Armed Non-State Actors and Landmines
Volume I: A Global Report Profiling NSAs and Their Use, Acquisition, Production,
Transfer and Stockpiling of Landmines

On 30 November Geneva Call launched its report on the involvement of armed non-state actors (NSAs) in the landmine problem at the Sixth Meeting of the State Parties, Zagreb, Croatia. The report, which builds on an initial analysis published in 2004, provides a comprehensive mapping of NSA use, acquisition, production, transfer, and stockpiling of landmines, through a presentation of individual group profiles and a global analysis.

The report is part of a project supported by the Geneva International Academic Network (GIAN), the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Government of Italy, and the continued support of Switzerland. Institutions contributing to the report are the Program for the Study of International Organization(s), the United Nations Mine Action Service, the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining, the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva.

Abstract

Although armed non-state actors (NSAs) have always existed, in the last twenty years the international community has become acutely aware of their importance for achieving universal compliance with human rights and international humanitarian law. This is particularly true for universalizing the norm prohibiting the use of anti-personnel (AP) landmines. This report, which builds on an analysis published in 2004, maps the role of NSAs in the landmine problem (2003-2005). The report investigates and analyzes how NSAs use, acquire, produce, transfer, and stockpile landmines through a presentation of individual group profiles. This report has recorded a global occurrence of AP and anti-vehicle mine planting by NSAs, whether activated by a victim, a vehicle or at a distance by command-detonation. Around 60 NSAs have deployed landmines in 24 countries in five geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. In addition to these NSAs, groups that were difficult to classify or identify made frequent use of landmines in a few other countries. Over 40 groups made use of some type of victim-activated devices. The mines employed were both factory-made and handmade, indicating both involvement in mine transfers and production. One of the main findings of this report is that there is a need to discuss the mine issue not only with states, but also with NSAs. Many NSAs (as well as states) lack the long-term perspective of the consequences of mine use, and it is therefore crucial for the international community to find channels of communication with NSAs on the AP mine issue. This report argues that only by understanding NSA and region specific dynamics is it possible to address the - current and future - landmine problem caused by NSAs.