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Mines - the hidden killers

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Most of the Čađavac area is covered with mine fields. Mine reports identified presence of approximately 247 different kinds of mines, spreading from Omerbegovača and Bodarište communities to Čađavac.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 29 October, 2007

Čađavac is a local community situated in the south-eastern part of the Brčko Municipality in Brčko District. Population in this village is of Croatian origin, who fled the village at the start of war. Before the war, people of Čađavac grew fruit, crops and tobacco. This was an agricultural part of the country and only a few of its inhabitants were employed in the town.

After the war, approximately 15 families returned to their homes in Čađavac. Passing through this picturesque village now, one can not miss ongoing reconstruction of homes surrounded by high grass and bushes on all sides of the road. Only a small part of the land is being cultivated.

“We have a small piece of land, just behind the house, where we grow some vegetables. That is the only land where we can move without risk. We have almost 25 hectare of contaminated land ”, says Marko Đurić.

This explains no people in the fields, as most of the Čađavac area is covered with mine fields. Mine reports state presence of approximately 247 mines of different kinds in this area, spreading from Omerbegovača and Bodarište communities to Čađavac. Socio-economic impact of mines to this community is high, as it prevents development of agricultural activities, leading to difficult economic situation of inhabitants.

The people of Čađavac have often tried to de-mine the fields themselves, which resulted in 6 injured persons, of which one with fatal consequences. This community is regarded as community of high risk.

Demining of Čađavac is a part of the Integrated Mine Action programme and commencement of mine clearance activities was marked by a ceremony held on 14 june 2006 in the village. Besides the inhabitants of Čađavac, this ceremony was visited by Mr. Safet Halilović, Minister of Civil Affairs, Mr. Mirsad Đapo, the Mayor of Brčko, Ms. Susan Johnson, the Brčko Supervisor, Mr. Peter Paproski, the Head of CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency), Mr. Anders Hedlund, the Head of SIDA (Swedish International Development Agency), Mr. Stefan Priesner, the UNDP Resident Representative, representatives of BH MAC and ROHLL.

The Integrated Mine Action Programme (IMAP) creates a clear link between mine clearance priorities and national/local long-term economic development, it integrates this with the UNDP’s institutional capacity building efforts in the area of mine action in BiH. In this manner IMAP aims to maximise funding for mine clearance and to accelerate the restoration of socio-economic activities in BiH, while at the same time consolidating the mine action structures in BiH and their capacity to effectively execute mine action coordination over the long-term. Clearance activities are funded through joint efforts of CIDA and SIDA, through UNDP.

The Government of Brčko District contributes in the clearance activities of the area, as Brčko is the most contaminated area in the country. A total of 4% of the country is contaminated with mines, while Brčko alone has a 10% territory covered with unexploded ordinances and mines. The Mayor of Brčko, Mr. Mirsad Đapo emphasises that 30% of the total cleared area in Bosnia and Herzegovina last year, was in Brčko.

“Our financial contribution to the second phase was 605.000 KM. This year, we have the need to allocate significant means for clearance of 800.000 km2 of agricultural land. We thank to the governments of Canada and Sweden for support in this project and we will need to continue working together on this, with the State and with the International Community. We must try to bring Brčko to the country's level of contamination.”

Mine clearance techniques to be used in the area of Čađavac and other highly contaminated parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina include heavy machinery, use of dogs and, finally, direct work by the de-mining team. The work will be done by the Rohll Company, closely monitored by the BH MAC, and its Brčko Regional Office.

Esad Aletić, Director of the BH MAC Brčko says “It is our responsibility to undertake general surveys of the risk locations and to provide quality control for the de-mining. By the end of 2009, we plan to clean the 1st priority category. It will be difficult, as we are receiving less funds this year. Still, the activities have started and we believe that we will continue with the work as it was planned in the Strategy. We need to provide clean areas for the local population to receive agricultural land and to be able to stay in their homes.”

Governments of Canada and Sweden have funded this project through their International Development Agencies – CIDA and SIDA. “Canadian people are very proud of the activities our Government undetakes in the field of demining, especially because of the Ottawa Convention. We also have a Mine Detection Dog Training Centre in Trebinje, which is something we leave in the country as our legacy. Until now, more than 40 dogs were trained for deployment in mine clearance operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, said Mr. Peter Paproski, Head of the CIDA.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina is still unable to fully finance the expensive process of mine clearance. This is the country with the highest contamination rate in Europe, but we are encouraged by the knowledge that we are the first country with the Strategy of Mine Clearance Action, which is being successfully implemented as of last year”, said Mr. Safet Halilović, Minister of Civil Affairs, closing his address with a call to all countries of the world, to help Bosnia and Herzegovina in this human process.

Mr. Anders Hedlund, the Head of SIDA, expressed his congratulations to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Government of Brčko District and the BH MAC on commencement of activities related to mine clearance in the area. “Our activities are aiming towards creation of a viable Bosnian state and support to economic growth, which are both necessary for fighting poverty and harmonisation with the EU. Sweden is the largest bilateral donor and has a long-term policy of development cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

With the end of the war, Mr. Marko Đurić was one of those who returned to Čađavac and started working on reconstruction of his home. He has been coming and going for over a year, looking forward to coming back to live in his house, when he was injured one afternoon. Working in his front garden, just a few feet away from his three sons, Marko stepped on a mine. He lost his left leg in this unfortunate incident, that could have been avoided. “If I knew then, what I know now, I would have done things differently. Still, we can only thank the God that it was not one of the children to find the mine before I did”. Before the work, Marko worked in a furniture factory in Brčko as a driver, and after the incident he did a part-time job as a night guard. He is unemployed now.

“People are not informed. Mines are the hidden killers. We always think that it would not happen to us, and we don't pay much attention. We look forward to the time when our land will be cleared and when all of us, here in Čađavac, will continue to work in the fields”.