Since 1993, the United States has committed over $245 million to global humanitarian demining. Congressional support for demining has been strong. The U.S. contribution of $92 million in 1998 is expected to make up a large portion of the world's commitment to humanitarian demining.

Since the U.S. program was initiated in 1993, 19 countries have been included in U.S.-supported humanitarian demining programs:

Afghanistan (UNOCHA, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance in Afghanistan)

Angola (UNDP, UN Development Program, and USAID, U.S. Agency for International Development)

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Cambodia

Chad

Costa Rica (OAS/IADB, Organization of American States/Inter-American Defense Board)

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Guatemala (OAS/IADB)

Jordan

Honduras (OAS/IADB)

Laos

Lebanon

Mozambique

Namibia

Nicaragua (OAS/IADB)

Rwanda (USAID)

Yemen

Zimbabwe

The U.S. government is a world leader in strong support for humanitarian mine action. In Cambodia, the United States, in cooperation with other international donors, supports the Cambodian Mine Action Center, whose work has reduced the death rate from landmines by one-half. This program has become largely self-directing through multilateral funding support. In Namibia, deminers have been able to reduce the casualty rate by 90 percent. Rwanda, with U.S. assistance, has cleared nearly a quarter of its landmine-contaminated territory. In several countries, the scourge of anti-personnel landmines and unexploded ordnance is close to being eradicated. Within the next several years, Central American countries may be able to declare themselves mine-free, and Namibia and Eritrea are making consistent progress.

Elsewhere, the United States supports humanitarian demining through international organizations such as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance in Afghanistan (UNOCHA), enabling that organization to continue its successful record of demining operations. U.S. support for UNOCHA is continuing in 1998, in some of the most difficult terrain in the world for clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance.

The United States has trained and equipped about one quarter of the active deminers in the world today. In 1997 and 1998, 276 U.S. soldiers and 20 civilians have trained over 1,600 deminers in Africa, Latin America, Indochina, and Bosnia on mine awareness, clearance techniques, emergency medical care, and establishment of national mine action centers. The United States encourages public and private partnerships, such as the Time-Warner/DC Comics, UNICEF (UN Children's Fund), and U.S. government cooperation in the development and distribution of an internationally acclaimed Superman mine awareness comic book aimed at children in the former Yugoslavia. A Spanish version for Central America is planned for mid-1998.

How the U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program Works

The United States implements this program in cooperation with international agencies and host governments of mine-affected nations. Once hostilities have ceased, and at the invitation of the host government, the United States supports mine clearance operations and mine awareness programs by providing training, expertise, and equipment support through programs administered by the Department of Defense. Once an indigenous program is established, the Department of State provides funding for continued equipment support of demining operations. In some countries where a direct U.S. military training mission is not appropriate, the United States contributes to programs administered by the United Nations, the Organization of American States, or the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The United States sponsors demining research and development to examine existing and proposed technologies for practical and affordable solutions to mine detection and clearance. In Bosnia, Namibia, and other nations, technical solutions to demining are field tested by experienced host-nation deminers, who are assisted in their efforts while simultaneously evaluating the applicability of new mechanical and technical developments. Over 120 applications, specifically designed for humanitarian demining, have already been reviewed, with 21 selected for development. Over $17 million in funds managed by the Department of Defense are projected for humanitarian demining research and development in 1998.

The principal source of assistance for landmine and unexploded ordnance victims is the Patrick J. Leahy War Victims Fund managed by USAID. The core objective of the fund is to provide prostheses for civilian amputees to help reintegrate them into civil society. The fund also assists children who contract paralytic polio during periods of strife when immunization programs are discontinued. The fund works through nongovernmental organizations to develop the capacities that should result in the provision of sustainable services for amputees. The programs are an inherent element of national reconstruction and recovery.

U.S. Landmine Program Evolution

The United States Government Humanitarian Demining Program was created in late 1993 to relieve human suffering and to foster national and regional security, social and political stability, and economic development by reducing civilian landmine casualties through support for mine clearance training and operations, mine awareness, and research and development of demining technology. The program seeks to establish sustainable, indigenous, humanitarian demining capabilities in mine-infested countries that will continue after direct U.S. involvement is complete.

Speaking at the September 1994 UN General Assembly, President Clinton was the first world leader to call for the elimination of anti-personnel landmines. At U.S. urging, nations in the UN voted to pursue a comprehensive agreement to ban anti-personnel landmines.

In May 1996, President Clinton announced unilateral U.S. plans to destroy U.S. stockpiles of three million non-self-destructing anti-personnel landmines by 1999. Destruction of these mines is on schedule, and over half have been already destroyed. Only those landmines for use in Korea or needed for defensive training will be retained until alternative means can be developed.

In January 1997, the United States began working with other nations at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva to negotiate an effective global ban on anti-personnel landmines. On September 17, 1997, the President renewed our commitment to working aggressively to establish negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament, with reaching agreement on an export ban as a first step.

On January 17, 1997, the President announced that the United States would make permanent its moratorium on the export of anti-personnel landmines. Additionally, the President capped the U.S. inventory of self-destructing landmines at existing levels.

On September 17, 1997, the President announced significant initiatives for eliminating landmines and expanding efforts to remove existing mines. He directed the Department of Defense to develop alternatives to anti-personnel landmine use outside of Korea by 2003 and within Korea by 2006. General David Jones, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was appointed Special Advisor to the President and the Secretary of Defense in connection with this process. The President also announced a significant expansion of the humanitarian demining program into new countries and directed increases in funding for training, operations, and research and development. In 1998, we will devote over $80 million to this effort, an increase from last year's level of $40 million. In victim assistance, the Leahy War Victims Fund has also been increased to $7.5 million.

The administration is seeking the Senate's early advice and consent for the ratification of the Convention on Conventional Weapons Protocol II on anti-personnel landmine use or employment. The protocol establishes new norms to protect civilians even as countries move towards the goal of an enforceable ban on anti-personnel landmines.

In October 1997, President Clinton pledged continued U.S. leadership in eradicating, by the year 2010, anti-personnel landmines and unexploded ordnance which threaten civilians and their countries' economic, social, and political stability. On October 31, 1997, Secretary of State Albright announced the appointment of Assistant Secretary Karl R. Inderfurth as Special Representative of the President and the Secretary of State for Humanitarian Demining. In connection with this announcement, the Secretary launched a new initiative, "Demining 2010," to greatly accelerate global humanitarian demining operations and assistance to end the plague of landmines posing threats to civilians. Through this initiative, it is hoped that the international community will develop, marshal, and commit the resources necessary to accomplish this goal by 2010.

The Way Ahead

In September 1997, three new countries were added to the program -- Chad, Lebanon, and Zimbabwe -- and a U.S. demining office was established in Sarajevo. Other steps include continuing the expansion of the U.S. humanitarian demining programs into other countries, developing and fielding new mine detection and clearing technologies, and expanding U.S. financial support for sustainable indigenous capabilities in humanitarian demining in three areas: mine awareness education, mine clearance training and operations, and medical support. In cooperation with USAID, the United States also seeks to expand victim assistance programs.

Enhanced legislative authority from the Congress will allow the Department of State to investigate innovative mechanisms for disbursing funds. Such new measures may involve direct contracting of mine action through nongovernmental organizations, commercial consultants and demining firms, and direct funding of governmental operations. To avoid mismanagement, these new mechanisms will be initiated in 1998, with full implementation expected in 1999.

The U.S. humanitarian demining program continues as a practical effort to alleviate global suffering and economic stagnation by returning land and facilities to safe use. The United States supports the spirit of international cooperation that led to the Ottawa Convention banning the use, stockpiling, production, or transfer of anti-personnel landmines. Beyond the provisions of a ban, the United States actively engages in programs of practical benefit in solving the global landmine crisis by clearing the vast numbers of landmines already in place. Since its inception, the U.S. humanitarian demining program has significantly augmented mine awareness, technical training, actual mine clearance, and victims assistance in several countries. And, most importantly, it has saved lives.