Key developments since May 2002: Destruction of Croatia’s
stockpile of 199,003 antipersonnel mines was completed in October 2002. In
2002, Croatia returned 60.4 square kilometers of land to the community through
clearance and survey. Croatia reports mine action expenditures of KN342 million
(US$44 million) in 2002, nearly 50 percent more than in 2001. In May 2003,
Croatia expressed its intention to be mine-free by March 2009. In 2002, the
CROMAC database recorded 29 new casualties. Croatia served as co-chair of the
Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction until September 2002, and has served
as co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance since that time.
Croatia became a party to CCW Amended Protocol II on 25 October 2002.
Mine Ban Policy
The Republic of Croatia signed the Mine Ban Treaty
on 4 December 1997 and ratified it on 20 May 1998, becoming a State Party on 1
March 1999. In September 2001, national legislation to criminalize violations
of the treaty and establish a body to monitor implementation of the Mine Ban
Treaty was reported to be in “final preparations.” In May 2002, the
Ministry of Defense said that the new law would be put before parliament in the
second half of 2002.[1] In
March 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the new legislation
was being examined by relevant ministries with the expectation that it would be
put before parliament in late
2003.[2]
The ministries of defense and foreign affairs have both stated that penal
sanctions for violations of the Mine Ban Treaty already exist in Croatian
law.[3] Croatia has reported
that according to Article 140 of the Croatian Constitution, “ratified
international agreements and treaties are included in the national legislative
system.... Their legal power supercedes other national laws.... Article 163 of
the Criminal Law...defines legal sanctions (penalties) for violations of
provisions of international law including ratified conventions and treaties.
More specifically, violation means the use, development, production,
acquirement, stockpiling, brokering, retaining, assisting, transfer,
encouragement or inducing trade in...weapons or means of warfare prohibited by
instruments of international law to which Croatia is a Party (which in this case
includes the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel
Mines).”[4]
During 2002, there were 15 cases of the criminal use of explosive devices,
including antipersonnel mines, reported in Croatia. The Ministry of the
Interior could provide no additional information on the cases involving
mines.[5]
Croatia attended the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in September 2002. The
Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs said that the Mine Ban Treaty “has
opened a forum for discussion among states, forced us to make legally binding
actions to destroy all anti-personnel mines, as well as given us a place to
exchange information, expertise and, in some cases, provide much needed
assistance.”[6] He
referred to the informal contact group set up by Australia and Croatia, as
co-chairs of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction in 2001-2002, to
assist States to meet their Article 4 obligations. At the meeting, Croatia
ceased to be co-chair of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, and
became co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and
Socio-Economic Reintegration.
Croatia participated in the Standing Committee meetings in February and May
2003, where its delegation presented detailed information on stockpile
destruction, mine clearance, mine action funding and victim assistance.
The annual Article 7 report for calendar year 2002 was submitted on 30 April
2003. Four previous Article 7 reports have been
submitted.[7] In November 2002,
Croatia voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution 57/74, which calls for
universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.
Croatia is a State Party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and became
a party to Amended Protocol II on 25 October 2002. It submitted its annual
report as required by Article 13 of the Protocol on 9 December 2002 and attended
the Fourth Annual Conference of States Parties to the Protocol on 11 December
2002.
Croatia participates in the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, and chaired
the Pact’s Reay Group on Mine Action in 2002, which met in May in Geneva
and in June in Bucharest. Victim assistance was added to the work of the Reay
Group, as many members felt that this was not adequately addressed in the
region.[8] In cooperation with
the Reay Group, Landmine Monitor conducted a victim assistance needs assessment.
According to the April 2003 Article 7 report, Croatia “did not produce
any anti-personnel
mines.”[9] The Amended
Protocol II Article 13 report states that Croatia “did not and has not
produced anti-personnel mines before and since January 1,
1997.”[10]
Joint military operations and “assist”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Croatian soldiers are not allowed
to use or assist in the use of antipersonnel mines within Croatia or in other
countries, including those not party to the Mine Ban
Treaty.[11] The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs has previously stated that, consistent with the Mine Ban Treaty,
the transit of antipersonnel mines across Croatian territory by other States
will not be tolerated.[12]
Antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes and antihandling devices
At the Standing Committee meetings in May 2003, Croatia stated that it does
not possess “antivehicle mines with antihandling devices that can be
accidentally activated by human touch.... Anti-vehicle mines used by Croatian
Armed Forces have thresholds of more than 120 kilograms—generally between
150 and 300 kilograms—negating the possibility of being accidentally
activated by a person. Croatia’s Armed Forces though do still have
anti-vehicle mines equipped with tilt-rods,” the TMRP-6. These mines
“have a threshold of 1.3-1.7 kilograms. As it is certainly possible that
TMRP-6 mines when equipped with tilt-rods could be activated by a person,
Croatia is prepared to discuss this issue within the framework of Article 2
discussions of the
Convention.”[13]
Stockpiling and Destruction
Destruction of Croatia’s stockpile of 199,003
antipersonnel mines was completed on 23 October 2002, well in advance of the
four-year deadline for Croatia of 1 March 2003. The stockpile destruction
program was carried out at the Oštarski Dolovi military area near Slunj and
the Crvena Zemlja military area near Knin.
In total 199,003 antipersonnel mines of six types were destroyed in three
phases. This included: PMA-1 (14,280); PMA-2 (44,876); PMA-3 (59,701);
PMR-2A/2AS (74,040); PMR-3 (4); PROM-1 (6,102). An additional 45,579 fuzes were
destroyed. The total cost of the destruction program, including some salaries,
was €110,643
($105,111).[14] The stockpile
destruction program was completed without international financial
support.[15]
Croatia initially declared that it would retain 17,500 antipersonnel mines
for permitted purposes under Article 3 of the Mine Ban Treaty. In December
2000, the quantity to be retained was reduced to approximately 7,000. The most
recent Article 7 report notes the use of 200 retained mines for the test and
evaluation of demining machines during 2002, and the retention of 6,546 mines at
the end of 2002: PMA-1 (906); PMA-2 (1,374); PMA-3 (1,386); PMR-2A (938); PMR3
(70); and PROM-1 (1,872).[16]
Although destruction of the existing stockpile has been completed, the
Ministry of Defense said in January 2003 that the collection of more mines could
be expected.[17] Slavko Kopjar,
Coordinator of the “Farewell to Arms” campaign, said that despite
positive results from the campaign which ended on 31 December 2002, many
munitions, including mines, are still in individual
possession.[18] In its Article
7 report for 2002, Croatia reported 16,507 mines had been collected from members
of the population under the Farewell to Arms
campaign.[19]
Croatia also possesses 19,076 MRUD (Claymore-type) mines, which it does not
classify as an antipersonnel mine. These mines cannot be activated by pressure
or accidental contact and “do not come equipped with trip-wires or
mechanical fuzes as part of their
assembly.”[20]
At the Fourth Meeting of States Parties, Croatia
stated that out of 1,700 square kilometers suspected to be contaminated with
mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), 270 square kilometers are known “with
a fair degree of certainty” to be mined. These mined areas are mainly
along the lines of demarcation of the 1991-1995 conflict. Determining how much
of the suspected area was actually mined is difficult because “many of the
mined areas were not recorded by the various Serb military and paramilitary
forces that operated in our
territory.”[22]
At the end of 2002, the area known or suspected to be mine/UXO-contaminated
was 1,630 square kilometers, containing approximately 700,000 mines, located in
14 of the 21 counties of
Croatia.[23] Estimates of the
contaminated area have reduced each year, from 4,500 square kilometers in 2000.
Mine Action Planning, Coordination, and
Prioritization[24]
Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Croatia has
until 1 March 2009 to complete the destruction of all antipersonnel mines in
mined areas under its jurisdiction or control. A National Mine Action Program
announced in late 2000 was based on the then-estimate of 4,000 square kilometers
of mine/UXO contaminated area, with the aim of making Croatia mine-free by
2010.[25] This program was
reported to be under revision in 2002, and an “operational plan” for
2002-2006 was being
prepared.[26] The April 2003
Article 7 report refers to the National Demining Program which has “the
aim of making Croatia mine-free by its March 2009 deadline pursuant to Article 5
of the Convention.”[27]
The aim of a mine-free Croatia by March 2009 was also stated by the Croatian
delegation at the Standing Committee meetings in May 2003.
Also in May 2003, the capacities of the Croatian Mine Action Center (CROMAC)
were presented. In 2002, Croatia had 39 demining companies, up from 23 in 2001,
and the number increased to 42 companies in 2003. There were 567 deminers, 72
mine detection dogs and 39 mine clearance machines as of May 2003. The average
cost of clearance had fallen to €1.53 ($1.45) per square meter, compared
to €1.77 in 2001, and €2.6 in
1998.[28]
The amount of land returned to the community by clearance or survey has
increased each year, as shown in the
table.[29]
Year
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Area returned to community
(sq. km., or millions sq. m.)
14.3
23.61
32.98
42.35
60.39
CROMAC’s mine action plan for 2003 was accepted by the government on 6
March 2003. The plan calls for a major increase in land return to communities
in 2003. The target of 110,557,700 square meters includes 81,710,000 square
meters released as non-affected after survey, 28,847,700 square meters released
through demining.[30] The
majority of land to be released is agricultural (41 percent), infrastructure (24
percent), and forest (16
percent).[31]
A new area of demining activity for CROMAC in 2003 is the heavily mined
Prevlaka peninsula, between Croatia and Montenegro. On 15 December 2002, the
Prevlaka peninsula was put under temporary Croatian legal jurisdiction and
preparations made for demining jointly with Montenegrin personnel, following
survey activities in 2002. The European Commission (EC) allocated €2.85
million ($2.71 million) from its 2002 budget for demining of this border
area.[32]
Mine Action Funding and Assistance
CROMAC reports that in 2002 it spent KN342,281,452
(US$44.2 million)[33] on mine
clearance activities, a 48 percent increase from 2001 (KN230,394,318, or $29.8
million), which in turn was a large increase from the previous year. Of the
total, KN187,948,252 ($24,282,720) came from the Croatian State budget,
KN73,240,946 ($9,462,655) from public companies and KN81,092,254 ($10,477,035)
from foreign and domestic
donations.[34]
According to CROMAC, foreign donations included KN64,362,010 ($8,315,505)
from the Slovenian International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims
Assistance (ITF), with contributions from the EC, the US, Adopt-a-Minefield,
Roots of Peace, and domestic sources. In addition, KN1,249,797 ($161,472)was received from the UNDP, KN737,315 ($95,273) from Luxembourg, KN505,940
($65,366) from Switzerland, KN297,730 ($38,466) from the UN Office of Project
Services, and KN85,000 ($10,982) from the Recobot Trust
Fund.[35]
The figures provided by CROMAC, however, do not appear to tally with those
provided by foreign donors. According to the UN Mine Action Investments
database, and donor reporting to Landmine Monitor, contributions to mine action
in Croatia in 2002 included: Canada ($205,243), European Commission ($1.9
million); France ($70,330), Germany ($800,000), Luxembourg ($190,000); Norway
($2 million); Slovenia ($64,591), and Switzerland
($230,000).[36] These total
about $5.5 million.
The ITF reports that it provided funding of $10,293,794 (41 percent of its
funds) to Croatia for mine action in 2002. This was almost double the funding
it provided in 2001. Out of the total, $10,167,523 was expended on 83 projects
in which 6.35 million square meters were demined by local commercial companies
and the NGO, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA). The balance of ITF funding
allocated to Croatia was used for mine victim assistance and other
projects.[37]
For 2003, CROMAC has budgeted for expenditures totaling €28,847,700,
which includes funding by the State (€22 million), ITF (€5 million),
and the EC (€2.6
million).[38] UNDP budgeted
$230,000 for the period July 2002-August 2003 as “post-exit support to the
Croatian Mine Action
Center.”[39]
On 3 June 2003, a French delegation including representatives of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, the National Commission for the Elimination of Antipersonnel
Mines, and Handicap International (HI) visited CROMAC and several of its current
work-sites. The delegation agreed to provide €100,000 ($95,000)to
demine 43,000 square meters of land in Trpinje
municipality.[40] A Japanese
delegation visited in February 2003 and pledged to donate €73,585
($69,906) for the purchase of demining protective
equipment.[41]
Mine Clearance, Survey and Marking
In 2002, it was planned to release to communities
69.2 million square meters of land, and mark 230 kilometers of mined and
mine-suspected areas.[42] By
the end of the year, an area totaling 60,398,133 square meters had been handed
over to communities for use. This represents 87 percent of plan. The shortfall
is attributed to financial factors, mainly lack of donor
funds.[43] However, the total
compares very favorably to 42.3 million square meters returned in 2001.
The total returned to communities consisted of 29,384,133 square meters of
suspected areas surveyed and found not to be mine/UXO-contaminated, and
31,014,641 square meters cleared through demining
operations.[44]
Demining was carried out by 24 commercial companies and one NGO, with a total
of 664 deminers (550 domestic and 114 foreign), 38 machines, and 65 dogs.
Commercial demining companies were responsible for clearing most of the land:
30,460,828 square meters. Army units cleared 67,359 square meters, and NPA
cleared 450,000 square meters. In the process, 4,172 antipersonnel mines, 3,700
antivehicle mines, and 94,962 items of UXO were found, which represent large
increases on the previous
year.[45]
CROMAC reports that the types of land cleared were predominantly for
infrastructure renewal (37 percent, substantially in excess of the planned
area), for road renewal and a new highway (23 percent), for land prioritized for
“return of population” (35 percent, nearly double the planned area),
and economic/agricultural areas (21 percent). The proportions of land-type
actually cleared varied from plan mainly due to a government decision to hasten
construction of the new Zagreb-Split highway, and donors directing funds to
reconstruction in eastern Croatia and economic reconstruction projects. Types
of land use where survey/clearance fell below plan were general infrastructure
and telecommunications.[46]
Two areas surveyed by Croatian teams in 2002 were the heavily-mined border
between Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia (including Serbian territory
in the area of Jamena), and the Croatia/Montenegro border on the Prevlaka
peninsula.[47]
Out of planned marking of 230 kilometers of mine-suspected areas, 192
kilometers were actually marked. CROMAC reported that “constant marking
of already marked areas caused certain
difficulties.”[48]
In 2002, NPA carried out general survey on 3.7 square kilometers of
mine-suspected land, technical survey on 500,000 square meters, and mine
clearance on 450,000 square meters of land.
NPA is the only NGO accredited by CROMAC to conduct mine clearance in
Croatia, and the only organization outside CROMAC accredited to conduct general
and technical survey. CROMAC’s approach is to invite tenders for demining
tasks, which has resulted in commercial companies being the major implementers
of mine clearance in the country. NPA focuses on tasks that have great impact
on the local population, but are undesirable to take on for commercial
companies, typically complex tasks with little prospects for profit.
NPA started its mine action program in Croatia in late 2001, after closing
down its Kosovo program. All equipment was transferred from Kosovo, and mine
clearance began in Croatia in December 2001 with a program envisaged to run for
three to five years. NPA employs 42 national staff, and one international
program manager who will be replaced by a Croatian during 2003. Assets include
one team conducting general survey, impact assessment, community liaison and
mine risk education; two technical survey teams; two manual mine clearance
teams; two mechanical teams (one Mine-Cat flail and one MV-4 flail) and one mine
detecting dog team. The main donor is Norway’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. Additional donors are the US State Department, International Trust
Fund, Canadian International Development Agency and UN Development Program.
The NPA mine action program operates in Zadar and Sibenik counties, and in
Eastern Slavonia. It cooperates with an NPA community reconstruction program in
Zadar and Sibenik, aimed at rehabilitating housing and community buildings for
returnees and vulnerable persons.
Within its agreements with CROMAC and the county authorities, NPA conducts
its own impact assessment of each potential task before technical survey or mine
clearance. This involves identifying planned post-clearance land use and
beneficiaries, and availability of resources to use the land as planned.
This information assists with the prioritization of NPA’s mine action
tasks and links with other humanitarian and development activities in order to
improve socio-economic conditions of the target beneficiaries. The same teams
carry out general survey, impact assessment, community liaison, and mine risk
education. Community liaison and mine risk education is integrated with survey
and clearance operations, and is carried out before, during and after the
clearance tasks. Public education and victim assistance activities are
organized on a periodical basis in support of the core clearance activities.
Research and Development (R&D)
In 2002, CROMAC established the Test and Evaluation
Center, and interested states were invited to use its
services.[50] CROMAC continued
testing of demining machines, and took on the task of establishing standards for
testing of demining machines and techniques, in cooperation with the Swedish
Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Demining Centre and the Geneva International
Center for Humanitarian Demining
(GICHD).[51]
For accreditation, nine machines and 86 dogs were tested by CROMAC in 2002.
All mine detection dogs in Croatia carry CROMAC microchips and have a
license.[52]
R&D projects reported in last year’s Landmine Monitor Report
continued in 2002. The ARC and SMART projects are due to end in
2003.[53]
At the University of Zagreb, the Center for Transfer of Technologies has been
established to provide open studies on humanitarian
demining.[54]
CROMAC considers living in mine-suspected areas at
risk, especially farmers, hunters, fishermen, employees of public companies,
older people and children.[56]
It points out that mine clearance “is a long process. The population
living in mine contaminated areas must learn how to safely live in the vicinity
of mines. Therefore mine awareness programs must be implemented parallel with
demining activities.”[57]
Mine Risk Education (MRE) activities conducted in 2002 were directed mainly to
primary-school age children, with other campaigns reaching the general public
and some directed to farmers.
Croatia reports that in 2002 education on landmine hazards was conducted
through lectures, local projects, and plays attended by 68,080 people, including
28,142 children. MRE was conducted by the Croatian Red Cross, the Ministry of
Education and Sport in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and
the Association of Homeland War Civilian Victims in cooperation with the
Ministry of War Veterans Affairs and
CROMAC.[58]
CROMAC’s plan for 2002 included the continuation of its MRE activities.
It coordinated the “April – month of mine protection” project
with local communities and the Croatian Red Cross, and the “Ne, ne
mi-ne” theater play in cooperation with the Daska theater group, Recobot
foundation, Croatian Red Cross and the Ministry of Education and
Sport.5[59]
The “April – month of mine protection” project included a
session in its three branches aimed at farmers, one of the most endangered
groups. Some 150 people attended. The “Ne, ne mi-ne” play,
performed in primary schools, started in September 2002 and up to February 2003
there were 28 performances to 5,530 children and 660 adults. At the same time,
Recobot collected old paper to help finance mine clearance operations.
TV and radio spots were also used throughout the year, most often after the
main news, during agricultural themes and in children's programs. The most
intensive broadcast was in April during the CROMAC “April – month of
mine protection” campaign.NPA in cooperation with the Croatian
Association of Mine Victims, conducted the “Bembo and friends”
campaign, based on the children's TV show “Dizalica,”to warn children in Zadar, Sibenik and Vukovarsko-srijemske counties where
NPA was carrying out mine clearance.
The Croatian Red Cross continued its program of presentations, exhibitions,
and local projects: 1,635 presentations were conducted in all 14 mine-affected
counties to 39,184 participants (13,571 men, 6,501 women, 19,112 children) in
2002.[60]
The Union of Associations of Homeland War Civilian Victims held six sessions
entitled “Children in Mine Environment” for children of primary
school age in the six most endangered counties, with 3,500 children
attending.
Canada funded MRE in 2001-2002, including an evaluation in January 2002 which
was carried out with NPA and the GICHD. On the basis of this evaluation, CROMAC
devised its “Ne, ne mi-ne” theatre play.
CROMAC and the Croatian Red Cross held a meeting in November 2002 to plan the
future cooperation between the two organizations on MRE activities. A CROMAC
representative participated in testing a manual for MRE by the ICRC.
In October 2002, Mine, a newly established association, started to plan MRE
activities. In November 2002, the Brodski list newspaper in cooperation with
CROMAC organized the campaign “Without fires during holidays and Croatia
without mines.”
Landmine Casualties
In 2002, the CROMAC database recorded 23 landmine
and UXO incidents, causing 29 new casualties, of which six people were killed
and 23 injured, including ten children, two women, and 17 men. Activities at
the time of the incident included land cultivation, firewood collection,
gardening, and playing. Most incidents were registered in Zadarskoj and
Osječko-baranjskoj counties (five incidents per county). Included in the
total number of casualties were four deminers injured during mine clearance
operations.[61] In 2001, 30
mine/UXO casualties were recorded, of which eight people were killed and 22
injured.[62]
As of the end of December 2002, the CROMAC database included details on 1,848
mine/UXO casualties since 1991; with at least 554 casualties occurring since the
end of the war in 1995. Of the total casualties, 414 people were killed, 1,367
injured, six suffered no physical injuries, and the status of 61 casualties is
unknown.[63]
In May 2002, the Croatian Mine Victims Association (CMVA), in collaboration
with CROMAC, began a survey of mine casualties in Croatia. The survey is based
on a questionnaire covering the health situation, education, occupation, income
and general situation of mine survivors, or the family of those killed. The
survey data is being collected by mine survivors and is expected to be a useful
tool for setting priorities for mine survivor assistance projects. To January
2003, 400 adult mine casualties and 140 children and teenagers have been
surveyed; 50 people refused to take part in the survey. Data collection
continues in 2003. The project is supported by the Canadian government (through
CIDA).
Survivor Assistance
Croatia has a well-developed public health
infrastructure including clinics, clinical hospitals, specialized hospitals, and
rehabilitation centers.[64]
First aid is reportedly always available to mine casualties in a short period of
time, with transport to well-equipped hospitals provided by
ambulances.[65] However, it is
believed by some mine survivors that the rehabilitation currently available in
Croatia is insufficient and often
incomplete.[66]
Four hospitals in Croatia have facilities for the fitting of prostheses, in
Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka, and Split. The facilities available are reportedly
adequate to meet the needs of amputees; however, a lack of resources limits the
opportunities to improve
standards.[67] Mine survivors,
and other amputees, with health insurance pay about ten percent of the cost of a
basic prosthesis; if amputees want a better and more expensive prosthesis, they
must pay the difference in cost
themselves.[68] In 2002, the
Croatian government provided KN180,000 ($23,255) for a project that will provide
one mine survivor in every contaminated county with a better prosthesis; two
mine survivors were fitted with a new prosthesis under this project, with other
beneficiaries identified.[69]
The CMVA has developed a regional network in 12 of the 14 mine-contaminated
counties in Croatia. In 2002, the CMVA’s activities included: an ongoing
survey of mine survivors in Croatia; support of individual mine survivors;
coordination of the program for rehabilitation and psychosocial support to
children and adult mine survivors during the summer in Rovinj; seminars; and
raising awareness of the problems faced by mine survivors. All projects are
carried out in collaboration with other associations or institutions. In March
and April 2002, the CMVA organized a series of seminars in five towns in Eastern
Slavonia, to raise awareness of the rights and problems of mine survivors and to
provide psychosocial support. Sixteen mine survivors attended the seminars.
The project was financed by the Norwegian government. The CMVA, in
collaboration with the ICRC, produced a picture book by Zeljko Zorica, entitled
“Endangered world,” to raise funds for a scholarship for mine
survivors; four young mine survivors have benefited from the
project.[70] In 2002, the ITF
provided $16,593 to support the activities of the CMVA in
Croatia.[71]
In July 2002, 26 children and young people benefited from medical and
physical rehabilitation and psychological support at the Dr. Martin Horvat
Hospital for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation in Rovinj. Participants also
attended various workshops on music, painting, sport, web design, and video
production. Musical instruments were donated by NPA. The program is supported
by the Canadian Government and local organizations. Later the facilities were
also made available to adult mine survivors and their families; 70 people
participated in the
program.[72]
The Croatian Blind Dog and Mobility Association runs a dog training school
and provides support to the blind in Croatia. The association has 156 members,
of which three are mine/UXO survivors, including a thirteen-year-old
boy.[73]
One of the main problems facing mine survivors in Croatia is the lack of
employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, a problem exacerbated by
high unemployment in the general
population.[74]
In May 2002, CROMAC employed four mine survivors for the task of entering and
processing data in the database; financial support is provided by the Norwegian
government. CROMAC has also employed the four deminers injured in 2002 to
monitor ITF-funded
projects.[75]
The local NGO, NONA, primarily a women’s multimedia center focusing on
the promotion of human rights, is also involved in mine survivor assistance.
NONA has produced a documentary about young mine survivors which was broadcast
on national television. In addition, representatives of NONA met with the
President of Croatia, Stipe Mesić, to raise awareness of the problems faced
by mine survivors. In 2002, NONA organized regular workshops on computer skills
for blind persons, as well as workshops for video production and graphic design
for other people with disabilities in Zagreb and Karlovac. As a result of the
video production and graphic design workshops two young mine survivors produced
an autobiographical video which was released on 26 September 2002, along with a
photo exhibition. The two mine survivors now use their new skills working
part-time to produce the NONA newsletter. NONA plans to expand the workshops to
Sisak and Zadar.[76]
Planning is underway for the creation of the South-East European Regional
Center for Psychosocial Rehabilitation in Rovinj. The center will use existing
rehabilitation facilities and medical specialists from the Martin Horvat
hospital and will be housed in an existing building, which requires extensive
renovation, in the grounds of the hospital. The center will be available not
only to child mine/UXO survivors from Croatia and the region, but also to other
persons with special needs. Funds have been pledged by Canada, Norway, Japan,
and the US State Department, as well as relevant Croatian ministries and the
county of Istria.[77]
In September 2002, Croatia became co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on
Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration, along with Australia. It
will serve as co-chair starting September 2003.
Disability Policy and Practice
No new legislation regulating health care
provisions and assistance to persons with disabilities was introduced during
2002.[78] However, on 4 October
2002, the Croatian Parliament passed a resolution accepting a new national
strategy for 2002-2006 aimed at improving the quality of life of persons with
disabilities, without distinction to the cause of the
disability.[79]
[1] See Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p.
208. [2] Telephone interview with Vice
Skracic, Head of Section for Arms Control and Disarmament, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, 26 March 2003. [3] Ibid;
telephone interview with Marina Juric-Matejcic, Legal Department, Ministry of
Defense, 10 March 2003. [4] Article 7
Report, Form A, 30 April 2003. [5] Email
from Zinka Bardic, Spokesperson, Ministry of the Interior, 9 May
2003. [6] Statement by Mario Nobilo,
Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fourth Meeting of States Parties,
Geneva, 16-20 September 2002. [7]
Article 7 Reports submitted on: 30 April 2003 (for calendar year 2002), 26 April
2002 (for calendar year 2001), 30 May 2001 (for calendar year 2000), 26 January
2001 (for the period 1 August-31 December 1999), and 3 September 1999 (for the
period to 31 July 1999). [8] Interview
with Dijana Plestina, Mine Action Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 20
January 2003. [9] Article 7 Report, Form
E, 30 April 2003. For more information, see Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p.
611. [10] CCW Amended Protocol II
Article 13 Report, Form C, 9 December
2002. [11] Telephone interview with Vice
Skracic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 26 March
2003. [12] Interview with Sanja Bujas
Juraga, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zagreb, 23 January
2001. [13] “Claymore-Type
Mines,” intervention by Croatia, Standing Committee on the General Status
and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 16 May
2003. [14] Exchange rate €1 =
US$0.95, used throughout this report. Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange
Rates (Annual),” 6 January
2003. [15] Article 7 Report, Form F, 30
April 2003. Croatia also reported this data at the Standing Committee on
Stockpile Destruction meeting on 15 May
2003. [16] Article 7 Report, Form D, 30
April 2003. [17] Interview with
Brigadier Slavko Haluzan, President of the Commission for Demining Issues,
Ministry of Defense, Zagreb, 13 January 2003; email from Brigadier Slavko
Haluzan, 16 January 2003. [18]
Interview with Slavko Kopjar, Coordinator, Farewell to Arms Campaign, Ministry
of Interior, Zagreb, 13 January
2003. [19] Article 7 Report, Form F,
submitted 30 April 2003 for calendar year
2002. [20] “Claymore-Type
Mines,” Standing Committee on the General Status, 16 May 2003; Landmine
Monitor Report 2002, p. 211. [21] For
the origins and extent of the mine/UXO problem in Croatia, see Landmine Monitor
Report 2001, pp. 657-658; Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p.
212. [22] Statement by Mario Nobilo,
Fourth Meeting of States Parties, 16-20 September
2002. [23] Article 7 Report, Form C, 30
April 2003; “Mine Situation in Croatia,” Standing Committee on Mine
Clearance, Mine Risk Education, and Mine Action Technologies,” Geneva, 14
May 2003. [24] For details of CROMAC
coordination and prioritization of mine action, see Landmine Monitor Report
2002, p. 213. [25] CROMAC, “The
National Mine Action Program in the Republic of Croatia,” November 2000.
For details, see Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 658; Landmine Monitor Report
2002, pp. 212-213. [26] Interview with
Damir Gorseta, Head of CROMAC, Sisak, 3 April
2002. [27] Article 7 Report, Form C, 30
April 2003. The Program supplied by the Croatian Mine Action Center to Landmine
Monitor in June 2003 was still the National Mine Action Program of 2000, based
on 4,500 square kilometers of mine/UXO contamination and a target completion
date of 2010. Email from Oto Jungwirth, Head of CROMAC, 27 June 2003.
[28] “Mine Situation in
Croatia,” Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, 14 May
2003. [29]
Ibid. [30] “Presentation of Plan
for 2003,” Public Relations, CROMAC website, 8 April 2003, accessed at
www.hcr.hr on 27 June 2003.
[31] “Mine Situation in
Croatia,” Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, 14 May
2003. [32] “Humanitarian demining
of Prevlaka and border belt between Croatia and Montenegro,” Mine Action
News, CROMAC website; email to Sylvie Brigot, ICBL from Catherine Horeftari,
European Commission, 23 May 2003. [33]
At an exchange rate of $1 = KN7.74, used throughout this
report. [34] CROMAC, “Annual
Report 2002,” April 2003, pp.
8-12. [35]
Ibid. [36] See individual Landmine
Monitor country reports for the donors, and, “Multi-year Recipient Report:
Croatia,” UNMAS Mine Investments database, accessed at
www.mineaction.org on 27 June
2003. [37] ITF, “Annual Report
2002,” p. 34; email from Eva Veble, Head of International Relations, ITF,
30 April 2003. [38] “Mine
Situation in Croatia,” Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, 14 May
2003. [39] “United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) Update,” Standing Committee on Mine Clearance,
Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies, Geneva, 14 May
2003. [40] CROMAC, ”The visit of
the French National Commission for Destruction of Antipersonnel Mines,”
Mine Action News, website,
www.hcr.hr. [41]
CROMAC, “Japanese donation to CROMAC,” Mine Action News,
website. [42] CROMAC, “Annual
Report 2002,” April 2003, p.
3. [43] Ibid, pp.
3-7. [44] Article 7 Report, Form C, 30
April 2003; the same total is given in CROMAC, “Annual Report 2002,”
p. 3, but with 29,553,324 square meters surveyed and 30,845,450 square meters
demined. [45] CROMAC, “Annual
Report 2002,” April 2003, pp. 3 and
7. [46] Ibid, pp.
4-5. [47] Letter (no. 2948) from Petar
Mihajlović, Director, Center for Removing Mines and Other Unexploded
Ordnance, Belgrade, 13 March 2003; Mine Action Center Belgrade, “2003 Mine
Action Plan for the Republic of Serbia,” p.
2. [48] CROMAC, “Annual Report
2002,” April 2003, p. 7. [49]
Emails from NPA, 21 March, 7 April, 13 May, and 30 July
2003. [50] Minutes of the Reay Group
Working Session, Geneva, 3 February 2003, p.
2. [51] Interview with Dijana Plestina,
Mine Action Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 20 January
2003. [52] CROMAC, “Annual Report
2002,” April 2003, p. 16. [53]
Ibid. [54] “Council for Higher
Education considers establishing college in Velika Gorica,” Jutarnji list
(daily newspaper), 25 January 2003, p.
28. [55] Unless otherwise stated, this
section is based on: interview with Ljiljana Calic-Zmiric, Advisor for Mine Risk
Education and Victim Assistance, CROMAC, Zagreb, 24 March 2003; report provided
by Ljiljana Calic-Zmiric, 24 March 2003. For the NPA approach to mine risk
education, see the previous section on Mine Clearance, Survey and
Marking. [56] “Stronger media
campaign aiming at stronger mine risk education” and “Mine victims
and mine victims care,” Education and Victim Assistance, CROMAC
website. [57] “Mine
Awareness,” Education and Victim Assistance, CROMAC
website. [58] Article 7 Report, Form I,
30 April 2003. [59]
Ibid. [60] Telephone interview with
Vijorka Roseg, Mine Risk Education Program Manager, Croatian Red Cross, 21 March
2003. [61] Email to Landmine Monitor
(HIB) from Liljana Čalić-Žminć, Advisor for Mine Risk
Education and Victim Assistance, CROMAC, 24 June 2003. In addition, three
people were reported as being involved in incidents but not
injured. [62] “Mine Victim
Assistance: Status Report Croatia,” presentation to the Standing Committee
on Victim Assistance and Socioeconomic Reintegration, 4 February 2003; email
from Liljana Čalić-Žminć, CROMAC, 24 June
2003. [63] “Mine Victim
Assistance,” Standing Committee on Victim Assistance, 4 February 2003;
email from Liljana Čalić-Žminć, CROMAC, 24 June
2003. [64] See Landmine Monitor Report
2002, p. 220. [65] Interview (by
Landmine Monitor Victim Assistance Research Coordinator) with Liljana
Čalić-Žminć, CROMAC, Sisak, 21 October
2002. [66] Interview (by Landmine
Monitor VA Coordinator) with Davorin Cetin, President, CMVA, Sisak, 11 February
2003; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p.
220. [67] Interview (by Landmine Monitor
VA Coordinator) with Dr Miroslav Jelić, Director, Institute for
Rehabilitation and Orthopedic Devices, University Hospital Center, Zagreb, 14
February 2003. [68] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2002, p. 220. [69] Interview with
Martina Belošević, CMVA, Zagreb, 20 January
2003. [70]
Ibid. [71] Email from Sabina Beber, ITF,
18 June 2003. [72] Interview with
Martina Belošević, CMVA, Zagreb, 20 January
2003. [73] Interview (by Landmine
Monitor VA Coordinator) with Mira Katalenić, President, Croatian Guide Dog
and Mobility Association, Zagreb, 14 February
2003. [74] Observation based on
discussions with mine survivors, doctors, prosthetists, officials, and NGOs,
during a visit to Croatia by Landmine Monitor Victim Assistance Research
Coordinator, 10-21 February 2003. [75]
Interview with Martina Belošević, CMVA, Zagreb, 20 January
2003. [76] Interview with Ksenija Habek,
NONA, Zagreb, 17 March 2003. [77]
Interview (by Landmine Monitor VA Coordinator) with Dijana Pleština, Mine
Action Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rovinj, 18 February
2003. [78] For information on existing
policies, see Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p. 623; and Landmine Monitor Report
2001, p. 675. [79] “National
Strategy of Unique Policy for the Disabled from 2002 until 2006,” Republic
of Croatia, 2002; interview with Dr. Ruźica Tadić, State Institute for
the Protection of Family, Maternity and Youth, Zagreb, 15 February
2003.
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