Spring has arrived and the danger from mines has increased: Bosnia and Herzegovina one of the most threatened countries in the world

(Patria) - By declaring 4 April as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action in all countries facing this problem, the UN General Assembly in 2005 highlighted a strong commitment to accelerating continuous support and seeking better solutions to end this long-standing problem, which affects over 60 countries worldwide.

In light of the unfortunate events related to the danger posed by the COVID-19 coronavirus and the threat it represents for our country, the Mine Action Centre in Bosnia and Herzegovina today wishes to once again remind all citizens of our country of the still-present mine explosive remnants from previous war events and to appeal to the entire population to strictly adhere to signs warning of mine danger, especially since most mine accidents occur at the beginning of spring.

The fact that our country is one of the most threatened in the world when it comes to mine explosive devices indicates that warnings about their consequences must be issued. Because of the current movement restrictions, most people, despite strict warnings to stay home, still go out into nature, it is very important to warn about the existence of this type of danger and to avoid unknown areas.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, all necessary and available actions are being taken to protect endangered civilians and to remove mine explosive devices as efficiently as possible, which do not discriminate in their victims, and to adequately care for all survivors and families of mine accident victims, with legal solutions that enable their inclusion in social flows and non-discrimination. Over the last five years, 158.5 km2 have been cleared and returned to use in our country, where 8,992 mines and 9,992 explosive remnants of war were destroyed. The total number of mine victims is 1,767, of which 617 were killed. The danger our country still faces, and how unstable and dangerous these devices are, is evidenced by the fact that during the previous year, two demining accidents occurred in which two deminers were killed and four were injured.

Over the past 18 months, the Mine Action Centre in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in cooperation with the NGO Norwegian People's Aid and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and with financial support from the European Union (EU IcSP), worked on finalising the project General Assessment of Mine-Suspected Areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which confirmed a total mine-suspected area of 965 km2, while all field tasks, over 480 of them, were adapted to the new methodology of "Land Release" as a more efficient and effective approach to solving mine contamination in the coming period.

All data collected through this project serve as the basis for submitting Bosnia and Herzegovina's request for extension under the Ottawa Convention, signed in 1997 together with over 160 other countries affected by the same problem. According to the said request, it is clearly specified that all remaining minefields be cleared by 2025, as foreseen by the Mine Action Strategy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, adopted last year by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As part of the project, a mobile application with mine-suspected areas was also created, which will soon be available to all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This application will enable everyone to be aware of mine dangers, thereby increasing citizen safety.

Although as a state we try to invest as much as possible in this process, we must express gratitude to all donors who still do not forget the importance of mine action and hope for the continuation of this type of support in the future. It is important to note that all field activities in terms of conducting demining operations are currently halted due to the new situation in the country and the region, which will certainly affect the realisation of annual operational goals.

"We expect that a new Demining Commission will be formed as soon as possible, as a body with a range of responsibilities and competencies in this process, whose non-appointment creates additional pressure and greatly hinders the execution of tasks, and partly led to a blockade of the demining process in previous months. Only good political will and efficient coordination can lead to the adoption of amendments to the existing Law on Demining in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the achievement of adequate solutions for the final elimination of remaining mine explosive devices, while the Mine Action Centre in Bosnia and Herzegovina will maximally engage all existing potentials to realise planned field operations," stated BHMAC.