Now based in a purpose-built facility at Marshall Tito Barracks in
Sarajevo, the UN Mine Action Centre is up and running. The Centre, constructed
by the ARRC Engineering Support Services with support from The Office of
the High Representative and the UN Communications Section, currently has
a staff of eighteen (eight internationals, and ten locals), with more to
come.
The Mine Action Centre, or MAC for short, has been set up to co-ordinate
all mine-related activities in Bosnia & Herzegovina. It has a sister
Mine Action Centre in Croatia, based in Zagreb, which has been running
for some time.
The MAC's interests break down into three main areas: Mine Awareness, Minefield
Survey, and Mine Clearance. Work has been ongoing in each of these:
Working with the International Committee of the Red Cross and other
Non-Governmental Organisations, the Mine Action Centre is seeking to educate
the civilian population about the dangers of mines, and to get the idea
across that mines will be here for a long time. The theme we wish to promote
is "Learning to Live with Mines". In the short term, more lives
can be saved by supporting mine awareness than mine clearance.
The first stage of a nation-wide campaign is up and running, with regular
Television and other media slots. A survey has also been drawn up in conjunction
with the MAC, which seeks to improve the data on Mines Casualties, and
will help to identify areas of particular concern.
We have recently obtained support for a marketing study, which will assess
the effectiveness of current Mine Awareness campaigns, and advise us on
how best to promote the issue in a way that will really work for the local
population.
One of our concerns is the level of Mine Awareness shown by the International
Community. A recent visit by the IFOR Mine Awareness Trainers from the
MAC in Zagreb resulted in a huge number of requests for MA training. A
number of UN and NGO staff were able to go to the presentations, and all
IPTF staff receive Mine Awareness instruction before deploying, but there
are still many people who either need new, or updated training. To this
end, the MAC has acquired two dedicated Mine Awareness Trainers, due to
arrive shortly. They will have a comprehensive training package, and will
be able to run sessions for both UN staff and NGOs.
Leaflets, Posters and Stickers have been distributed, warning of the Mine
threat, and offering advice on what to do if you accidentally stray into
a Minefield. These have been well received, and new ones are being developed.
The ARRC have also been asked to produce and place signs on all major routes,
warning drivers when they are crossing into high risk areas, and confirming
our advice to stay on the hard standing and not to go onto the verges.
These signs have already been placed in some areas.
We are in the process of recruiting our own Survey Teams who, once
trained, will be used not only to survey mined areas in advance of clearance
contracts being issued, but also to rapidly eliminate areas of ground as
being free of mines.
They will be using dogs, currently under training, to confirm the absence
of explosives in uncertain areas. Although the technique is new to this
region, it is hoped that in this way as much land as possible can be returned
quickly to the population.
While there is a strong desire for known minefields to be marked, and maps
produced, the high saturation of mines and unexploded ordnance means that
this would divert assets better used for minefield clearance for a significant
time. The MAC is very conscious that the moment an area is shown as "mined",
people automatically assume that the surrounding area is "free of
mines". This could be a fatal error. We are working with the ARRC
mapping unit to produce a detailed map showing the known mined areas, but
which does not lull users into a false sense of security.
Whilst everybody would like to see all mines cleared tomorrow, this
is unrealistic. Based on an estimate of the current level of contamination,
it has been calculated that it would take 1,000 mine clearers 32 years
to clear all areas.
In the short term, priority projects will be undertaken with the emphasis
on clearing enough to allow safe access to vital installations, leaving
widespread clearance until the key areas have all been opened-up. We are
conscious, though, that this is hard for individuals with mines in their
gardens, who cannot understand why teams cannot divert to help them directly.
The intention is for contracts to include a small community-based project
for each area. In particular, we want to try and clear small playgrounds
where children know that they can play safely, thereby reducing
the risk of them accidentally straying into mined areas.
With the assistance of the Serbian Entity, a site has been obtained at
Trebevic for a Training School. This will be used initially to train the
Mine Action Centre's own Survey and Emergency Demining Teams. The Entities
have been asked to supply names of approved candidates for training and
the first trainees, selected from a list offered by the Serbian Entity,
have just started training.
These Teams, once trained, will be the MAC's "eyes and ears"
on the ground. As well as Surveying suspected mined areas, or providing
a quick response demining capability, they can also be used for Quality
Assurance; checking the percentage of the ground cleared by demining contractors
in order to ensure that the 100% clearance standard required is met.
Once areas cleared have passed Quality Assurance, they will then be able
to be handed over to the Government. It will be at this stage that the
MAC's Regional Officers will downgrade the level of clearance to 99.6%
to reflect the fact that, although the clearance and the QA are conducted
to a 100% standard, there is always the slim possibility that natural phenomena
can cause mines to move, or sometimes remining of cleared areas can occur.
As the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance in Bosnia &
Herzegovina is a long-term project, the driving force behind the Mine Action
Centre is the desire to set-up a sustainable national capability. To this
end, the MAC is working closely with the Entities to ensure that there
is a mutually acceptable approach to the problem, and is encouraging the
training and employment of local personnel. Where possible, the MAC itself
is filling posts with local staff and is training others to take over from
the International members as soon as they can.
With the gradual draw-down of the international element of the MAC, it
is hoped that it will then be taken over by the Government of Bosnia &
Herzegovina and run as the National Mine Action Centre under the new Agency
for Protection from Mines. In anticipation of this day, a Government Liaison
Office has been established in the MAC, and the Government is working on
the selection of a suitable building to be the permanent home of the Mine
Action Centre.
Sarajevo UN Switchboard - +387 (71) 451 694 / 823
MAC Centre Sararjevo - EXT 5801
MAC Centre Zagreb - EXT 7821 / 7824 / 7800
Sarajevo Mine Action Centre Direct Line - +387 (71) 667 310
Zagreb UN Switchboard - +385 (11) 800 011
Main United Nations Head Office in USA, NY - +1 (212) 963 1234
Main Department of Humanitarian Affairs- +1 (212) 963 2738
DHA Head Office Demining Clearing Policy Unit
Deputy Head - Carlyn Taylor -
Phone number - +1 (212) 963 4632
Fax number - +1 (212) 963 1040
Action In A Mined Area - What to do if you find yourself in a minefield.
Sarajevo (Oct. 1996) and Mostar Mine Maps (Jan. 1997) - Current known mined areas.
Karl & Tony - Meet the people that who disarm the mines and see the mines they come across.
Mac Personnel - The other members of the team and where they work.