Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Volume 7 Issue 2 The Journal of Mine Action Article 7
August 2003
Mine Action in Bosnia’s Special District: A Case Study
Matthew Bolton Counterpart International
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Recommended Citation Bolton, Matthew (2003) "Mine Action in Bosnia’s Special District: A Case Study," Journal of Mine Action : Vol. 7 : Iss. 2 , Article 7. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol7/iss2/7
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aim of creating a united for distributing printed materials and collection in over 10 districts of and reliable database on mine victims information d edicated ro assisting Azerbaijan, approved by the Slovenia in Azerbaijan. disabled people in Azerbaijan. All infor based International Trust Fund for M ine Action in Bosnia's • Identify and maintain an MVA mation will be forwarded to members of Demining and MVA. The imple strategy based on needs and develop a the Working Group through the Agency. m en ration of the project will start soon. long-term national program. TheANAMA website (www.anama.baku.az) The activity of the NGO "Shefaly Eller" • Canalize and coordinate develop is considered an effective m eans of (Healing Hands) from lsmayilly town, Special District ment and implementation of MVA information exchange. Along with involving MVA, created deep interest projects and programs. rhe electronic means of information among participants. The organization is highly strategic location made it an area No, no, don't look at the sky, • Establish and run a special public exchange, it also proposed distributing assisting 56 mine survivors from Fizuli of biner and heavy fighting throughout They cannot do you any harm from above anymore, fund to raise money for financing MVA a bi-monthly bulletin on the Working and Beylagan districts. There was also the war. T his "has made it one of the most Lower your head because the danger is in your mother earth. projects and programs. Gmup. The study o f international discuss ion on the poss ibility of gather heavily mine contaminated areas of the If you hove survived the war, try to survive the peace. • Initiate an information network for experience is also considered important. ing data on mine victim needs during entire BiH." 11 . Melisa Dzanovi, schoolgirl, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 disabled people in Azerbaijan, including Therefore, ANAMA has started making rhe implementation of the ADIAR Unfortunately, the landmine situa individuals and associations. contact with organizations listed in the organiza tion's program for Fizuli and tion in Brcko has changed linle over the by Matthew Bolton, The LandminejUXO • Identify possible vocational areas Global Mine Action Register on James Goranboy districts fcom May to July. I last few years. According to the PRONI Counterpart International Situation in the Brcko for disabled people in different districts Madison University's Mine Action District Institute of Social Education's Brcko District Mine Awareness Team, in order to create occupational (profes Information Center (MAIC) website *All graphics courtesy ofauthor. The Brcko District sional) rehabilitation cemers for mine (http :1 I m aic. j m u.ed u/ gmar). "From 1 996 to now, there were Des pi re the end of the war in Bosnia victims and ro coordinate their activities. The D emocratic Journalists' League, Contact Information 11 ,000,000 m2 of high risk areas and by • Spread information on MVA which presented at the meeting for the The Brcko Municipality, located in and Herzegovina in 1995, the legacies of the end of 2002, only 2,940,000 m2 will northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, was that conflict continue to cripple the coun activities to the public and attract donors. first rime, proposed establishing a Rauf Mamedov have been demined, meaning the try in real and tangible ways. One of the The last meeting of the Working "horline" for preliminary mine victim Mine Victim Assistance Officer a fierce battlegcound during the war from demining process will take another 10 to most obvious is rh e contamination of 12 Group was held in ANAMA's offlce on data collection. ADIAR announced rhar Tel: (99412) 95 79 34 1992 to 1995. Because of the Brcko 15 more years ." enormous amounts of land , up to 4000 May 7, 2003. Participants were informed its Information and Consultancy Center, E-mail: [email protected] District's unique, strategic and symbolic The BHMAC "Demining Strategy square kilometers in all,6 by anti-personnel thar rhe project proposal "Azerbaijan operational for years, could also be used Website: www.anama.baku.az significance to all sides of the conflict, it for Bosnia and Herzegovina," noted in mines, anti-rank mines and unexploded Countrywide Mine Victim Survey" had fo r this purpose. The use of this was the only issue left unresolved by the 200 I that 59.6 square km in the Brcko Dayton Peace Accords rhat ended the war ordnance (UXO). Said the U.S. Depart been finalized and presented to donors. "hodine," along with official sources of Aziz M. Aliyev District are "suspect areas"-a total of ment ofState (DOS), "The effect of residual The representatives ofWHO and Asso information, could serve in developing Information Manager, ANAMA in December 1995, which had divided the 12.04 percent of the total Brcko District landmines as a result of heavy mining ciation Design of Invalids of Azerbaijan contacts or networking mine survivors. Tel: (99412) 95 79 34 country into rwo d ecentralized semi territory. These numbers contrast with autonomous 'entities': rhe Republika during the conflicts on Bosnia-Herzegovina's Republic (ADIAR) proposed some Ir was also mentioned that regular publi E-mail: [email protected] 6.36 percent in the Federation, I. 71 Srpska (populated mostly by Serbs) and post-war recovery has been sraggering."7 amendments to the survey questionnaire. cation of articles on mine action, MRE Website: www.anama.baku.az percenr in the Republika Srpska and a According to the United Nations, 13 Mr. Lurful Kabir, the UNDP CTA and MVA will ca nalize the public the Federation of Bosnia and country-wide average of 4.20 percent. for ANAMA, emphasized that project opinion and the capabi liries of Herzegovina (populated mostly by wri ring at the end of December 200 I , Of this total 12 percent of territory, "Up to one million mines, mostly ami proposals, based on wide and derailed society in resolving the problems in these Bosniaks and Croats). there are an estimated 36,700 landmines information and on an integrated data areas. The initiative group, consisting of Instead, the issue of rhe Brcko area personnel, and many types of unexploded and 8,100 UX0. 14 Moreover, there have base, might ensure more efficiem results. ADIAR, Dirchelish (Revival), rhe D emo was referred to an arbitration tribunal, ordnance (UXO) still rake an unacceptable been almost 100 mine/UXO accidents15 toll on innocent victims" in Bosnia and He mentioned the high pcofess ionallevel cratic Journalists' League, WHO and which after three years of deliberation and (almost 10 percent of all the mine accidents 1 0nly 60 percent of 8 Herzegovina. Frighteningly, only 16 mined areas in the of the ANAMA Information Department ANAMA, was established for detailed hearings, deremuned in 1999 that the territory in the counrry) and 38 deaths since the Brko region have ofth e pre-war Brcko municipality would about "60 percent of mined areas have 17 and recommended use of its capabilities study of particular problems. war in the Brcko District. been identified. be awarded ro neither emiry. Instead ir been identified."9 for the purposes of the Working Group. The participants decided to continue 2 ANAMA has been chosen as a focal point discussions on establishing and main would be a "special districr" held "in Most landmines in the country are 3 concentrated on the Zone of Separation taining special public funds on victim condominium" by both entities, which (ZOS, the four km wide demilitarized assistance, after derailed study of relevant wo uld delegate "all of its powers of regulations and development of the governance" to a new "single, unitary, zone along the former frontline) and three areas: Sarajevo, Zavidovii and Brcko. 10 charter. Everybody agreed rhar rhe multi-ethnic, democratic government," Obviously, one of the highest con participation of outstanding people and called the Brcko District of Bosnia 4 leading businessmen of Azerbaijan could and Herzegovina. ce n rracions is where the ZOS runs through the Brcko District, the area from which ensure community respect for the fund. It The new Brcko District Government, established on March 8, 2000, is directly most refugees and internally displaced was decided to compile the Group Work persons (IDPs) fled or were expelled but Plan taking into account organizations' accountable to a continuing international propositions and capacities in preferable supervisory regime, the Office of the High where they are now returning. During the war, the Brcko District activity areas. Representative (OHR), and the common institutions, laws and constitution of formed the narrowest point of the The Azerbaijan Campaign to Ban Landmines (ACBL) informed the meet Bosnia and Herzegovina, but all powers Republika Srpska's (RS) vital supply ing of its project on mine victim data delegated to the entities are "exercised ex corridor from Serbia and the western RS clusively by the District government .... "5 to the eas tern RS. The Brcko District's
Published by JMU Scholarly Commons, 2003 1 • 24 • • 25 • Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction, Vol. 7, Iss. 2 [2003], Art. 7
international assistance to feed irs Mine Clearance matters. According to the person In addition to cleared areas, rhe Brcko District Supervisor (the interna population."24 In the BHMAC "Demining As a result of the Dayton Peace responsible for mine action at OHR suspected area was reduced by 75,000 sq tional community's body that oversees the Strategy for Bosnia and Herzegovina," Accords, Bosnia and H erzegovina is Brcko, William Thomas, the Brcko m through improved BHMAC surveying civilian implementation of the peace it notes that, "There is 0.36 ha of divided into rwo decentralized entities, CivPro is competent and well rrained.39 methods employed in 2002.46 These process) to declare "demining and civil agricultural land per person in the Federation and the Republika Srpska. From June-December 2002 they destroyed general and technical surveys also protection" in the Brcko District as "a Bosnia and H erzegovina. According Up until this yea r, each entity had irs own over 5000 m ines/UXO in clearance clarified and more accurately defined crucial condition for sustainabiliry of to international estimations, it is rhe Entity M ine Action Center (EMAC), activities and 49 m ines/UXO in the mine risk area.Thoug h t h e returns, improving both the economic critical minimum necessar y fo r which coordinated its activities with the response to civilian calls.40 demining practice in Bosnia and has and social environment." 18 ensuring foo d for the population. A Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Last year (before rhe CivPto was been overwhelmingly oriented to military significant part of such land is con Center (BHMAC). As of this year, rhe consolidated into the government) due and commercial deminers, the Brcko Human Impact taminated w ith mines and UX0." 21 EMACs h ave been integrated into to good weather conditions, there was D istrict shows that there is the alternative In the Brcko District specifically, • The Brcko District is the most heavily mined rh e BHMAC structure. T his is then much mine action activi ty and almost of working with humanitarian demining 41 Threat to Food Security "Some 500 HA of arable land and 350 area in the country. responsible to rhe central government's one million square meters were cleared. NGOs. International humanitarian HA of forest require immediate In contrast with the Federation and deminers often follow higher standards Landmines throughout Bosnia and Bosnia and Herzegovina Commission demining." 26 According to the FAO, refugees and people displaced by war for Demining (BHCD). Republika Srpska, which met 45 percent (the International Mine Action Standards Herzegovina are a major threat to food "The main reason for agricultural land from their homes .... "JO and 2 1 percent of their 2002 targets for (IMAS)) and are motivated by humanitarian security, illustrated by the fact that, "The T he BHMAC (and previously rhe abandonment [in the Brcko District] is mine clearance respectively, the Brcko concern rather than by profit. typical mine victim in the post-conflict The ICRC points out that mines are EMACS) coordinate the demining For this reason, it can ofren be period is the male farmer."19 As stated by the p resence of mines (as stated by "making the return of refugees and activities, about 20 percent of which District cleared 7 6 percen r of its targeted 27 36 42 cheaper to use NGOs as an implementing the U.S. DOS, "The impact is even experts and the local population). " displaced persons to ... [the north] are done by rhe en tity mil iraries. areas for 2002. greater on the individual farmer, who has This means that the Brcko District's hazardous, especially si nee many of However, the situation up until this year This progress h as also been parmer, as a donor could just offSet the cost of the NGO's salaries fo r a period of time only a small farm with a large portion agricultural development, stunted by the these people will inevitably take to has been different in the Brcko District, encou raged by rhe falling costs of landmine crisis, is h aving a hugely 31 de mining due to a proliferation of pri in return for collaboration on their possibly infested by landmines, leaving farming to meet their dietary needs." which as a unique autonomous region, is him unable to supporc his family. " 20 detrimental effect on the food security Moreover, since they have been out of the institutionally separate from the entities vate commercial demining companies. projects. The biggest and most notable si tuation through o ut the counrry. humanitarian d eminer in Bosnia and Consequently, the United Nations has region, many refugees and lOPs "are often and is a demilitarized zone. BHMAC's The average price for demining a concluded , "the vision of a mixed and Through d emining, Brcko's rural unaware of the precise locations of former authori ty, extensive database and GIS simple, n on-forest, flat field is now Herzegovina is rhe NGO Norwegian 43 People's Aid (NPA), followed by HELP, e nvironm entally s ustainable rural economy can be revived, restoring the front-line positions and the local markings mapping of minefields continue to cover approximately $1-$1. 50. For safe District to its position ofa food producer 32 which operates through the structures of economy is seriously jeopardised by used to identifY dangerous areas. " This the Brcko area but without an EMAC or budgeting purposes, according to mine and UXO pollurion."21 for the rest of the country. has led to refugees and internally military mine clearance, the District was OHR, one should budget $2 per the local C ivil Protection reams. 44 The practice offraming mine action T his context is intimately connected dis placed people making up "approximately left on its own. This impact continues square meter when esti mating cosrs. 1/3 of total [mine-related] casualties despite the refo rmed structure. In 2002, before the establishment of in commercial tenders and government to rhe landmine situation in the Brcko Threat to the Return Process 33 District. The Brcko District lies in a thin, The Brcko District has one of the since the war." To counteract these problems, an CivPro, the vast majority of the demining principles ofopen competition for contracts sometimes makes it difficult for governments but fercile agricultural belt called rhe highest 'rates of return' of refugees and Therefore, the UN states that "The EU funded project of the German NGO in the Brcko District was done by N GOs, Posavina Corridor- well irrigated by lOPs. While there are many reasons for demining programme must develop links HELP, faci litated rhe reorganization and especially local NGOs-due to specific to contract humanitarian deminers, but three rivers and good rainfall. Before the rhis high rerum rare, it is primarily caused with long-term development retraining of the C ivil Protection ream restrictions last year's donors placed on private donors can sometimes work war, it represented an agricultural and by the District's unique legal position as programmes to stimulate investment and an emergency citizen response team that their funds. Table 1 shows the different around these resrrictionsY food processing hub in the Former an autonomous region with a mulriethnic returns to farms and find constructive is part of the communist-era emergency organizations that were involved in Approximately 80 percent of the 34 Yu goslavia. As the International government and progressive laws. Retired solutions to long-term funding issues." services. The Brcko Civil Protection ream, demining in the Brcko District in 2002 funding for demining in rhe Brcko Committee of the Red C ross (ICRC) U.S. Ambassador Robert W. Farrand, created fro m reams in rhe Republika and rhe total area demined by them and District comes from the International 41 points our, "Since 57 percent of former OHR Brcko Supervisor, described Brcko District's Current Srpska and Federation parts of the certified by BHMAC. Trust Fund for D emining and Mine this cycle as a"microco sm of the District, were retrained to act as the ... [Bosnia's] territory is classified as Mine Action • Table 1:Demining in 28 principle mine action and emergency Organization Type of Org. No. of !~ta l Area (Sqr. mountainous, there is heavy reliance for peace process. " Tenders the Brcko District, 2002. mine/UXO response mechanism within strategic food production on the scarce The 'right of return' to one's pre-war By saying, "It is not so much about BH Deminino LNGO 4 154 166 fercile land in the north. "22 home was one of the most important mines as it is about people," the United the District (as were C ivil Protection PROMAK LNGO 1 15L981 reams from around the counrry)Y In the Brcko District specifically, stipulations of both the Dayton Peace Nations defines M ine Action in a holis STOP Mines LNGO 4 140 866 IMI IN GO 3 124,960 the climate and soil conditions are Accords and the Brcko Final Arbitral tic sense that refers to "all those activities O n January 1, 2003, as pan of HELP's localization scheme, the C ivil UniPak Local 2 118,921 particularly suited to the production Award. However, landmines pose a geared towards addressing the problems Commercial Protection team was incorporated in the of cereals, soybean, fruits (especially continued threat to rhis process. The faced by populations as a result of NPA IN GO 3 61 085 Brcko District Government structure as plums), berries and medicinal herbs.23 ICRC point out, landmine contamination." Therefore, "Irs Federation Civil Civil Protection 1 39,801 the Brcko District Office of Civil Unfortunately, as noted above, the "Press ure on land will grow... as aim is not technical-to survey, mark and Protection LNGO 2 39 283 Brcko District is also one of the most refugees and displaced persons return to eradicate landmines-but humanitarian Protection (CivPro), an 11 person office UGZOM PROVITA LNGO 1 28 322 their pre-war communities, many of 3 headed by Demining Coordinator Asmir heavily mined areas of the country. and developmental .... " 1 HELPUDT IN GO 2 9,831 which are situated in the ZOS-the Tatarevi. Most of its staff came from the According to the IC RC, "Many mines Taking this into accounr, when looking RSArmy Military 3 8,721 29 HELP projecr.38 CivPro is mandated with still in the ground have contaminated most heavily mined area of the country. " at the Brcko District's current mine action Detektor Local 1 4,469 ferti le agricultural land, severely The UNDP has also acknowledged that activities it is necessary to examine not only coordinating the m ine action process in Commercial reducing food production while Bosnia "In many situations, mine clearance is a mine clearance, bur also mine awareness the Brcko District, including emergency UXB Intern ational International 1 2,178 Commercial and H erzegovina continues to rely o n precondition for the safe return o f and victim assistance. response, civilian calls, mine clearing, explosive disposal and all administrative TOTAL 28 884,584 https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol7/iss2/7 • 26 • • 27 • 2 Bolton: Mine Action in Bosnia’s Special District: A Case Study
Victim Assisrance (ITF),48 an organization a team of representatives from OHR, Survey Action Cenrer.60 This survey "will additional funds. 64 As of June 2003, month. "6 7 Moreover, a UNDP study in BiH are supposed to conduct six mine set up by the Sloven ian government which CivPro, the Brcko District Department provide a clear picture of the social and Counterpart International, a humanitar 200 l found a "measured increase in the awareness lessons each school year" "is a favored funding vehicle for of Agriculture and BHMAC,55 based on economic impact of minefields on com ian and development NGO based in level of awareness of the dangers and""InDecember 2000,rheEMACs ran international dono rs"49 as all funds the following criteria: munities." Based on this information, Washington DC and funded by the U.S. posed by mines and UXO in the tar- a five-day training course for policemen ITF raises are matched by the U.S. • Priority 1: Locations in regular "rational priorities ca n be established. Department of Agriculture, was rhe only get population in borh BiH entities as a in Brcko, who qualified to work as mine 18 71 DOS. Moreover, ITF operates by civili an use; repatriation of refugees High-impact areas, as defined by the organization developing a possible project direct result of the media campaign." ' awareness instructors." The NATO-led matching the funds of other donors and displaced persons; renewal and national authorities, can be cleared fun ding demining in 2003. At the national level, the ICRC has Stabilization Force (SFOR) and UNHCR who fu nd demining in the region. reconstruction of infrastructure. immediately, with medium- and low CivPro (and other demining orga probably been the most active and ef- have also conducted such work sporadically. Last year, ITF funded the clearance of • Priority 2: Areas in rhe immediate impact areas assigned to mid-term nizations) are currently not working on fecrive organization raising awareness of T he most effective mine awareness 700,000 square meters of contaminated vicinity of Priority 1 areas, and areas and long-term treatmenr."61 T his survey, any actual demining, as it is now the mines and UXO through their local program in the Brcko District, however, land in the Brcko District, costing $1.2 which enable people to make a living such which will include the Brcko District, will off-season. T he temperature must be partner, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Red is rhe program operated by the Swedish/ 50 million. Unfortunately, ITF funding as agricul tural land and forestry. try to integrate both the technical and over 0° Centigrade and there cannot be Cross Society. According ro rheir Northern Irish NGO, the PRON I to Bosnia and H erzegovina is slowly • Priority 3: All remaining areas. 56 human effects oflandmine contamina any snow on the ground before literature, "In 200 l alone, a total o f Institute of Social Education. Ir has d eclining. In 2000, ITF allocated 52 per BHMAC records estimate that 17.7 tion through using both quantitative demining can start. Therefore, the 4,398 presentations were held and 5,604 been operating a mine awareness cent ofirs total fUnds to the country whereas square kilometers, or 30 percem of the and qualitative data in a strict frame season runs approximately from the 'discussion groups' conducted with program since May 2000 with funding 1 in 2002, it allocated only 28.6 percent.5 mine areas in the Brcko District, are work. Consequently, the s urvey beginning ofApr il to the end ofNovember. 170,644 adult and child participants from the Japanese Government and Another possible issue with ITF is Priority l , 17.7 square kilometers or 30 will be a significant improvement The wi nter mon ths are used for throughout the country."69 U.S. Embassy Sarajevo Office of Public that some people believe irs mode of percent are Priority 2 and 25.5 square in d etermining priorities. administrative work and planning. The methodology employed in the Affairs. According to the 2002 Landmine operation tends to favor the commercial kilometers or 41 percenr is Priority 3Y The approximate cost of clearing the IC RC Community-Based program (as Monitor Report, "In 2001 six [PRONI] method of tendering contracts for mine 39 minefields prioritized by CivPro for M ine Awareness opposed to their media campaigns) is to mine risk education instructors gave 186 clearance. They argue the or- 2003 will be $2.5 million. A common method of raising mine train volunteers from the local Red Cross presentations to 6,990 people, and dis chapters and pay them a small stipend of tribured 906 posters, 600 leaflets, 7,200 ganization is not rea 1l y s e r • Area demined pie chart. CivPro will handle small manual awareness is clearly demarcating up to enco ur age hu d emining jobs (up to 5000 minefields with high barbed wire fences about $115 a month to carry our brochures, 1,700 badges, and 50 r 72 m anitaria n NCO Area Oemined in Brcko District in 2002, square meters) itself, bur larger and signs. However, there has been prese nrarions and discussions. The shirts." They have also hosted two 52 By Type of Organization demining. Howeve r, it and more complicated renders cons iderable d ebate in Bosnia and ICRC program has two volunteers in mine awareness summer camps in may be possible for private will be conn·acred to BHMAC Herzegovina over the appropriateness the Brcko D istrict, one on the Federa- cooperation with UNICEF and dono r s to specifY the exact accredited contractors- mostly of this method. Due to the relatively cion side of the Inter-Entity Boundary WorldVision and participated in condi tions in which rheywanr commercial companies and low cost of demining in the country (as Line and one on the Republika Srpska U N DP's national media campaign. their and ITF's marching possibly some N GOs. compared to other countries), side. T hey focus their efforts on children. As ofea rly spring 2003, PRONI is a funds to be used in a project. Unfortunately, by their own demining areas does not cost much However, as of a result of evaluations fully accredited member of the BHMAC Additional funding for admission, ir is unlikely that more than marking them properly.65 conducted last year, the IC RC has Implementation Group for Mine Risk Brcko District demining came CivPro will accomplish even Instead, some agencies have marked determined it must refocus irs mine aware- Education and a member of the BHMAC from the Czech Republic, the lc LNGO • INGO o Local Commercial o Civi Protection •Miitary Dlntl Commerci al I half of its goal of 2.1 9 million the minefields with cheaper fence posts ness program on "the highest risk groups" Mine Risk Education Coordination 70 Government of Japan sq m this year. T hey are terribly and signage. Unfortunately, these are such as farmers, hunters and rerurnees. team. At the time of writing they were (through the German NGO understaffed, underfunded and often stolen and used for other purposes In addition to rhe lCRC's efforrs, the negotiating for 2003 funding from the H ELP, which withdraws from the coun One should be aware that BHMAC have little equipment. They received (reports include seeing fenceposts used government does assist with mine U.S. Embassy and from UNICEF. try this February), BHMAC and the has irs own priority list for the Brcko cold-weather clothing (coats and thermal fo r training vine plants or signs placed awareness in a variety of ways. For Unfortunately, it is much easier to Brcko District Government, which cov District, which differs somewhat from trousers) from the NGO HELP and have on houses ro prevent burglaries) . In instance, "All p rimary schoo ls in raise rhe awareness of children (while in ..,...-~~~~-~:r.l!~ • Dragan Vu kovic, ers salaries, insurance, office space and those of C ivPro because BHMAC rhe basic equipment for manual addition, some fear that by marking Counterpart some small amoums of equipment. covers the whole country rather than just demining (one dog), bur are lacking face minefields, it will make people assume International's While the Government of]apan has the District. Thus, some minefields may shields, a jeep and mechanized demining that unmarked areas are safe. For this agronomist points to funded a great deal of mine action in rhe be high priori ty compared to others in the machinery (they may receive a donation reason, in many areas, including the Brcko UXO that is next to the access road used Brcko District and is well noted for its District but low when compared to the of equipment, including a jeep, from the District, minefields are marked just before by villagers. fle xible funding conditi onalities, it whole country. 58 When designing a mine N PA this year). 62 One of the highes t and d uring clearance activities. unfortunately froze all funding to the action project, both priority lists should be costs and most difficult to fu nd in mine Taking these facrors into account, 53 Brcko District indefinitely apparently taken into account, although NPA believes action is rhe capital expenditure according to the 2000 Landmine Monitor due to alleged financial irregularities and that when doing humanitarian demining necessary for the expensive equipment Report, "rhe D emining Commiss ion 4 misuse in a local demining project. 5 in a local community, local priorities should used in clearance programs.63 chooses instead to focus on mine risk edu 9 In irs planning for 2003, CivPro has trump national concerns. 5 The program is also having problems cation through schools and local media."66 prioritized 39 minefields totaling 2.19 A clearer and more effective analysis raising funds for this next demining At the country level mine awareness million square meters, most of which is of priorities will be available at the end season. According to William Thomas is greatly increasing, indicated by the agricultural land, rural returnee housing of rhe year with rhe completion of the of OHR-Brcko in May 2003, CivPro falling number of casualties. According or river banks (see matrix at end of "Bosnia and Herzegovina Landmine had still not raised any money for chis to rhe ICRC, "between 1996 and 2002 document). The prioritization process is Impact Survey," a project funded by ITF year's demining season. They have the mine incident rate fell from an less a political decision than a bureau and headed up by Handicap International about $20,000 left over from the Czech ave rage of 52 casualties per month cratic one. Priority areas are selected by in partnership with BHMAC and the government, but are struggling to find to just over seven casualties per
Published by JMU Scholarly Commons, 2003 • 28 • • 29 • 3 Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction, Vol. 7, Iss. 2 [2003], Art. 7
school they are a captive audience) rhan th e d eep trauma that often afflicts hosted a spo r ts ga thering of such Finally, mine action in the Brcko 19. lnrernacional Committee of the Red Cross 60. Emmanuel Sauvage. Direcror, Handicap Inter (ICRC), "Executive Summary." Tlu Silwt Menace: national Sarajevo, Personal Interview (February 19, 2003). of adults. It is difficult to change the habits survivors. In addition, LSN helps them associations from all over the country District has not really been approached l.nndmines in Bosnia and Herzegovina, February 1998 dmp:/ 61. llob Eaton, "Introduction: Global Landmine of adults and in the Brcko District to deal with practical issues (such as health, the first of irs kind in 15 years. They held ho listically. No organ ization has at / ww w. i c rc. o rg / W e b / eng/ sir cen gO. nsf/ Survey In itiative," Bosnia and Herzegovina Ltmdmine Im d268e7e7e e a08ab 7 4I2 5 6 7 5b00364294 / pact Survq/Smdijtt o uticaju mina u Bosni i Hercegovitti specifi cally there are problems wi rh housing, foo d o r income issues) by a wheelchair basketball tournament and a tempted to in tegrate the differe n t 560d02292d73b90 lc 1256b66005b6k6?0pen0ocmnent#a7>. (Bosnia and Herzegovina: Handicap lnrernational, humers, often former soldiers, paying lirde referring them ro relevant agencies. If chess competition. The event was covered elements of mine actio n into a m o re 20. U.S. DOS. Hidden Kille~>. BHMAC and Survey Action Center, October 2002), 9. attention to mine demarcation.73 There 21. UN, Trawitiou, 60. 62. Breivik, Personal lnrerview. there are no agencies in the area covering in both local and national media and innovative approach that sees the human 22. ICRC, "The impac t of mines on living 63. Tatarevi, Personal lnrerview. fore, the PRONI team has a multisectoral these issues, LSN will provide direct assis raised the community's awareness of the impact on mine-affected communities as standards.'''' Silent Menace. 64. Thomas, Personal Jmerview. approach, using d ifferent methods to tance in the form of grants for housing, issues facing persons with disabilities. 85 rhe central issue. • 23. Brcko Disrrict Development Agency (RABO), 65. Ibid. Development Strategy of tht Brcko District of Bomid dnd 66. ICIJL, "llosnia and Hencgovina," Landmine reach diffe rent sectors of the population. small business starr up, p rosthetics, T he association plans to make rhis an Htrugovitrd: 2002-2006 (Brcko, Bosnia and Henegovina: Monitor Report 2000, 2000