Key developments since May 2004: In 2004, nearly four square
kilometers of land were cleared in Kosovo, compared with less than one square
kilometer cleared in 2003. In clearance and other operations, 910 antipersonnel
mines, 15 antivehicle mines, 772 cluster bomblets and 2,554 UXO were destroyed.
Survey of suspected areas and new reports by the public and authorities in 2004
led to the discovery of new areas affected by mines and UXO. In September 2005,
there were 36 dangerous areas and 53 explosive ordnance disposal tasks recorded,
compared with 68 dangerous areas and 52 EOD tasks at the end of 2003; however,
new areas of mine/UXO contamination continued to be discovered. Donors provided
an estimated US$1.58 million of funding in 2004. Fewer new casualties were
reported in 2004 than in 2003.
Background
Kosovo is a province of Serbia and Montenegro (formerly the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia, FRY) but has a predominantly ethnic-Albanian population.
Conflict between Yugoslav armed forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) led
to the NATO bombing campaign against the FRY and Serbian forces in Kosovo.
Since June 1999, the province has been under the administration of the United
Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). The KLA disbanded in September 1999, but
several other ethnic-Albanian armed groups emerged. The situation in Kosovo
remains volatile with occasional acts of violence, directed mainly against the
remaining Serbian minority. In March 2004, widespread violence and riots
erupted between the two ethnic communities in the
province.[1]
Use
There were no reported cases of landmine use during 2004 or the first six
months of 2005 despite the continuing unrest in Kosovo. The last reported use
occurred on 12 April 2003, when antivehicle mines were reportedly used to damage
a railway bridge in Loziste, killing three people suspected of laying the
explosives.[2 ]In previous years,
mines have been used in attacks against the remaining Serbian minority in
Kosovo, and against Serbian military and police forces on the province’s
border with southern Serbia.
On 22 March 2004, UNMIK reported that a mine had been left in a street in
Vucitrin during rioting.[3 ]On 25 May
2004, a local resident reported the discovery of an arms cache that included 28
antitank rockets, four grenades and 15 mine fuzes. UNMIK reported that the
weapons cache had been “recently
buried.”[4 ]Weapons possession
is a criminal offence for all Kosovo residents except those holding UNMIK
authorization, with penal sanctions for
violations.[5 ]
Landmine and UXO Problem
In 2004, the remaining contamination in Kosovo was reported to be mainly
from unexploded ordnance (UXO), such as cluster bomb units and grenades, with a
limited threat from mines.[6 ]Although mine contamination has been reduced substantially since clearance
operations started in late 1999, previously unknown mined areas continue to be
discovered. During 2004, at least three large mined areas were discovered, for
which no records exist, in the course of survey and clearance operations. These
newly reported sites are in remote, mountainous and often densely forested areas
near the Albanian and Macedonian
borders.[7 ]
In July 2005, UNMIK reported that there were 44 dangerous areas needing
clearance, and a further 53 areas that, although surface-cleared, may contain a
sub-surface threat and require future
clearance.[8 ]At the end of 2004,
UNMIK reported that there were 52 explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) tasks
needing survey, and 14 reported dangerous or suspicious areas requiring
verification by survey.[9 ]UNMIK
noted that “there is still a fairly long way to go before Kosovo can say
it is completely ‘mine
safe.’”[10 ]It believes
that there remains a need for international NGOs to be engaged in mine/UXO
clearance in Kosovo.[11 ]
The mine/UXO contamination in Kosovo occurred primarily in 1999 and the
immediate preceding years, in the ongoing conflict between ethnic-Serbian
Yugoslav armed forces and ethnic-Albanian Kosovars, and in the NATO bombing
campaign which brought this to an end.
Yugoslav armed forces, including the army (VJ), special police forces and
paramilitaries, used mainly antipersonnel mines. Barrier minefields laid by the
VJ accounted for 75-80 percent of the mines in Kosovo; most were marked and maps
were later passed to UNMIK. Special police forces and paramilitaries engaged in
unmarked and unmapped “nuisance mining” near population centers.
The KLA used mainly antivehicle mines in nuisance mining of VJ routes, and laid
minefields around defensive positions although to a markedly lesser extent than
the VJ. KLA use of mines was predominantly unmarked and unmapped. The NATO air
campaign of March–June 1999 contributed to contamination of Kosovo with
UXO, primarily from an estimated 20,000 cluster submunitions that failed to
explode on impact.[12]
In December 2001, following a major UN-coordinated clearance operation,
UNMIK declared that “all known minefields and cluster munition strike
sites had been cleared to internationally acceptable
standards.”[13 ]
Mine Action Coordination and Planning
The Office of the Kosovo Protection Corps Coordinator (OKPCC) is responsible
for mine action and all matters related to EOD, under the direct authority of
the Special Representative of the UN
Secretary-General.[14 ]In the
absence of a national mine action authority, the EOD Management Section of the
OKPCC takes this role. The section is responsible for coordinating all
operational clearance and survey activity in Kosovo. In 2004-2005, these
activities were carried out by the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), Handicap
International (HI) All-Stars team and Phoenix project, HALO Trust and Mines
Awareness Trust (MAT). All deminers in Kosovo are insured, through local
companies.
In 2004, for the first time since its inception in 2001, the KPC was given
sole responsibility for operational task sites, and its teams worked
independently of any supervision on battlefield area clearance of former cluster
bomb strike sites and demining of mined areas. In April 2005, the KPC took over
from KFOR the responsibility for EOD response to
call-outs.[15 ]OKPCC EOD Management
Section reported that throughout 2004 the KPC performed well, aided by the
appointment of an officer to liaise between the section, KPC EOD teams and HI
supervisors on task sites.[16 ]In
August 2004, HI’s Phoenix project took on an advisory capacity in relation
to the KPC, instead of its former supervisory role. It was planned that HI
would continue to provide international and local staff for training and
technical advice until October 2005, with funding from the UK Ministry of
Defence. In early 2005, Phoenix project staff instructed KPC teams in new
skills such as house and booby-trap clearance, to prepare them for taking over
the EOD response from KFOR.[17]
The primary objectives of the EOD Management Section for 2004 were to clear
any remaining dangerous areas to a level of EOD response, to survey and clear
any suspicious areas reported by members of the public, the Kosovo Police
Service and KFOR, to continue developing national capacity (KPC EOD teams) in
detection and clearance of UXO and mines, and to continue mine risk education
and public information at the community
level.[18 ]
For 2005, the EOD Management Section had available seven KPC teams of 15
members each to conduct manual battle area clearance, mine clearance and EOD
response, seven HALO teams of 10 persons each (six working on battle area
clearance, one on mine clearance), plus 16 support staff including a technical
survey team, one MAT team of 10 personnel for technical survey, 10 HI personnel
for training and advising the KPC, and the HI All-Stars team for battle area and
mine clearance.[19 ]However, the
section was concerned that KPC clearance capacity would be reduced by about 50
percent when it took over EOD response from KFOR, and that donor funding would
be insufficient for all the clearance projects, especially if new areas of
contamination continued to be
discovered.[20]
During 2004-2005, local staff continued to take over posts in the EOD
Management Section, including quality assurance, public information and mine
awareness. The post of Head of Quality Assurance had been vacant, but was
filled in June 2005. The Chief of EOD Management continued to be held by an
international officer. Local staff will take over fully from international
staff when the government appoints a ministry or other body to act as national
authority.[21 ]
Before handover of cleared land, community liaison activities are required
by OKPCC. Community liaison personnel from NGO or KPC teams responsible for
clearing the area must meet with the village heads and give them details of the
clearance activity. The village heads then sign a completion report on behalf
of the community to acknowledge that they have been given relevant
information.[22]
OKPCC reported that previous problems with the Information Management System
for Mine Action (IMSMA) had been overcome, and the system functioned well during
2004. NGOs and KFOR received regular updates from IMSMA; it was also used by
KFOR to produce threat maps for its soldiers. Following training of two KPC
members, the EOD Management Section planned to pass responsibility for
maintaining IMSMA to the
KPC.[23]
The EOD Management Section is a member of the South Eastern Europe Mine
Action Coordination Council (SEEMAC). At a meeting on 15 December 2004, the
Section’s representative proposed starting a regional exchange program
between SEEMACC members, to share information and experience among the mine
action centers in the
region.[24 ]
Survey and Assessment
During 2004, the EOD Management Section planned to survey all the
outstanding areas suspected of being contaminated with mines or UXO, in order to
verify or discredit their contamination. Once this was done, any other areas
not reported to contain a significant threat for over a year were to be
re-categorized as EOD response tasks for the
KPC.[25 ]Surveying of known
suspected areas was completed in 2004, but revealed a large number of previously
unknown dangerous areas to be added to the task list for clearance.
At the end of 2003, residual mine/UXO contamination in Kosovo consisted of
68 dangerous areas and 52 areas re-categorized as EOD response
tasks.[26 ]At the start of
operations in 2005, there remained 44 dangerous areas needing clearance, 52 EOD
response tasks needing survey, and 14 reported dangerous or suspicious areas
requiring survey for verification.[27 ]As of September 2005, the number of dangerous areas had decreased to 36,
53 EOD tasks needed survey and five reported dangerous or suspicious areas
required survey for
verification.[28]
In one case, the Dulje Pass, survey was completed in 2004, revealing some
650,000 square meters requiring clearance in that area
alone.[29 ]In April 2005, local
media in Pristina reported another previously unknown minefield near the
Kosovo-Macedonian border.[30 ]Although many of these newly discovered areas are extensive, they have
been classified as low priority by OKPCC due to remote location; they require
some clearance in 2005 to reduce them to EOD response
tasks.[31 ]
Throughout 2004, the MAT technical survey team continued surveying remaining
suspected areas reported by members of the public and KFOR since 2002. In June
2004, HALO added a six-member survey team to MAT capacity. MAT also surveyed
all new tasks reported during the year to either verify or discredit the threat.
If verified, the task was prioritized for clearance and assigned to the KPC, HI
or HALO for clearance. The survey teams completed 115 technical surveys in
2004, of which 55 were verified to contain threats, 51 were found to have no
significant threat, and nine tasks were handed back to the EOD Management
Section as incorrectly reported or hoax reports. If the MAT survey team
discovered UXO or mines, they also conducted limited
clearance.[32 ]
HALO Trust’s technical survey team worked on several task sites in
2004 where civilians had lost cattle as a result of antivehicle and
antipersonnel mines.[33 ]In 2005,
HALO performed technical survey of OKPCC-recorded EOD response tasks, several of
which proved to be of high humanitarian impact. HALO estimates that a
significant portion of EOD response tasks may require full
clearance.[34 ]
The marking and fencing of newly discovered contaminated areas continued in
2004. However, the EOD Management Section reports that, “Within a few
days [fences and signs] are stolen, some mines signs remain but anything that
can be re-used, such as wooden and metal pickets and barbed wire, goes
immediately.”[35]
Mine and UXO Clearance
In 2004, a total of 3,942,580 square meters of land was cleared, in
comparison with 800,000 square meters in 2003; a total of 910 antipersonnel
mines, 15 antivehicle mines, 772 cluster bomb units (CBU) and 2,554 UXO were
destroyed in clearance and other operations during the
year.[36 ]In 2004 and continuing
into 2005, machines and mine detecting dogs were not used by any of the
clearance teams working in
Kosovo.[37]
The KPC were responsible for clearing 1,537,642 square meters during 2004,
concentrating on sub-surface clearance of former cluster bomb strike sites,
battle area clearance and mine clearance in the areas of Grebnic, Riznic,
Volujak, Zhub, Stajk, Germija, Lukare, Nerodimja and Papaz. They found and
destroyed 216 antipersonnel mines, two antivehicle mines, 408 CBU, 353 UXO and
52,942 rounds of small arms
ammunition.[38]
HI teams cleared 31,095 square meters, clearing 84 antipersonnel mines and
two CBU. The HI All-Stars team was tasked with battle area clearance and mine
clearance of suspected dangerous areas in the Dulje Pass. Before the
team’s contract ended in December 2004, 16 of the 20 dangerous areas were
cleared, two were discredited, and work on one was suspended by heavy snowfall.
However, during the year, members of the public reported another eight
suspicious areas in the Dulje Pass, which the All-Stars team surveyed and
confirmed as dangerous. HI Phoenix project staff also conducted mine clearance,
clearing nine mines (included in the HI total
above).[39 ]
HALO teams cleared 1,898,735 square meters during 2004, and destroyed 127
antipersonnel mines, three antivehicle mines, 131 CBU and six UXO, according to
OKPCC.[40 ]However, HALO reported
that it cleared 1,538,735 square meters (733,310 square meters of manual mine
clearance and surface/subsurface battle area clearance, and 805,725 square
meters cleared by survey).[41 ]After re-starting its 2004 clearance operations in Kosovo on 1 May, HALO
completed 14 tasks, often working in mountainous areas covered with dense
vegetation and forest. HALO was also deployed to a previously unknown mined
area along the Albanian border after being alerted by DanChurchAid, which had
located a large, cross-border minefield while working in Albania. Before
handing over to HALO, DanChurchAid removed 215 antipersonnel mines from the site
inside Kosovo. HALO worked on the site for two months until snowfall stopped
operations, clearing an additional 112 antipersonnel mines. Although remote and
mountainous, this was designated a priority area for 2005 because it is used
during the summer for grazing cattle and
sheep.[42 ]HALO states it believes
that many more such humanitarian high priority tasks remain to be cleared; those
cleared in 2004 include Molliq, where HALO cleared submunitions in cultivated
ground 50 meters from a school, and Pozhar, the scene of a fatal submunition
incident where two teenagers were killed in
2001.[43 ]
HALO operates throughout Kosovo with seven battle area and mine clearance
teams and one technical survey team. It uses a combination of large loop
detectors and Schonstadt metal locators for battle area clearance, enabling
large areas to be cleared quickly. The quantity of hazardous items destroyed by
HALO has gradually increased; in August 2005, 185 explosive items were
destroyed, the highest monthly number since May 2004. HALO’s 108-person
Kosovo program is staffed and managed by national staff, with only temporary
international advisors/monitors.[44 ]
The MAT technical survey team cleared 475,108 square meters, locating and
destroying 260 antipersonnel mines, 170 CBU and 121 UXO. In August 2004, the
team surveyed an area in Koshare region where local woodcutters had accidentally
detonated a mine while felling a tree. The team located a large, previously
unknown mined area of at least nine rows of PMR-2 fragmentation antipersonnel
mines with tripwires, with PMA-1 and PMA-3 blast mines interspersed between rows
and concentrated around choke points. The MAT team had destroyed over 200 mines
in this area when work was suspended in November 2004 due to heavy
snowfall.[45]
OKPCC quality assurance staff made daily visits to KPC and NGO task sites
throughout 2004, to ensure that tasks were being conducted safely, effectively
and in accordance with International Mine Action Standards, as well as OKPCC
guidelines.[46 ]No deminers were
reported killed or injured in
2004.[47 ]
Mine Risk Education
In 2004, mine risk education (MRE) was implemented by OKPCC and the Kosovo
branch of the Red Cross supported by the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC). KPC and KFOR also carry out MRE in the course of their other
duties. The basic message in Kosovo is “Don’t touch anything
suspicious!” and “Report suspect items to KPC, KFOR or the
Police.”[48 ]
The OKPCC EOD Management Section coordinates all MRE activities in Kosovo.
The section’s MRE assistant conducts field visits to deliver MRE to
communities and individuals after an incident is reported. The assistant is
also responsible for monthly MRE and safety briefings to all incoming UNMIK
personnel as part of their initial induction process. MRE is also delivered to
members of other international organizations working in Kosovo. In 2004,
monthly coordination meetings were held with those involved with mine action and
MRE in Kosovo, including the MRE assistant, Red Cross of Kosovo, KFOR, KPC,
Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, HI,
MAT and HALO.[49 ]
The Red Cross of Kosovo conducted a Kosovo-wide MRE campaign targeting
children in elementary schools during 2004. In total, 21,899 people (21,129
children and 770 adults) attended Red Cross MRE sessions. Red Cross personnel
who deliver MRE were trained by ICRC during a three-day training session in
2004. The MRE campaign targets children aged 12–16 years, farmers and Red
Cross volunteers. The average size of groups receiving MRE is between 25 and 30
individuals.[50]
Training of KPC MRE teams was completed in early 2004, with each of the six
KPC Protectorate Zones having at least one team to visit schools regularly and
deliver MRE messages to students. KPC EOD teams also have one member in each
team trained in MRE to provide direct community liaison to the public at task
sites.[51 ]All MRE activities are
reported to agree with International Mine Action
Standards.[52]
Analysis by the EOD Management Section of OKPCC indicates that the most
popular and effective ways for disseminating MRE to the public are through print
media, television and radio. Working with the MRE assistant, the
section’s victim assistance/public information assistant began a media
campaign in 2004 to disseminate safety messages to the public. Half-page
advertisements were placed in three of the most popular newspapers in Kosovo for
several days each week every three months. They showed pictures of UXO and
mines, and included a message in Albanian, Serbian and English about what people
should do if they see any UXO or mines, and to whom to report them.
Also in 2004, radio messages were aired throughout the day on over 20 radio
stations. A TV spot was shown on the three most popular stations in Kosovo six
times a day for a month throughout the year. A total of 7,000 posters were
printed containing MRE and public information messages primarily for schools and
available to any organization requesting them. KFOR helped to produce 83,000
school notebooks and 20,000 folders with MRE and public information messages,
which were to be distributed by KFOR, KPC and the Red Cross to schools and youth
groups throughout 2005.[53]
Although the number of mine/UXO incidents and casualties continued to
decline in 2004, OKPCC sees a clear need to continue MRE in order to reduce
these figures further. Several incidents in 2004 resulted from tampering with
UXO or cluster munitions (see Landmine/UXO Casualties later).
Funding and Assistance
Three countries reported contributing approximately $1,578,059 for mine
action in Kosovo in 2004, in comparison with $2,187,741 in
2003.[54 ]The donors in 2004
were:
Germany: €285,357 ($354,927) to HI for demining in the Dulje
Pass;[56]
UK: £565,500 ($1,036,562) consisting of £290,000 ($531,570)
through the Department for International Development (DfID) to HALO for
integrated demining,[57 ]and
£275,500 ($504,992) to HI Phoenix
project.[58]
In 2004, UNMIK received $11,000 through the International Trust Fund for
Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) for MRE in Kosovo, from US
funds.[59 ]From the ITF
contribution of $1,248,677 to Serbia and Montenegro in 2004, $46,569 is assumed
to have been directed to Kosovo for
MRE.[60]
Landmine/UXO Casualties
In 2004, 14 new casualties were reported in 11 mine/UXO/CBU incidents in
Kosovo. One 12-year-old boy was killed and 13 people were injured; seven of
the injured were under 18 years of age, including a girl aged four and a boy
aged eight injured in a single mine incident in the Dulje Pass. Seven incidents
involved UXO, two involved landmines, and two involved CBU; six of the UXO
incidents and one CBU incident were the result of
tampering.[61 ]This represents a
decrease from the 19 civilian mine/UXO/CBU casualties (three killed and 16
injured) recorded by OKPCC in
2003.[62]
No casualties were reported during mine clearance operations in 2004.
The Institute of Public Health is responsible for investigating and
recording all incidents involving mines, UXO and CBU in Kosovo. The institute
works closely with the EOD Management Section and regularly shares
information.[63 ]A member of the
institute and EOD Management Section’s MRE or victim assistance/public
information assistant interviews the survivor or family members after each
incident is reported.[64]
Casualties continue to be reported in 2005. Four people were injured by
mines and UXO in the first six
months.[65 ]In July, two children
were killed and three injured while tampering with a grenade; one of the injured
children later died. The site of the incident was not in a known
minefield.[66 ]
From June 1999 to December 2002, a total of 472 civilian casualties of
landmines, UXO and cluster munitions were recorded by UNMIK, including 100
people killed and 372
injured.[67]
Survivor Assistance
Kosovo has an extensive network of medical support across the region,
although the standard of facilities can vary widely. The Qendra University
Hospital in Pristina is the only hospital capable of handling major trauma
cases. KFOR units provide an evacuation capability as well as immediate medical
attention.[68 ]
The Qendra National Ortho-Prosthetic Center (NOPC) in Pristina is the only
facility in Kosovo for the production and fitting of lower limb prostheses.
There are no facilities in Kosovo for the production of upper limb prostheses.
In 2004, 2,351 people received services at the center, including 20 mine
survivors. The center also produced 145 prostheses (and repaired 94), 771
orthoses and 619 orthopedic shoes.[69 ]Full responsibility for the NOPC was handed over by HI to the Ministry of
Health in May 2004. Although material support has ceased, HI continues to
provide other support and management advice. HI also continues to fund the
training of two high-level technicians in France who were expected to graduate
in June 2005. A further six technicians were trained on-the-job in Kosovo and
graduated in April 2004.[70]
Facilities for physical rehabilitation are reportedly poor, and there is
limited or no capacity to provide occupational therapy. According to HI, about
600 physiotherapists are needed to meet the needs of the region. HI supported
the establishment of a three-year degree course in physiotherapy at the
University of Pristina. The program is supported by the European Agency for
Reconstruction, HI, Queen’s University and the French Red Cross. In 2004,
85 students were enrolled in the
program.[71]
Mine/UXO survivors also receive assistance through the ITF at the Slovenian
Institute for Rehabilitation in Ljubljana, which has a specialist rehabilitation
unit for mine survivors. In 2004, two landmine survivors from Kosovo received
rehabilitation services at the
institute.[72 ]
The victim assistance/public information assistant at the EOD Management
Section of the OKPCC checks that mine survivors are receiving the care and
assistance needed. In November 2004, the assistant accompanied a group of KLA
veteran mine survivors to Slovenia for remedial assistance with their artificial
limbs. The Kosovar government funded the
trip.[73 ]
HandiKos, a local disability NGO with offices in 25 municipalities and 10
community centers throughout Kosovo, provides physical rehabilitation,
psychosocial support, vocational training and material support for all persons
with disabilities, including mine survivors.
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) continues its work with young mine
survivors in Kosovo. In 2004, the program provided medical support, materials,
psychosocial and legal assistance to 78 mine survivors, including visits to four
new survivors, and support for the provision of 80 prostheses and seven other
orthopedic devices. JRS noted that one of the greatest difficulties faced by
some mine survivors in Kosovo is the lack of production of upper limb prostheses
and eye prostheses. In June 2004, JRS organized a 10-day summer camp for 21
young landmine survivors. Two Irish students also attended and produced a
documentary film about the program, which was shown at an international film
festival in Dublin in October 2004. JRS continued the program in 2005, but with
reduced activities due to decreased
funding.[74]
As of July 2004, there were 31 centers for social welfare in Kosovo, and six
sub-offices with about 520 staff and seven
psychologists.[75]
There are eight vocational training centers supported by the Ministry of
Labor and Social Welfare in Pristina, Ferizaj, Gjilan, Gllogovc, Mitrovica,
Peja, Podujevo and Prizren. However, these centers do not specifically target
persons with disabilities. HandiKos collaborates with the ministry in some
areas, and the vocational training center in Pristina is hosted in HandiKos
premises. Other providers of vocational training for persons with disabilities
include Oxfam, Jesuit Refugee Service and World
Vision.[76]
Kosovo has legislation that provides all persons who sustained injuries
between November 1998 and June 1999, including mine survivors, with a small
monthly stipend. However, there is no provision in the legislation for those
suffering casualties from mines, UXO or CBU after this date.
In January 2004, a new law for a disability pension scheme was approved by
the parliament. Generally, however, social benefits in Kosovo are inadequate
for a reasonable standard of living. The new law reorganizes the medical
assessment of persons with disabilities in order to harmonize the criteria of
previously existing schemes.
As of June 2004, the Comprehensive Disability Policy Framework was still not
officially recognized.
[1]See Landmine Monitor Report
2004, p. 1207.
[2 ]The Albanian National Army
later claimed responsibility. DNA evidence linked the incident to the Kosovo
Protection Corps (KPC) and three senior KPC commanders were removed from their
posts. See, “Report of the Secretary General on the UN Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo,” UN Security Council, S/2003/675, 26
June 2003, and “Monthly Report to the UN on KFOR Operations, 1-30 June
2003,” UN Security Council, 1 July 2003.
[3 ]UNMIK Police Daily Press
Update, Pristina, 24 March 2004, www.unmikonline.org.
[4 ]Jim Moran, KFOR, UN Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK) Press Briefing, 2 June 2004, www.unmikonline.org
[5 ]See Landmine Monitor Report
2002, p. 822.
[6 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC EOD
Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 2.
[7 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC EOD
Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, pp.
9–10.
[8 ]“Explosive Ordnance
Disposal and Mine Clearance in Kosovo,” Press Release, UNMIK, 19 July
2005.
[9 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC EOD
Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 10. For
comparison with the level of remaining contamination at handover in December
2001, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 1213.
[10 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 10.
[11 ]“Explosive Ordnance
Disposal and Mine Clearance in Kosovo,” Press Release, UNMIK, 19 July
2005.
[12]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2000, pp. 875–880; Landmine Monitor Report 2002, pp.
823–824.
[13 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2002, p. 823.
[14 ]When the UN Mine Action
Coordination Center closed in December 2001, responsibility was passed to the
Kosovo government’s Department of Civil Security and Emergency
Preparation. Implementation of mine action and EOD was assigned to the Kosovo
Protection Corps (KPC), formed from the disbanded KLA. The Department was
renamed Office of the Kosovo Protection Corps Coordinator (OKPCC) in November
2002. Until early 2004, OKPCC reported to the government’s Directorate of
Civil Protection.
[15 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 7; email
from Steven Saunders, Chief of EOD Management Section, OKPCC, UNMIK, Pristina,
18 April 2005.
[16 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 6.
Previously, there had been concern about lack of efficiency and other issues
regarding KPC teams; training and supervision was carried out by HI. See
Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 1209.
[17]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 7; email
from Steven Saunders, OKPCC UNMIK, Pristina, 18 April 2005.
[18 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 1.
[19 ]Email from Steven Saunders,
OKPCC UNMIK, Pristina, 18 April 2005.
[20]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 11.
[21 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 11; email
from Steven Saunders, OKPCC UNMIK, 18 April 2005.
[22]Email from Steven Saunders,
OKPCC UNMIK, 18 April 2005.
[23]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 5; email
from Steven Saunders, OKPCC UNMIK, Pristina, 18 April 2005.
[24 ]SEEMACC, “Minutes of
the Thirteenth Meeting of SEEMACC,” Tirana, 15 December 2004,
www.see-demining.org.
[25 ]Areas classified as EOD
response tasks are not surveyed or cleared, but remain on file should reports of
UXO or mines be received. These areas are either arable farmland in active use
and therefore unlikely to contain undiscovered UXO, or heavily forested areas
predominantly along the Albanian border. Interview with Steven Saunders, UNMIK,
14 March 2004.
[26 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 8; email
from Steven Saunders, OKPCC UNMIK, 27 April 2004.
[27 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 10 and
Annex D: List of Remaining Areas to be Cleared in 2005.
[28]Email from Steven Saunders,
OKPCC UNMIK, 18 September 2005.
[29 ]Email from Steven Saunders,
OKPCC UNMIK, Pristina, 18 April 2005.
[30 ]“Mine field discovered
near Kosovo-Macedonian border,” Koha Ditore (daily newspaper),
Pristina, 10 April 2005, p. 8; “Mine fields discovered near border,”
Lajm (daily newspaper), Pristina, 11 April 2005, p. 7.
[31 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, pp. 9-10.
[32 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, pp. 9-10.
[33 ]Email from Matthew Hovell,
Caucasus and Balkans Desk Officer, HALO, 3 September 2004.
[34 ]Email from Guy Willoughby,
Director, HALO, 12 September 2005.
[35]Email from Steven Saunders,
OKPCC UNMIK, Pristina, 18 April 2005.
[36 ]These numbers include items
found and cleared by KFOR. UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC EOD Management Section
Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 10; see Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 1213.
[37]Email from Steven Saunders,
OKPCC UNMIK, Pristina, 18 April 2005.
[38]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 6.
[39 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 7.
[40 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 8.
[41 ]Email from Guy Willoughby,
Director, HALO, 12 September 2005. The subtotals give a total clearance of
1,584,035 square meters.
[42 ]Email from Matthew Hovell,
HALO, 3 September 2004.
[43 ]Email from Guy Willoughby,
Director, HALO, 12 September 2005.
[44 ]Email from Matthew Hovell,
HALO, 3 September 2004; email from Guy Willoughby, Director, HALO, 12 September
2005.
[45]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 9.
[46 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 2.
[47 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 5 and
Annex B.
[48 ]Email correspondence with
Steven Saunders, OKPCC UNMIK, Pristina, 18 April 2005.
[49 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 3.
[50]Information provided by
Zekije Muriqi, Communication/MRE Coordinator, Red Cross of Kosovo, Pristina, 29
April 2005.
[51 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 3.
[52]Email correspondence with
Steven Saunders, OKPCC UNMIK, Pristina, 18 April 2005.
[53]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 4.
[54 ]Landmine Monitor Report
2004, p. 1211.
[55]Belgium, 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; UNMIK suggested that this secondment may have gone to KFOR.
Average exchange rate for 2004: €1 = $1.2438, used throughout this report.
US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January
2005.
[56]Germany, Article 7 Report,
Form J, 15 April 2005; email from Dirk Roland Haupt, Federal Foreign Office,
Division 241, Germany, 25 July 2005.
[57 ]Email from Andrew Willson,
Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department, DfID, 1 July 2005; email to
Landmine Monitor from Debbie Clements, Directorate of Joint Commitments, UK
Ministry of Defence, 10 August 2005. Average exchange rate for 2004: £1 =
$1.8330. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3
January 2005.
[58]Email from Debbie Clements,
Directorate of Joint Commitments, UK Ministry of Defence, 10 August 2005. HI is
also reported to have received £275,500 ($504,992) through the UK Foreign
and Commonwealth Office in 2004 and reported by Steven Saunders, Chief of EOD
Management Section, OKPCC, UNMIK, 14 March 2004. Email from John Hare, HI, 2
April 2004.
[59 ]Email from Iztok Hocevar,
Head of International Relations Department, ITF, 13 September 2005. This amount
has been included in the donor funding total.
[60]ITF, “Contribution to
the Landmine Monitor 2005,” email from Iztok Hocevar, Head of
International Relations Department, ITF, 22 July 2005.
[61 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 5 and
Annex B.
[62]“Explosive Ordnance
Disposal and Mine Clearance in Kosovo,” Press Release, UNMIK, 19 July
2005. For details see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 1215-1216.
[63 ]Email from Steven Saunders,
OKPCC UNMIK, Pristina, 18 April 2005.
[64]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 5.
[65 ]Email from Bajram Krasniqi,
Public Information Assistant, EOD Management Section, OKPCC, UNMIK, Pristina, 6
July 2005.
[66 ]Email from Steven Saunders,
Chief of EOD of Management Section, OKPCC, UNMIK, 18 September 2005; “Two
children killed in mine explosion near Klina,” VIP News Agency
(Kosovo), 11 July 2005. It was initially reported that the blast was caused
by a PMR-2 mine; KFOR investigation showed that it was a hand grenade.
[67]For details, see Landmine
Monitor Report 2004, p. 1216.
[68 ]For more information, see
Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 1217-1219; see also HI, “Landmine
Victim Assistance in South East Europe,” Brussels, September 2003.
[69 ]Email from Lirje Makolli,
NOPC, Pristina, 18 May 2005.
[70]Email to Landmine Monitor
(HI) from Dr. Pascal Granier, Disability Policy Program Coordinator, HI, 7 July
2004.
[71]Email to Landmine Monitor
(HI) from Dr. Pascal Granier, HI, 7 July 2004.
[72 ]ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” p. 55.
[73 ]UNMIK, “UNMIK OKPCC
EOD Management Section Annual Report 2004,” 12 January 2005, p. 4.
[74]Jesuit Refugee Service,
“Annual Report for Landmine Survivors Kosovo 2004,” Pristina,
December 2004; email from Fr. Stjepan Kusan S.J., Regional Director, JRS, 18 May
2005.
[75]Email to Landmine Monitor
(HI) from Dr. Pascal Granier, Disability Policy Program Coordinator, HI, 7 July
2004.
[76]For details, see Landmine
Monitor Report 2004, p. 1219.
[77]For details, see Landmine
Monitor Report 2004, pp. 1219-1220.
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