the Republic has observed a self-imposed ban on selling
landmines without self-destruct mechanisms since May
1996........
STimes 18.11.2005 by David Boey
It is unclear just how many landmines Singapore has in its
stockpiles. The
Defence Ministry declined to reveal specific details of the
Singapore Armed
Forces' assets for operational security reasons. But it said that
the estimate
of 'several million landmines', cited at a seminar in Kuala Lumpur
last week by
Ms Sumita Dixit, a Canadian foreign ministry official accompanying
the general,
was 'highly exaggerated'.
Though Singapore has yet to sign the Ottawa Convention, a Foreign
Affairs
Ministry spokesman said the Republic has observed a
self-imposed ban on selling landmines without self-destruct
mechanisms since May 1996. In 1998, over a year before the
convention came into effect, it extended this ban to include all
types of Singapore-made anti-personnel landmines.
Weapons company Singapore Technologies Kinetics said it does not
produce
landmines for export or 'act as a sub-contractor to anyone that
does', and has
not sold mines in the last 15 years.
Landmines cost several dollars apiece to make, but
Gen Baril said the cost
of demining - the detection and extraction of landmines - can cost
US$1,000
(S$1,700) a mine. These devices can remain active decades after
being planted and are dangerous even after conflicts end.
