Bosnia and Herzegovina

Cluster Munition Ban Policy

Last updated: 31 July 2015

Five-Year Review: State Party Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) ratified the convention on 7 September 2010. It views its ratification law as sufficient to ensure implementation of the convention’s provisions. BiH has participated in every Meeting of States Parties of the convention and has elaborated its views on important issues relating to the interpretation and implementation of the convention.

During the 1992–1995 war, Yugoslav forces and non-state armed groups used cluster munitions. BiH has acknowledged past production of cluster munitions. In 2011 and 2012, BiH completed the destruction of a stockpile of 445 cluster munitions and 148,059 submunitions.

Policy

Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 3 December 2008, ratified on 7 September 2010, and the convention entered into force for the country on 1 March 2011.

BiH has declared its ratification law under national implementation measures for the Convention on Cluster Munitions.[1] In September 2013, it stated that, “all the necessary legislation is in place.”[2]

BiH submitted its initial Article 7 report for the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 20 August 2011 and has provided annual updated reports ever since, most recently in June 2015.[3] 

BiH actively participated throughout the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions, making strong contributions based on its experience as a country affected by cluster munitions and declaring a national moratorium on cluster munition use prior to the conclusion of the process.[4]

BiH engages in the work of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It has participated in every Meeting of States Parties of the convention, including the Fifth Meeting of States Parties in San Jose, Cost Rica in September 2014, where it made statements on clearance. BiH has attended all of the convention’s intersessional meetings in Geneva. BiH has participated in regional workshops on the convention and attended a mine action symposium in Biograd, Croatia on 27–29 April 2015, which included discussion on cluster munitions.[5] BiH served as the convention’s coordinator on victim assistance in 2012–2013 together with Afghanistan.

BiH has voted in favor of UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions condemning the use of cluster munitions in Syria, including Resolution 69/189 on 18 December 2014, which expressed “outrage” at the continued use.[6]

Interpretive issues

In July 2011, the director of the department of conventional weapons of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs elaborated the ministry’s views on a number of issues important for the interpretation and implementation of the convention. On the prohibition on assistance with prohibited acts during joint military operations or “interoperability,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “under the same Article 21, para 3, we may engage in joint military operations with non-states Parties that might engage in activities prohibited by the Convention, however our personnel or nationals should not provide assistance with activities prohibited by the Convention.”[7]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the “transit of cluster munitions across, or foreign stockpiling of cluster munitions on, the national territory of States Parties is prohibited by the Convention.”[8] The ministry, however, noted that it does not have “access to or information on weapon types” stockpiled in European Union Force (EUFOR) military bases “on our territory.”[9] In May 2013, a Ministry of Defense official said the ministry has not inquired about the status of any foreign cluster munitions stored on EUFOR military bases in BiH.[10]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also stated that it considers “investment in the production of cluster munitions to be prohibited.”[11]

BiH is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is also party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Use, production, and transfer

Yugoslav forces and non-state armed groups used available stocks of cluster munitions during the 1992–1995 war. The various entity armies inherited cluster munitions during the break-up of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

In its initial Article 7 report, BiH declared, “There are no production facilities for CM [Cluster Munitions] in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”[12]

BiH has acknowledged past production of cluster munitions and first stated in 2007 that production had ceased.[13] It produced KB-1 and KB-2 submunitions for the Orkan multi-barrel rocket system, artillery projectiles, and mortar bombs.[14] The production capacity included the ability to manufacture KB-series submunitions and integrate them into carrier munitions such as artillery projectiles and rockets.[15] According to Jane’s Information Group, the Ministry of Defense produced the 262mm M-87 Orkan rocket, each containing 288 KB-1 dual-purpose submunitions.[16] It also lists BiH armed forces as possessing KPT-150 dispensers (which deploy submunitions) for aircraft.[17]

Stockpile destruction

BiH once possessed a stockpile of 445 cluster munitions of three types and 148,059 submunitions, as listed in the following table.

Cluster munitions formerly stockpiled by BiH[18]

Quantity and type of munition

Quantity and type of submunition

56 M-93 120mm mortar bombs

1,288 KB-2 (23 per container)

56 M-87 Orkan 262mm rockets

16,128 KB-1 (288 per container)

321 BL-755 bombs

47,187 Mk-1 (147 per container)

12 M-87 Orkan 262mm rockets

75,163 KB-1

Individual submunitions

4,815 KB-1 and 3,478 KB-2

445

148,059

 

Under Article 3 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, BiH was required to destroy all stockpiled cluster munitions under its jurisdiction and control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 March 2019.

In September 2012, BiH announced that the completion of its destruction of “all known and reported stocks of cluster munitions in 2011” and declared that it has “fulfilled all obligations relating to Article 3” of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.[19]

A total of 441 cluster munitions and 147,967 submunitions were destroyed in 2011, while 16,128 KB1 submunitions from M-87 Orkan 262mm rockets were destroyed in 2012,[20] along with four M-93 120mm mortar bombs containing 92 submunitions discovered after the 2011 stockpile destruction.[21] In 2014, the Ministry of Defense informed Landmine Survivors Initiatives that it destroyed the four bombs and their submunitions by open detonation.[22]  

In June 2015, BiH reported the destruction of 341 KB-1 submunitions on 16 April 2014 at Pretis in Vogosca.[23] It reported the discovery of the KB-1 submunitions in Pretis as well as four KB-2 submunitions in Krupa, Hadzici in the 2013 and June 2014 Article 7 reports.[24] On 17 June 2014, a cache of 114 KB-2 submunitions was found behind a house near Sarajevo.[25] According to the Federal Civil Protection the submunitions were taken to Lapov Do in Koniic municipality and destroyed the same day.[26]

Retention

BiH is not retaining any cluster munitions for research or training purposes.[27]



[1] The 2011 report cited Parliamentary Decision 514/10 of 28 May 2010 and the BiH Presidential Decision of 17 June 2010 approving ratification of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form A, 20 August 2011. Subsequent Article 7 reports have indicated no change to the national implementation measures declared in 2011.

[2] Statement by Ivica Dronjic, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of BiH to the UN in Geneva, Convention on Cluster Munitions Third Meeting of States Parties, Lusaka, 12 September 2013. Previously, officials indicated that BiH was considering national legislation to enforce the ban convention. CMC meeting with Tarik Serak, Director of Department, BiH Mine Action Center, Convention on Cluster Munitions Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 18 April 2013; and interview with Anesa Kundurovic, Director of Conventional Weapons Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sarajevo, 6 April 2012.

[3] The Article 7 reports submitted by BiH cover annual periods and were submitted on 20 August 2011 (for calendar year 2010), 4 May 2012 (for calendar year 2011), in November 2013 (for calendar year 2012), on 13 June 2014 (for calendar year 2013), and in June 2015 (for calendar year 2014).

[4] For details on BiH’s cluster munition policy and practice through early 2009, see Human Rights Watch and Landmine Action, Banning Cluster Munitions: Government Policy and Practice (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, May 2009), pp. 44–45.

[5] The workshop was organized by the Regional Arms Control Verification and Implementation Assistance Centre (RACVIAC) Centre for Security Cooperation in Southeast Europe and the government of Croatia’s Office for Demining and Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC).

[6]Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution A/RES/69/189, 18 December 2014. BiH voted in favor of similar resolutions on 15 May and 18 December 2013.

[7] Email from Anesa Kundurovic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 July 2011. Anesa Kundurovic noted that the views expressed to the Monitor “represent the position of MFA [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] and may or may not differ from the interpretation of other relevant institutions, including but not limiting [sic] to the Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces, etc.”

[8] In addition, the ministry noted, “in accordance with Article 3, paragraphs 6 and 7 of the Convention transfer is allowed only in exceptional cases” such as “for the purpose of destruction or for example, for the purpose of development of cluster munition countermeasures.” Email from Anesa Kundurovic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 July 2011.

[9] Email from Anesa Kundurovic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 July 2011.

[10] Email to Landmine Survivors Initiatives from the BiH Ministry of Defense, 17 May 2013.

[11] Email from Anesa Kundurovic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 July 2011.

[12] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form E, 20 August 2011.

[13] Statement of BiH, Oslo Conference on Cluster Munitions, 22 February 2007. Notes by the CMC/Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

[14] Statement of BiH, Convention on Cluster Munitions First Meeting of States Parties, Vientiane, 11 November 2010. Notes by the CMC.

[15] Statement of BiH, Wellington Conference on Cluster Munitions, 21 February 2008. Notes by the CMC.

[16] Leland S. Ness and Anthony G. Williams, eds., Jane’s Ammunition Handbook 2007–2008 (Surrey, UK: Jane’s Information Group Limited, 2007), p. 720.

[17] Robert Hewson, ed., Jane’s Air-Launched Weapons, Issue 44 (Surrey, UK: Jane’s Information Group Limited, 2004), p. 836.

[18] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Reports, Form B, 20 August 2011, and 4 May 2012.

[19] Statement of BiH, Convention on Cluster Munitions Third Meeting of States Parties, Oslo, 11 September 2012.

[20] Statement of BiH, Convention on Cluster Munitions Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 18 April 2012; and Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form B, 18 April 2012.

[21] Statement of BiH, Convention on Cluster Munitions Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 18 April 2012. In May 2013, the Ministry of Defense informed the CMC that the destruction was approved, but the cluster munitions had not been destroyed yet. Email to Landmine Survivors Initiatives from the BiH Ministry of Defense, 17 May 2013.

[22] Letter to Landmine Survivors Initiatives from the Ministry of Defense, 3 April 2014. BiH did not declare destruction of the munitions in its 2014 Article 7 report, which covers activities in calendar year 2013. See, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form B, dated April 2014 but submitted 13 June 2014. The Ministry of Defense subsequently confirmed that four M-93 120 mm mortar bombs were destroyed on 1 April 2014 by open detonation at the Glamoc polygon. Letter to Landmine Survivors Initiatives from the Ministry of Defense, 24 July 2014.

[23] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form B, June 2015.

[24] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Reports, Form B, dated April 2013 but submitted in November 2013. On 9 April 2014, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations stated the munitions are under its jurisdiction and would be destroyed. Letter to Landmine Survivors Initiatives from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, 9 April 2014.

[26] Letter to Landmine Survivors Initiatives from the Federal Civil Protection, 8 April 2015

[27] It declared that the “Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are not planning to keep in possession the cluster munitions that will be intended for the purpose of training and education.” Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Reports, Form C, 20 August 2011, and 4 May 2012. In 2013, it reported 20 KB-1 submunitions had been retained by Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) for mine detection dog training purposes. Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form C, November 2013. According to NPA, 30 inert KB1 submunitions—which have no fuzes—have been retained for training mine detection dogs. Email from NPA, 17 June 2014.


Mine Ban Policy

Last updated: 02 November 2011

Commitment to the Mine Ban Treaty

Mine Ban Treaty status

State Party

National implementation measures 

Amended criminal code in December 2004 to apply penal sanctions for treaty violations

Transparency reporting

2010


Policy

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)[1] signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 8 September 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 March 1999. On 29 December 2004, parliament approved a law amending the criminal code to apply penal sanctions for violations of the treaty.[2]

BiH submitted its annual Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report, covering calendar year 2010. It used voluntary Form J to provide additional information on casualties, mine clearance, and victim assistance. BiH submitted eleven previous Article 7 reports.[3]

BiH attended the Tenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva in November–December 2010, where it made a statement on its progress since being granted a mine clearance deadline extension and a statement on victim assistance. BiH also attended the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in Geneva in June 2011, making statements on victim assistance, as well as providing an update on mine clearance.

BiH is party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. BiH is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its Amended Protocol II on landmines. It submitted an annual report as required by Article 13 in 2009.  BiH is also party to Protocol V on explosive remnants of war.

Production, transfer, illegal stores, and use

BiH has stated that production of antipersonnel mines ceased by 1995.[4] It has reported on the conversion of production facilities.[5] BiH is not known to have exported antipersonnel mines.

In past years, authorities on numerous occasions found illegal stores of mines, but none have been explicitly reported since 2006.[6] In addition, nearly 40,000 mines were collected from the population under Operation Harvest until 2006.[7]

After BiH joined the treaty, the Monitor noted several cases of mine use in criminal activities, but no such incidents have been reported since 2003.[8]

Stockpile destruction and retention

BiH declared completion of its antipersonnel mine stockpile destruction program in November 1999, with a total of 460,727 mines destroyed.[9] This number has been amended annually since 2003, increasing each year to a total of 513,844 mines in BiH’s Article 7 report covering calendar year 2010.[10] No explanation has been given by BiH for these changes. Presumably, they result from newly discovered stocks, mines turned in by the population, or illegal mines seized from criminal elements.[11]

In September 2006, BiH reported that it had discovered more than 15,000 MRUD (Claymore-type) directional fragmentation mines during inspections of weapon storage sites.[12] It said that although the mines were not specifically prohibited by the Mine Ban Treaty, BiH had made a decision to destroy the mines for humanitarian reasons as well as to show its commitment to the aims of the treaty.[13] BiH reported that, as of April 2007, about 5,000 mines had been destroyed, with the intention to complete destruction in May 2007, but it has not provided information on completion.[14]

Mines retained for research and training

At the end of 2010, BiH retained 1,962 antipersonnel mines for training purposes, as well as 23 MRUD.[15] BiH’s Article 7 reports submitted in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 have indicated that all of the retained antipersonnel mines are fuzeless.[16]

The total number of mines retained at the end of 2010 indicates a decrease of 268 mines and two MRUD from the number reported at the end of 2009.[17] BiH had reported increases in the number of mines retained in 2006, 2007, and 2008.[18] The number of MRUD reported as retained has decreased each year since 2006.[19] BiH has not given any explanation for the increases, decreases, or overall inconsistencies in its reporting on the number of retained mines over the last several years.

Of the 1,962 antipersonnel mines (other than MRUD) reported as retained at the end of 2010, 877 are held by demining agencies, 557 by the BiH Mine Detection Dog Center (MDDC), 330 by the BiH Mine Action Center (BHMAC), 125 by the BiH Armed Forces, three by the RS Civil Protection Agency, and 70  by the FBiH Civil Protection Agency.[20]

BiH has stated that its retained mines are used for training mine detection dogs.[21] While providing more information about its retained mines, BiH has still provided few details on the intended purposes and actual uses of these mines, and has failed to use expanded Form D on retained mines with its annual transparency reports, as agreed by States Parties in 2004.

 


[1] BiH is an independent state, but under international administration. The 1995 Dayton peace accord set up two separate entities: a Bosniak-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), and the Bosnian Serb Republic (Republika Srpska, RS), each with its own president, government, parliament, police, and other bodies. Overarching these entities is a central government and rotating presidency. In addition, the district of Brčko is a self-governing administrative unit, established as a neutral area placed under joint Bosniak, Croat, and Serb authority.

[2] “Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Official Gazette, No. 61/04. Article 193a forbids the development, production, storage, transportation, offer for sale or purchase of antipersonnel mines. The penalty for such offenses is between one and 10 years’ imprisonment.

[3] Previous reports were submitted 10 May 2010 (for calendar year 2009) in 2009 (for calendar year 2008), 2008 (for calendar year 2007), April 2007, 30 May 2006, 6 May 2005, 17 May 2004, 1 April 2003, 20 May 2002, 1 September 2001, and 1 February 2000.

[4] Interview with members of the Demining Commission, Sarajevo, 30 January 2003. BiH inherited the mine production facilities of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in Bugojno, Goražde, Konjic, and Vogošc.

[5] See, Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 193; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form E, April 2007.

[6] The Dayton peace accord allows international military forces to search for and collect illegally held weapons, including mines. For more details, see, Landmine Monitor Report 2007, p. 183.

[7] Operation Harvest began as a Stabilisation Force (SFOR) initiative in 1998 to collect unregistered weapons from private holdings under amnesty conditions. From 1998 to late 2006, about 38,500 landmines were collected.  The European Force (EUFOR), which took over from SFOR in December 2004, has not conducted any Operation Harvest arms collection activities since 2006, but retains the right to do so. For more details, see, Landmine Monitor Report 2007, p. 183.

[9] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form G, 1 February 2000. Destruction was carried out at various locations by the two entity armies with SFOR assistance. The stockpile consisted of 19 types of mines.

[10] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form G, (undated, covers calendar year 2010). The number was amended in previous years to 460,925 for year 2003, to 461,634 for year 2004, to 462,351 for year 2005, to 463,198 for year 2006, 463,489 for year 2007, and to 463,921 for year 2008, and 464,267 for year 2009. See Form G of Article 7 reports submitted each year.

[11] In 2003, SFOR found very large additional quantities of antipersonnel mines among old munitions, after the entity armies requested assistance with downsizing military storage sites and dealing with old munitions in storage. An SFOR publication reported that several hundred thousand antipersonnel mines were awaiting destruction at these sites. By March 2004, 2,574 antipersonnel mines, 31,920 antivehicle mines, and 302,832 detonators had been destroyed. The Monitor has been unable to obtain updated information on further destruction or new discoveries at storage sites of antipersonnel mines. The BiH government has not formally reported the existence of these newly discovered stocks of antipersonnel mines, has not provided details on numbers and types of mines, and has not made known the timetable for destruction of the mines. See, Landmine Monitor Report 2006, p. 202.

[13] BiH stated that the mines are “designed to be used with an electrical initiation system,” and therefore are not considered antipersonnel mines under the Mine Ban Treaty. However, it also noted that “since they are not adapted to ensure command-detonation, MRUD mines can be technically considered as anti-personnel mines.” Statement by Amira Arifovic-Harms, Counselor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Seventh Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 20 September 2006. Use of Claymore-type mines in command-detonated mode is permitted under the Mine Ban Treaty, but use in victim-activated mode (with a tripwire) is prohibited.

[14] In April 2007, BiH indicated that of the 15,269 MRUD mines, 14,701 mines would be destroyed by mid-May 2007, 396 were transferred to EUFOR for training, 20 were donated to Germany, and two were destroyed immediately. BiH intended to retain about 150 mines for training. The 14,701 mines were transported to a workshop in Doboj, and by mid-April 2007, about 5,000 had been destroyed. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, April 2007.

[15] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2010), Form D. The 1,962 antipersonnel mines include 212 PMA-1, 675 PMA-2, 583 PMA-3, 324 PMR-2A, three PMR-2, five PMR-3, 152 PROM-1, and eight PMR-Capljinka.

[16] See Form B of Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 reports submitted in 2011, 2010, 2009, and 2008. In its Article 7 report submitted in April 2007, BiH did not state that any of the retained mines were fuzeless, while its report submitted on 30 May 2006 stated that 876 retained mines were fuzeless and 1,299 were active. BiH has not explained these changes.

[17] The number of some types of mines has increased, while the number of other types has decreased. BiH did not provide an explanation for these changes. There was a decrease of 61 ROB, two PMA-1, and four PMR-2A mines, and an increase of seven PMA-2, 14 PMA-3, eight PROM-1, and three PMR-2 mines compared to the totals reported retained at the end of 2008. No PMR-2 mines were reported to be retained in 2008.

[18] The number of antipersonnel mines retained by BiH increased each year from 1,550 mines at the end of 2006, to 1,619 mines at the end of 2007, to 2,274 mines at the end of 2008.  See Form D of the Article 7 reports submitted in 2007, 2008, and 2009.  See also, Landmine Monitor Report 2009, p. 206, for comparative detail.

[19] BiH has reported a decrease in the number of MRUD retained, from 158 at the end of 2006, to 157 at the end of 2007, to 116 at the end of 2008, to 16 at the end of 2009 14 at the end of 2010. See Form D of the Article 7 reports submitted in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

[20] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2010), Form D. A comparison of the Article 7 reports for years 2009 and 2010 indicates that antipersonnel mines, other than MRUD, held by demining operators decreased by 69 in 2010 (mines held by the Canadian International Demining Corps decreased by 38 PMA-1 mines, 12 PMA-3 mines, 28 PMR-2A mines, increased 23 PMA-2 mines and six PROM-1 mines; mines held by Norwegian People’s Aid increased by three PMA-1 mines, 18 PMA-2 mines, 17 PMA-3 mines, 21 PMR-2A mines, and decreased 10 PMR RP mines; mines held by FBiH Civil Protection Agency decreased by 10 PMA-2 and 10 PMA-3 mines and one PROM-1 mine, and increased 28 PMR-2A mines (from zero); mines held by BHMAC decreased by one PMA-1 mine, ECO-DEM held 35 antipersonnel mines (increase from zero); and the number of mines held by MDDC, RS Civil Protection Agency, and the BiH Armed Forces, Stop Mines, UXB-Balkans, Demira, Provita and BH Demining  remained unchanged. No PMR-RP mines were reported to be retained by any organization in 2010.

[21] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Annex “Review on Number of Retained Mines in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” 30 May 2006.


Mine Action

Last updated: 07 November 2018

 

Treaty status

Mine Ban Treaty

State Party
Article 5 deadline: 1 March 2019
Extension request submitted to 2021

Convention on Cluster Munitions

State Party
Article 4 deadline: 1 March 2021
Unclear whether on track

Mine action management

National mine action management actors

The Demining Commission, under the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Ministry of Civil Affairs
The BiH Mine Action Center (BHMAC), headquarters in Sarajevo, regional offices in Banja Luka, Bihac, Brčko, Mostar, Pale, Sarajevo, Travnik, and Tuzla

Mine action strategic plan

National Mine Action Strategy for 2018–2025 (awaiting parliamentary approval)

Mine action legislation

Demining law amended in 2017 (awaiting parliamentary approval)

Mine action standards

National Mine Action Standards (NMAS)
Three revised national standards on non-technical survey, technical survey and land release were adopted in January 2017

Operators in 2017

National:
Armed Forces of BiH
Federal Administration of Civil Protection
The Civil Protection of Republic of Srpska

NGOs:
DEMIRA
Dok-ing deminiranje N.H.O.
Explosive Detection Dogs (EDD) training center
Eko Dem
Pro Vita
Stop Mines
Udruga “Pazi Mine Vitez”
Association UEM


Commerical demining organizations:
Detektor
N&N Ivsa
Point
UEM


International:
Mines Advisory Group (MAG)
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)

Extent of contamination as of end 2017

Landmines

1,061kmSHA[1]

Cluster munition remnants

6.47km2

Other ERW contamination

Heavily contaminated by other ERW

Land release in 2017[2]

Landmines

A total of 5.23kmreleased: 0.30kmcleared, 2.48kmreduced, and 2.45km canceled
635 antipersonnel mines and 26 antivehicle mines destroyed

Cluster munition remnants

0.27kmcleared and 0.6km2 reduced
1,246 submunitions destroyed

Other ERW

634 ERW destroyed during mine and cluster munition land release operations

Progress

Landmines

BiH’s second extension request, submitted in April 2018, seeks a two-year interim extension to 1 March 2021, in order to conduct survey and clearance to better define the extent of contamination

Cluster munition remnants

The new mine action strategy addresses cluster munition contamination, but BiH still has to elaborate a plan and associated timeframe for completion of cluster munition clearance

Notes: SHA = suspected hazardous area; ERW = explosive remnants of war.

Contamination

BiH is massively contaminated with mines and ERW, including cluster munition remnants, primarily as a result of the 1992–1995 conflict related to the break-up of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.[3]

According to BiH, mined and ERW-contaminated areas are located in 129 municipalities/cities, with 1,389 affected communities/populated areas in total, of which 1,338 communities are affected by mines, 31 communities by mixed mine and cluster munition contamination, and 29 communities by cluster munition contamination. Mines and ERW directly impact the safety of approximately 545,600 people or 15% of the population of BiH (based on the last census in 2013).[4] Of the total SHA, 63% is forested, 26% agricultural land, and 11% infrastructure, housing, and other land use.[5]

Mine contamination

Most mined areas are in the zone of separation between BiH’s two main political entities—the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Republika Srpska (RS). Twenty years after the end of the conflicts, BiH is still the most heavily mined country in Europe.

In its Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 transparency report for 2017, BiH stated that there was a total of 1,061km2of SHAs.[6] However, when compared with figures provided in the revised second Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 extension request submitted in September 2018, these figures appear to include confirmed hazardous areas (CHAs).[7]

The revised second Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 extension request presents conflicting estimates of the extent of remaining contamination, which are undated. It reports both a total of 1,056kmand 1,080kmSHAs and CHAs.[8]

Antipersonnel mine contamination by canton according to the revised second Article 5 extension request, September 2018[9]

Canton

Suspected mined areas

Area (m2)

“Known” mined areas

Area (m2)

Unsko-Sanki

638

101,314,106

143

2,790,748

Posavski

172

17,439,249

10

492,218

Tuzlanski

706

78,545,195

65

1,495,028

Zanicko-Dobojski

653

118,366,519

64

1,956,645

Bosansko-Podrinjski

221

46,583,593

17

1,076,071

Srednje-Bosanski

752

122,177,208

113

3,359,832

Hercegovacko-Neret

1,214

149,883,214

71

2,584,675

Zapadno-Hercegovacki

6

501,764

3

228,308

Sarajevo

271

72,625,581

32

1,088,825

Canton 10

472

84,979,709

38

1,120,001

Republika Srpska

2801

226,324,121

355

6,675,017

Brčko district

144

14,719,945

6

246,570

Total

8,050

1,033,460,204

917

23,113,938

 

These figures compare to 1,091kmof mined area as of the end of 2016, of which 23.46km2 were confirmed.[10]

A 2016 national audit office report on the efficiency of the demining system in BiH concluded that, “Twenty years after the war ended, the Mine Action Center still does not have complete information on the locations of landmines in BiH, which is to say it does not know the total suspected hazardous area.”[11] BiH notes that, according to the results of its pilot land release project conducted from 2013 to 2017, it is possible to deduce that not all SHAs currently in the database are contaminated by mines and that in fact mine clearance will only need to be conducted in relatively small areas.[12] 

Minefields in BiH generally contain relatively small numbers of mines, which are typically either “in groups or randomly laid.” Many minefield records (approximately 40%), were reportedly never made or handed over, and records were often destroyed or lost for several reasons, such as the death or emigration of the persons who created the minefield records.[13] Furthermore, physical changes to mined areas (such as in vegetation), and a lack of witnesses to the laying of the mines, pose additional challenges.[14]

According to BHMAC, most mine incidents now occur in forested areas,[15] and those with a fatal outcome are mostly from PROM‐1 bounding fragmentation mines.[16] An analysis of mine accidents in BIH shows that individuals that are more economically vulnerable are more exposed to mine/ERW contamination, as they often knowingly enter into contaminated areas for livelihood activities.[17] (See BiH’s casualty profile for more details.) 

Cluster munition contamination 

As of the end of 2017, BiH reported a total of 6.47kmof cluster munition-contaminated area (see table below).[18] This compares to reported contamination as of the end of 2016, of 7.31km2.[19]

However, the difference in total cluster munition contamination between the end of 2016 and the end of 2017 cannot be explained or reconciled by area released by technical survey and clearance or the amount of land confirmed as cluster munition contaminated.

Cluster munition contamination (at end 2017)[20]

Canton

Area (m2)

Unsko-Sanski

70,000

Tuzlanski

680,000

Zenicko-Dobojski

2,080,000

Srednje-Bosanski

1,780,000

Zapadno-Hercegovacki

0

Sarajevo

380,000

Canton 10

350,000

Total Federation BiH

5,340,000

Total Republic of Srpska

1,130,000

Total

6,470,000

 

Of the total suspected cluster munition contamination, 2.7kmis the result of individually launched KB-1 submunitions fired from modified AK-47 rifles.[21] BHMAC had planned to undertake a survey to more accurately delineate areas containing the contamination from the improvised use of individual submunitions,[22] but as of June 2018, the status of this work was unclear. A total of 4.47kmof contamination is in areas that also contain mines,[23] including the area of contamination resulting from the firing of individual submunitions.

Cluster munition contamination dates back to the conflicts of 1992–1995 related to the break-up of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.[24] 

Cluster munition contamination in BiH poses a small humanitarian risk but has a greater impact on development, impeding access to natural resources and posing an obstacle to rehabilitation and building of infrastructure.[25] Sixty communities have been identified as affected with submunitions, of which 31 are also affected by mines.[26] Prior to one incident in 2016, the last recorded submunition casualty occurred in 2009.[27] 

Program Management

The Demining Commission, under the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, supervises the state-wide BHMAC and represents BiH in its relations with the international community on mine-related issues.[28] Whereas the Minister for Civil Affairs remains ultimately responsible for mine action, the Demining Commission represents the strategic body responsible for setting mine action policy, and it proposes the appointment of BHMAC senior staff, for approval by the Council of Ministers.[29] The Demining Commission is composed of representatives from three ministries (Civil Affairs, Security, and Defense) elected from the three constituent “peoples” of BiH and representing BiH’s three majority ethnic groups (Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs).[30]

Three new Demining Commission members were given a two-year mandate on 23 July 2015,[31] which expired in July 2017. A new Demining Commission was expected to be appointed imminently, but there was a delay during which the existing representatives served as an “acting” Demining Commission in the interim.[32] Subsequently, the existing Demining Commission representatives were re-elected for a further two-year term, from October 2017 to October 2019.[33] 

BHMAC, established by a 2002 Decree of the Council of Ministers, is responsible for regulating mine action and implementing BiH’s demining plan, including accreditation of all mine action organizations.[34] BHMAC operates from its headquarters in Sarajevo, and two main offices in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, and eight regional offices (Banja Luka, Bihac, Brčko, Mostar, Pale, Sarajevo, Travnik, and Tuzla).[35]

A November 2016 national audit office report on the efficiency of the demining system in BiH concluded that, “The institutions of BiH have not undertaken all activities required to ensure efficiency of the demining system. A conclusion can be drawn that BiH is not committed to dealing seriously with the demining problem, which jeopardizes the implementation of the BiH strategic goals and the fulfilment of international commitments assumed. The demining process has neither been analyzed nor improved systematically in the past 15 years.”[36] However, reforms are now being implemented, under the leadership of an acting director of BHMAC, who was appointed on 22 September 2015 by the Council of Ministers.[37] The Demining Commission has reportedly drafted an action plan to address the recommendations of the 2016 audit office report.[38] As of September 2018, the BHMAC reported that the action plan had been mostly realized and the plan itself was in the process of being formally adopted.[39] 

After a 10-year hiatus, Board of Donor meetings resumed in September 2015,[40] and a second meeting took place in March 2016.[41] As of August 2018, the last Board of Donor meeting had taken place in Sarajevo inNovember 2017.[42] BiH’s new National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025, which has yet to be formally approved, specified that at least two Board of Donors meetings should be organized every year.[43]

In October 2016, expert working groups, which used to meet until 2009, were re-established.[44] In June 2017, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported that it was planning to organize expert working groups in coordination with BHMAC,[45] but as of August 2018 no further meetings had taken place.[46] 

Strategic planning

In 2017, BiH developed a new National Mine Action Strategy for 2018–2025, with support from the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), which addresses all contamination, including mines and cluster munition remnants.[47] However, as of June 2018, it had not yet been formally approved.[48] 

The previous Mine Action Strategy for 2009–2019, adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2008,[49] set the target of the country becoming free of mines by 2019. It provided for three planned revisions of the strategy in 2012–2013, 2015, and 2017.[50] The first two revisions were conducted as planned. Both attributed the lack of progress primarily to a funding shortfall.[51] Although the 2015 revision was endorsed by the Demining Commission in BiH in March 2016, it was not adopted by the Council of Ministers.[52] 

After starting the third revision process, BiH, with support from the GICHD, is now instead producing a new mine action strategy towards completing landmine and cluster munition clearance (2018–2025),[53] for which two consultative workshops were held in November 2016 and February 2017. 

The new National Mine Action Strategy for 2018–2025 contains a general plan and timeframe for the completion of mine and cluster munition clearance.[54] It includes a section on management of residual contamination and national capacities, after clearance of all contaminated areas is completed.[55] According to the new strategy, “A resource mobilization plan will be developed, clearly stating annual national and international funding targets,” and in addition, “Strategy goal action plans with corresponding budgets will be developed, facilitating the implementation of the strategy.” It is also stipulated that the strategy will be continuously monitored and reviewed to ensure its continued relevance, to enable the program’s strengths and weaknesses to be identified, and to allow BHMAC and partners to address problems, improve performance, build on success and adapt to changing circumstances.[56]

In October 2017, a month following a validation meeting in Sarajevo, the GICHD submitted the first draft of the new strategy to BHMAC and the Demining Commission. The finalization process took many months, with the finalized strategy being eventually submitted to the Council of Ministers for adoption in July 2018.[57] As of August 2018, the new strategy had yet to be formally adopted.[58] 

BiH’s annual operational mine action plan for 2018, in accordance with the Article 16 of the Demining Law, was adopted by the Demining Commission at the fourth session in February 2018 and forwarded for adoption by the Council of Ministers in BiH.[59] As of August 2018, the demining law had not yet been adopted.[60]

Mine action prioritization and planning in BiH is based on socio-economic impact. However, a UNDP evaluation recommended that the system be reviewed to reflect changing circumstances as well to take account of the specific impact of particularly dangerous mines such as the PROM-1.[61] BHMAC conducted a general assessment in 2016 to help designate high-, medium-, and low-impact SHAs.[62]

As part of the EU country assessment, a workshop was planned to be held with all relevant stakeholders to be consulted on the process of analyzing and defining indicators. The resulting indicators will be used for the strategic planning tool for land release.[63]

Legislation 

The first draft of the amended demining law, submitted to the Council of Ministers in June 2017,[64] was still awaiting parliamentary adoption as of June 2018.[65] This followed years of efforts since 2008 to adopt revised mine action legislation in BiH. As stressed by the GICHD, “In order to be able to fulfil its international obligations in a timely fashion, relevant authorities of BiH need to be able to make decisions more quickly and to foster an environment in which operations are not hindered.”[66]

Standards

BiH has national mine action standards (NMAS), which include standards on land release.

The Demining Commission adopted temporary guidelines for quality assurance (QA)/quality control (QC) for land release tasks in July 2017.[67]

At the end of 2016, in order to ensure that the standards and standard operating procedures (SOPs) allow for the optimal release of land through survey, including by technical survey, BHMAC created four expert working groups, to work on amendments and additional to all the chapters of the national mine action standards and SOPs.[68] As a result, two SOP chapters were adopted by the Demining Commission in April 2018: one on non-technical survey and the other on the opening and monitoring of tasks.[69] In addition, a specific SOP was approved by the Demining Commission for the new 18-month “country assessment” project.[70] 

Quality management

BHMAC’S two main offices in Banja Luka and Sarajevo coordinate the activities of regional offices in planning, survey, and QA/QC. QA inspectors are based in the regional offices.[71]

The 2015 UNDP evaluation found that BHMAC’s QA of demining activities functions well, but recommended that BHMAC develop effective quality management mechanisms for the whole organization to make processes more efficient and transparent.[72] However, the 2016 national audit office report found that the quality control of demining carried out by BHMAC is not efficient and that a systematic improvement of the QC process has never been done. In addition, the report states that: “Despite several levels of control in the demining system, accidents and irregularities occur in the areas the BiH Mine Action Centre declared safe.”[73] In the report, “accidents” refer to blasts during demining activities and in areas that have been cleared and released; and “incidents” refer to mines and items of unexploded ordnance (UXO) detected in cleared areas after the completion of works and after the QC certificates had been issued by BHMAC. According to the audit office report, 23 irregularities and 32 accidents occurred between 2005 and 2016. Of the 32 accidents, 29 occurred during demining while the remainder involved civilians after demining had been completed.[74] The Director of BHMAC, however, confirmed in May 2017 that no irregularities or accidents on cleared/released land have occurred in the last two years.[75]

In 2017, QC inspectors from BHMAC conducted 3,076 technical inspections at 225 tasks (of which 2,925 technical inspections at 201 tasks related to technical survey and clearance of mined area), and two decisions were issued that required repetition of technical survey operations and two that required repetition of clearance.[76]

Information management

BHMAC does not report accurately or consistently on land release data (disaggregated by product cancelled, reduced, and cleared), activity (non-technical survey, technical survey, and clearance), and classification (SHA and CHA) in a manner consistent with IMAS. 

The first goal of BiH’s new National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025 (yet to be formally approved as of October 2018) is that, “Sound IM standards, tools and processes ensure that relevant information is collected, stored, analyzed, shared and used for efficient and effective planning, prioritization, tasking and implementation of mine action activities.”[77]

The UNDP is supporting a project to improve information management through the development of a web-based database.[78] 

Operators 

At the beginning of 2018, 26 organizations were accredited for mine action in BiH: four government organizations (Armed Forces of BiH, Federal Administration of Civil Protection, Civil Protection Administration of Republic of Srpska, and Brčko District Civil Protection); the Red Cross Society of BiH; seven commercial organizations (all national); and 14 NGOs (11 national and three international). Overall demining capacity totaled 1,200 persons in accredited organizations, comprising 900 deminers and 300 others (including team leaders, site leader, operational officers, QA officers, and dog trainers). The accredited organizations also have at their disposal a total of 37 accredited machines (for vegetation removal, ground disturbance, and removal of debris), 1,257 metal detectors, and 63 accredited explosive detection dogs (EDDs). In addition, BHMAC has at its disposal 44 surveyors (i.e. 22 survey teams for non‐technical survey and emergency marking), eight officers for planning non‐technical survey operations, 12 inspectors, and 28 senior clerks for QC/technical supervision/inspection.[79]

The governmental operators—Civil Protection teams and the BiH Armed Forces’ Demining Battalion—constitute about 60% of the available operational capacity in BiH, though their total output in terms of land released by clearance and technical survey is proportionately much less.[80] The general view is that the BiH Armed Forces and Civil Protection are both good partners, and have effective capacities, but have suffered from logistical challenges and equipment deficits, which prevent them from working at full capacity.[81] 

The BiH Armed Forces’ survey and clearance operations are fully engaged from March to November, and with reduced activity, predominantly in southern BiH, from December to February.[82] They also deploy machinery and EDDs during their survey and clearance operations.[83] They require ongoing support from external partners to secure personal protective equipment, batteries for detectors, and fuel for demining machinery, since the army’s own complex procurement system often cannot deliver such items in sufficient time.[84] Since 2010, NPA has increasingly focused on building the capacity of the Demining Battalion.[85]

Furthermore, both the BiH Armed Forces and Civil Protection suffer recruitment challenges, but of a differing nature. Deminers in the BiH Armed Forces are forced to stop demining at the age of 38 (this upper limit, until recently, had been 35). This results in experienced deminers being forced to retire at a very early age and results in a high turnover of personnel.[86] The Federal Administration of Civil Protection, on the other hand, is unable to employ new deminers, as this is a federal government decision. Therefore, the capacity of the Federal Administration of Civil Protection has been reduced as pensioned deminers or those absent due to sickness have not been replaced.[87]

The 2015 UN assessment recommended that BHMAC involve the BiH Armed Forces and Civil Protection teams more in conducting non-technical survey, technical survey, and clearance tasks, as part of the land release process.[88] In the opinion of a UNDP expert, the BiH Armed Forces have sufficient demining equipment, but could benefit from stronger management and better oversight of demining operations.[89] 

MAG received operational accreditation in April 2017, and began technical survey and clearance operations in mid-May 2017.[90]

With the exception of MAG and NPA, clearance operators in BiH typically compete for international tenders in order to secure their funding. The UNDP evaluation suggested that this left much capacity underused and recommended alternative contracting models more appropriate for land release (either by having longer term contracts or being contracted for the clearance of larger areas), which could be more attractive to the demining organizations in terms of security and could also make best use of capacity in the long run.[91] National demining NGOs, such as STOP Mines or PROVITA, which are registered in a similar way to companies, potentially have capacity to quickly mobilize additional resources and up-scale operations.[92]

Land Release (mines)

According to the Article 7 report for 2017, in that year BiH released almost 0.69kmby clearance and 6.68kmby technical survey.[93] A further 20.75kmwas cancelled.[94] However, the second revised Article 5 extension request reports that in 2017, 2.46kmof land was cancelled, 2.48kmwas reduced and 0.30km2was cleared.[95]

This is only a little more than half the clearance output of the previous year, when almost 1.34kmwas cleared.[96] It is also a reduction on the 10.39kmreduced by technical survey in 2016. The amount cancelled in 2017 is not comparable to 2016, as the 46.94kmreported as cancelled by non-technical survey in 2016 included the results of the full three-and-a-half-year EU pilot project, rather than the annual cancellation output for 2016.[97]

Survey in 2017 (mines) 

In 2017, according to the Article 7 report and BHMAC, more than 6.68kmwas reduced through technical survey, conducted by various government organizations, NGOs, and commercial organizations (see tables below).[98] In addition, a further 20.75kmwas cancelled by non-technical survey.[99]

Technical survey of mined area by Canton in 2017[100]

Canton

Area reduced (m2)

Unsko-Sanki

510,807

Posavski

484,509

Tuzlanski

421,808

Zanicko-Dobojski

279,419

Bosansko-Podrinjski

250,837

Srednje-Bosanski

715,644

Hercegovacko-Neret

59,560

Zapadno-Hercegovacki

0

Sarajevo

674,365

Canton 10

339,319

Total Federation BiH

3,736,268

Total Republika Srpska

2,237,770

Total District Brčko

708,505

Sum total

6,682,543

 

Technical survey of mined area by operator in 2017[101]

 

Operator

Area reduced (m2)

Government

Federal Administration of Civil Protection

587,468

BiH Armed Forces

2,380,007

Civil Protection Administration of Republic of Srpska

196,626

NGOs

DEMIRA

82,796

Dok-ing deminiranje N.H.O.

180,993

EDD training centre

55,025

Eko Dem

49,275

NPA

834,318

MAG

0

Pro Vita

465,116

Stop Mines

197,267

Udruga “Pazi Mine Vitez”

200,996

Association UEM

352,618

Commercial demining organizations

Detektor

39,906

N&N Ivsa

485,477

Point

318,279

UEM

256,376

 Total

 

6,682,543

 

There was a discrepancy in data between BHMAC and MAG. BHMAC did not record any output from MAG technical survey in 2017, whereas MAG reported reducing 328,096mthrough technical survey.[102]

Clearance in 2017 (mines)

According to the Article 7 report and BHMAC, a total of almost 0.69kmwas cleared in 2017, during which 1,749 antipersonnel mines, 20 antivehicle mines, and 797 items of ERW were destroyed (see table below).[103]

Mine clearance operations were conducted by the BiH Armed Forces, the Civil Protection of FBIH, the Civil Protection of RS, 10 NGOs, and four commercial demining companies (see table below).

Mine clearance by canton in 2017[104]

Canton

Area cleared (m2)

AP mines destroyed

AV mines destroyed

ERW destroyed

Unsko-Sanki

21,237

250

0

31

Posavski

157,803

93

0

109

Tuzlanski

73,291

121

8

31

Zanicko-Dobojski

24,252

54

0

39

Bosansko-Podrinjski

7,107

133

0

29

Srednje-Bosanski

15,033

339

3

39

Hercegovacko-Neret

102,419

119

0

4

Sarajevo

26,415

430

4

212

Canton 10

1,529

24

0

7

Total Federation BiH

429,086

1,563

15

501

Total Republic Srpska

253,194

169

5

130

Total District Brčko

4,469

17

0

166

Sum Total

686,749

1,749

20

797

Note: AP = antipersonnel; AV = antivehicle.

Mine clearance by operator in 2017[105]

 

Operator

No. of tasks

Area cleared (m2)

AP mines destroyed

AV mines destroyed

ERW destroyed

Government

Federal Administration of Civil Protection

8

103,303

100

8

86

BiH Armed Forces

5

44,437

295

0

77

Civil Protection Administration of RS

7

102,909

63

0

20

NGOs

DEMIRA

7

67,491

30

0

7

Dok-ing deminiranje N.H.O.

1

81,539

89

0

156

EDD training centre

0

396

117

0

4

Eko Dem

0

400

9

0

4

NPA

4

45,518

319

5

31

MAG

0

0

5

0

0

Pro Vita

2

20,331

408

1

37

Stop Mines

0

719

132

0

73

Udruga “Pazi Mine Vitez”

1

18,649

34

2

14

Association UEM

7

85,327

15

0

1

Commercial demining organizations

Detektor

2

30,735

4

0

6

N&N Ivsa

3

81,221

99

0

202

Point

0

1,600

19

0

35

UEM

1

2,174

11

4

44

 Total

 

48

686,749

1,749

20

797

 

There was a discrepancy between clearance data provided by BHMAC for MAG and NPA, and that provided by the operators for 2017 operations. BHMAC did not record any output from MAG clearance in 2017, other than destruction of five antipersonnel mines. MAG itself reported clearing 109,180mand destroying 134 antipersonnel mines and 19 items of ERW in 2017. NPA reported that it had cleared 23 mined areas, totaling 38,346m2, with the destruction of 118 antipersonnel mines, five antivehicle mines, and 34 items of ERW.[106]

Land release projects and methodology 2013–2019

A land release pilot project, implemented with EU pre-accession funding, was implemented from 2013 to 2016.[107] The project enabled efficient tasking of systematic technical survey and technical survey with targeted investigation, helping ensure clearance assets were only directed into CHAs.[108] Results from six completed tasks in the EU pilot project revealed that 91% of the total land released was cancelled through non-technical survey, 8.5% was reduced through technical survey, and 0.5% was cleared. Assuming the six tasks are representative of much of BiH’s remaining SHAs, BHMAC predicts that only a minor proportion of the remaining SHAs contain actual contamination, and deployment of clearance assets will therefore only be required for relatively small areas.[109] This has been factored into BiH’s National Mine Action Strategy for 2018–2025, and it is hoped that the new land release concept will greatly speed up release of suspected mined area.[110]

A “country assessment” project was approved by the EU, and the contract was signed on 15 August 2018, with an implementation period of 18 months.[111] It aims to conduct a country assessment implemented jointly by BHMAC, NPA, and BiH Armed Forces’ Demining Battalion, to establish a more accurate baseline of mine contamination and help and improve the efficiency of follow-on survey and clearance operations.[112] Under the project, non-technical survey will be conducted by BHMAC (nine non-technical survey teams), the BiH Armed Forces (two non-technical survey teams), and NPA (three non-technical survey teams). Results of the assessment will enable BiH to plan for the realization of the new National Mine Action Strategy for 2018–2025 and preparation of its final Article 5 extension through to completion.[113]

Under this assessment project, 1,030kmof remaining mined area is expected to be subdivided into 500 +/-10% mine suspect areas (MSAs) requiring further survey and clearance, and 30kmis expected to be cancelled.[114] MSAs comprise of SHAs and CHAs that encompass one or more impacted communities and due to economic, cultural, geographical, or other reasons form a logical geographical area on which comprehensive survey and clearance will be undertaken.[115] It is envisaged that the creation of MSAs will enable mine action operations to strengthen community liaison and ensure that the needs of the communities are prioritized and addressed. It is also intended to simplify the tasking procedure by assigning specific organizations a larger geographical area in which to carry out operations.[116] Local administrations and BHMAC will together agree on the size and priority of MSAs in accordance with humanitarian, developmental, and safety needs of municipality and local communities.[117] The MSAs will be categorized into three categories: high, medium, and low risk, based on available general assessment data. MSAs with a higher probability of containing PROM mines, large confirmed minefields, and high-/medium-impact MSAs based on general assessment, will be categorized as high- and medium-risk MSAs within one municipality. All other MSAs will be categorized as low risk.[118] 

Land Release (cluster munition remnants)

In 2017, close to 0.27kmof cluster munition-contaminated area was released by clearance, and a further 0.6kmreduced by technical survey. During technical survey and clearance, a total of 1,246 submunitions were destroyed.[119] 

Survey in 2017 (cluster munition remnants) 

In 2017, nearly 0.6kmof cluster munition-contaminated area was reduced by technical survey, during which 632 submunitions and 26 other items of ERW were destroyed.[120] This represents a slight decrease on the 0.76kmthat was reduced by technical survey in 2016.[121]

Clearance in 2017 (cluster munition remnants)

In 2017, nearly 0.27kmof cluster munition-contaminated land was cleared, with the destruction of 1,246 submunitions and four other items of UXO, all in the Federation of BiH (see table below).[122] Clearanceoutput in the Federation BiH in 2017, conducted by the BiH Armed Forces, the Federal Administration of Civil Protection, and NPA, was therefore more than double the 0.1kmcleared in 2016.[123]

Clearance of cluster munition-contaminated area in 2017[124]

Canton

Operators

Area cleared (m2)

Submunitions destroyed

Other UXO destroyed

Tuzlanski

BiH Armed Forces

36,255

529

0

Unsko-Sanski

Federal Administration of Civil Protection and NPA

122,903

38

1

Zenicko-Dobojski

BiH Armed Forces and NPA

32,462

250

0

Srednje-Bosanski

BiH Armed Forces

11,509

20

3

Hercegovacko-Neretvanski

Federal Administration of Civil Protection and NPA

39,787

9

0

Canton 10

NPA

24,856

77

0

Sarajevo

BiH Armed Forces

0

323

0

Total

 

267,772

1,246

4

 

NPA conducted cluster munition operations in four cantons in 2017: Canton 10, Hercegovacko-Neretvanski, Unsko-Sanski, and Zenicko-Dobojski. In total, NPA reported releasing 130,522mthrough technical survey and 139,555mthrough clearance, during which a total of 124 submunitions and one other item of UXO were destroyed.[125] Of the five clearance tasks NPA undertook in 2017, there was one task in Zenicko-Dobojski canton, in which no submunitions were discovered, but 105 pieces of exploded cluster munition remnants were found.[126]

Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 Compliance 

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty (and in accordance with the 10-year extension request granted by States Parties in 2008), BiH is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 March 2019. BiH will not meet the deadline and has requested a two-year interim extension to 1 March 2021, in order to carry out survey activities to more accurately define the precise perimeter of mined areas. BiH believes it will then be better able to calculate the time required to complete its Article 5 obligations. It has pledged to submit a final extension request by 31 March 2020.[127]

According to its 2018 revised Article 5 extension request, the next two years will see land release being intensively conducted through the application of new standards and SOPs to improve efficiency and cost‐effectiveness.[128] Results gained so far through the application of more efficient evidence-based land release methodology indicate the potential for large areas of uncontaminated SHA to be released through survey.[129] BiH has expressed its commitment to complete Article 5 obligations by 2025, as detailed in BiH’s National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025 (yet to be approved).[130]

The “country assessment” project, currently being undertaken in 2018 and 2019, is expected to result in the cancellation of 30kmthrough high-quality non-technical survey and should enable more accurate tasking of technical survey and clearance.[131]

Over the last five years, BiH has released less than 7.41kmthorough clearance (see table below). In 2017, as in all years since it was granted the 10-year extension to its initial Article 5 deadline, BiH fell far short of its land release targets.[132] According to the UNDP Draft Mine Action Governance and Management Assessment for BiH, the painfully slow pace of clearance has resulted in lack of confidence in the national mine action program from donors but also from people living in mine-affected communities, who felt disillusioned that the mines have not been cleared.[133] 

Mine clearance in 2013–2017[134]

Year

Area cleared (km²)

2017

0.69

2016

1.34

2015

1.64

2014

1.85

2013

1.89

Total

7.41

 

BHMAC expected land release operations for 2019 and 2020 to continue in line with annual work plans. It predicted that 179kmwould be cancelled through non-technical survey, 30kmwould be reduced by technical survey and 2kmwould be cleared. It totaled this to 237km2, although the correct total is 211km2. In addition, 120 MSAs are to be prepared totaling approximately 263km2.[135] It is not clear how these regular land release operations are to be coordinated with the “country assessment” project, which intends to define approximately 500 MSAs and cancel approximately 30km2.[136] 

Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 4 Compliance

Under Article 4 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, BiH is required to destroy all cluster munition remnants in areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 March 2021. It is unclear whether BiH is on track to meet this deadline.

The 2012 Mine Action Strategy Revision had predicted that BiH would “completely eliminate” all cluster munition-contaminated areas by 2015.[137] In the second Mine Action Strategy Revision, conducted in 2015 and adopted by the Demining Commission in March 2016, this target was pushed back to the end of 2017.[138] However, by May 2017, based on the status of current cluster munition survey and clearance operations, BiH no longer expected to meet its Article 4 obligations by the end of 2017, as it had previously stated at the Convention on Cluster Munitions First Review Conference in September 2015 and forecast in its second Mine Action Strategy Review.[139] More recently, however, in September 2017, BiH announced that, “In accordance with the Draft of Strategy in Mine Action 2018–2025, prepared by BHMAC in cooperation with GICHD, Bosnia and Herzegovina will fulfil its Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 4 obligations to clear and destroy or ensure the clearance and destruction of, all cluster munition remnants by March 2021.”[140] 

While BHMAC has stated previously that it does not expect any obstacles in meeting its Article 4 deadline of 1 March 2021,[141] the fact that only 1km2of cluster munition-contaminated land has been cleared in the last five years (see table below) is cause for concern. It is not certain that BiH will indeed meet its Article 4 deadline. 

Five-year summary of cluster munition clearance[142]

Year

Area cleared (km2)

2017

0.27

2016

0.10

2015

0.23

2014

0.26

2013

0.24

Total

1.10

 

 

 

The Monitor acknowledges the contributions of the Mine Action Review (www.mineactionreview.org), which has conducted the primary mine action research in 2018 and shared all its country-level landmine reports (from“Clearing the Mines 2018”) and country-level cluster munition reports (from “Clearing Cluster Munition Remnants 2018”) with the Monitor. The Monitor is responsible for the findings presented online and in its print publications.



[1] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form C. There are discrepancies with the data provided in the Second Mine Ban Treaty Extension Request, March 2018.

[2] Mine Ban Treaty Second Mine Ban Treaty deadline Extension Request, March 2018, p. 10.

[3] Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) Protocol V Article 10 Report (for 2016), Form A.

[4] Statement of BiH, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2017; and BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 4.

[5] BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 5.

[6] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form C.

[7] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), 7 September 2018, p.18.

[8] Ibid., pp. 4, 5, 17, and 18.

[9] Ibid., p. 18.

[10] Email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017; and BHMAC, “Report on Mine Action in BiH for 2016,” February 2017, p. 5. However, the Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report for 2016 reported an estimated 315.75km2of CHA.

[11] Audit Office of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Performance Audit Report. Efficiency of the Demining System in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” 4 November 2016, p. 5.

[12] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 19.

[13] Ibid., p. 8.

[14] Audit Office of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Performance Audit Report. Efficiency of the Demining System in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” 4 November 2016, p. 26.

[15] Interview with Tarik Serak, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 20 March 2015.

[16] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 16.

[17] BiH, “National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025,” awaiting approval as of August 2018, p. 5.

[18] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form F.

[19] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form F. This figure has been corrected from 8.42kmreported in the 2017 BiH country profile, as the 1.12kmCHA should have been included within the 7.3km2SHA.

[20] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form F; and email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 22 June 2018.

[21] Interview with Braco Pandurevic, Head of Operations, NPA BiH, Sarajevo, 9 May 2017; and BHMAC, “Analysis of implementation of mine action strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2009–2019) and draft amendments,” adopted by the Demining Commission on 28 March 2016, p. 9.

[22] Interview with Saša Obradovic, Director of BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017.

[23] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 22 June 2018.

[25] Email from Darvin Lisica, Programme Manager, NPA BiH, 5 May 2016.

[26] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 22 June 2018.

[27] Statement of BiH, High-level Segment, Convention on Cluster Munitions First Review Conference, Dubrovnik, 7 September 2015.

[28] BHMAC, Organizational Chart, undated.

[29] UNDP, “Draft Mine Action Governance and Management Assessment for BiH,” 13 May 2015, p. 22.

[30] Ibid.; and email from Suad Baljak, Mine Action Officer, UNDP, 15 June 2017.

[31] BHMAC, “The appointment of new members of Demining Commission in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” News item, 24 July 2015; and “Official Gazette of BH,” No. 67/15 – Decision of establishment of demining commission of BH by Counsel of Ministers of BH, 30 July 2015.

[32] Email from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 15 September 2017.

[33] Ibid., 27 June 2018; and from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 26 June 2018.

[34] Bosnia and Herzegovina Official Gazette, Sarajevo, 17 March 2002.

[35] BiH, “National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025,” awaiting approval as of August 2018, p. 8.

[36] Audit Office of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Performance Audit Report. Efficiency of the Demining System in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” 4 November 2016.

[37] Council of Ministers of BiH, “The conclusions of the 24th session of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” 22 September 2015.

[38] Interview with Saša Obradovic, Director, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017; and email from David Rowe, Advisor, GICHD, 14 September 2017.

[39] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 28 September 2018.

[40] Audit Office of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Performance Audit Report. Efficiency of the Demining System in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” 4 November 2016, pp. 24 and 31.

[41] Interview with Tarik Serak, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017; and emails from Fotini Antonopoulou, EU, 19 June 2017; and from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 15 June 2017; and UNDP BiH, “Mine Action Board of Donors Meeting,” 31 March 2016.

[42] Emails from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 23 August 2018; and from Stanislav Damjanovic, Advisor, GICHD, 30 August 2018.

[43] BiH, “National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025,” awaiting approval as of August 2018, p. 18.

[44] Audit Office of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Performance Audit Report. Efficiency of the Demining System in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” November 2016, p. 28.

[45] Email from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 15 June 2017.

[46] Ibid., 23 August 2018.

[47] BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 22.

[48] Statement of GICHD, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 7 June 2018.

[49] CCW Protocol V Article 10 Report (for 2015), Form B.

[50] Statement of BiH, Mine Ban Treaty 13th Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 5 December 2013, p. 2.

[51] Ibid.; and email from Tarik Serak, BHMAC, 23 April 2015.

[52] Email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017; and Audit Office of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Performance Audit Report. Efficiency of the Demining System in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” 4 November 2016, p. 25.

[53] Interview with Åsa Massleberg, Advisor, Strategic Management, GICHD, Geneva, 9 March 2017; and email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017.

[54] Email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017; and interview with Saša Obradovic, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017.

[55] Interviews with Åsa Massleberg, GICHD, Geneva, 9 March 2017; and with Saša Obradovic, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017; and BiH, “National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025,” awaiting approval as of August 2018, p. 30.

[56] BiH, “National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025,” awaiting approval as of August 2018, p. 2.

[57] Email from Asa Massleberg, GICHD, 30 September 2018.

[58] Email from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 23 August 2018.

[59] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May 2018.

[60] Email from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 23 August 2018.

[61] UNDP, “Draft Mine Action Governance and Management Assessment for BiH,” 13 May 2015, p. 25.

[62] Email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017.

[63] Email from Goran Sehić, Deputy Programme Manager, NPA BiH, 14 September 2018.

[64] Statement of BiH, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2017.

[65] Statement of GICHD, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 7 June 2018.

[66] Ibid.

[67] Email from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 15 September 2017; and BHMAC, “Temporary Instruction/Guidelines For Insurance And Quality Control Projects Land Release Projects,” June 2017.

[68] Email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017; and BHMAC, “Report on Mine Action in BiH for 2016,” February 2017, pp. 18 and 24.

[69] Emails from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 26 June 2018; and from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 27 June 2018.

[70] Email from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 23 August 2018.

[71] BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2011,” adopted by the Demining Commission, May 2012, p. 22; and email from Tarik Serak, BHMAC, 6 May 2014.

[72] UNDP, “Draft Mine Action Governance and Management Assessment for BiH,” 13 May 2015, pp. 6, 27.

[73] Audit Office of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Performance Audit Report. Efficiency of the Demining System in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” 4 November 2016, pp. 5 and 9.

[74] Audit Office of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Performance Audit Report. Efficiency of the Demining System in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” 4 November 2016, pp. 27–28.

[75] Interview with Saša Obradovic, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017.

[76] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May 2018; BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 20.

[77] BiH, “National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025,” awaiting approval as of August 2018, pp. 15 and 16.

[78] Statement of GICHD, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 7 June 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 6.

[79] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 29.

[80] UNDP, “Draft Mine Action Governance and Management Assessment for BiH,” 13 May 2015, p. 29.

[81] Ibid.; and interviews with Darvin Lisica, NPA, Sarajevo, 8 May 2017; with Haris Lokvancic, Swiss Embassy, Sarajevo, 9 May 2017; and with Tarik Serak, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017.

[82] Interview with Lt.-Col. Dzevad Zenunovic, Demining Battalion of the Armed Forces of BiH, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017.

[83] Ibid.

[84] Ibid.; and email from Goran Sehić, NPA BiH, 18 October 2017.

[85] Email from Amela Balic, NPA Bosnia, 15 April 2015.

[86] Interview with Lt.-Col. Zenunovic, Demining Battalion of the Armed Forces of BiH, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017.

[87] Interview with Muamer Husilović and Ahmet Dulović, Federal Civil Protection of BiH, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017; and interview with Tarik Serak, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017.

[88] UN, “Mine Action Recovery Needs Assessment,” 2015, p. 30.

[89] Email from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 15 September 2017.

[90] Interview with Josephine Dresner, MAG, Sarajevo, 9 May 2017; and email from Kathy Keary, MAG, 5 April 2018.

[91] UNDP, “Draft Mine Action Governance and Management Assessment for BiH,” p. 35.

[92] Email from Fotini Antonopoulou, EU, 18 September 2017.

[93] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May 2018.

[94] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form C; BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 25; and email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 28 September 2018.

[95] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 9.

[96] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form C; and email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017.

[97] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form C; and emails from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017; and from Tarik Serak, BHMAC, 24 October 2017.

[98] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May 2018.

[99] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form C; and BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 25; and email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 28 September 2018.

[100] Emails from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May and 28 September 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form F; and BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 13.

[101] BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, pp. 12 and 13.

[102] Emails from Kathy Keary, MAG, 5 April and 31 August 2018.

[103] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May 2018; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form F.

[104] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May 2018; Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form F; and BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 14.

[105] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May 2018; Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form F; and BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 15.

[106] Email from Kathy Keary, MAG, 5 April 2018; and from Goran Sehić, NPA, 30 March 2018.

[107] Statement of BiH, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2017; BHMAC, “Analysis of implementation of mine action strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2009–2019) and draft amendments,” adopted by the Demining Commission on 28 March 2016, p. 6; and Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 5.

[108] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), pp. 5 and 9–10.

[109] BiH, “National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025,” awaiting approval as of August 2018, pp. 6 and 11.

[110] Interview with Saša Obradovic, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017.

[111] Email from Jonas Zachrisson, Country Director, NPA, 25 September 2018.

[112] Interviews with Darvin Lisica, NPA, Sarajevo, 8 May 2017; with Fotini Antonopoulou, EU, Sarajevo, 8 May 2017; and with Saša Obradovic and Tarik Serak, BHMAC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017; and emails from Darvin Lisica, NPA, 31 August 2017; and from Suad Baljak, UNDP, 15 September 2017.

[113] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May 2018; BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 21; and Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, pp. 6 and 20–21.

[114] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 17 May 2018; BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Annual Report 2017,” January 2018, p. 21; and Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request, September 2018, p. 21.

[115] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 21; and “BIH Statement on Interim Request for Extension to the Deadline for Fulfilling Obligations as per Article 5,” Geneva, 7 June 2018.

[116] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 21.

[117] Ibid., p. 26.

[118] Ibid., p. 27.

[119] Emails from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 26 June 2018; and from Tarik Serak, BHMAC, 27 June 2018.

[120] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form F. Information on BiH’s Article 7 report is, however, a little unclear, stating in supplementary information, that “Technical survey and cluster munition were reduced and clearance through 15 tasks 863,066m2, were 632 pieces of submunition and 26 pieces of ERW.” BHMAC subsequently confirmed that 863,066mrefers to the total land released through clearance and technical survey, and that of this, 267,772mwas released through clearance and 595,294mthrough technical survey. Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 26 June 2018.

[121] Email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017.

[122] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form F; and email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 22 June 2018.

[123] Email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017; and BHMAC, “Report on Mine Action in BiH for 2016,” February 2017, p. 14.

[124] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2016), Form F. Though the area reduced by technical survey was not disaggregated from that released through clearance in the reporting form; and email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017. Whereas BHMAC did not record the area cleared by NPA. NPA reported that it cleared had 258,126m2. Furthermore, the 7,618m2reported to have been cleared by the Federal Administration of Civil Protection only includes the area of the one task that was completed in 2016. However, the Federal Administration of Civil Protection reported that it had cleared an additional 275,916min 2016, in clearance tasks which had not yet been completed as at the end of 2016. Email from Muamer Husilović, the Federal Civil Protection of BiH, Sarajevo, 10 May 2017.

[125] Email from Goran Šehić, NPA, 30 March 2018.

[126] Ibid.

[127] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, pp. 5 and 19; and “BiH Statement on Interim Request for Extension to the Deadline for Fulfilling Obligations as per Article 5,” Geneva, 7 June 2018.

[128] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 10–11.

[129] Statements of BiH, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Geneva, 8 June 2017; statement of BiH, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017; and Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 19.

[130] Statement of BiH, Mine Ban Treaty Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties, Vienna, 20 December 2017; and BiH, National Mine Action Strategy 2018–2025,” awaiting approval as of August 2018, p. 24.

[131] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, pp. 6 and 20–21.

[132] Ibid., p. 9.

[133] UNDP, “Draft Mine Action Governance and Management Assessment for BiH,” 13 May 2015, p. 14.

[134] See Landmine Monitor reports on clearance in BiH covering 2013–2017.

[135] Mine Ban Treaty Second Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), September 2018, p. 6 and 22–23.

[136] Ibid., p. 6 and p. 21.

[137] BHMAC, “Revision of Mine Action Strategy in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2009–2019 (First Revision 2012),” 14 March 2013, p. 13; and email from Darvin Lisica, NPA, 5 May 2016.

[138] BHMAC, “Analysis of implementation of mine action strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2009–2019) and draft amendments,” adopted by the Demining Commission on 28 March 2016, p. 17.

[139] Emails from Tarik Serak, BHMAC, 26 May 2016; and from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017.

[140] Statement of BiH, Convention on Cluster Munitions Seventh Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 4–6 September 2017.

[141] Email from Goran Zdrale, BHMAC, 17 May 2017.

[142] See Cluster Munition Monitor reports on clearance in BiH covering 2013–2017.


Support for Mine Action

Last updated: 19 November 2018

In 2017, international contributions for mine action in BiH totaled $7.5 million, an increase of 2% from 2016. The largest contributions were from Germany ($1.8 million) and the United States (US) ($1.8 million), with one additional country—Norway—providing more than $1 million.[1]

Four donors—Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, and Slovenia—contributed a total of $2.2 million via the ITF Enhancing Human Security. This represents 30% of all international support to mine action in BiH.

International contributions: 2017[2]

Donor

Sector

Amount

(national currency)

Amount (US$)

Germany

Clearance and victim assistance

€1,549,082

1,750,618

US

Clearance and risk education

US$1,750,000

1,750,000

Norway

Clearance

NOK12,000,000

1,451,396

Switzerland

Clearance

CHF818,963

832,110

Japan

Clearance

¥90,123,580

803,957

European Union

Victim assistance

€699,947

791,010

Slovenia

Capacity-building and victim assistance

€110,911

125,341

Austria

Clearance

€30,000

33,903

Czech Republic

Clearance

CZK200,000

8,561

Total

   

7,546,896

In 2017, the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) contributed BAM17.5 million (US$10.1 million) to mine action, this is similar to its national contribution in 2016.[3] Since 2013, BiH has contributed to more than half of its total mine action budget.

Since 2013, international assistance to BiH has fluctuated greatly, reaching a high of $23.1 million in 2013 and a low of $7.4 million in 2016, while national contributions have been relatively more steady.

Summary of contributions: 2013–2017[4]

Year

National contribution (US$)

International contribution (US$)

Total contribution (US$)

2017

10,125,924

7,546,896

17,672,820

2016

10,732,869

7,379,655

18,112,524

2015

13,245,146

8,019,656

21,264,802

2014

14,572,368

8,563,424

23,135,792

2013

11,353,572

23,082,693

34,436,265

Total

60,029,879

54,592,324

114,622,203

 



[1] Austria, Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2018; Czech Republic, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 27 March 2018; ITF Enhancing Human Security, “Annual Report 2017,” March 2018, p. 24; Germany, Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 2 March 2018; Japan, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2018; email from Ingrid Schoyen, Senior Adviser, Section for Humanitarian Affairs, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 25 September 2018; Switzerland, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form I, 30 April 2018; Response to Monitor questionnaire by Frank Meeussen, Mine Action Focal Point, European Union (EU) European External Action Service, 25 October 2018; and email from Katherine Baker, Foreign Affairs Officer, Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State, 8 and 24 October 2018.

[2] Average exchange rate for 2017: CHF0.9842=US$1; €1=US$1.1301; NOK8.2679=US$1; ¥112.1=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 11 January 2018.

[3] BiH Updated Extension Request, July 2018, p.14. Average exchange rate for 2017: US$1=BAM1.7312, Oanda.com, Historical Exchange Rates.

[4] See previous Monitor reports. The total for international support in 2014 has been adjusted as a result of revised EU and US funding data.


Casualties

Last updated: 26 June 2018

Casualties[1]

All known casualties (between 1992 and 2017)

8,388 mine/unexploded remnants of war (ERW) casualties[2]

1,758 mine/ERW casualties, including 615 people killed, since the beginning of 1996[3]

Casualties in 2017

Annual total

7

42% decrease from 12 in 2016

Survival outcome

3 killed; 4 injured

Device type causing casualties

3 antipersonnel mine; 1 antivehicle mine; 3 ERW

Civilian status

7 civilian

   

Age and gender

6 adults:
1 women; 5 men

1 child:
1 boy

 

Casualties in 2017—details

The 2017 casualty total represents a significant decrease from the 12 casualties reported by the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Center (BHMAC) for 2016. Only two casualties were reported in 2015.

BHMAC has recorded a total of 8,388 mine/ERW casualties.[4] In the post-war period, the number of casualties was 1,758, out of which 615 were killed.[5] The total number of demining casualties was reported to be 127, of which 51 were killed.[6]

Cluster munition casualties

No cluster munition casualties were reported in 2017, One casualty as the result of an unexploded cluster submunition of the KB-1 type was reported in 2016.[7] No new cluster munition casualties were reported in 2015.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) reported 226 cluster munition casualties, of which 45 were killed and 181 injured, as of 2017. BiH reported that information on these casualties was not complete but noted that five were deminers.[8] In each case, it was not reported how many of these casualties were included in the general BHMAC mine/ERW casualty database, nor was it specified if these casualties included casualties from attacks.[9] At least 86 casualties during cluster munition strikes in 1995 were identified in BiH.[10] These 86 casualties have been subtracted from the higher 232-total, pending clarification on how many casualties occurred due to cluster munition attacks in contrast to unexploded submunitions.



[1] Unless otherwise indicated, casualty data for 2017 is based on emails from Ljiljana Ilić, Interpreter, BHMAC, 26 February 2018, and 6 March 2018.

[2] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 6 March 2018. This figure differs slightly from the total reached by adding the 8,379 reported by BHMAC for the end of 2016 and the seven casualties reported in 2017.

[3] “Report on Mine Action in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2016,” BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, BiH Demining Commission, BHMAC, p. 6; and data for 2017 provided by Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 6 March 2018.

[4] Email from Ljiljana Ilić, BHMAC, 6 March 2018.

[5] “Report on Mine Action in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2016,” BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, BiH Demining Commission, BHMAC, p. 6.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.; and interview with Tarik Serak, BHMAC, and Saša Obradovič, BHMAC, in Geneva, 9 February 2017; email from BHMAC, 23 March 2017.

[8] Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report, Form H (for calendar year 2017).

[9] “Report on Mine Action in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2016,” BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, BiH Demining Commission, BHMAC, p. 6.

[10] Handicap International (HI), Circle of Impact: The Fatal Footprint of Cluster Munitions on People and Communities (Brussels: HI, May 2007), p. 60. Some 60 more casualties were reported during an aerial strike in which cluster munitions were used along with other weapons.


Victim Assistance

Last updated: 18 July 2018

Victim assistance action points

  • Improve the quality and sustainability of services for survivors and other persons with disabilities, including by upgrading community-based rehabilitation (CBR) centers.
  • Set minimum standards of social welfare payments for persons with disabilities.
  • Make greater efforts towards realizing the economic inclusion of mine/explosive remnants of war (ERW) survivors and their families.
  • Make adequate assistance available to all persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.
  • Identify sustainable resources for assistance.
  • Speed up the establishment of a mine/ERW victims database in the Republic of Srpska.

Victim assistance planning and coordination

Government focal point

Not clearly defined (since 2014)

Coordination mechanisms

Coordinating Body of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for Assistance to Victims of Mines, Cluster Munitions, and Explosive Remnants of War[1]

Coordination regularity/frequency and outcomes/effectiveness

There were two informal coordination meetings in 2017. A preliminary working body was formed and the second meeting defined the final decision on an official coordination body submitted for ministerial approval[2]

 

An official victim assistance coordination body was established in May 2018

Plans/strategies

Victim Assistance Sub-Strategy 2009–2019

 

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), in cooperation with the BiH Mine Action Center (BHMAC) and NGOs in BIH prepared a new mine victim assistance strategy for the period 2018-2025. The document was accepted by the Demining Commission and was pending ratification in the Council of Ministers in July 2018[3]

Disability sector integration

The BiH council of persons with disabilities is included in the victim assistance coordination body

The National Council of Persons with disabilities does not recognize mine victims as a particular affected group

The victim assistance coordination body made efforts to raise awareness of the needs mine/ERW survivors among relevant organizations in relation to human rights instruments[4]

Survivor inclusion and participation

Mine/ERW survivors and their representative organizations were included in the Victim Assistance coordination body. The co-deputy chairman of the coordination body is a mine survivor.[5] Survivors are also included in the provision of victim assistance services through NGOs[6]

Reporting (Article 7 and statements)

Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form J

 

Convention on Cluster MunitionsArticle 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form H

 

No specific victim assistance statement was delivered at the Mine Ban Treaty 16th Meeting of States Parties in Vienna, in December 2017[7] or its intersessional meetings in June 2018

 

International commitments and obligations

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is responsible for significant numbers of mine/ERW survivors: more than 6,000[8]

Mine Ban Treaty

Yes

Convention on Cluster Munitions

Yes

Convention on Conventional Weapons(CCW) Protocol V

Yes

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Yes

 

Laws and policies

Since 2017, all eligible mine/ERW survivors in the Republic of Srpska should be able to receive financial support for the purchase of prosthetic devices every three years. They are also entitled to 15 days rehabilitation in a spa.[9] This financial support remains minimal, however, and does not allow for the purchase of adequate quality prosthetic devices.[10]

The Federation of BiH has a 2016–2021 strategy for the advancement of the rights and status of persons with disabilities. In April 2017, the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska adopted a 2017–2026 strategy for improving the social conditions of persons with disabilities.[11]

BiH ratified the CRPD in 2010, but NGOs have complained about the lack of effective implementation of laws and programs to help persons with disabilities.[12] Government support for war veterans was prioritized.[13] Despite laws requiring increased accessibility to buildings for persons with disabilities, authorities rarely enforced the requirement.[14] Human rights NGOs continued to report that many new public buildings continued to be built without being made accessible for persons with disabilities.[15] Architectural barriers remain a major problem in exercising any rights of persons with disabilities.[16]

Major Developments in 2017–2018

The victim assistance coordination body was officially established on 23 May 2018.[17]

In 2017, the BiH Mine Action Center (BHMAC) reported an increase in international/donor resources for activities that improve the lives of mine/ERW victims.[18] Overall, medical care, social inclusion, economic inclusion, inclusive education, and accessibility of the survivors’ physical environment were reported to have improved compared to 2016.[19] For the same time period, civil society, however, reported that service providers and financial support remained at 2016 levels, and that complicated procedures hindered full access to guaranteed rights.[20] Similarly, civil society did not note any improvement to accessibility in the survivors’ physical environment.[21]

In 2017, 90 mine/ERW survivors received assistance through four projects ranging from physical rehabilitation to social inclusion programs.[22] This is a 50% increase in the number of beneficiaries of victim assistance services compared to 2016.[23] All projects were carried out by organizations based in Republika Srpska.

Needs assessment

BHMAC reported that its casualty database was regularly updated with information on registered mine/ERW incidents, clearance accidents, and assistance projects, and was available to interested stakeholders.[24]

World Vision and the Organization of Amputees of Republic of Srpska (Organizacija amputiraca Republike Srpske, UDAS) surveyed the situation of 220 mine survivors in 2017 as part of their joint European Union (EU)-funded project entitled “Integrated socio-economic support to landmine victims in BiH.”[25]

Medical care and rehabilitation

In 2017, BiH had 60 community-based rehabilitation (CBR) centers for mental and physical rehabilitation.[26] In addition to these CBR centers, some additional local rehabilitation centers also provide services to mine/ERW survivors, such as making and fitting prostheses.[27]

ITF Enhancing Human Security ran a rehabilitation project for mine/ERW survivors from July to December 2017 and provided prosthetic devices to 21 mine/ERW survivors, while three patients received rehabilitation treatment in Slovenia.[28] UDAS assists mine/ERW survivors in applying for new prosthetics, including by providing legal support and advice and by referring survivors to relevant service providers, including prosthetic workshops and rehabilitation centers.[29]

The World Vision project, in partnership with UDAS, held a workshop in June together with the Institute for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation “Dr Miroslav Zotović” Banja Luka to familiarize the staff of the center for mental health and the center for physical rehabilitation in targeted municipalities with the basic elements of peer support and key challenges of rehabilitation of mine survivors. The project is being implemented in 11 municipalities of BiH: Doboj, Stanari, Zvornik, Čajniče, Konjic, Lukavac, Donji Vakuf, Travnik, Bihać, Velika Kladuša, and Bosanska Krupa.[30]

As of April 2018, there was one center providing psychological support in the BiH and one similar center in the Republic of Srpska.[31]

Socio-economic and psychosocial inclusion

The EU is funding a two-year socio-economic inclusion project for mine/ERW survivors in BiH. Through World Vision and UDAS, survivors receive support in setting up income-generating activities.[32] In 2017, such support was provided to 50 survivors.[33] The EU project also includes training of staff of mental health centers and CBR centers.[34]

To improve the social and economic inclusion of mine/ERW survivors in BiH, ITF awarded scholarships to 19 survivors for the academic year 2017–2018.[35]

Cross-cutting

It was reported that relevant institutions did not recognize the special needs of the children and family members, including widows, of people killed, and/or the children of survivors and people killed by mines/ERW.[36]

Victim assistance providers and activities

Name of organization

Type of activity

Government

Ministry of Health, Federation of BiH

Public health services; CBR[37]

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Republika Srpska

Public health services; CBR[38]

Fund for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, Republika Srpska

Employment and training[39]

Fund for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, Federation of BiH

Employment and training[40]

Ministry of Refugees and Displaced Persons of BiH

Resolving housing problems of mine victims

Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of the Federation of BiH

Employment and training[41]

Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH

 

The rights of victims and the implementation of conventions related to mine victims

National

Interdepartmental Body of the Government of the Republika Srpska for the Persons with Disabilities

Improving the living conditions of persons with disabilities

Organization of amputees UDAS Republic of Srpska

Social and economic inclusion with cultural and sport activities, information services, peer support, advocacy, and legal advice[42]

Center for Development and Support (Centar za razvoj i podrsku, CRP)

Socio-economic reintegration

Eco Sport Group (Eko sport grupa)

Scuba diving, psychological/physical rehabilitation, social integration

Posavina Without Mines (Posavina Bez Mina)

Economic inclusion

STOP Mines, Pale

Economic inclusion

International

Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB)

Partner on projects for mine victim assistance

Hope 87

Social inclusion; education and training

Miracles Center for Prosthesis and Care, Mostar

Prosthetics

International Trust Fund: Enhancing Human Security (ITF)

Prosthetics, rehabilitation, socio-economic inclusion

World Vision

Social inclusion; education and training

 



[1] The coordination body has 23 members. Members include representatives of the Ministry of Civilian Affairs of BiH, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Srpska, Ministry of Labor and Veterans of the Republic of Srpska, Ministry of Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry for Veterans and Disabled Veterans Issues of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Veterans of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Republic of Srpska Red Cross, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Red Cross, BiH Red Cross, BiH Mine Action Center (BHMAC), BiH Council of persons with disabilities, Organization of Amputees Republic of Srpska (Organizacija amputiraca UDAS Republike Srpske, UDAS), World Vision, Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund, STOP Mines Pale, ECO Sport Group Sarajevo, and Posavina Without Mines Brcko. Email from Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 31 May 2018.

[2] Email from BHMAC, 27 July 2018.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Email from Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 31 May 2018.

[6] The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republic of Srpska supports UDAS’ activities through a three-year agreement, from 2017 to 2019. Moreover, a mine survivor has been designated as the national coordinator to improve the healthcare of persons with disabilities for the Republic of Srpska. Interview with Andreja Subotić Popović, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republika Srpska, Banja Luka, 31 March 2017; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 3 May 2018.

[7] In a general statement at the meeting, BiH included the line, “All mine victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina exercise their rights in accordance with the legislation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, equal to all other persons with disabilities.”

[8] Monitor analyses of data in BHMAC, “Annual Report 2011–Izvještaj o protivminskom djelovanju u Bosni i Hercegovini za 2011. Godinu,” Sarajevo, 2012, p. 6; and email from Esher Sadagic, BHMAC, 15 August 2011.

[9] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 3 May 2018.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12] United States (US) Department of State, “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017: Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Washington, DC, 20 April 2018, p. 24.

[13] United States (US) Department of State, “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017: Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Washington, DC, 20 April 2018, p. 23; Amnesty International, “Bosnia and Herzegovina 2017/2018,” undated, but 2018; and Tijana Cvjeticanin, “The triple marginalization of disabled women in Bosnia,” News Mavens, 29 December 2017.

[14] US Department of State, “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017: Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Washington, DC, 20 April 2018, p. 23.

[15] Ibid.

[16] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 3 May 2018.

[17] UDAS, “Usvojena Odluka o osnivanju Koordinacionog tijela BiH za pomoć žrtvama mina, kasetne municije i eksplozivnih sredstava zaostalih iz rata” (“Decision adopted regarding the establishment of the coordination body of Bosnia and Herzegovina for assistance to mine, cluster munition, and explosive remnant of war victims”), 24 May 2018; and email from Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 31 May 2018.

[18] Response to Monitor questionnaire by BHMAC, 27 April 2018.

[19] Ibid.

[20] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 3 May 2018.

[21] Ibid.

[22] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form J.

[23] Ibid.; and BHMAC, “Report on Mine Action in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2016,” Sarajevo, February 2017, p. 17.

[24] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form J.

[25] Response to Monitor questionnaire by BHMAC, 27 April 2018.

[26] Ibid.

[27] Interview with Amir Mujkić, President, Association of Veterans with Disabilities Zavidovići, Orthopedic Workshop, Zavidovići, 30 March 2017.

[28] ITF, “Annual Report 2017,” 19 March 2018, p. 49.

[29] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 3 May 2018.

[30] UDAS, “Radionica, ‘Peer podrška u rehabilitaciji i integraciji preživjelih od mina’”(“Workshop, ‘Peer support in Rehabibilitaion and Integration for Mine Survivors’”), 19 June 2018.

[31] Response to Monitor questionnaire by BHMAC, 27 April 2018.

[32] World Vision Austria, “Jahresbericht 2017” (“Annual Report 2017”), undated, p. 10; Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2017), Form J; and World Vision, “Mine Survivors Improve Entrepreneurial Skills,” 4 April 2018.

[33] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 3 May 2018.

[34] BHMAC, “EU improves lives of landmine victims in BiH,” 3 November 2017.

[35] ITF, “Annual Report 2017,” 19 March 2018, p. 51.

[36] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 3 May 2018.

[37] Response to Monitor questionnaire by BHMAC, 27 April 2018.

[38] Ibid.

[39] Ibid.

[40] Ibid.

[41] Ibid.

[42] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zoran Jesic, UDAS, 3 May 2018.