Team:Edinburgh/mapxmlbosnia



Bosnia Herzegovina <![CDATA[Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is heavily contaminated with mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), primarily as a result of the 1992–1995 conflict related to the break-up of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Mines were used extensively along confrontation lines, which moved frequently, leaving contamination that is extensive and generally low density. Most minefields are in the zone of separation between BiH’s two political entities which is 1,100km long and up to 4km wide. In southern and central BiH, mines were often used randomly, with few records kept. Some of the affected territory is mountainous or heavily forested, but the fertile agricultural belt in Br”ko district is one of the most heavily contaminated areas.

The assessment estimated that mines/ERW directly influence the lives of 921,513 people; 154,538 in high-impacted communities, 342,550 in medium, and 424,425 in low-impacted communities. Of the total number of impacted communities, 122 or 7.48% are high-impacted, 625 or 38.32% are medium and 884 or 54.19% are low-impacted. On this basis, BiH remains one of the most affected countries. Most impacted communities are in rural areas where people depend economically on contaminated land.

BHMAC reported 30 new mine/ERW casualties in 20 incidents for 2007, including eight people killed and 22 injured. Seven of the casualties were deminers: three were killed and four injured in four accidents. All the other casualties were civilians, including a 17-year-old boy, eight men, and seven females and eight males of unknown age. Mines caused 21 casualties and ERW nine. There was an increase in scrap metal collection incidents with four recorded incidents causing five casualties in 2007 compared to just one in 2006. Other livelihood activities, such as collecting wood, farming and tending animals, caused the remaining civilian casualties.

Casualties continued to be reported in 2008, and at a higher rate than 2007, with 31 casualties (14 people killed and 17 injured) by July. Two casualties occurred in two clearance accidents, five during two technical survey tasks, and four police and civil protection casualties while marking a mined area. Civilian casualties reported in 2008 continued to occur during wood collection, picking forest foods, and scrap metal collection.[ ]]> <![CDATA[]]>