Zimbabwe

Mine Ban Policy

Last updated: 02 November 2011

Policy

The Republic of Zimbabwe signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified on 18 June 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 March 1999. In January 2001, Zimbabwe enacted the Anti-Personnel Mines (Prohibition) Act 2000, which incorporates the treaty into Zimbabwe’s domestic law.[1]

Zimbabwe has provided its views on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2, and 3. In May 2006, it stated that in joint military operations Zimbabwean forces will not assist or participate in planning and implementation of activities related to the use of antipersonnel mines. It said that the Mine Ban Treaty “clearly bans” foreign stockpiling and transit of antipersonnel mines, and also prohibits antivehicle mines with sensitive antihandling devices or sensitive fuzes that can function as antipersonnel mines. Finally, it said that the number of mines States Parties chose to retain should only be in the hundreds or thousands and not tens of thousands.[2]

Zimbabwe submitted its 10th Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report in December 2010, covering calendar year 2010.[3]

Zimbabwe attended the Tenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva in November–December 2010, as well as the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in June 2011.

Zimbabwe is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.  

Production, Transfer, Stockpile Destruction, and Retention

The government maintains that there has been no mine production since independence.[4] Previously, government and other sources indicated that Zimbabwe was a past producer and exporter of antipersonnel mines, but not on a significant scale.[5] On 15 November 2000, Zimbabwe destroyed its stockpile of 4,092 antipersonnel mines.[6]  At the time, it decided to retain 700 mines for training and development purposes (500 PMD-6 and 200 R2M2).[7]

In its Article 7 report for 2010, Zimbabwe reported 550 mines retained for training purposes (400 PMD-6 and 150 R2M2).[8] During calendar year 2010, Zimbabwe destroyed 20 R2M2 during “training of deminers.”[9] However, it appears that the number of mines retained for Zimbabwe should be 530 mines, since it reported 550 mines retained for training in its report covering calendar year 2008.[10]

Zimbabwe has acknowledged that it also stockpiles Claymore-type devices, but without tripwire fuzes because Zimbabwe considers these illegal under the Mine Ban Treaty.[11]

 



[1] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form A, 1 December 2003. The ICBL expressed concern about a provision in the act relating to joint military operations with a country not party to the Mine Ban Treaty; and see Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 176.

[2] “Response to LM Draft Report for Zimbabwe,” from Col. J. Munongwa, former Director, ZIMAC, 30 May 2006; and see Landmine Monitor Report 2006, pp. 810–811, for more details.

[3] Zimbabwe previously submitted Article 7 reports in December 2008, December 2007, on 5 December 2006, 5 December 2005, 8 July 2005, 1 December 2003, 13 February 2003, 4 April 2001, and 11 January 2000.

[4] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form E, December 2006.

[5] Earlier statements by Zimbabwe government sources and others indicated that production of two types of Claymore mines, the Z1 and ZAPS, ended when Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980, while production of PloughShare mines was stopped between 1990 and 1993. For more information on past production and export, see Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp. 97–99.

[6] Zimbabwe destroyed 3,846 PMD-6 mines and 246 R2M2 mines. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B, 8 July 2005.

[7] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form D, 4 April 2001.

[8] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for period January 2010 to December 2010), Form D.

[9] Ibid, Form B.

[10] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B, December 2008.

[11] Interview with Col. J. Munongwa, ZIMAC, in Geneva, 4 February 2003.