Contamination and Impact

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is heavily contaminated with mines and explosive remnants of war (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.

Mines

Parties to the conflict placed mines extensively along confrontation lines to block troop movements and around strategic facilities; but front lines moved frequently, leaving contamination that is extensive and generally of low density.[1]

Most minefields are in the zone of separation between BiH’s two political entities—the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Republika Srpska (RS)—which is 1,100km long and up to 4km wide, but mines were placed throughout the country in all types of soil and vegetation. In southern and central BiH, mines were often used randomly, with few records kept. Some of the affected territory is mountainous or heavily forested, but the fertile agricultural belt in Brčko district is one of the most heavily contaminated areas.[2]

 

The BiH Mine Action Center (BHMAC) reported that at the end of 2010 BiH had some 1,442km² of suspected hazardous areas (SHAs),[3] down from the estimated 1,556km² a year earlier, although still more than the level of contamination (1,259km²) projected for the end of 2010 in BiH’s Article 5 deadline extension request.[4] At the end of June 2011, BiH put the total estimated SHA at 1,400 km², equivalent to 2.8% of BiH’s territory. Divided into three categories of hazard according to the level of threat,[5] this included 228.5km² of category I areas, 375.5km² of category II areas, and 796km² of category III areas.[6]

 

BHMAC’s database holds records of 19,138 minefields and 10,866 SHAs, but it has estimated that this represents only 50–60% of the real number. Most minefields have a small number of mines, often laid individually or without any pattern. Even where records exist, many do not show exact locations of either minefields or individual mines.[7] By the end of 2010, BHMAC estimated some 210,000 mines remained to be cleared[8]—10,000 less than at the end of 2009 and as presented in the request for the extension of the Article 5 deadline for clearance.[9]

A general assessment completed by BHMAC in 2008 to prepare the request for an extension of BiH’s Article 5 clearance deadline identified 1,631 mine/ERW impacted communities, up from 1,366 in a 2003 Landmine Impact Survey. The assessment estimated that mines/ERW directly affect 921,513 people, including 154,538 in high-impacted communities, 342,550 in medium-impacted, and 424,425 in low-impacted communities. Of the total number of impacted communities, 122 or 7.5% were high-impacted; 625 or 38.3% medium-impacted; and 884 or 54.2% low-impacted. On this basis, BiH remains one of the world’s most mine-affected countries.[10]

BHMAC reports that BiH’s urban areas are relatively safe compared with rural areas where people depend economically on contaminated land. Two-thirds of the affected population are returnees, most of whom are living in villages.[11]

Cluster munition remnants

BiH is contaminated with cluster munition remnants, primarily as a result of the 1992–1995 conflict related to the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Yugoslav aircraft dropped BL 755 cluster munitions in the early stages of the conflict.[12]

Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) completed the first phase of a general survey of the extent and impact of cluster munitions contamination in June 2011, submitting its report to BHMAC, which will be responsible for defining the risk area more precisely and preparing clearance tasks. The survey concluded that two main types of cluster munition were used in the conflict: air-dropped BL 755 submunitions and R262 projectiles fired from Orkan M-87 multiple rocket launchers, which contained Mk-1, Mk-3, or KB-1 submunitions. It also concluded forces used light weapons to disperse improvised cluster munitions loaded with KB-1 submunitions.[13]

The survey identified 140 locations where aircraft, artillery, and light weapons dispersed an estimated total of 3,774 unexploded submunitions and additional contamination occurred around a former ammunition factory at Pretis that was hit by a NATO air strike scattering KB-1 submunitions in the surrounding area. The survey identified 669 suspected hazardous area (SHA) polygons covering a total of 12.18km², of which 3.23km² is believed to be extremely high risk (2%), very high risk (4.15%), or high risk (20.36%). Some 5km² contains unexploded submunitions fired from light weapons using an improvised device, another 3.9km² of suspected SHA where BL 755s were used, and 3.1km² hit by Orkan M-87 multiple rocket launchers.[14]

SHAs were found in 39 municipalities, but 43% of the total SHA was in the municipalities of Gornji Vakuf (1.9km²), Travnik (1.1km²), Sapna (1km²), Hadžići (0.7km²), and Ljubuški (0.6km²). A total of 226,668 people are living in 79 communities around SHAs of whom an estimated 13,020 are directly at risk and in the vicinity of the areas on a daily basis. Total cluster munition casualties recorded in BiH between 1992 and 2010 included 41 people killed and 190 injured. Agricultural land and forest make up more than 82% of the total suspect area and land wanted for housing and reconstruction another 15%.[15]

Other explosive remnants of war

In addition to scattered unexploded ordnance (UXO) in suspected mined areas, BiH has an area of more than 1km² in the vicinity of Zunovica, Hadzici, where a Yugoslav National Army barracks and ammunition storage area was bombed in 1995. The type of contamination had not been identified as of January 2011.[16]

Mine Action Program

Key institutions and operators

 

The Demining Commission under the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communication supervises the state-wide BHMAC and represents BiH in its relations with the international community on mine-related issues. The Demining Commission’s three members, representing BiH’s three ethnic groups, propose the appointment of BHMAC senior staff for approval by the Council of Ministers, report to the Council on mine action, approve the accreditation of demining organizations, and facilitate cooperation between the FBiH and RS. The Demining Commission mobilizes funds for mine action in cooperation with the Board of Donors, which includes the embassies of donor governments, the European Commission, the UN, and the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance.[17] Three new members of the Demining Commission were elected onto the Council of Ministers at its 137th meeting on 18 November 2010. Members of the Demining Commission are from three ministries: Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, and Security. [18]

BHMAC, established by the Decree of BiH Council of Ministers in 2002, is responsible for regulating mine action and implementing BiH’s demining plan, including accreditation of all mine action organizations.[19] BHMAC operates from its headquarters in Sarajevo and through two entity mine action offices—formerly autonomous Entity Mine Action Centers—and eight regional offices. The two entity offices coordinate the activities of regional offices in planning, survey, and quality control and assurance (QA). QA inspectors are based in the regional offices. In 2010, BHMAC coordinated the work of 36 accredited demining organizations.[20]

Strategic Mine Action Plan

BHMAC completed a general assessment of mine action in February 2008 and used the results, together with financial, operations, and resources plans as the basis for a new BiH Mine Action Strategy 2009–2019.[21] The assessment calls for a revision of national mine action legislation in order to:

·         establish stable and continuous funding of mine action from the government and local authority budgets;

·         develop local governance responsibility for mine action with a focus on planning and prioritizing, RE, and measures prohibiting movement of ERW;

·         criminalize the destruction or removal of mine warning signs; and

·         improve the status of deminers.[22]

However, a draft law prepared by the Ministry of Civil Affairs with support from BHMAC and UNDP and submitted to parliament in February 2010 did not receive parliamentary approval, as had been expected, and in May 2010 it was sent back to the Legislation Commission for amendment.[23] Since the parliamentary election took place in October 2010, no progress has been made in adopting the proposed Mine Action Legislation.[24]

The BiH Mine Action Strategy 2009–2019 sets the goal of becoming “free of mines” by 2019 and identifies seven strategic goals, including “elimination” of the mine threat, increasing funding, providing RE and victim assistance, and conducting technical development and research, and advocacy. It foresees three revisions of the strategy: in 2012, 2015, and 2017.[25]

BiH identifies three categories of hazard: (1) areas used by the local population and locations with resources required for economic development; (2) locations that are used occasionally or are located on the edge of category 1 hazards; and (3) remote areas along former confrontation lines, without known minefields but with possible ERW, and which are not used by the local population.[26]

The first and second categories are to be released through clearance and general and technical survey, supported by “permanent” marking and RE. The third category of suspected hazard will be dealt with by permanent marking, RE for local communities, and the introduction of a law imposing penalties for trespass on marked and fenced land.[27] Permanent marking involves marking by qualified organizations of the perimeters of the suspected mined area using signs made of more resistant material and expect to last at least five years.[28]

With the adoption of the Mine Action Strategy 2009–2019, plans for demining prepared by demining organizations and endorsed by BHMAC are submitted to municipal authorities (rather than community leaders as occurred before) for final approval. BHMAC also continues to prepare demining and technical survey tasks.[29] BiH Armed Forces and Civil Protection agencies submitted their strategies in February 2009 to BHMAC, which confirmed they are in compliance with the national mine action strategy.[30]

BHMAC acknowledges, however, that it has not been able to fulfill the 2009–2019 Strategy, reporting in June 2011 that in the first two years of implementation it achieved only about half the plan’s targets.[31] BHMAC identifies lack of funding as the main obstacle to achieving the plan’s objectives.[32]

Land Release

BiH reported releasing a total of 112.5km² of SHAs in 2010, 11% less than in 2010. An area of 2.35km² was cleared through manual, machine, and mine detection dog (MDD)-supported clearance by 25 demining organizations, an area 21% greater than the previous year, but the area canceled or released through survey was down 12% to a total of 110.15km². This included areas canceled as a result of general (14.51km²) or “systematic”[33] (86.25km²) surveys, or released by technical survey (9.39km²).[34] As a result of general survey, 65.83km² was assigned for future clearance. [35]

Five-year summary of clearance[36]

Survey in 2010

BiH has conducted general, systematic, and technical survey since 1998, spurred by the low quality of minefield records in BiH. The Mine Action Strategy 2009–2019 calls for completing general survey by 2012 in order to provide a basis for revising the mine action strategy.[37]

BHMAC conducted general and systematic survey and urgent marking in 2010 with 44 surveyors in 22 survey teams and eight planning officers deployed in its regional offices.[38] NPA remains the only organization that supports BHMAC in land release through general survey and preparing tasks for technical survey and clearance (by defining the boundaries of risk area), working from BHMAC offices in Banja Luka, Bihac, Brčko, Pale, and Travnik.[39]

In 2010, BHMAC survey teams and demining organizations surveyed a total of 166.58km² through systematic and general survey. Out of this, 86.25km² was canceled as a result of systematic survey and 14.51km² by general survey, while the remaining 65.82km² was earmarked for future technical survey and clearance. This included 4.29km² that was confirmed as hazardous area, leading to preparation of 198 clearance tasks, with 32.19km² earmarked for technical survey.[40]

Mine clearance in 2010

Demining organizations cleared 2.35km² during 2010, barely one-quarter of planned clearance for the year, although still one-fifth more than the amount cleared in 2009. A further 9.4km² was released by technical survey in 2009, 1.4km² less than in 2009 and 2.2km² less than in 2008.[41]

At the end of 2010, BiH demining capacity consisted of 41 organizations accredited for various forms of mine action (demining, RE, training, and monitoring), including five governmental bodies (the Armed Forces, FBiH Civil Protection Agency, RS Civil Protection Agency, Brčko District Civil Protection Agency, and the BiH Mine Detection Dog Center), 19 NGOs, and 17 commercial organizations. The 25 organizations accredited for demining all engaged in clearance operations during 2010.[42]

Accredited demining organizations at the end of 2010 had, between them, 1,509 licensed deminers and management personnel; 67 MDD teams; 1,374 metal detectors; and 41 demining machines, of which 30 machines were for digging soil, four were for removing vegetation, and seven were for the removal of debris.[43]

Mine clearance in 2010[44]

Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty (and in accordance with the 10-year extension request granted 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.[45]

BiH’s Mine Action Strategy 2009–2019 was presented as the blueprint for fulfilling its Article 5 obligations but it has failed to achieve the Strategy’s targets every year since it started. The Strategy projected release of 30km² a year through clearance and technical survey, two and a half times more than what it achieved in 2010.[46] BHMAC continues to assert that it could achieve its target if it received adequate external financing.[47] In June 2011, at the Standing Committee meetings, BiH repeated that “reduction of the remaining mine suspected area planned for the period 2011–2019 will largely depend on allocated local and donor funds.”[48]

From the start of its mine action program in 1996 through 2010, BiH reduced its total SHA from 4,200km² to 1,442km², canceling or releasing 2,758km². In its Article 5 extension request, BiH projected that by the start of 2011 it would have reduced the total SHA to 1,214km² but it achieved only 1,442km², missing the target by 228km².[49]

BiH has sufficient mine action capacity to achieve its 2009–2019 Strategy targets but operators in the last two years used less than half their full capacity. BHMAC attributes the persistent under-performance to lack of funding and slow tendering procedures.[50] National funding, in particular, has fallen short of what projected. The 2009–2019 Strategy projected international funding of KM 25 million in 2009 and local funding of KM 53.43 million. Although foreign donors provided KM 25.97 million, national funding reached KM 21.72 million, less than half its expected share. Amendments to the Law on Demining were also expected to help stabilize financing of mine action but the amendments also did not pass.[51]

Clearance of cluster munition contaminated areas in 2010

NPA completed three cluster munition clearance tasks in 2010 clearing an area of 88,126m². Two KB-1 submunitions were found and destroyed.[52] It also canceled an area of 151,879m² of previously suspect land through non-technical survey.[53]

In addition, civil protection explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams found and destroyed 68 KB-1 submunitions in 2010.[54]

Compliance with Article 4 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

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.

The government has not yet assigned responsibility for clearing cluster munition remnants. Since 2009, NPA has been supporting BHMAC in its efforts to address the problem.[55]

Battle area clearance in 2010

Civil Protection organizations in BiH and NPA are responsible for EOD response. As a result of those activities, Civil Protection units reported finding and destroying a total of 23,105 items of explosive ordnance, including 497 antipersonnel and 102 antivehicle mines, aircraft bombs and rockets, artillery shells, rockets, hand grenades, rifle grenades, rocket propelled grenades, mortar bombs, anti-aircraft ammunition, and 68 unexploded submunitions.[56]

Battle area clearance in 2010[57]

N/R = Not reported

Quality management

BHMAC has 12 QA inspectors and 28 QA officers who performed 4,165 inspections on 350 demining tasks in 2010, an average of almost 12 inspections per demining task but only a little over half (52%) of the planned number of inspections. [58]

Safety of demining personnel

During 2010, two deminers were killed and two injured in three incidents.[59] Two incidents involved PROM-1 mines. A Tehnoelektro deminer was killed and another seriously injured in the first incident in April 2010. In the second incident, a UXB Balkans deminer was killed. In a third incident, a “Pazi mine” deminer was injured by a fuze in May 2010. [60]

Other Risk Reduction Measures

During 2010, BHMAC coordinated the work of 18 accredited RE organizations. Nine of these organizations undertook a total of 23 RE projects in 2010, reaching an estimated 37,215 people. In addition, the NGO Stop Mines distributed 25,265 children’s books to first grade pupils in 430 primary schools through its project “Be aware of mines.”[61]

During 2010, demining organizations conducted 61 permanent marking projects resulting in putting up 1,564 signs, less than one-third (31%) of what was planned. RE organizations also conducted 19 projects aimed at preventing people from entering Category 3 hazards covering an area of 9.3km², 58% of the plan. A total of 12,068 urgent marking signs were put up by organizations in the course of RE activities and general survey, 67% of the plan.[62]

In West-Herzegovina and Una-Sana cantons, demining operators put up 42 urgent marking signs around an area identified by NPA as a suspected cluster munition hazard.[63]