Key developments since May 2004: Croatia will host the Sixth Meeting
of States Parties in November-December 2005. Croatia enacted comprehensive
national implementation legislation in October 2004. It established a national
commission to monitor implementation. Croatia served as co-chair of the
Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration until
November 2004. Croatia ratified CCW Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War on
7 February 2005. As of late August 2005, the Croatian company Agencija Alan was
still displaying for sale the TMRP-6 antivehicle mine equipped with a tilt rod
in its product catalogue; the ICBL believes this mine is banned. Through
general survey, Croatia has reduced its estimate of mined and suspected mined
areas to 1,174 square kilometers. Croatia’s draft mine action program
calls for clearance of 346 square kilometers of known mined areas by its
treaty-mandated deadline of 1 March 2009. In 2004, over 10.6 square kilometers
of land were demined and a further 23 square kilometers reduced by survey. As a
result, two of the 14 mine-affected counties were cleared of mines in 2004. A
total of 4,453 antipersonnel mines, 5,257 antivehicle mines and 40,850 UXO were
found and destroyed. Almost US$52 million was spent on demining in 2004;
international donations increased substantially, to $9.8 million in 2004. A
total of 36,200 people received mine risk education training in 2004 and 100,000
people were exposed to MRE messages. There was a significant increase in mine
casualties, most caused by antipersonnel mines. At the First Review Conference,
Croatia was identified as one of 24 States Parties with the greatest needs and
responsibility to provide adequate survivor assistance. In 2004-2005, the legal
provisions for mine survivors were extended.
Mine Ban Policy
The Republic of Croatia signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 4 December 1997,
ratified it on 20 May 1998, and became a State Party on 1 March 1999.
Parliament approved national implementation legislation―the Law on
Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel
Mines and on Their Destruction―on 1 October 2004. The President approved
the law on 6 October and it was published in the National Gazette on 13
October. Article 9, Section IV of the new law provides penal sanctions for
violations.[1 ]
In accordance with Article 7, Section III of the law, a National Commission
for the Coordination of Monitoring the Implementation of the Law has been
established. It consists of representatives from the ministries of foreign
affairs, defense, interior and justice, as well as the Croatian Mine Action
Center.[2 ]
Croatia submitted its annual Article 7 report on 8 June 2005, covering
calendar year 2004.[3 ]It includes
voluntary Form J, with reporting on mine casualties during 2004 and mine victim
assistance programs. Six previous Article 7 reports have been
submitted.[4]
Croatia served as a Vice-President of the First Review Conference of the
Mine Ban Treaty in Nairobi in November-December 2004. In his statement to the
high level segment, the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs noted that
“the Mine Ban Treaty does represent a unique example of cooperation
between governments, civil society and international organizations.” He
said, “It is necessary that all States Parties unite in an effort to reach
the goal of a mine-free world,” and placed particular emphasis on Article
6 of the treaty regarding international cooperation and assistance. He
concluded by avowing, “The only way to be mine safe is to be mine
free.”[5 ]Croatia also
supported a joint proposal for a mine-free region in South Eastern Europe by
2009.[6]
At the First Review Conference in Nairobi it was decided that Croatia will
host the Sixth Meeting of State Parties (6MSP), from 28 November to 2 December
2005 in Zagreb. In June 2005, during the intersessional meetings, Croatia
provided an update on preparations for the 6MSP. Together with Austria
(President of the First Review Conference), Croatia distributed a discussion
paper regarding the draft program and documents for the 6MSP. States Parties
agreed on a provisional agenda, draft rules of procedure and draft cost
estimates for the meeting.
Croatia served as co-chair of the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance
and Socio-Economic Reintegration from September 2003 until the Review Conference
in November 2004. Croatia actively participated in the meetings of the
intersessional Standing Committee meetings in Geneva in June 2005, making
statements to three Standing Committees.
Croatia has made a number of statements regarding sometimes controversial
matters of interpretation and implementation for Articles 1, 2 and 3. With
respect to the issues of joint military operations and “assisting”
non-States Parties, the Ministry of Defense confirmed in April 2004 that
Croatian soldiers are not allowed to use or assist in the use of antipersonnel
mines within Croatia or in other countries, and that the transit of
antipersonnel mines across Croatian territory by other states will not be
tolerated.[7]
With respect to antivehicle mines with antihandling devices that function as
antipersonnel mines, Croatia declared in May 2003 that it does not possess
“antivehicle mines with antihandling devices that can be accidentally
activated by human touch.”[8 ]However, as of mid-2005, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took the position
that “Croatia does not support the view that mines other than
anti-personnel mines with anti-handling devices constitute a humanitarian
problem. Anti-handling devices are so designed to make defusing a mine more
difficult, not impossible. These mines can be defused if specially followed
procedures are undertaken.”[9 ]
With respect to antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes, Croatia possesses
TMRP-6 antivehicle mines with tilt rods. It said in May 2003, “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.”[10 ]It has made
no statements on the issue since that time.
As of late August 2005, the Croatian company Agencija Alan was still
displaying for sale the TMRP-6 antivehicle mine equipped with a tilt rod in its
product catalogue.[11 ]The ICBL
believes that the sale of TMRP-6 mines with tilt rods would constitute a
violation of the Mine Ban Treaty. In October 2003, the German Initiative to Ban
Landmines reported that Agencija Alan offered the TMRP-6 with tilt rods for sale
at the IDEF weapons exhibition in Ankara,
Turkey.[12 ]The Ministry of Foreign
Affairs was unaware of the case when Landmine Monitor brought it to their
attention.[13 ]The government has
not reported any steps it has taken to address this issue.
Croatia is a State Party to Amended Protocol II of the Convention on
Conventional Weapons (CCW), and attended the Sixth Annual Conference of States
Parties in November 2004. Croatia submitted its annual report as required by
Article 13 of the Protocol on 5 November 2004. Since March 2004,
Croatia’s ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, Gordan
Markotić, has served as President-designate of the Third Review Conference
of CCW, which will be held in November 2006. Croatia ratified CCW Protocol V on
Explosive Remnants of War on 7 February 2005.
Production, Transfer, Stockpiling and Destruction
Croatia has regularly stated that it has never produced antipersonnel
mines.[14 ]There have been no
reports of antipersonnel mines being imported or exported by Croatia, though as
noted above, a Croatian company has offered TMRP-6 mines with tilt rods for
sale.
Croatia completed the destruction of its stockpile of 199,003 antipersonnel
mines on 23 October 2002, in advance of its treaty deadline of 1 March 2003.
Six types of mine were destroyed in three phases. The total cost of the
destruction program was €110,643 ($105,111); it was completed without
international financial support.[15 ]
An additional 45,579 mine fuzes were destroyed during the stockpile
destruction program.[16 ]While all
were listed by Croatia as antipersonnel mine fuzes, two types are also fuzes for
antivehicle mines (UPMAH-1 and UPMAH-3), and one type is capable of dual use
(UPMR-2A).
Croatia also possesses 19,076 MRUD Claymore-type directional fragmentation
mines, which it says cannot be activated by pressure or accidental contact. It
does not classify them as antipersonnel
mines.[17 ]Croatia has not reported
what steps it has taken to ensure that these mines can only be used in
command-detonated mode.
Mines Retained for Research and Training
Croatia reported that at the end of 2004 it retained 6,400 antipersonnel
mines for training and development purposes. The mines are stored at the
Croatian Armed Forces storage site Jamadol near Karlovac, and are used by the
Croatian Mine Action Center.[18 ]In
2004, a total of 78 retained antipersonnel mines were
destroyed.[19 ]During 2003, 268
retained mines were destroyed, leaving a total of 6,478
mines.[20 ]Initially, Croatia
announced that it would retain 17,500 antipersonnel mines, but in December 2000
decided to reduce this to 7,000.[21 ]
Croatia has not yet reported in any detail on the intended purposes and
actual uses of its retained mines―a step agreed to by States Parties in
the Nairobi Action Plan that emerged from the First Review Conference.
Landmine and UXO Problem
The landmine problem in Croatia is a result of conflict associated with the
breakup of the former Yugoslavia during the early 1990s. In the four years of
conflict in Croatia, mines were laid by all parties, mainly to protect defensive
positions on the lines of confrontation, which changed frequently, and also in
areas of strategic importance such as railway lines, power stations and
pipelines. Minefields and areas suspected of being contaminated with mines and
unexploded ordnance (UXO) are located in 12 of the 21 counties of Croatia. Four
of the counties are in the agriculturally-fertile region of Slavonia, which also
has oil and natural gas reserves.
In April 2005, Croatia reported that there remained 1,174 square kilometers
of mined and suspected mined areas, affecting 121 towns and municipalities in 12
counties.[22 ]About 1.1 million
inhabitants live in the mined and suspected mined
areas.[23 ]Based on minefield
records and assessments, these areas contain an estimated 157,244 antipersonnel
mines and 89,043 antivehicle mines as well as significant quantities of UXO.
There is still some abandoned explosive ordnance found, but not on a large
scale. There are also a few warehouses with UXO scattered around. These areas
are said to be well marked and known to the local population. There are no
dumps or caches of mines and other
munitions.[24 ]
Croatia has reduced its estimate of total contamination far more quickly
than the rate of actual clearance. In 1999, the total area affected by mines
and UXO was estimated as 6,000 square kilometers; in 2000, the estimate was
reduced to 4,000 square kilometers, and at the end of 2001 to 1,700 square
kilometers.[25 ]By 2003, the
estimate had been reduced to 1,354 square kilometers, containing an estimated
419,442 antipersonnel mines and 205,801 antivehicle
mines,[26 ]then to 1,174 square
kilometers in April 2005. Thus, from 2000, estimates of the contaminated area
were reduced by 2,826 square kilometers. Clearance operations from 2000 to 2004
accounted for only about 93 square kilometers of this reduction.
The majority of mined areas are woods and forest (about 54 percent),
followed by agricultural land (17 percent), underbrush (11 percent), meadows and
pastures (9 percent), infrastructure and houses (2 percent), with the rest
described as “other”
areas.[27 ]
Mine Action Program
The Croatian Mine Action Center (CROMAC) is the national authority
responsible for mine action throughout the
country.[28 ]CROMAC is responsible
for collecting/maintaining information on mined areas, marking and fencing mined
and suspected areas, awarding demining work through public tenders, quality
assurance and control, coordinating mine risk education and victim assistance,
and advocating for the mine ban.[29 ]Planning and prioritization is based on requests by cities, municipalities
and public companies for clearance to be carried out, from which CROMAC drafts
annual plans requiring approval by
parliament.[30 ]Data on mine
incidents and casualties is also used in the preparation of demining
projects.[31]
In 1998, parliament and the government appointed the CROMAC Council, a body
with the task of coordinating the work of
CROMAC.[32 ]The council consists of
a President, appointed by the Croatian Prime Minister, and 10 members, appointed
from the following ministries: Interior; Defense; Finance; Foreign Affairs;
Economy, Labor and Entrepreneurship; Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development;
Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management; Environmental Protection, Physical
Planning and Construction; Science, Education and Sports;
Culture.[33 ]Persons directly
involved in demining activities, or the owners of demining companies, cannot be
appointed as members of the CROMAC
Council.[34 ]Meetings are held once
every month.
The new National Program for Mine Action in the Republic of Croatia
2005–2009 was approved by the CROMAC Council in January 2005 and forwarded
to the government prior to submission to
parliament.[35 ]The procedure was
ongoing in September 2005.[36 ]The
main goals of Croatia’s national strategy are described as: clearance of
all registered minefields and those found during operations; elimination of the
mine threat from housing and infrastructure reconstruction sites, agricultural
areas, meadows and pasture; complete marking of mine suspected area and
maintenance of marking; inclusion of all at-risk groups in mine risk education;
continued psychosocial rehabilitation, support, and economic reintegration of
all mine survivors; and promotion internationally of the Croatian approach to
mine action.[37 ]
The financial requirements necessary for Croatia to meet these objectives
total KN3.32 billion ($549,668,873) from 2005 to 2009, as follows:
CROMAC believes the majority of the necessary funding should come from the
government (about €300 million, or $373 million), followed by public
companies and other entities (€67 million, or $83 million), local and
foreign donors (€46 million, or $57 million), European Commission
(€16 million, or $20 million) and World Bank loans (€13 million, or
$16 million).[39]
At the Review Conference in November-December 2004, Croatia praised all
regional initiatives aimed at “simplifying procedures, increasing
efficiency and coordination among neighbors, and thus stimulating potential
donors” and said the “CORE group initiative for Eastern Europe
represents a perfect example.”[40 ]The CORE Group was formed at the end of 2004 and consists of mine action
representatives from Austria, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia.
Its main purpose is to regain the interest of donors for South Eastern Europe in
order to make it a mine-free region as soon as possible, while also reducing
costs due to redundancy and increasing efficiency and cooperation. It is hoped
that the regional pooling of resources will contribute to lowering the costs of
mine action programs, while training in specific areas by members can avoid
duplication and minimize required
funding.[41]
The government is encouraging public companies to include mine action in
related financial contributions in their budget for public projects. One
successful example was the involvement of public companies in the building of
the highway between Zagreb and Split through a heavily mined area. Each region
in Croatia is obliged to prepare plans for projects and activities in relation
to mine action, which should include the needs of local communities to the
greatest extent possible.[42]
In 2004, CROMAC prepared a draft law on humanitarian demining, which was
submitted to parliament at the beginning of 2005. As of June 2005, the draft
law was under review;[43 ]it is
expected to be approved before the end of the
year.[44]
In 2004, there were 45 registered demining organizations in Croatia, of
which only 24 private companies and one NGO (Norwegian People’s Aid, NPA)
were active during the year. A total of 595 deminers, 45 demining machines and
123 mine detection dogs were operating within these 25
organizations.[45 ]By April 2005,
demining assets had increased to 610 deminers, 49 mechanical demining machines,
123 mine detection dogs and 677 metal detectors. One new private company also
became active during this period. CROMAC, which employed 140 staff, estimated
that only 40 to 50 percent of the in-country capacity was being used, owing to
lack of funding.[46 ]
NPA employed 43 national staff in 2005: one team for general survey and task
impact assessment, two teams for technical survey, one team for mine clearance,
three medical teams, two mechanical teams (two machines), two mine detection dog
teams, and logistics and administration staff. Unlike commercial companies, NPA
is able to take on projects in smaller areas, difficult terrain or remote
locations, that have social benefits but which may not be profitable; it uses an
integrated form of mine
action.[47 ]
Survey and Assessment
CROMAC started an extensive general survey at the end of 2003, which took 18
months to complete and produced more precisely defined borders of mine suspected
areas and categorization of areas within these borders. It resulted in
CROMAC’s new estimate of 1,174 square kilometers of mined and
mine-suspected area in 121 towns and municipalities in 12 counties. CROMAC
calculates that “the approximate size of minefields is 10-15% of whole MSA
[mine suspected area].” The general survey followed international mine
action standards (IMAS).[48 ]
Demining companies carried out technical survey on 23,083,734 square meters
in 2004. In Croatia, technical survey or “mine searching” is
performed using only mechanical demining methods, but 15 percent of every area
searched daily is checked using two demining methods (usually mechanical,
followed by manual).[49]
NPA reported that it had returned 11,631,357 square meters of land to
communities through general survey and 908,270 square meters through technical
survey during 2004.[50 ]
In 2004-2005, CROMAC continued the development of its unique topographic
database, the CROMAC Geo Information Project (GIP), as a basis for implementing
and monitoring all demining
activities.[51 ]The GIP database
works with scanning equipment donated by Norway at the end of 2004. Croatia
signed an agreement with the Norwegian State Agency for Cartography and
Cadastre. The donation, including informatics support and training of CROMAC
employees, is worth KN8.5 million (some $1
million).[52]
Mine and UXO Clearance
Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Croatia must destroy all
antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as
possible, but not later than 1 March 2009.
The previous mine action program announced in late 2000 aimed to make
Croatia mine-free by 2010.[53 ]The
new 2005-2009 National Mine Action Program sets the following mine clearance
targets: 46 square kilometers in 2005, 75 square kilometers in 2006, 75 square
kilometers in 2007, 75 square kilometers in 2008 and 75 square kilometers in
2009.[54 ]Thus, while Croatia has
estimated 1,174 square kilometers of mined and suspected mined areas, it has
plans for clearance of 346 square kilometers through 2009. CROMAC explains that
“this area is a priority regarding clearance and once this has been
accomplished Croatia shall be deemed mine-safe. The remaining 824 [828] square
kilometers are located mainly in inaccessible terrains and although mine
clearance shall be conducted over this area as well, it does not represent an
immediate threat.”[55 ]These
areas will be marked and subject to additional general surveys and possibly
reduced further. Any clearance of these areas will be left for others (such as
the military).[56 ]The Mine Ban
Treaty requires clearance of all mined areas, which are defined as areas
“dangerous due to the presence or suspected presence of
mines.”[57]
CROMAC’s mine action plan for 2004 called for 40 square kilometers to
be cleared through demining and technical
survey.[58 ]During 2004, 10,601,198
square meters were demined and 23,083,734 square meters released through survey,
totaling 33,684,932 square meters (84 percent of
plan).[59 ]Two counties were
cleared of mines entirely. According to CROMAC, the plan was not fully realized
due to lack of funds from public companies and rebalancing of the state
budget.[60]
Commercial demining companies cleared 10,324,245 square meters while NPA
cleared 276,953 square meters. Croatian Army units cleared only military
facilities (388,284 square meters).[61 ]A total of 4,453 antipersonnel mines (including 1,100 found in military
areas), 5,257 antivehicle mines (including 2,400 in military areas) and 40,850
UXO (including 35,000 in military areas) were
found.[62 ]
Following reports that some farmers were independently removing mines from
agricultural areas, CROMAC issued a warning in May 2005 to stop such
activities.[64 ]
Since 1998, 24 deminers have been killed, 24 seriously injured and another
four slightly injured during mine clearance operations in Croatia; this includes
one seriously injured and four killed in
2004.[65 ]On 29 July 2004, Croatian
media reported that three mine clearance personnel were injured while excavating
a secret arms cache that included antivehicle mines, near
Vinkovci.[66 ]
Mine Risk Education
Organizations involved in mine risk education (MRE) in 2004 included the
Croatian Red Cross, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Recobot
Foundation, Croatian Mine Victims Association and NPA.
MRE is coordinated by CROMAC, which reported that MRE is targeted at adults,
as they form a large proportion of mine casualties, and “the education of
adults is much more demanding.”[67 ]Of 16 mine/UXO casualties in 2004, 14 were adult males, with the vast
majority of incidents resulting from what can be considered reckless behavior,
for example not respecting mine warning signs or knowingly entering mine
suspected or marked areas, despite being knowledgeable about mine-safe behavior,
according to CROMAC. Hunters are considered to be particularly at risk, and as
such were targeted with specific MRE activities and messages during
2004.[68 ]However, programs are
finding that changing behavior, rather than merely improving knowledge, is
proving difficult. Through the regular analysis of data since 1998 CROMAC has
concluded that MRE is more effective (in terms of reducing the number of mine
casualties) when directly combined with the marking of suspected
areas.[69 ]
MRE programs in Croatia predate the IMAS for MRE, and continue to use
methodologies and processes developed by ICRC, the pre-1998 UN mine action
center and UNICEF. However, all programs are said to be regularly updated to
the needs and context and are not considered to contradict best practice
outlined in IMAS.[70 ]
The main provider of MRE in Croatia remains the Croatian Red Cross. The Red
Cross considers traditional lecture-type presentations to be of limited value,
as people are generally aware of the mine risk, and tries to combine MRE with
events raising funds for demining of local areas. In 2004 and 2005 hunters were
warned about the hazard of mines in the hunting grounds around the town of Solin
through the sale of hunting dog leashes with a “Beware Mines”
message. In 2004, the Red Cross organized MRE at 866 events in 31 Red Cross
branch areas, attended by a total of 21,650 people, over half of whom were
children. There were some 70 public events attended by approximately 30,000
people, and 26 performances of the theatre production “No, no, not
mine(s)” were held for 52,000 children. The main target groups for MRE
were returnees, and male outdoor workers, hunters and children. Two hundred
railway workers involved in reconstruction and maintenance of tracks that might
be mined also received MRE orientation
sessions.[71 ]
Twelve children’s playgrounds were constructed in 2004 in Beli
Manastir, Knin, Novska and Vinkovci with a view to preventing new casualties
from mines.[72 ]In 2004 and through
April 2005, Croatian Red Cross and ICRC conducted three seminars for MRE
instructors and a fourth seminar to review MRE programming, and funded
publication of the Red Cross mine risk brochure and the printing of related
promotional materials.[73]
Recobot Foundation, along with a large number of primary schools and local
radio stations, established a paper recycling scheme in 2004. The income, with
funds from the NGO Soroptimist International, Modra lasta
children’s magazine, and the mobile phone company VIPnet, assisted the
clearance of a 30,000 square meter mined area in Lika-Senj county, alongside a
road used by children walking to Licki Osik
school.[74 ]The project continued
in 2005.
In 2003, CROMAC stated that “mine awareness programs must be
implemented parallel with demining
activities.”[75 ]During 2004
and 2005, however, NPA was the only organization that integrated MRE into
clearance activities, through ongoing community liaison activities. This
ensures that during clearance operations the community is kept well informed of
progress, and thus reducing the likelihood of mine incidents. When required,
NPA provides MRE sessions to ensure safety messages are remembered and
respected. In addition to community liaison, during 2004 NPA organized 11 MRE
plays in 11 municipalities in its areas of operation, for 6,200 direct
beneficiaries; two-thirds of them were children under 14 years of age. NPA also
provides support to mine survivors. All these activities are performed in close
cooperation with CROMAC, Croatian Mine Victims Association, local administration
and residents.[76]
Areas subject to general survey in 2004 were marked with large warning
signs; each sign was photographed and its coordinates taken, and shown on mine
contamination maps given to local authorities, police and other users. CROMAC
reported that this created a sense of local ownership of the mine problem and
enhanced the community liaison aspect of MRE
programs.[77 ]However, in April
2005, Croatian officials expressed concern over the disappearance of many of the
signs; in Zadar County alone, over a third of the 975 signs marking known
minefields had gone missing.[78]
Funding and Assistance
Landmine Monitor estimates that total expenditure on mine action in Croatia
in 2004 was KN314,522,819 (US$52,112,191). This is a substantial increase from
reported expenditure in 2003 ($42.7
million).[79 ]Total expenditure is
calculated from CROMAC’s reporting on specific activities: KN313 million
($51,859,881) or 99.5 percent was spent on demining; KN856,512 ($141,912) or 0.3
percent was spent on victim assistance; KN666,307 ($110,398) or 0.2 percent was
spent on MRE.
CROMAC reports that in 2004 the government contributed KN183,824,686
($30,434,551), or 58 percent of total expenditure, and foreign and domestic
donations totaled KN61,258,000
($10,149,624).[80 ]Most funding of
victim assistance and mine risk education comes from domestic and foreign
donors.[81 ]
International donors reported mine action funding for Croatia in 2004
totaling $9,824,386. This is an increase of some $6.2 million from the $3.6
million donated in 2003.[82 ]Seven
countries and the European Commission (EC) reported contributions as follows:
Austria: €679,072 ($844,630) in two contributions via ITF for
demining;[83 ]
EC: €2 million ($2,487,600) for mine
clearance;[84]
France: €100,000 ($124,380) to CROMAC for demining;
[85]
Germany: €777,000 ($966,433) for mine
clearance;[86]
Italy: €250,000 ($310,950) to CROMAC for
demining;[87]
Luxembourg: €105,000 ($130,599) consisting of €100,000
($124,380) to CROMAC for demining and €5,000 ($6,219) for rehabilitation
of mine survivors;[88]
Norway: NOK21,850,000 ($3,241,888) consisting of NOK12,625,000 ($1,873,173)
through ITF to NPA for mine clearance and NOK9,225,000 ($1,368,714) to CROMAC
for support and digitalization of old
maps;[89]
In 2004, the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims
Assistance (ITF) reported that it directed donor funding of $5,489,272 to mine
action in Croatia. Donations reported by ITF as allocated to mine action in
Croatia in 2004, and not noted above are: Adopt-A-Minefield ($215,574) for
demining, and Dijana Pleština ($2,332). These amounts are reflected in the
Landmine Monitor estimate of total donor funding.
[91 ]
ITF donor-funding to Croatia of $5,489,272 (22 percent of ITF expenditure in
2004) is a significant increase on 2003, when ITF directed $4,249,300 (17
percent of its 2003 expenditure) to
Croatia.[92 ]Out of the 2004 total,
97.6 percent ($5,356,804) was expended on demining (31 projects in which 2.46
million square meters of surface area were cleared with 487 mines and 406 UXO
found, and more than 1 million square meters of land were released). Victim
assistance received 0.5 percent
($26,490).[93 ]The balance of ITF
funding was used for mine risk education (0.3 percent) and other projects (1.6
percent.).[94 ]Donations channeled
through ITF receive US matching funding. Since, 2001, the ITF has provided a
total of $25,698,572 in funding for mine action in
Croatia.[95 ]
CROMAC also lists donor funding in 2004 from Monaco of KN381,375
($63,189).[96 ]NPA reports that its
activities in Croatia during 2004 were supported by the Norwegian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (NOK12,500,000; $1,854,627), US through ITF (US$600,000) and
Norwegian Embassy in Zagreb (US$21,500 for MRE and mine victim
assistance).[97]
Landmine/UXO Casualties
In 2004, CROMAC recorded 16 new landmine casualties in 13 incidents,
including 14 people killed; one was a child and four were deminers. One woman
and one deminer were injured. Six people were killed while fishing/hunting, two
while collecting firewood, one while farming and one while playing. Of the 13
incidents, all but one was as a result of antipersonnel mines; one was caused by
a booby-trapped M-75. One person was also injured in a mine incident outside a
mine-suspected area. This represents a significant increase from the nine
casualties (one killed and eight injured) reported in
2003.[98]
In addition, on 29 July 2004, three mine clearance personnel were injured
while excavating a secret arms cache that included antivehicle mines, near
Vinkovci.[99]
In the first seven months of 2005, CROMAC reports nine new mine casualties,
including three people killed and six injured. In addition, one person was
killed and three others seriously injured, including one child and a 27-year-old
Dutch tourist who stepped on a landmine on the southern Croatian island of Vis
on 21 July. Vis was not known to be
mined.[100]
CROMAC collects data on all casualties, but for operational reasons those
killed or injured within the boundaries of mine-suspected areas are recorded
separately from casualties outside these
areas.[101 ]As of July 2005, the
CROMAC database recorded 1,734 mine/UXO casualties since 1991 in mine-suspected
areas, with at least 492 casualties occurring since the end of the war in 1995;
423 people were killed, 1,277 injured and the status of 34 casualties is
unknown.[102 ]As of April 2005,
348 casualties were recorded outside mine-suspected areas since 1991; 66 people
were killed, 254 injured and the status of 28 casualties is unknown. The
majority of these incidents were as a result of UXO; incidents of this kind are
dealt with by the Ministry of
Interior.[103 ]The Croatian Mine
Victims Association (CMVA) also records data for the whole territory of Croatia.
At the First Review Conference, Croatia was identified as one of 24 States
Parties with significant numbers of mine survivors, and with “the greatest
responsibility to act, but also the greatest needs and expectations for
assistance” in providing adequate services for the care, rehabilitation
and reintegration of survivors.[105 ]
Croatia submitted the voluntary Form J with its annual Article 7 Report to
report on survivor assistance
activities.[106]
From September 2003 until the end of 2004, Croatia served as co-chair of the
Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration. In
this capacity, Croatia recommended to the States Parties that a landmine
survivor serve as permanent advisor to the Committee’s co-chairs.
Croatia also encouraged every delegation to include a mine survivor or other
person with a disability to enhance the cooperation between civil society,
international organizations and
governments.[107 ]
Two mine survivors from Croatia participated in the Raising the Voices
training in Geneva in February 2004, and at the Survivors Summit and First
Review Conference in Nairobi in November–December 2004.
The Croatian National Action Plan for 2005–2009 includes victim
assistance and rehabilitation, which is mainly organized and conducted by NGOs
in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.[108]
Croatia has a well-developed public health infrastructure, including
clinics, clinical hospitals, specialized hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
In 2004, there were 119 health centers, 23 general hospitals, 12 teaching
hospitals and clinics, two clinical hospital centers, 30 specialized hospitals
(two privately owned), five health resorts (two privately owned), four emergency
medical aid centers, 185 polyclinics (175 privately owned), 111 medical centers
providing home-based care (110 privately owned) and 141 pharmacies (108
privately owned).[109]
First aid is reportedly always available to mine casualties within a short
period of time, with transport to well-equipped hospitals provided by
ambulances. Surgical treatment is of a high quality. Mine survivors must pay
for medicines not on the list of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute and for
everything that exceeds the limits set nationally.
There are 12 special hospitals for physical rehabilitation, together with
private polyclinics. However, some mine survivors claim that the rehabilitation
available is insufficient and often incomplete. Four hospitals have facilities
for the fitting of prostheses, in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka and Split. None of
these facilities have workshops for the production of orthopedic devices, which
are supplied by registered contract companies. Mine survivors and other
amputees with health insurance pay about 10 percent of the cost of a basic
prosthesis. According to CMVA, the Croatian government does not cover the
rehabilitation costs of a large proportion of its members. Only those whose
percentage of disability exceeds 80 percent have their costs covered by state
institutions.[110]
There are no training schools for prosthetic/orthotic technicians in
Croatia. Most technicians receive on-the-job training or travel abroad for
short courses. However, one private orthopedic firm, Bauerfiend Zagreb, is
offering scholarships for a two-year prosthetic/orthotic training program to
three mine survivors. The program started in October 2004. In 2005, Bauerfiend
will also train landmine survivors as tailors to facilitate the establishing of
home-based businesses.[111]
One student from Croatia is enrolled in the prosthetics and orthotics course
at the School of Health Studies in the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, with
the support of the ITF.[112]
Croatia has two university faculties for the training of physiotherapists in
Zagreb and Rijeka, and four physiotherapy schools. Training for occupational
therapists is also available in Zagreb.
The local NGO Croatian Guide Dog and Mobility Association (CGDMA) operates a
dog training school and provides support to the visually-impaired in Croatia.
In 2004, the Association trained 34 blind people to use a cane and trained 22
guide dogs. In May 2004, it started the construction of a center in Zagreb in
partnership with the government and the city of Zagreb. The center is due for
completion by 2006.[113]
While the National Center for Psycho-trauma in Zagreb continues to offer
psychological support to survivors of the war, including mine survivors, the
main psychosocial support network for mine survivors is the NGO Croatian Mine
Victims Association (CMVA). CMVA’s activities include an ongoing survey
of mine survivors in Croatia; support of individual mine survivors including
medical assistance, facilitating access to prosthetics, vocational training and
job placement; school tuition fees; emergency financial support; peer support
groups, sports and other activities; raising awareness of the problems faced by
mine survivors. All projects are carried out in collaboration with other
associations or institutions. In 2004, CMVA continued to hold workshops on
capacity-building for regional coordinators, who are mine survivors, to
encourage advocacy for change in society in relation to persons with
disabilities. The summer program for young mine survivors continued at the
Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Department of the Dr Martin Horvat Hospital in
Rovinj. Under the program, young survivors benefited from medical and physical
rehabilitation and psychological support, and attend various workshops on music,
painting, sport, web design and video production. In 2004, 31 people
participated, including six people from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Norwegian
People’s Aid also assists with implementation of the project. CMVA has
been unable to secure funding for a similar rehabilitation project targeting
adult survivors, although interest in participating is
high.[114 ]In 2004, CMVA received
funding support from several donors, including ITF ($31,000), Norwegian Embassy
($14,655), Chinese Embassy ($4,300), Greek Embassy ($2,500) and the US Embassy
($25,000). According to CROMAC, other domestic organizations donated $72,241 in
2004 for CMVA and other victim assistance activities. The Croatian Government
contributed $17,241.[115 ]
Planning for the creation of a regional psychosocial support center in
Rovinj continues. The DUGA (rainbow) center is supported by CMVA, the Center
for Disaster Management and Dijana Pleština. In January 2005, a contract
between Istrian County and DUGA was signed, and renovation of the building
started. The center should open in 2006 with a capacity to host 500-600
mine-affected people from southeast Europe each
year.[116 ]
The local NGO NONA, primarily a women’s multimedia center focusing on
the promotion of human rights, is also involved in mine survivor assistance, but
in 2004, no funding was available to assist survivors. NONA plans to organize a
video and film workshops for children and young landmine survivors in
2005.[117]
In April 2005, the Rotary Clubs from Zagreb and Oslo awarded scholarships to
six Croatian child mine survivors. The two Rotary Clubs raised KN200,000 (about
$34,690) for the children, who will receive the funds over the next two
years.[118]
In 2004, a two-year scholarship to the Cesar Ritz International College of
Hotel Management was awarded to the daughter of a deminer killed in a mine
accident. A scholarship will be awarded to a mine/UXO survivor every
year.[119 ]
Disability Policy and Practice
Croatia has extensive legal provisions for the rights and entitlements of
persons with disabilities, including mine survivors; however, many are not fully
implemented, partly due to a lack of knowledge about entitlements. There is
also a Commission of the Government for Disabled People and a national strategy
aimed at improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities. Pension
benefits vary based on the level of disability. However, the pensions available
are reportedly insufficient to maintain a reasonable standard of
living.[120 ]Deminers who suffer
an amputation currently receive a pension of KN1,200 (around $200) a
month.[121]
In December 2004, legal provisions for mine survivors were extended with the
Law on the Rights of Croatian Participants in the Civil War and Members of their
Families, and in 2005 with the Law on Professional Rehabilitation and Employment
of Persons with Disabilities.[122 ]A proposal for a new Law on Humanitarian Demining was submitted to the
government in early 2005. It includes recognition of the rights of deminers
injured during mine clearance activities. CMVA collaborated on drafting the new
legislation.[123 ]The new
government has created a working group for the rights of people with
disabilities.[124]
[1 ]Article 7 Report, Form A, 8
June 2005. Croatia previously reported that it had “already met its
commitments pursuant to Article 9 of the Convention with present national
legislation” and that the new law “will only regulate aforementioned
commitments in more details.” It noted that Article 163 of the Criminal
Law defines legal sanctions for violations of international law, with penalties
including fines and imprisonment from six months to three years’
imprisonment or long-term imprisonment. National Gazette, No. 141, 13
October 2004, p. 5993. Article 7 Report, Form A, 18 June 2004.
[2 ]Article 7 Report, Form A, 8
June 2005.
[3 ]The date of submission listed
by the United Nations is 8 June 2005, but the date on the report itself is 30
April 2005.
[4]Previous reports were submitted
on 18 June 2004, 30 April 2003, 26 April 2002, 30 May 2001, 26 January 2001 and
3 September 1999.
[5 ]Statement by Tomislav
Vidosevic, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nairobi Summit on a
Mine-Free World (First Review Conference), Nairobi, 3 December 2004.
[6]“Mine Free Regions
Initiative: The Example of Mine Free South Eastern Europe by 2009,”
prepared by Slovenia, delivered to the First Review Conference, Nairobi, 1
December 2004. Supported by Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada,
Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia and the European
Commission.
[7]Interview with Col. Slavko
Haluzan, Ministry of Defense, Zagreb, 8 April 2004. Also, telephone interview
with Vice Skracic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 26 March 2003; interview with
Sanja Bujas Juraga, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zagreb, 23 January 2001. A
similar statement was made in January 2000; see Landmine Monitor Report
2000, p. 611.
[8 ]“Claymore-Type
Mines,” intervention by Croatia, Standing Committee on General Status and
Operations of the Convention, Geneva, 16 May 2003.
[9 ]Website of the Croatian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Multilateral Relations: Non-Proliferation,
Disarmament and Arms Control Policies in the Republic of Croatia,” Sec. 1,
Multilateral Instruments, D. Reinforcing Multilateral instruments, www.mfa.hr/MVP.asp?pcpid=1239,
accessed 25 July 2005.
[10 ]“Claymore-Type
Mines,” intervention by Croatia, Standing Committee on General Status and
Operations of the Convention, Geneva, 16 May 2003.
[11 ]Agencija Alan DOO, “AA
Product Catalogue,” Zagreb, Croatia, www.aalan.hr/default.asp?id=55,
accessed 22 August 2005.
[12 ]German Initiative to Ban
Landmines, “Victim activated landmine on offer,” Press Release, 22
October 2003.
[13 ]Interview with Dr. Dijana
Pleština, CROMAC Council, Mine Action Advisor to Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Zagreb, 9 April 2004.
[14 ]A recent example is Article
7 Report, Form E, 8 June 2005. Croatia has also said that it does not produce
antivehicle mines. Website of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
“Multilateral Relations: Non-Proliferation, Disarmament and Arms Control
Policies in the Republic of Croatia.” Sec. 1, Multilateral Instruments, D.
Reinforcing Multilateral instruments, www.mfa.hr/MVP.asp?pcpid=1239, accessed 25
July 2005.
[15 ]Article 7 Report, Form F, 8
June 2005. The mines destroyed 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). Croatia acquired its
stockpile of antipersonnel mines by taking over Yugoslav Army depots during the
breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. At
entry into force of the Mine Ban Treaty, Croatia reported possessing 198,649
antipersonnel mines, plus additional components. This total was revised in
later reports, due to more accurate information and other factors. Article 7
Report, Form B, 3 September 1999. See also Landmine Monitor Report 2000,
p. 612, and Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 210.
[16 ]Article 7 Report, Form F, 8
June 2005. These fuzes included: 15,476 UPMR-2A, 2AS; 13,256 UPMR-3; 11,870
UPROM-1; 2,514 UPMAH-1; 1,960 UPMAH-2; 503 UPMAH-3.
[17 ]“Claymore-Type
Mines,” intervention by Croatia, Standing Committee on General Status and
Operations of the Convention, Geneva, 16 May 2003. Claymore-type mines used in
command-detonated mode are permissible under the Mine Ban Treaty, but if used
with tripwires are prohibited.
[18 ]Article 7, Form D, 8 June
2005. The mines included: 876 PMA-1; 1,334 PMA-2; 1,343 PMA-3; 923 PMR-2A; 70
PMR-3; 1,854 PROM-1.
[19 ]Article 7 Report, Form D, 8
June 2005. These included 20 each of PMA-1, PMA-2, and PMA-3 mines, 8 PMR-2A
and 10 PROM-1 mines.
[20 ]Article 7, Form F, 8 June
2005; Article 7 Report, Form D, 18 June 2004.
[21 ]Article 7 Report, Form D, 30
May 2001.
[22 ]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, Assistant Director, Croatian Mine Action Center (CROMAC), 18
April 2005.
[23 ]Presentation by Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, EU Mine Action Coordination Meeting for South Eastern
Europe, Sarajevo, 6 April 2005.
[24 ]Article 7 Report, Form C, 8
June 2005; emails from Miljenko Vahtarić, CROMAC, 18 April and 22 August
2005.
[25 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 1999, p. 575; Landmine Monitor Report 2001, pp. 657–658;
Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 212.
[26 ]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 18 April 2005; Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p
366.
[27 ]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 18 April 2005; presentation by Miljenko Vahtarić,
CROMAC, EU Mine Action Coordination Meeting for South Eastern Europe, Sarajevo,
6 April 2005.
[28 ]For the development of
CROMAC from 1998 and the prior UN mine action center, see Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, pp. 366-367.
[29 ]Emails from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 18 April and 22 August 2005.
[30 ]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 18 April 2005; see also Landmine Monitor Report
2002, pp. 658–662.
[31]Email from Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, Advisor for Mine Risk Education and Victim
Assistance, CROMAC, 20 May 2005.
[32 ]Emails from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 18 April and 22 August 2005; email from Neven Karas,
Assistant Director, CROMAC, 26 April 2005.
[33 ]Interview with Dr. Dijana
Pleština, CROMAC Council and Advisor for Mine Action to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2005.
[34 ]Email from Neven Karas,
CROMAC, 26 April 2005.
[35 ]CROMAC, “National
Program for Mine Action in the Republic of Croatia 2005–2009”;
interview with Dr. Dijana Pleština, CROMAC Council, Zagreb, 18 April
2005.
[36 ]Telephone interview with
Miljenko Vahtarić, CROMAC, 8 September 2005.
[37 ]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 22 August 2005, and telephone interview with Miljenko
Vahtarić, 8 September 2005.
[38 ]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 18 April 2005; interview with Dr. Dijana Pleština,
CROMAC Council, 18 April 2005. Midpoint Exchange Rates of the Croatian National
Bank, 2004, www.hnb.hr: US$1 = KN6.04, used throughout this report.
[39]Presentation by Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, EU Mine Action Coordination Meeting for South Eastern
Europe, Sarajevo, 6 April 2005, as recorded in Narrative Report compiled by
Davide Orifici, Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD),
Geneva, 11 May 2005. Average Foreign Exchange Rates for 2004: €1 =
US$1.2438, used throughout this report. “List of Exchange Rates
(Annual),” 3 January 2005.
[40 ]Statement by Tomislav
Vidosevic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, First Review Conference, Nairobi, 3
December 2004.
[41]Interview with Dr. Dijana
Pleština, CROMAC Council, Zagreb, 18 April 2005.
[42]Presentation by Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, EU Mine Action Coordination Meeting for South Eastern
Europe, Sarajevo, 6 April 2005, as recorded in GICHD Narrative Report compiled
by Davide Orifici, Geneva, 11 May 2005.
[43 ]Interview with Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, Sisak, 18 April 2005.
[44]CROMAC website, www.hcr.hr,
accessed in May 2005; interview with Dr. Dijana Pleština, CROMAC Council,
Geneva, 17 June 2005.
[45 ]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 20 May 2005.
[46 ]Presentation by Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, EU Mine Action Coordination Meeting for South Eastern
Europe, Sarajevo, 6 April 2005, as recorded in GICHD Narrative Report compiled
by Davide Orifici, Geneva, 11 May 2005.
[47 ]Interview with Vanja
Sikirica, Mine Action Advisor, NPA, Zagreb, 20 April 2005; “NPA Mine
Action Program in Croatia-2004,” report prepared for Landmine Monitor by
Vanja Sikirica, NPA, 3 May, 2005; see Landmine Monitor Report 2004,
pp. 369-370.
[48 ]CROMAC Annual Report for
2004; emails from Miljenko Vahtarić, CROMAC, 18 April and 22 August
2005.
[49]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 20 May 2005. Croatia’s Law on Demining, and
related regulation, do not allow area-reduction by technical survey.
[50 ]“NPA Mine Action
Program in Croatia-2004,” report prepared for Landmine Monitor by Vanja
Sikirica, NPA Mine Action Advisor, Zagreb, 3 May 2005.
[51 ]Email from Damir Jelinic,
Head of Department for Data Base, CROMAC, 18 April 2005.
[52]Interview with Sandi
Šaban, Head of the Scan Center, CROMAC, Sisak, 25 May 2005.
[53 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2001, p. 658.
[54 ]Article 7 Report, Form C, 8
June 2005. Data given in Form C table “Plan of activities in the process
of pyrotechnic survey and mine clearance in the Republic of Croatia for the
period from 2005 to 2009.”
[55 ]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 22 August 2005.
[56 ]Interview with Dr. Dijana
Pleština, CROMAC Council, 18 April 2005; CROMAC, “National Program
for Mine Action in the Republic of Croatia 2005-2009”; telephone interview
with Miljenko Vahtarić, CROMAC, 17 August 2005.
[57]Mine Ban Treaty Article 2.5.
[58 ]Interview with Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 7 April 2004; Croatia presentation, Humanitarian Demining
Research and Development conference, Geneva, 19 March 2004.
[59 ]Email from Nataša
Mateša-Mateković, Head of the Department for Planning and Analysis,
CROMAC, 25 May 2005; Article 7 Report, Form C, 8 June 2005.
[60]Email from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 18 April 2005.
[61 ]CROMAC, “Annual Report
for 2004.” Military clearance is not included in the CROMAC total for
2004.
[62 ]Article 7 Report, Form C, 8
June 2005.
[63]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 369.
[64 ]“Independent removal
of mines is a threat to public safety,” Zagreb, 19 May 2005, CROMAC
website, www.hcr.hr.
[65 ]Interview with Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, Advisor for Mine Risk Education and Victim
Assistance, CROMAC, Sisak, 18 April 2005; Article 7 Report, Form J, 8 June 2005;
CROMAC, “Annual Report for 2004.”
[66 ]“Explosion caused
while digging up hidden weapons,” Croatian TV, 29 July 2004.
[67 ]CROMAC, “Expended
Funds in 2003,” January 2004, p. 20.
[68 ]Interview with Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, CROMAC, Sisak, 20 April 2005.
[69 ]Statement by Croatia, Fifth
Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 15-19 September 2003.
[70 ]Email from Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, CROMAC, 26 April 2005.
[71 ]Interview with Vijorka
Roseg, Mine and ERW Program Manager, Croatian Red Cross, Zagreb, 24 April
2005.
[72 ]Article 7 Report, Form I, 8
June 2005; email from Vijorka Roseg, Croatian Red Cross, Zagreb, 4 July 2005.
[73]ICRC Special Report,
“Mine Action 2004,” Geneva, June 2005, p. 33.
[74 ]Interview with Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, CROMAC, 20 April 2005.
[75 ]“Mine Awareness,
Education and Victim Assistance,” CROMAC website.
[76]Emails from Vanja Sikirica,
NPA Croatia, 8 July 2005, and from Sara Sekkenes, NPA, 22 September 2005.
[77 ]Interview with Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, CROMAC, Sisak, 18 April 2005.
[78]“Authorities concerned
about missing land mine warning signs,” Associated Press (Zagreb),
Croatia, 28 April 2005.
[79 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 371.
[80 ]Emails from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 20 May and 22 August 2005. Average exchange rate for
2004: $1 = KN 6.035494, used throughout this report. “Midpoint Exchange
Rates of the Croatian National Bank, (period average).”
[81 ]Emails from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 20 May and 22 August 2005.
[82 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 371.
[83 ]Austria, Article 7 Report,
Form J, 27 April 2005; email from Norbert Hack, Minister, Department of
Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1
August 2005. Average exchange rate for 2004: €1 = $1.2438, used throughout
this report. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),”
3 January 2005.
[84]EC, “Contribution to
the Landmine Monitor 2005,” by email from Nicola Marcel, RELEX Unit 3a
Security Policy, EC, 19 July 2005.
[85]Emails from Amb. Gerard
Chesnel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2005, and from Anne Villeneuve,
HI, July-August 2005.
[86]Germany, Article 7 Report,
Form J, 15 April 2005; email from Dirk Roland Haupt, Federal Foreign Office,
Division 241, 25 July 2005.
[87]Mine Action Investments
database; email from Manfredo Capozza, Humanitarian Demining Adviser, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, June-July 2005.
[88]Email from Francois Berg,
Disarmament Desk, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2 August 2005.
[89]Email from Elin Eikeland,
Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 6 September 2005.
[90]USG Historical Chart
containing data for FY 2004, by email from Angela L. Jeffries, Financial
Management Specialist, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military
Affairs, 20 July 2005.
[91 ]ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” pp. 17-18. ITF also reported $49,256 from Adopt-A-Minefield for
demining in both Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and $1,210,017 from the EC
delegation in Zagreb, which are not included in the Landmine Monitor
estimate.
[92 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 372.
[93 ]ITF, “Contribution to
the Landmine Monitor 2005,” by email from Iztok Hočevar, Head of
International Relations Department, 22 July 2005; ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” p. 52.
[94 ]ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” p. 52. Exact amounts were not provided by ITF.
[95 ]ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” p. 24. Calculated from annual totals by Landmine Monitor.
[96 ]Monaco has not reported this
funding, which is not been included in the Landmine Monitor estimate.
[97]“NPA Mine Action
Program in Croatia-2004,” report prepared for Landmine Monitor by Vanja
Sikirica, NPA, Zagreb, 3 May 2005.
[98]Interview with Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, CROMAC, Sisak, 18 April 2005; Article 7, Form
J, 8 June 2005; CROMAC, “Annual Report for 2004;” CROMAC,
“Mine victims and mine victims care,” www.hcr.hr accessed 26 July 2005.
[99]“Explosion caused
while digging up hidden weapons,” Croatian TV, 29 July 2004.
[100]CROMAC, “Mine
victims and mine victims care,” www.hcr.hr
accessed 26 July 2005; “Dutch tourist seriously injured by land mine on
Croatian island,” Associated Press, Zagreb, 21 July 2005;
“Dutch tourist gets crippled in mine accident in Croatian seaside,”
MakFax News Agency, 21 July 2005; “Kroatien: Urlauber verlor Bein
durch Landmine,” Austrian Standard, 21 July 2005.
[101 ]Interview with Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, CROMAC, Sisak, 18 April 2005; for more
information, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 373.
[102 ]Interview with Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, CROMAC, Sisak, 18 April 2005 (data to April
2005); CROMAC, “Mine victims and mine victims care,” (covers January
to July 2005), www.hcr.hr, accessed 26 July
2005. The database is constantly updated as new information becomes available.
Following the 2004 General Survey, CROMAC updated its database and removed
duplicate entries.
[103 ]Interview with Ljiljana
Čalić-Žmirić, CROMAC, Sisak, 18 April 2005; interview with
Martina Belošević, President of CMVA, Zagreb, 20 April 2005.
[104]For more information, see
Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 375-378; see also Handicap
InternationaI, “Landmine Victim Assistance in South East Europe,”
Brussels, September 2003, http://www.handicapinternational.be.
[105 ]United Nations, Final
Report, First Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the
Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel
Mines and on Their Destruction, Nairobi, 29 November-3 December 2004,
APLC/CONF/2004/5, 9 February 2005, p. 33.
[106]Article 7, Form J, 8 June
2005.
[107 ]Statement by Tomislav
Vidosevic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, First Review Conference, Nairobi, 3
December 2004; interview with Dr. Dijana Pleština, CROMAC Council, Zagreb,
20 April 2005.
[108]Presentation by Croatia,
Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action
Technology, Geneva, 13-14 June 2005.
[109]Email from Dr. Dunja
Skoko–Poljak, Ministry of Health, Zagreb, 10 June 2005.
[110]Interview with Mato
Lukić, member of CMVA Board, Karlovac, 12 May 2005.
[111]Interviews with Dr.
Dijana Pleština, CROMAC Council, Zagreb, 20 April and 26 April 2005;
Article 7, Form J, 8 June 2005; email to Landmine Monitor (NPA) from Miljenko
Vahtarić, CROMAC, 22 August 2005.
[112]ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” p. 31.
[113]Email from Mira
Katalenić, President, CGDMA, 15 May 2005; CGDMA, “Annual Report
2004,” pp. 1, 4-5.
[114 ]Interview with Martina
Belošević, President, CMVA, Zagreb, 20 April 2005; Article 7 Report,
Form J, 8 June 2005; Final Report of Program: “Summer Workshops for Young
Land Mine and UXO Survivors,” Rovinj 2004; interview with Vanja Sikirica,
NPA, Zagreb, 20 April 2005; “NPA Mine Action Program in
Croatia-2004,” prepared by Vanja Sikirica, NPA, Zagreb, July 2005; see
also Standing Tall Australia and Mines Action Canada, “101 Great Ideas for
the Socio-Economic Reintegration of Mine Survivors,” June 2005, p. 46.
[115 ]Interview with Martina
Belošević, President, CMVA, Zagreb, 20 April 2005; CMVA, “Annual
Report 2004;” Article 7 Report, Form J, 8 June 2005.
[116 ]Interview with Martina
Belošević, CMVA, Zagreb, 20 April 2005; see also Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 377.
[117]Interview with Ksenija
Habek, NONA, Zagreb, 15 May 2005.
[118]“Rotary Clubs grant
scholarships to six children injured by landmine explosions,” Skabrnja,
Croatian News Agency (HINA), 9 April 2005.
[119 ]Article 7 Report, Form J,
8 June 2005.
[120 ]For more information, see
Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 378-379.
[121]“New Law on
Humanitarian Demining,” Croatian News Agency (HINA), 1 June
2005.
[122 ]Interview with Vesna
Škuli, Member of Croatian Parliament, Zagreb, 10 June 2005; interview with
Mato Luki , CMVA, 15 May 2005; “Law on the Rights of Croatian Participants
in the Civil War and Members of their Families,” National Gazette of
the Republic of Croatia, No. 174, December 2004; “Law on Professional
Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities,” National
Gazette of the Republic of Croatia, No. 33/05, 14 March 2005; see also www.mzss.hr.
[123 ]Interview with Mato
Lukić, CMVA, 15 May 2005; interview with Martina Belošević, CMVA,
Zagreb, 20 April 2005; CMVA, “Annual Report 2004.”
[124]Interview with Martina
Belošević, CMVA, Zagreb, 9 April 2004.
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