Summary
Mines contaminate more than 14,000 locations throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although mine clearance has been underway since the cessation of the war in Bosnia in 1995, current trends indicate it will be decades before landmines and explosive remnants of war can be fully removed from the country. At the same time, the Government has been stretched in implementing the National Mine Action Strategy. This situation affects all elements of society, but particularly those returning to mined areas who are dependent on land for their livelihood.
Limited funding is the main challenge to mine action in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In terms of government institutions addressing mine action (namely, the Bosnian Armed Forces and civil protection authorities), limited funding has caused difficulties in procuring demining equipment and introducing new demining techniques. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and demining companies also struggle with funding challenges.
The 2010 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects will help attain the goal set by the National Mine Action Strategy of ridding the country of the mine threat by 2019. The submissions cover mine clearance, the strengthening of national institutions to undertake mine action operations over the long term and mine risk education.
Each year, UN entities, nongovernmental organizations, national and local authorities and donors collaborate to assemble a national portfolio of mine action project proposals that together reflect the strategic response developed in the field to all aspects of the problem of landmines and explosive remnants of war. A Country Portfolio Coordinator, usually a representative of a UN agency or a national authority, coordinates meetings where all mine action actors agree on a set of projects and priorities and determine funding needs. The proposals in each country's portfolio are assembled with those of other participating countries and published jointly by the UN Mine Action Service, the UN Development Programme and UNICEF in an annual "Portfolio of Mine Action Projects." This publication serves as a tool for collaborative resource mobilization, coordination and planning of mine action activities. The Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Portfolio Team's funding appeal for mine action projects in 2007 totals US $1,055,010.
Scope of the Problem
As a result of the 1992-1995 war, 3.68 percent of the territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina is still afflicted by mines (see www.bhmac.org). The latest government statistics disclose that there are more than 14,000 micro-locations requiring clearance. According to the Landmine Impact Survey (LIS), 154 communities are highly affected, 696 are moderately affected and 516 are minimally affected. Bosnia and Herzegovina remains one of the most heavily mined countries in the world.
Mines pose a major barrier to the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, and to economic recovery overall. They block the development of tourism and agricultural activities that can stimulate job production, and obstruct environmental rehabilitation. The Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Centre (BHMAC) reported an increase in mine related incidents in 2006. In 2005, there were 19 mine victims; in 2006, this number climbed to 34.
In 2005 and 2006, mine clearance and technical survey operations were implemented by NGOs, the Bosnian Armed Forces, and civil protection and commercial companies.
In 2005, operations covered 10,607,599 square metres (mine clearance was conducted on 4,009,051 square metres, and technical surveys on 6,598,548 square metres). In the first six months of 2006, 10,012,365 square metres were addressed (mine clearance for 4,802,018 square metres, and technical surveys for 5,210,347 square metres).
While a strong demining capacity exists, it is not fully utilized because of the funding shortfall. By adopting the National Mine Action Strategy as well as a demining law, and with financial support having gone towards mine action management structures and field activities, the Government has demonstrated a clear commitment to addressing the problem.
Coordination and Consultation
The Ministry for Civil Affairs plays a lead role on mine action in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A National Demining Commission, consisting of representatives from the ministries of civil affairs, foreign affairs, refugees and human rights, provides senior political guidance on mine issues. The state-level BHMAC acts as the operational arm of the National Demining Commission. It coordinates mine action, prioritization, surveying, task identification, quality assurance and certification, and maintains a database to support these activities. At the operational level, institutions such as the Bosnian Armed Forces and civil protection organizations undertake a bulk of the activities.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs chairs the board of donors for mine action in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The board consists of representatives from the embassies of donor governments, the European Commission and the International Trust Fund (ITF). It meets every three to four months or as required.
Strategy
Direction for mine action in Bosnia and Herzegovina is set by the National Mine Action Strategy, which was released at the end of 2004. The Mine Action Portfolio Country Team’s strategy draws upon the National Mine Action Strategy and the national poverty reduction strategy papers. The goal of the National Mine Action Strategy is to ensure that Bosnia and Herzegovina is free from the threat of mines by 2019. It seeks to achieve this goal by using the most effective combination of all elements of mine action, with clearance targeted towards Priority 1 threats in highly affected communities. The portfolio team aims to support the continuation of demining operations in line with the needs of the country, available resources and personnel, and the standards necessary for quality assurance. The team will undertake mine awareness activities, humanitarian demining, permanent marking and other activities to reduce the risks of mines.
The National Mine Action Strategy targets the reduction of mine threats in an area of 1,440 square kilometres from 2005 to 2008. Achieving this objective requires a systematic survey (of 716.39 square kilometres), a general survey (of 510.08 square kilometres), a technical survey (of 52.64 square kilometres), mine clearance of Priority I category land (21 square kilometres) and suspected risk area marking (of 140 square kilometres). The mine threat in Bosnia and Herzegovina is very complex, given the fact that it is widespread, low in density and random in nature. In addition, mine action takes place in a complex governmental environment.
The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina is seeking assistance to finance mine action field operations for 2007 to meet the objectives of the National Mine Action Strategy.
The plan for 2007 is to clear 5.5 square kilometres of “Category I” land, and to perform a technical survey on 10.7 and 5.8 square kilometres of Category I and Category II areas, respectively. In this same period, 184.23 square kilometres of suspected hazardous areas should be reduced through systematic survey, while 35 square kilometres should be permanently marked.
In 2007 and 2008, the costs for operational support and capacity building in Bosnia and Herzegovina are US $1,740,755 and US $2,096,864, respectively. In 2007, mine clearance will cost US $2,469,356, mine risk education US $189,396, and marking US $588,945. Victim assistance initiatives in 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively, will cost an estimated US $1,126,437, US$ 1,004,687 and US $120,687.
Date Anti-Personnel Mine-Ban Treaty signed: Dec 03, 1997
Date of Anti-Personnel Mine-Ban Treaty ratification or accession: Sep 08, 1998
Consents to be bound by Protocol II of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: Sep 01, 1993
Consents to be bound by Amended Protocol II of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: Sep 07, 2000
Date signed Protocol V of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: N/A