Poland completes destruction of stockpiled landmines

More than one million landmines have been demolished

The delegate of Poland at the 15th Meeting of States Parties of the Mine Ban Treaty, 28 November 2016, Santiago, Chile. ©ICBL

Today Poland declared completion of the destruction of its entire stockpile of antipersonnel mines.  

The representative of Poland at the 15^th Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty reported that the government of Poland has completed destruction of over one million antipersonnel mines, almost a year ahead of its mandatory deadline. Under Article 4 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Poland was required to destroy all stockpiled antipersonnel mines as soon as possible, but not later than 1 June 2017.

"I am delighted to hear Poland had destroyed its last stockpiled landmines ahead of its treaty deadline and that it decided not to keep a single mine for research and training purposes.  An example that should be followed by other states parties who still poses landmines." said Kasia Derlicka-Rosenbauer, Polish Campaign to Ban Landmines.

According to the Landmine Monitor, Poland used to stockpile three types of antipersonnel mines: PSM-1, PMD-6, and MON-100.

Poland is not retaining any antipersonnel mines for training and research purposes permitted under Article 3 of the Mine Ban Treaty.

While in recent years the government of Poland did not produce or use antipersonnel mines, in the past it had produced three types of antipersonnel mines and imported a fourth type. A national moratorium since 1993 banned export of landmines in Poland.

With completion of stockpile destruction in Poland, only four States Parties have legal obligations to destroy their stockpiled mines. They own a total of more than seven million mines. Oman, the newest State Party to the treaty, has to complete destruction by its 2019 deadline, whereas Belarus, Greece and Ukraine have missed their deadline many years ago. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines urges all four states to follow suit and get rid of their stockpiled landmines as soon as possible.