Vol. 439 No. 6
7 Mr. L. Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the appalling injuries and deaths caused to thousands of people by sown land mines in countries such as Angola, Cambodia and Mozambique which are the legacy of wars and civil wars, he will seek an international effort of mine clearance in these affected countries and an international effort to control or ban the sale and dissemination of these weapons.
18 Mr. Shatter asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the appalling injuries and deaths caused to thousands of people by sown land mines in countries such as Angola, Cambodia and Mozambique which are the legacy of wars and civil wars, he will seek an international effort of mine clearance in these affected countries and an international effort to conrol or ban the sale and dissemination of these weapons.
47 Mr. Finucane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the appalling injuries and deaths caused to thousands of people by sown land mines in countries such as Angola, Cambodia and Mozambique which are the legacy of wars and civil wars, he will seek an international effort of mine clearance in these affected countries and an international effort to control or ban the sale and dissemination of these weapons.
56 Mr. Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the appalling injuries and deaths caused to thousands of people by sown land mines in countries such as Angola, Cambodia and Mozambique which are the legacy of wars and civil wars, he will seek an international effort of mine clearance in these affected countries and an international effort to control or ban the sale and dissemination of these weapons.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 18, 47 and 56 together.
The widespread presence of land mines throughout the countryside in Angola, Cambodia and Mozambique, to name but a few of the countries where land mines are maiming the civilian population, is an issue of grave concern to the Government.
Estimates of the number of land mines planted during conflicts in countries around the world range up to 100 million, and their toll on civilians is intolerable: it is estimated that up to 150 people are killed or maimed every week by these devices. Land mines, especially unmarked and undetectable ones, also pose considerable problems for peacekeeping forces. Ireland is an original signatory of the Inhumane Weapons Convention, which was opened for signature in 1981, and the Government strongly supports its provisions. The convention prohibits the indiscriminate use of mines, in particular in areas where there is a high concentration of civilians. Ireland has never manufactured or traded in any weapons which would be covered by the convention, and there is no intention to involve ourselves in such manufacture or trade.
Ireland's position on the question of land mines was made clear in the UN General Assembly in 1993, where we co-sponsored all three resolutions on the issues. General Assembly Resolution 48/7, an initiative of the European Union, adopted unanimously by the Plenary of the General Assembly on 19 October 1993, highlighted the importance of UN co-ordination of activities related to mine clearing, and called on the Secretary General to submit a comprehensive report on the problems caused by mines and other unexploded devices. Resolution 48/75K called on all states to introduce a moratorium on the export of land mines and Resolution 48/79 supported the convening of a review conference to strengthen the Inhumane Weapons Convention.
The problem of countering the proliferation of land mines must also be viewed in the context of the wider question of restraint in the manufacture, possession, transfer and sale of all conventional weapons. Ireland has been active in this area at the United Nations, notably through our support for the introduction of a United Nations Register of Armaments to include information on international transfers of certain categories of conventional weapons, and also in our promotion of a code of conduct for restraint in transfers of conventional weapons.
I welcome the Minister's reply in so far as it goes. Is he aware that the biggest manufacturer and exporter of such land mines, particularly the almost undetectable plastic types, is our EU partner, Italy? What steps, if any, has the Minister taken to protest to the Italian Government about that despicable trade?
We have taken an initiative in relation to co-sponsoring a motion at the United Nations General Assembly. We have also advocated the holding of a review conference and discussions in the framework of the common foreign and security policy. The European Union supports the holding of a review conference on the implementation of the convention and we have added our signature to that of the signatory States who requested the convening of such a conference which is likely to take place in 1995. We, as partners in the European Union, are participating in the expert working group and will continue to do so. In regard to trade in such mines, we will have discussions with the Italian Government on that matter.
Is the Minister aware that the number of land mines planted during conflicts around the world is estimated at approximately 100 million and that such land mines are widespread in countries such as Angolia, Cambodia and Mozambique, countries striving for democracy with no hope of overcoming the damage being done by such land mines unless they are removed? Will the Minister take up with his EU partners and at UN level the possibility of enforcing the suppliers of such mines to be responsible for their removal and destruction? Countries such as Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States, which have supplied such mines in the past, should be responsible for removing them.
I am aware that approximately 100 million land mines were planted during years of conflict in countries throughout the world and even that figure is a guess. I mentioned Angola, Cambodia and Mozambique in particular. The Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, visited Cambodia and had discussions on that subject. We are considering how we can make an appropriate contribution to mine clearance operations in Cambodia and the other countries to which I referred. Obviously, it would be desirable if those countries which either exported or planted the land mines in the first place and who know where the mines played a role in ridding the world of such mines.
They should be made do so.
We would all like those land mines removed so that we will not have to witness again the horror of the past number of months of people being maimed on a daily basis by such mines. Everything possible should be done in the international community in that regard and we will play our part.
On the planting of land mines, I am sure the Minister is aware that the majority of them, particularly the small plastic ones, are dropped from the air. Unlike in World War II films, soldiers no longer dig holes and place them in the ground. Rather they are scattered by the thousands from the air and used primarily as anti-personnel mines, aimed specifically to kill and dismember the population in the area in which they are distributed. They are also used as a means of neutralising land for growing crops.
Will the Minister agree that we might assist by examining ways in which research could be carried out to detect the mines? The main problem arises in detecting the location of the mines and it would be benefical if local people could detect mines in their area. Perhaps we should place more emphasis on research on the detection of land mines. As we do not have huge resources to disburse in that regard, we could assist by carrying out such research.
I am aware of the reasons for using the mines. They are certainly anti-personnel and used to cause the greatest possible amount of human destruction during an undefined period. They are also used to ensure that land cannot be recultivated. The Deputy's suggestion is reasonable and if we can assist, financially or otherwise, in carrying out research in order to detect land mines and prevent further maiming or loss of life, we will do so.
Most of the Tánaiste's reply related to control in the manufacture and dissemination of mines. An international effort is needed to clear the world of mines. After the last war a great international effort was made to minesweep the seas because of the danger mines posed to shipping and so on. What practical steps are being taken at EU and United Nations levels to minesweep — a term more appropriate to the sea than the land — stricken countries, such as Cambodia, Angola and others?
A co-ordinated mine clearance programme is inherent in the United Nations resolution. We agree co-ordination is important if such a programme is to be carried out on an international scale. The ultimate objective would be to have a mine clearing programme which would have to be financed, sponsored and regulated by the United Nations. The Secretary General of the UN has been requested to make a comprehensive report to the General Assembly before its 49th session in relation to all aspects of the problem we are discussing, namely, the increasing presence of mine and other unexploded devices resulting from armed conflicts and on the manner in which the UN contribution to the solution of problems relating to mine clearance could be strengthened. He has been requested to include in his report consideration of the financial aspects of mine clearance and of the advisability of establishing a voluntary trust fund to finance, in particular, information and training programmes relating to mine clearance and to facilitiate the launching of mine clearance operations. He has also been requested to urge all member states to extend full assistance and co-operation to the Secretary General in this respect and provide him with any information which could be useful in drawing up the above-mentioned report. The provisional agenda for the 49th session will include the item of assistance in mine clearance. We will probably be better informed about this matter following the United Nations General Assembly in September.
