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

The parties to the conflict placed mines extensively along confrontation lines to block troop movements and around strategic facilities, but because front lines moved frequently, contamination 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 2011 BiH had some 1,340km² of suspected hazardous areas (SHAs), equivalent to 2.6% of BiH’s territory.[3] This is still significantly more than the level of contamination (1,183km²) projected in BiH’s Article 5 deadline extension request.[4] The total suspected area comprised 286km² of priority category I areas, 360km² of category II areas, and 694km² of category III areas.[5]

BHMAC’s database holds records of 19,181 minefields in 10,236 suspected locations and it estimates that this represents only 60% of the real number.[6] 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 start of 2012, BHMAC estimated some 200,000 mines remained to be cleared, 10,000 less than in the end of 2010.[8]

A general assessment, completed by BHMAC in 2008 to prepare the request for an extension of BiH’s Article 5 deadline for clearance, identified 1,631 mine/ERW impacted communities, up from 1,366 in a 2003 Landmine Impact Survey (LIS). 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 8% were high-impacted; 625 or 38% medium-impacted; and 884 or 54% low-impacted. On this basis, BiH remains one of the world’s most mine-affected countries.[9]

BHMAC reports that BiH’s urban areas are relatively safe compared with rural areas where people depend economically on contaminated land. Two-thirds of those affected are returnees, most of whom are living in villages.[10]

BHMAC planned to conduct a new general assessment in 2012 to provide the basis for a revision of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy 2009–2019 in accordance with its stated objectives.[11]

Cluster munition remnants

BiH is contaminated with cluster munition remnants, primarily as a result of the 1992–1995 conflict related to the break-up of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Former Yugoslav aircraft dropped BL 755 cluster bombs in the early stages of the war and there are indications NATO forces used them subsequently in Republika Srpska.[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. The survey identified two main types of cluster munitions: the air-delivered BL 755 and R262 projectiles fired from Orkan M-87 multiple rocket launchers, which contained Mk-1, Mk-3, or KB-1 submunitions, and the contamination from improvised bombs using KB-1 submunitions.[13]

The survey identified 140 areas hit by air strikes and artillery with an estimated total of 3,774 submunitions, as well as additional contamination around a former ammunition factory at Pretis that was hit by a NATO air strike, scattering submunitions in the surrounding area. It identified 669 SHA polygons covering a total of 12.18km², of which 3.23km² is believed to be high risk. Some 5km² is contaminated by artillery-delivered submunitions and 3.9km² by BL 755s and 3.1km² by KB-1 submunition remnants. The survey found several previously unidentified areas affected by submunitions resulting in a significantly higher estimate of contamination.[14]

SHAs were found in 39 municipalities, but 43% of the total SHA was concentrated in just the seven municipalities of Bužim, Cazin, Gornji, Tešanj, Travnik, Vakuf, and Vareš, with a total population of more than 226,660 inhabitants. Total cluster munition casualties recorded in BiH between 1992 and 2010 amounted to 42 people killed and a further 181 injured. Agricultural land and forest make up more than 82% of the total SHA and land needed for housing and reconstruction for 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 remaining had not been identified as of December 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 (EC), the UN, and the International Trust Fund to Enhance Human Security (ITF).[17] Members of the Demining Commission are from three ministries: Ministry of Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs.[18]

BHMAC, established by the Decree of the 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/assurance. Quality assurance inspectors are based in the regional offices. In 2011, 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 plans for finances, operations, and resources, as the basis for a new BiH Mine Action Strategy 2009–2019.[21]

The assessment called 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 responsibility in local governments for mine action with a focus on planning and prioritizing, risk education (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 had not been enacted by the end of 2011. Parliament did not pass the draft law in May 2010, as had been expected, but sent it back to the Legislation Commission for amendment.[23] However, a parliamentary election took place in October 2010 and a new government was not established until March 2011 and has yet to take action on the draft.[24]

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

BiH identifies three categories of hazard: (1) areas used by the local population, land that is used occasionally, and locations with resources required for economic development; (2) locations that are used occasionally or are located on the edge of first priority hazards; and (3) remote areas along former confrontation lines, without known minefields but with possible ERW, and unused 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 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]

Under the Mine Action Strategy 2009–2019, plans for demining, prepared by demining organizations and endorsed by BHMAC, are then submitted to municipal authorities (instead of community authorities) for final approval. BHMAC also continues to prepare demining and technical survey tasks.[28] BiH Armed Forces and Civil Protection agencies submitted their strategies to BHMAC in February 2009, confirming they are in compliance with the national mine action strategy.[29]

In the first three years of implementing the Mine Action Strategy 2009−2019, humanitarian demining operators achieved only about 50% of plan targets. BHMAC identifies funding shortfalls as the main challenge, particularly funding from local government bodies, including municipalities and state-owned companies.[30]

Land Release

BiH reported releasing a total of 102.62km² of SHA during 2011, 70% of the target for the year. An area of 3.13km² was cleared through manual, machine, and dog-supported clearance by 22 demining organizations. A total of 99.5km² was cancelled as a result of general (6.79km²) or “systematic”[31] (83.14km²) surveys, or released by technical surveys (9.56km²). Even though clearance results in 2011 were 33% higher than in 2010, it still only represents 34% of that called for by the annual work plan.[32]

Five-year summary of clearance

Survey in 2011

BiH has conducted general, systematic, and technical survey since 1998 in order to improve 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.[33]

In 2011, BHMAC had 44 surveyors deployed in 22 survey teams and eight planning officers deployed in its regional offices for the operations of general and systematic survey and urgent marking.[34] NPA continues to be 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 areas). NPA had 16 surveyors in eight teams working from BHMAC offices in Banja Luka, Bihac, Brčko, Mostar, Pale, and Travnik.[35]

In 2011, BHMAC survey teams and NPA surveyed a total of 201.48km² through systematic and general survey. Out of this, 83.14km² were cancelled as a result of systematic survey. Within 118.34km² of general surveyed areas across 1,799 locations, 6.79km² or 419 locations were cancelled as areas without identified risk. The remaining 111.55km² has been earmarked for future technical survey and clearance. Of the total 93.8km² of land that was surveyed for the first time, 3.67km² was identified as hazardous area, leading to the preparation of 168 clearance tasks; 35.98km² was earmarked for technical survey in 484 projects. The area of 21.55km² with 108 projects is earmarked for the second phase of technical survey and 32.6km² is a subject to permanent marking.[36]

NPA conducted the first phase of a non-technical survey of cluster munition contaminated areas in the first half of 2011, identifying SHAs affecting 79 communities in 39 municipalities and covering a total of 12.18km². Further non-technical survey conducted in the municipalities of Ljubuški and Široki Brijeg in November–December resulted in the preparation for technical survey and clearance of three confirmed hazardous areas covering a total of 234,990m².[37]

Mine clearance in 2011

Demining operations by 22 organizations resulted in manual clearance of 3.13km² in 2011, more than the previous year but still only one-third of the year’s target. A further 9.56km² was released by technical survey in 2011, slightly more than in 2010 (9.39km²) but less than half (44%) the planned level. Operators conducted 276 tasks (145 technical survey and 131 clearance tasks) releasing a total area of 12.69km², 41% of the planned amount. In the process, they destroyed a total of 1,816 antipersonnel mines, 389 antivehicle mines and 5,346 items of UXO. Of the cleared area, 70% supported economic activity, 11% was infrastructure, and 10% was housing land.[38] The average number of mines found per acre was seven.[39]

 Although 22 demining organizations were active in 2011, BiH had 36 accredited demining operators at the end of the year, including five governmental organizations (Armed Forces, FBiH Civil Protection Agency, Republic Office for Civil Protection, Brčko District Civil Protection Agency, and the BiH Mine Detection Dog Center) as well as 18 NGOs and 13 commercial organizations.[40]

Accredited demining organizations at the end of 2011 had 1,350 deminers and management personnel with demining licenses (159 less than at the end of 2010), 58 mine detection dog teams with 72 dogs available, 1,311 metal detectors, and 39 demining machines, including 26 machines for soil digging, six machines for removing vegetation, and seven machines for removal of debris.[41]

Mine clearance in 2011[42]

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.

BiH’s Mine Action Strategy 2009–2019 provides for completing clearance within BiH’s extended Article 5 deadline but it has consistently fallen behind the land release targets set out in its extension request (see table below). In 2011, although manual clearance accelerated, the gap widened between overall land release targets and results.

Article 5 land release targets and results

BHMAC informed Landmine Monitor in March 2012 that it was in the process of reviewing performance and revising the 2009–2019 strategy.[43] BHMAC attributes the gap between targets and achievement mainly to shortages of financing and slow tendering processes. It reported that funding by the state budget and international donors largely met or exceeded targets in 2011, but financing from local sources, including municipalities and state-owned companies, did not increase financial support for mine action as projected. BHMAC said demining operators had sufficient capacity to implement its plans but there was insufficient funding to employ them throughout the year.[44]

From the start of its mine action program in 1996 through 2011, BiH reduced its suspected area from 4,200km² to 1,340km², cancelling or releasing 2,860km². In its Article 5 extension request submitted in 2008, BiH estimated that by the start of the 2013 it would have 1,004km² of suspected contaminated land remaining.[45] BiH would need to release 336km² in 2012 to reach this target, more than three times the amount of land released in 2011.[46]

Clearance of cluster munition contaminated areas in 2011

No cluster munition clearance task was undertaken in 2011.[47] Three organizations – N&N IVSA, UXB Balkans and FBIH Civil Protection – cleared 59 submunitions from areas totaling 85,256m² in the course of mine clearance operations (see Mine clearance above).[48]

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 assigned responsibility for clearing cluster munitions, but NPA is supporting BHMAC in deciding how to address the problem.[49]

BHMAC has updated national standards for mines/UXO clearance, adding a chapter (No. 16) on cluster munitions clearance. It also developed standing operating procedures for general survey of areas affected by cluster munitions.[50]

Quality management

BHMAC has 12 quality assurance (QA) inspectors and 28 QA officers who are responsible for monitoring and quality control (QC) of the demining process.[51] BHMAC QA/QC inspectors performed 4,718 inspections in 2011, 59% of what was planned, including 4,524 inspections of 343 demining tasks and representing an average of 13 inspections per demining task. They issued 45 decisions, three forbidding further work on demining tasks, 12 suspending demining authorization, and 30 requiring operators to repeat the demining task.[52]

QC inspectors conducted quality control of 47 projects from the 2011 priority task list, and the first phase of general survey of suspected cluster-munition-contaminated areas.[53]

In the course of renewing accreditations or conducting annual checks on 14 accredited operators, inspectors tested 343 metal detectors, of which 26 were found to be not functioning correctly. Inspectors also tested 110 mine detection dog teams belonging to 13 organizations, passing 104 teams and failing six.[54]

Safety of demining personnel

Two deminers were killed and two injured in three incidents during 2011.[55] A deminer of the NGO Pazi Mine was killed by a PROM-1 mine during clearance in June 2011.[56] A deminer working for Stop Mines was killed in August 2011 when he fell from a cliff during a marking operation. Two Federal Civil Protection deminers were slightly injured in September 2011 when they unintentionally entered the minefield while turning their vehicle around and detonated a PMA-1 antivehicle mine. [57]

Since 1996, a total of 113 deminers have been involved in demining incidents, including 46 killed.[58]

Other Risk Reduction Measures

A total of 23 demining and RE organizations conducted 104 permanent marking projects, covering a total area of 24.63km² and representing 75% of the plan target. This was done in accordance with a prohibition imposed on entering land designated as category III, unused by local inhabitants and suspected as having residual mine contamination. Operators set up a total number of 2,349 individual mine warning signs in the course of these tasks, less than half (47%) the number planned, as well as 52 billboards with mine situation information.[59] Another 13,543 warning signs were put up by accredited RE organizations during mine RE activities and by BHMAC during systematic and general survey.[60]

In West-Herzegovina and Una-Sana Canton 42 urgent marking signs were placed by RE organizations during 2011 around suspected cluster-munition-contaminated areas. It is estimated that 12,530 people in BiH are directly affected by cluster munitions.[61]

Risk Education

Eight organizations implemented a total of 20 mine/cluster munition/other explosive remnants of war RE projects in 2011, reaching 26,307 persons.[62]