Bhutan

Cluster Munition Ban Policy

Last updated: 13 August 2022

Summary

Non-signatory Bhutan has expressed interest in the Convention on Cluster Munitions but has not taken any steps to join it. Bhutan has participated in several meetings of the convention since 2015. It voted in favor of a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2021.

Bhutan has stated that it does not possess cluster munitions. It is not known to have used, produced, or transferred these weapons.

Policy

The Kingdom of Bhutan has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Bhutan has never commented on its position on joining the convention, but officials have expressed the government’s support for the convention’s objectives.[1] In September 2019, a government representative told the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) that resource constraints have prevented Bhutan from undertaking the process necessary to accede to the convention.[2]

Bhutan did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Bhutan has participated as an observer in several meetings of the convention since 2015, most recently the Ninth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in September 2019 and an Asia-Pacific workshop in Manila, the Philippines in June 2019.[3] Bhutan was invited to, but did not attend, the convention’s Second Review Conference held in November 2020 and September 2021, or the intersessional meetings held in May 2022

In December 2021, Bhutan voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that urged states outside the convention to “join as soon as possible.”[4] Bhutan has voted in favor of the annual UNGA resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.

Bhutan is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

Bhutan is not known to have used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions. In 2010, a government representative said that Bhutan is a peaceful country that does not possess cluster munitions and has no plans to acquire them.[5]



[1] In October 2010, Bhutan’s permanent representative to the UN in New York told the CMC that the government views the convention as “a commendable achievement” and was “looking at it very closely with a view to taking positive action” on accession. Meeting with Amb. Lhatu Wangchuk, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the UN in New York, New York, 19 October 2010. Notes by the CMC. See also, interview with Kingye Singye, Minister-Counselor, Embassy of the Kingdom of Bhutan, New Delhi, 29 January 2010.

[2] CMC meeting with Sanjay Needup, Senior Desk Officer, Political and International Security Division, Multilateral Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bhutan, Geneva, 2 September 2019.

[3] Bhutan attended meetings of States Parties in 2016, 2017, and 2019, as well as the intersessional meetings held in Geneva in 2015. Monitor interview with Tandin Dorji, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Bhutan to the UN in Geneva, Geneva, 22 June 2015. Bhutan did not participate in the convention’s First Review Conference held in Dubrovnik, Croatia in September 2015 or intersessional meetings held in 2011–2014. See, “Asia-Pacific Workshop on CCM Universalization,” Convention on Cluster Munitions Quarterly Newsletter, April 2019.

[4]Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 76/47, 6 December 2021.

[5] Meeting with Amb. Lhatu Wangchuk, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the UN in New York, New York, 19 October 2010. Notes by the CMC.


Mine Ban Policy

Last updated: 15 October 2020

Policy

The Kingdom of Bhutan acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty on 18 August 2005 and the treaty entered into force for the country on 1 February 2006. Bhutan has stated that the treaty is “self-enacting” under existing domestic law.[1]

In May 2013, Bhutan informed States Parties that “By the virtue of the Constitution of Bhutan, all international treaties and conventions are deemed as national laws. Furthermore, the Bhutan Civil and Criminal procedure code also contains relevant provisions, which would adequately cover implementation of the Convention for the time being.” The representative of Bhutan added, “the Royal Government will continue to adopt additional measures for implementation of the Convention as and when deemed necessary.”[2]

Bhutan has submitted three Article 7 reports to the treaty, in 2007, 2014, and 2018.

Bhutan attended the Fourteenth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in November–December 2015, where it provided an update on its stockpile destruction and mine clearance efforts. Bhutan has not attended any subsequent meetings of States Parties.

On 12 December 2019, Bhutan voted in favor of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 74/61, promoting the universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty.[3]

Bhutan is not a party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, nor the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).

Use, transfer, production, stockpiling, and retention

Bhutan’s initial Article 7 report, submitted in 2007, acknowledged that it had imported and used antipersonnel mines in the past but did not produce them.[4] At that time, Bhutan declared a stockpile of 4,491 antipersonnel mines, all of which it stated it would retain for training purposes.[5] In May 2013, Bhutan informed States Parties that it retained 490 antipersonnel mines, which was subsequently the amount reported in Bhutan’s 2014 Article 7 report.[6] Bhutan has reported that, “Annually officers and troops undergo a week long training on basic mine laying and mine clearing and few of them undergo specialized training in mine clearing and removable [sic] of IEDs [improvised explosive devices].”[7]

Bhutan informed States Parties in December 2012 that subsequent to the submission of their initial Article 7 report, they had destroyed 2,370 MNM-14 and 2,183 M-16 antipersonnel mines that were “either unserviceable or expired.”[8] The number of mines it destroyed after 2007 was greater than the total stockpile declared by Bhutan in its initial Article 7 report. No explanation regarding the decision to reduce its mines retained or the change in numbers was provided.

In 2018, Bhutan reported that it retained 211 antipersonnel mines for training purposes.[9] It has not provided any details on the disposition of 279 antipersonnel mines between its current and previous Article 7 report.

Bhutan’s treaty-mandated deadline for destroying any stockpiled antipersonnel mines was 1 February 2010.



[1] “In Bhutan’s case, the treaty would be ‘self-enacting’ under domestic law since Chapter IV, clause 29 of the Civil & Criminal Procedure Code of Bhutan 2001 states that ‘The Royal Court of Justice shall apply International Convention, Covenant, Treaty and Protocol that are duly acceded by the Royal Government of Bhutan and ratified by the National Assembly of Bhutan.’” Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form A, 29 May 2007.

[2] Statement of Bhutan, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 27 May 2013.

[4] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Forms C, D, E, F, and H, 29 May 2007. The Article 7 report indicates Bhutan government forces used mines on tracks to camps maintained by insurgents in Gorbakunda and Nganglam. Bhutan previously stated several times that it had not produced, imported, exported, stockpiled, or used antipersonnel mines.

[5] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form D, 29 May 2007. The stockpile consists of 1,740 M-14 mines and 2,751 M-16 mines. Bhutan did not provide any technical characteristics of the mines, as called for under Article 7 of the Mine Ban Treaty, but their specific designations are typical of Indian-manufactured mines.

[6] Comprised of 245 MNM-14 and 245 M-16 antipersonnel mines. Statement of Bhutan, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 27 May 2013.

[8] Statement of Bhutan, Mine Ban Treaty Twelfth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 5 December 2012; and statement of Bhutan, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 27 May 2013.

[9] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form D. Bhutan retains 145 MNM-14 mines and 66 M-16 mines.


Mine Action

Last updated: 29 August 2014

Contamination and Impact

Mines

In 2007, the Kingdom of Bhutan reported that it had laid a total of 103 antipersonnel mines in two locations on its side of the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, which straddles the border with India. These included 62 antipersonnel mines laid on tracks that Bhutan said led to an insurgent camp in the Gorbakunda area, and 41 antipersonnel mines laid on tracks that it stated led to camps of Indian insurgents in Nganglam sub-district.[1] Bhutan reported it had cleared all mined areas in May 2013 and formally declared completion of its Article 5 clearance obligations at the Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty on 4 December 2013.[2]

Cluster munition remnants

Bhutan is not believed to be contaminated with cluster munition remnants.

Mine Action Program

There was no formal mine action program in Bhutan. Clearance was conducted by the army.[3]

Land Release

From 2005–2012, Bhutan cleared 35,390m2 of contaminated area in three locations, finding 318 antipersonnel mines and five antivehicle mines.[4] In 2013, Bhutan cleared the last of its mined areas, located in Gorbakunda, destroying 62 mines in the process.[5]

Mined areas cleared in Bhutan: 2005–2013

Location

Size of area (m2)

Antipersonnel mines

Antivehicle mines

Year Cleared

Manas

30,000

215

0

2005

Gorbakunda

4,030

62

0

2010

Nganglam

1,360

41

5

2013

Total

35,390

318

5

 

Article 5 Compliance

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Bhutan is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 February 2016.

At the Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Mine Clearance on 27 May 2013, Bhutan reported it had cleared all mined areas.[6] On 4 December 2013 at the Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, Bhutan subsequently made an official declaration of completion of its Article 5 obligations,  more than two years ahead of schedule. [7]

 



[1] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form C, 29 May 2007.

[2] Statement of Bhutan, Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, 4 December 2013.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Statement of Bhutan, Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, 4 December 2013.

[6] Statement of Bhutan, Mine Ban Treaty Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Geneva, 27 May 2013.

[7] Statement of Bhutan, Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, 4 December 2013.