Landmines in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Résumé du document

The conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina began shortly after the republic declared its independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) in March 1992 and lasted nearly four years. A cease-fire was called in September 1995. A general framework agreement (the "Dayton Agreement") was signed in Dayton, USA on 21 November 1995 and subsequently in Paris, France by the presidents of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. The Dayton Agreement secured the continuation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a sovereign state within internationally recognized borders. It established a number of important principles designed to stabilize the country and allow the process of reconstruction and reconciliation to begin. Among other things, it recognized that the country was comprised of two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which controls 51 per cent of the territory, effectively a Bosnian-Croat federation that is further divided along ethnic lines at the cantonal and municipal levels; and Republika Srpska (the Serbian republic), which controls 49 per cent, and where there is no cantonal administration. The two entities are divided by an Inter-Entity Boundary Line (IEBL), which, on the whole, runs along the cease-fire line. The Dayton Agreement also established a 4-km-wide Zone of Separation (ZoS) between the two entities. As a result of the fighting, some 250,000 people are dead or missing and 200,000 were injured out of a population that numbered 4.4 million in 1991. In addition, approximately 3 million people have been displaced. One lasting legacy of the war is the problem of landmines. Although armed hostilities between the various factions officially ended in December 1995, mines continue to have severe human, social, medical and economic consequences for the country. The effects of landmines are widespread and have an impact at all levels of society.

Extraits

[...] Conclusion : Landmines are a serious problem, which requires a long-term strategy and involvement of the local authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A comprehensive mine action plan consists of three components: mine- clearance, mine-awareness and victim-assistance activities. However, the existence of all three components does not necessarily guarantee effective and efficient risk reduction. In theory, demining in Bosnia and Herzegovina should benefit from the country's advanced infrastructure: a well-developed communication system, a good road network. However, the pace of demining has been slow and coordination among various organizations lacking. [...]

[...] However, it will be particularly difficult for mine victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina to find work. Employment opportunities are generally scarce, and where they do exist, they often involve manual labor, a type of activity in which many mine victims are physically unable to engage. Furthermore, even if physically capable, many victims report that they cannot return to the jobs they held prior to the accident because their posts have been given to someone else by the time the rehabilitation process is completed. [...]

[...] The typical mine victim in the post-conflict period is the male farmer. The return of refugees and displaced persons is a vital component of the Dayton Agreement, and the long-lasting peace it seeks to achieve. However, the landmine situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina has created a dilemma for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): although the agency is aware that encouraging returns to some parts of the country will increase the risk of mine accidents, under the Dayton Agreement, it is required to assist and encourage returns. [...]

[...] Prior to the breakup of the SRFY, all men were required to complete one year of military service in the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA). Thus, many ARBiH, HVO and VRS soldiers had prior military training. JNA military doctrine relied heavily on the widespread use of mines as a deterrent against invasion and, while its engineering units had primary responsibility for mine-laying, all its soldiers were taught mine warfare techniques. Field engineering handbooks contained detailed instructions on how to lay various types of anti- personnel, anti-tank and mixed minefields. [...]

[...] Even in instances where records were lost, destroyed, never handed over or never kept, many mined areas are identifiable with a multi-level and coordinated approach, in which local knowledge and involvement are essential. This fact distinguishes Bosnia and Herzegovina from other severely mine-contaminated countries, such as Afghanistan, Angola and Cambodia, where the devices were used in a more indiscriminate manner. II/ The Human Impact : There are several important observations to be made concerning the impact of landmines on the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. [...]