Country & Territory Reports - Landmine Action

66 falklands islands/malvinas
Falklands Islands/Malvinas
Background
The Falklands Islands/Malvinas are contaminated with
ERW and AV mines as a result of an armed conflict between
the U.K. and Argentina in 1982. 658 The British Royal
Engineers conducted post-conflict clearance in and around
Port Stanley, as well as in Argentinean minefields. 659
However, due to casualties among deminers, clearance of
the minefields was stopped. ERW and mine contaminated
areas were to “be surrounded by perimeter fences and
marked off as danger areas”. 660
Assessment of the problem
ERW and MOTAPM contaminate conflict-affected areas of the
islands, especially the settlements on West Falkland at Port
Howard and Fox Bay and on East Falkland at Goose Green,
Port Fitzroy, Darwin, the Murrell peninsular and in and
around Port Stanley. 661 Stanley Common, Gypsy Cove and
York Bay beaches are heavily mined with AP and AV mines,
the latter “totally inaccessible.” 662 Contamination is also
significant north-west of Stanley, near Wireless ridge and
Mount Longdon, south of Stanley on the Common and east of
the capital around the FIGAS (Falkland Islands Government
Air Service) airstrip. 663 Exact numbers of ERW are not
available because: “Unfortunately, as there was no
requirement at the time to keep such records (of munitions
used), any that were kept would now have been destroyed
through routine file maintenance and document control. (...)
The best estimate we have of the quantities of ERW/MOTAPM
left in the Falklands is about 15,000 items.” 664
The precise number of booby traps and AV mines in the
Malvinas/Falklands Islands is unknown. 665 In 2001, the
U.S. Department of State calculated that the quantity of
ERW is small and estimated that the extent of the land area
affected by ERW and landmines was about 20 sq km. 666 In
2003, Argentina gave a similar estimate. 667 The JSEOD
(Joint Service Explosive Ordnance Disposal) stationed in
the islands holds maps of battlefields and mined areas. 668
There have been assessments of ERW/MOTAPM contamination
in suspected areas, as well as assessments of the
impact of this contamination. 669 When the U.K. deposited
its first Article 7 report it highlighted three items: “Stanley
Minefield Record Map revised 12/06/90; Stanley Minefield
and Area Situation; and Camp Minefield Situation map
dated 01/02/94.” 670
Cluster munitions were used on the islands by British forces
during the 1982 conflict. Because of their high failure rate,
due in part to soft ground in target areas, the air-dropped BL-
755 cluster munitions left large numbers of ERW. 671
erw and motapm – global survey 2003–2004
Impact
Fourteen landmine casualties have been reported by the U.S.
Department of State in the Falklands/Malvinas, but there
were no ERW/mine casualties in the period 1994-2001. 672
The U.K. Ministry of Defense and sources from the Falkland
Islands, however, contend that there have been no deaths or
injuries from ERW or mines after the 1982 conflict. 673
ERW and MOTAPM have little socio-economic impact on the
Falklands Islands. 674 Although contaminated land cannot
“be used for livelihood activities such as agriculture”, this
has no significant effect on the Falkland Islands economy
or society. 675 According to UK officials, housing and infrastructure
projects are potentially affected by MOTAPM and
ERW contamination, but JSEOD personnel are prepared to
attend to any ERW or mine-related matter. 676 “There are
areas that the population would like to see returned to
safe land around Stanley, such as Stanley Common, but
Falkland islanders have adapted their lives around the
threat and manage to remain on the whole unaffected by
the problem.” 677
In the period 2003-2004, several items of ERW were found:
■ In January 2003, an 11-year-old boy found an 81mm highexplosive
mortar hidden in peat. 678
■ On 16 October 2003, the JSEOD received a report of a
suspicious metal object near Stanley Airport. The item, a
1,000lb bomb, was blown up in situ. 679
■ In November 2003, a journalist working for a U.S. radio
station witnessed the detonation of an Italian AV mine. 680
■ On 26 January 2004, an AV mine was discovered between
two rocks close to the Tussock islands in Port William. The
mine, located about 100 metres from two minefields in
the area, was blown up by JSEOD personnel. 681
■ In May 2004, a mortar and an AP mine were found on
Wireless Ridge. The devices were located some distance
from the nearest minefield and police suspected they had
been picked up and moved. 682
Efforts to address these problems
The Royal Engineers Joint Service Explosive Ordnance
Disposal (JSEOD) conducts mine action in the Falklands
Islands. 683 It briefs locals and tourists on mine awareness,
safe areas on the islands and minefield marking and
fencing. 684 In addition, the Falkland Islands have two
regular press publications, which post ordnance-related
subjects. 685 Civilian contractors maintain fences around
contaminated areas and the JSEOD conducts regular
checks. 686 The detachment is also responsible for the
disposal of all ERW and mines found outside minefields. 687