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Human Rights Watch believes
that the Bush administration should reverse its decision not to join the Mine
Ban Treaty, and should not insist on the right to use self-destruct
antipersonnel mines indefinitely. Specifically with respect to the production
and export issues raised in this paper:
Research and development on or
production of mines or munitions capable of being victim-activated should be
immediately halted.
Continued funding for the Spider
program should be made contingent on the removal of the battlefield override
feature.
Continued funding for the
Intelligent Munitions System should be dependent on the compliance of this
program with the Mine Ban Treaty.
The Department of Defense should
publicly clarify whether the Matrix mine system has already been deployed, and
if it is capable of being victim-activated. DoD should also provide details on
target identification and the protections afforded civilians in areas Matrix
mines are used.
The Department of Defense should
clarify current policy regarding use of Claymore mines with tripwires, and
should prohibit such use everywhere, including Korea.
The Mine Export Moratorium should
be made permanent.
Antivehicle mines that do not
self-destruct and that are being withdrawn from service in order to implement
the February 2004 policy should not be made available for transfer or export under
foreign military sales or excess defense articles programs.
Any interpretations of or
exceptions to the Mine Export Moratorium should be publicly disclosed, as well
as what understandings the United States observes regarding the transfer of
mines prohibited by CCW Amended Protocol II.
The appropriate Congressional
committees should be notified on an annual basis by the Department of State of
any export or transfers of antipersonnel mines by U.S. agencies or companies,
regardless of the intended purposes of the mines or the number of mines.
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