million) for Eritrea; DKK 8.3 million ($1 million) for Laos; DKK 5.8 million ($698,795) for Somaliland; and DKK 5.5 milllion ($662,650) for Afghanistan.[21]
A comprehensive evaluation of all Danish assistance in humanitarian mine action is currently being carried out by an independent consultant from COWI. The report is expected by the end of 2002.
Danmark Mod Landminer (Denmark Against Landmines) continues to raise money for mine action programs. In 2002, Danmark Mod Landminer will be a part of the yearly Roskilde musical festival. Every year the festival has a humanitarian theme, and in 2002 it will be landmines—the symbol “one step” will mark the festival. Danmark Mod Landminer is cooperating with the festival in order to raise awareness about the landmine problem around the world. Other organizations in Denmark involved in the mine issue, such as the Danish Demining Center (Dandec), Danish Demining Group, and DanChurchAid, will participate in the event.[22]
The Danish Defence is involved in mine clearance in Afghanistan, with two Hydrema machines and 45 personnel (including 17 support personnel).[23]
Two Danish non-governmental organizations are involved in mine clearance, survey and mine risk education: DanChurchAid and Danish Demining Group. A third, the Danish Red Cross, focuses on survivor assistance.
DanChurchAid completed mine clearance and mine risk education programs in Kosovo in 2001. It started mine clearance and mine risk education in Eritrea in June 2001 and mine clearance in Albania in April 2002. It provided an information technology consultant to the National Demining Office in Lebanon for two months in 2002 and expects to begin demining operations in the near future. It is carrying out mine risk education in Ingushetia/Chechnya.[24] (See Landmine Monitor country reports for more details).
An evaluation of the socio-economic impact of DanChurchAid mine clearance operations in Kosovo was completed in December 2001. It stated that “although it is too early to develop a full assessment, the findings indicate that over the years the land cleared will yield measurable economic benefit to local communities and can be shown to already provide important economic relief to families.” The evaluation also concluded that “mine awareness and spot tasks played a unique psychosocial role in reducing fear and stress significantly among communities while also assisting in the reduction of threat and actual accident.”[25]
The Danish Demining Group is conducting survey, mine clearance and mine risk education activities in Afghanistan, survey and clearance in Eritrea, mine risk education in Ingushetia/Chechnya, and survey and clearance in Somaliland. (See Landmine Monitor country reports for more details). All Danish Demining Group activities include a post-clearance component, either socio-economic analysis (Level 4 survey) or cooperation with other NGOs.[26]
As part of the Nordic Demining Research Forum, Denmark (with Sweden) assumed the responsibility of the European Union standardization of humanitarian mine action.[27] Denmark also participates in the NATO engineer working party and has been involved in development and testing of the Hydrema mine clearance machine.[28]
In 2001, DanChurchAid experienced five demining accidents in Kosovo; three resulted in amputations, two caused minor injuries.[29] In 2001, the Danish Demining Group experienced two accidents in Afghanistan, one in Somaliland and one in Eritrea; all resulted in minor injuries to local deminers.[30] On 6 March 2002, three Danish soldiers were killed and three others injured while defusing munitions in Afghanistan. An investigation of the incident was continuing in June 2002. [31]
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[1] Interview with Emil Paulsen, Head of Section, Foreign and Security Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen, 15 May 2002. See Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 680.
[2] Denmark was represented by Anders Serup Rasmussen, Ambassador to Nicaragua, and members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Defense Command.
[3] See the report on Belgium in this edition of the Landmine Monitor.
[4] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Landmine Monitor, “Since its accession to the Mine Ban Treaty, Denmark has held the view that the treaty only covers anti-personnel mines.” Email dated 29 July 2002.
[5] Oral remarks by Louise Auken, First Secretary, Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, to the Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 31 May 2002. Notes taken by Landmine Monitor.
[6] Article 7 Reports, submitted on 27 August 1999 (for the period up to 27 August 1999); submitted on 7 August 2000 (for the period 27 August 1999-7 August 2000); submitted on 30 April 2001 (for calendar year 2000); and submitted on 29 April 2002 (for the period 1 May 2001 - 30 April 2002).
[7] Letter from Judith Bergman, Head of Section, for the Minister, Ministry of Defence, Copenhagen, to Elizabeth Bernstein, Coordinator, ICBL, 5 February 2002.
[8] Interview with Emil Paulsen, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen, 15 May 2002, and see Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 680.
[9] Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Forms D and E, submitted on 14 November 2001.
[10] Denmark initially reported that it would retain 4,991 mines, including 4,931 M58 mines and 60 M56 mines. Article 7 Report, Form D, 27 August 1999.
[11] Article 7 Reports, Forms D, F, and G, 30 April 2001, and 29 April 2002.
[12] Germany Article 7 Report, Form G, 16 April 2002.
[13] Article 7 Reports, Forms B and D, 30 April 2001 and 29 April 2002. Denmark did not explicitly report that 15 mines were consumed, but the change in reported numbers of M58 mines show that. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to Landmine Monitor that was the case. Email from Maj. Jørn Erik Rasmussen, Section for Weapon Control, Defense Command, 16 May 2002. It would appear that another 51 M58 mines were consumed in 1999 and/or 2000.
[14] Article 7 Report, Forms D, 29 April 2002.
[15] Interview with Emil Paulsen, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen, 15 May 2002. See also, Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 680.
[16] “Policy Paper on Denmark’s Support to Humanitarian Mine Action,” Danish International Development Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, August 2001, p. 19.
[17] Ibid., p. 16.
[18] Interview with Bo Bishoff, Head of Mine Action Unit, Danish Demining Group, Copenhagen, 16 May 2002.
[19] Interview with Emil Paulsen, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen, 15 May 2002. Exchange rate at 28 June 2002: US$1 = DKK 8.3, used throughout.
[20] Letter from Ivan Waltenburg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2001.
[21] Ibid.
[22] Danmark Mod Landminer website, accessed at: www.landminer.dk/kontakt.asp on 12 June 2002.
[23] Email from Maj. Jørn E. Rasmussen, Section for Weapon Control, Danish Defense Command, 26 May 2002.
[24] Interview with DanChurchAid, Copenhagen, 15 May 2002, and emails from Sam Christensen, DanChurchAid, 2 and 3 July 2002.
[25] “Socio-Economic Impact Study of Danchurchaid Mine Action in Kosovo, July 1999-December 2001,” Christopher Horwood and DanChurchAid Research Team (led by Pamela Zintatu Ntshanga), December 2001, p. 3.
[26] Interview with Bo Bishoff,, Danish Demining Group, Copenhagen, 16 May 2002.
[27] Email from Ole Nymann, Nordic Demining Research Forum, 16 June 2002.
[28] Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form E, submitted on 14 November 2001, and “Mechanical Demining Equipment Catalogue 2002,” Geneva International Centre For Humanitarian Demining, p. 23.
[29] Email from DanChurchAid, 24 July 2002. See also, The Praxis Group Ltd, “Willing To Listen: an Evaluation of the United Nations Mine Action Programme in Kosovo 1999-2001,” 12 February 2002, pp. 77-78.
[30] Interview with Bo Bishoff, Danish Demining Group, Copenhagen, 16 May 2002.
[31] Press Release, 19 March 2002, Danish Defence Command, available at www.fko.dk/css/nyhederne/frame_pi.htm, accessed on 28 June 2002. The munitions involved were not antipersonnel mines.
