The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday said it would file lawsuits if any of its expired munitions have ended up in the hands of armed groups overseas.
“The process we use to deal with our expired munitions is transparent,” said Wang Kuo-wu (王國武), director of the Armaments Bureau procurement center.
“In terms of form and documentation, there should be no problems or loopholes in the contract,” Wang said. “If there is concrete evidence showing a breach of our contract, we will file a lawsuit against the contractors.”
Wang comments came after the latest edition of the Chinese-language Next Magazine alleged that a foreign company commissioned to destroy more than 8,000 tonnes of expired ammunition had sold munitions to other countries.
The ammunition should have been destroyed in Bulgaria, but the magazine said 1,884 tonnes were sold to Angola by the family of Romanian President Traian Basescu before he won re-election last year.
Next alleged the munitions ended up with Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda, the group that claimed responsibility for the attack on the Togo soccer squad in Angola last week.
If the report were true, Wang said the ministry would ask the main contractor — Singapore’s Explomo Technical Services — for an explanation. It would also ask two contracted notary companies to assist in investigating the allegations, he said.
His office has designed a monitoring system to prevent the loss or resale of outdated ammunition, Wang said.
The contract with Explomo requires the company to produce a certificate of designation after the final disposal of outdated munitions, he said.
Two firms — Taiwan-based Sanlin Technologies and foreign-based Variety Co — help verify the destruction by producing monthly certification reports and installing “outflow” prevention measures or facilities at every critical point of demolition.
The Bulgarian firm Maxim was required to prepare a daily diary documenting the types and amounts of ammunition destroyed, with photos, Wang said.
“If any of our expired ammunition was misdirected or resold, we will take legal action, including revoking certification, demanding the return of payments and guaranty money, and filing a civil suit to seek damages,” Wang said, adding the ministry might also refer the case to prosecutors if forgery was discovered.
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