Bosnia and Herzegovina Landmine History

Beginning with Marshal Tito’s death in 1980 and accelerated with the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) divided into five different countries: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), and the Republic of Macedonia.

These Balkan States have a complex history that extends beyond the scope of this report. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, background on events, armies, and peace treaties is needed as each have influenced the use and clearance of antipersonnel landmines in the country.

In March 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina declared its independence from the SFRY. Days later, fighting broke out and led to a war lasting over three and a half years. Armed hostilities officially ended in December 1995. During this period, nearly three million people were displaced and over 250,000 are reported dead or missing. UNICEF estimates war wounded at approximately 170,000 people. The war destroyed families, communities, infrastructure, and left the country littered with landmines and unexploded ordnance.

For the most part, hostilities during the war were conducted by three distinct armies: the Bosnian government army (ARBiH), the Bosnian Croat army (HVO) and the Bosnian Serb army (VRS). In the SFRY, all men were required to complete one year of military service in the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA). It can be assumed that many soldiers involved in the war had prior military training. JNA military doctrine relied heavily on the use of mines as a deterrent against invasion. Though engineering units were primarily responsible for these activities, all soldiers were taught mine warfare doctrine and techniques (laying, recording and neutralizing).

In March and May 1994, a peace agreement was mediated between the warring Bosnian Croats and the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and signed in Washington and Vienna. The Washington Agreement created the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under the agreement, the combined territory held by the Croat and Bosniak forces was divided into ten autonomous cantons. The cantonal system was selected to prevent dominance by one ethnic group over another.

The General Framework for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (also known as the Dayton Agreement) was signed on 14 December 1995. This agreement officially ended the war and, among other things, recognized that the country was comprised of two entities – the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter referred to as the Federation) and Republika Srpska (RS). (The information is provided to help the reader appreciate the challenges that face individuals living and working in this multi-ethnic country controlled by two separate entity governments.) It also established an Inter-Entity Boundary Line (IEBL) and a four-kilometer-wide Zone of Separation (ZOS) between the two entities. The IEBL was the front line when the war ended. Most minefields are found along the IEBL and within the ZOS.

To oversee treaty implementation, an Implementation Force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) arrived in the country in early 1996. In December 1996, IFOR’s duties were handed over to the NATO-led multinational Stabilization Force (SFOR). There are approximately 30,000 SFOR troops currently in the country. Among other duties, SFOR is responsible for training and supervising the demining teams for each entity army and helping to identify and assist with the destruction of weapon storage sites.

An additional body established to assist with legislation and treaty compliance is the Office of the High Representative. This office is instrumental in providing guidance and support for the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina in following not only the Dayton Agreement, but also the obligations outlined in the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.

Key developments since May 2002: A national Landmine Impact Survey began in October 2002 and is due to be completed in December 2003. In May 2003, the area suspected to be contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance was estimated at more than 2,000 square kilometers. The Council of Ministers in April 2003 approved a demining strategy for BiH for 2002 to 2010, which has the objective of freeing BiH from the threat of mines and UXO by 2010. Six million square meters of land was cleared in 2002. Weapons caches containing landmines continue to be uncovered in BiH. In 2002, landmine/UXO incidents killed 26 civilians and injured 46 others, a decrease from the 87 casualties in 2001.

Recent History

The Republic of Bosnia-Hercegovina is still struggling to recover from three years of bloody inter-ethnic war during 1992-95.

Around 250,000 people died in the conflict between Bosnian Muslims, Croats and Serbs - part of the break-up of Yugoslavia. A NATO-led Stabilization Force, S-For, remains responsible for safeguarding peace and stability.

Since then international administration has helped the country maintain a fragile peace but ethnic tensions persist and only crime and corruption have really flourished. Nearly half of the workforce is unemployed, the economy is flat and international aid is being reduced.

Analysts point to the fact that nearly a decade after the war little or nothing has been done to ensure that hundreds of thousands of displaced people can return home. Nearly two thirds of the country‘s young people are desperate to leave, according to a United Nations survey carried out in 2002.

The 1995 Dayton peace accord, which ended the Bosnian war, set up two separate entities, a Bosnian Muslim/Croat federation and the Bosnian Serb republic, Republica Srpska, each with its own president, government, parliament, military and police. Overarching these entities is a central Bosnian government and rotating presidency.

Critics of Dayton voiced fears that the two entities came too close to being states in their own right and that the arrangement reinforced separatism and nationalism at the expense of integration. Nationalist parties made strong gains in parliamentary elections in October 2002.

Dayton also established the Office of the High Representative, a role fulfilled by British politician Paddy Ashdown since May 2002. The representative has wide-ranging powers to impose decisions in cases where the authorities are unable to agree, or where political and economic interests are considered to be at stake.
Since the war ended in 1995, efforts to bring those accused of war crimes to justice have been only partially successful. The former Bosnian Serb president, Biljana Plavsic, surrendered voluntarily to The Hague tribunal and eventually pleaded guilty on one charge of crimes against humanity. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

However, two key Bosnian Serb suspects, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, are still at large. Bosnian Croat leader, Mate Boban, is said to have died in 1997, although there are rumours that his death was faked.

Geography

Location: South-eastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, Croatia and Former republic of Yugoslavia

Area: 51,129 sq km

Climate: hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along cost

Terrain: mountains and valleys

Natural resources: coal, copper, iron, bauxite, manganese, forest, chromium, lead, zinc, hydropower

People

Population: 3,989,018 (2003)

Population growth rate: 0,48%

Birth rate: 12.65 births/1,000 population

Death rate: 8.21 deaths/1,000 population

Life expectancy at birth: female 75 years, male 69 years

Ethnic groups: Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.5%

Religion: Muslims 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, Protestant 4%, other 10%

Languages: Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian

Nationality: Bosnian

Literacy: NA%

Government

Country name: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Capital: Sarajevo

Government type: emerging federal democratic republic

Chief of State: Chairman of the Presidency Dragan Covic

Head of Government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adnan Terzic

International organization participation: BIS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, Interpol, ILO, IMF, OAS, UN, WHO, WMO, WtoO

Economy

GDP per capital: 1,9 00 US dollars (2002)

Population below poverty line: n/a

GDP composition by sector: agriculture 13%, industry 40.9%, service 46.1%

Import commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial products, foodstuffs

Import partners: Croatia 17.1%, Italy 16%, Slovenia 13%, Germany 12.5%

Export commodities: miscellaneous manufactures, crude materials

Export partners: Italy 16%, Germany 16.8%, Croatia 11.3%, Switzerland 12.6%

Economic aid recipient: $650 million (2001)

Currency: marka

Reference
http://www.bbc.co.uk
http;//www.icbl.org
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

Gre za zbirko stilsko in žanrsko raznovrstnih tekstov, ki se dotikajo vzajemnega bogatenja slovenske in bosansko-hercegovske kulture. Publikacija je izšla ob finančni podpori Ministrstva za kulturo Republike Slovenije.

Na predstavitvi bodo spregovorili avtorji:

Admir Baltić (ur.)
urednik časopisa Bošnjak

Safet Alibeg
stalni sodelavec časopisa Bošnjak in
urednik bošnjaškega internet portala bosnjak.si,

Tatjana Pezdir
doktorska kandidatka na Filozofski fakulteti
na oddelku za etnologijo in kulturno antropologijo

Predstavitev knjige, ki bo prerasla v družabni večer, prirejamo v četrtek 5. junija 2008 ob 19. uri v prostorih društva »Ljiljan«, Luize Pesjakove 9, v Ljubljani.

Prisrčno vabljeni!

LOKACIJA NA ZEMLJEVIDU
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Društvo bosansko hercegovskega in slovenskega prijateljstva

organizira

PIKNIK in TURNIR v malem nogometu
na igrišču Športnega društva "STRMEC"
Pot v dolino 60, 1261 Ljubljana-Dobrunje
v soboto, 24.05.2008
*** CELODNEVNI PROGRAM ***

Za več informacij lahko pokličete na:
040 818 026 & 041 272 346
pisarna@ljiljan.si

LOKACIJA NA ZEMLJEVIDU
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Na poziv Zorana Jankovića, gradonačelnika Ljubljane, glavnog grada Slovenije, koja predsjedava EU, gradonačelnica Sarajeva Semiha Borovac učestvuje na sastanku gradonačelnika glavnih gradova EU, zemalja kandidata i zemalja u procesu pridruživanja. Gradonačelnica Sarajeva otvorila je zvanični dio Konferencije na kojoj je podnijela uvodno izlaganje na temu o Ulozi glavnih gradova u interkulturalnom dijalogu i integraciji.

U svom obraćanju Borovac je naglasila da je Sarajevo grad na velikoj granici Istoka i Zapada, gdje se susreću različiti svjetovi, kulture i civilzacije. Ona je istakla da je Sarajevo granica spajanja, a ne razdvajanja.

- Bosna i Hercegovina treba u ovom mjesecu da potpiše Sporazum o stabilizaciji i pridruživanju u EU. U Europsku uniju ulazimo kao država sa bogastvom kultura i tradicija naroda Bosne i Hercegovine koji stoljećima žive u duhu multikulturalnog dijaloga i međusobnog uvažavanja. Vjerujemo da Europa prepoznaje specifičnu vrijednost moje države u kojoj koegzistencija nije puka vizija već stoljetni način života. I na ovome skupu sam se uvjerila da Europa sve više prepoznaje značaj i ulogu Sarajeva i Bosne i Hercegovine u kreiranju prosperitetnije europske budućnosti – kazala je Borovac.

Gradonačelnik Ljubljane Zoran Janković istakao je značaj Sarajeva u europskim okvirima kao grada koji ima višestoljetnu multikulturalnost koja se uspjela održati i nakon tragičnih ratnih iskustava.

Uvodničar za drugu temu na kojoj se govori o Odnosu između glavnog grada i države je gradonačelnik Beča, Michael Haupl.

Na kraju ljubljanske konferencije bit će usvojene i Deklaracija o ulozi glavnih gradova u međukulturalnom dijalogu i stvaranju aktivnog suživota, kao i Deklaracije o odnosu između glavnih gradova i država.

Učesnike ljubljanske konferencije pozdravio je i predsjednik Republike Slovenije Danilo Turk, a očekuje se i dolazak predsjednika EU komisije Jose Manuela Barrosa.

Izvor: Gradska uprava | Ernest B. Kulauzović

nakon prošlogodišnjeg uspjeha, s ogromnim zadovoljstvom najavljujemo «II susret mladih BiH iz svijeta», koji će se održati u BiH od 21. do 28. jula/sprnja 2008. godine. Dragonamjeda možemo računati na Omladinsku Informativnu Agenciju kao glavnog partnera i na Ministarstvo za obrazovanje i nauku Kantona Sarajevo i Ministarstvo za ljudska prava i izbjeglice BiH kao glavne pokrovitelje ovog događaja.

«Mladi brišu granice» je naziv ovogodišnjeg susreta mladih BiH iz svijeta. Cilj susreta je motivisanje mladih ljudi da stvaraju otvoreno društvo u Bosni i Hercegovini, te da BiH vode prema europskim i svjetskim integracijama. Aktivisanje mladih, visoko obrazovanje, ekonomski razvoj, evropske integracije, komunikacija, turizam i sport su neke od tema o kojima će se govoriti na susretu.

Ove godine smo odlučili da napravimo još bogatiji program, koji, za razliku od prošlogodišnjeg, nudi:

• uključivanje 50 učesnika iz BiH, jer vjerujemo da mladi koji žive van BiH mogu da pomognu svojoj zemlji porijekla ponajviše kroz druženje, saradnju i razmjenu idejas mladima u BiH;
• održavanje susreta u Sarajevu, Kraljevoj Sutjeski i Bobovcu, Jajcu i Banjaluci.

Glavni cilj «I susreta mladih BiH iz svijeta» je bio stvaranje saveza mladih BiH na svjetskom nivou i, s ponosom, možemo reći da smo uspješno ostvarili taj cilj kroz osnivanje Saveza «Mlada Dijaspora BiH». Ove godine želimo iskoristiti susret za uključivanje pojedinaca u sam rad Saveza, te pokretanje projekata koji će biti od direktne koristi BH društvu, a posebno mladima.

Kriteriji za učešće su:

• porijeklo iz Bosne i Hercegovine;
• trenutni boravak van Bosne i Hercegovine;
• mladi između 18 i 35 godina;
• prednost prilikom odabira imaju studenti, osobe aktivne na nivou dijaspore, osobe angažovane u aktivnostima koje se tiču Bosne i Hercegovine i osobe koje svojim znanjem i iskustvom žele doprinijeti dobrobiti Bosne i Hercegovine.

U taksu zaučestvovanje od 20 € uključeni su:

• smještaj tokom cijelog programa;
• hrana i osvježenja;
• prevoz tokom programa;
• izleti;
• radni materijal;
• ulaznice za fešte.

Formular za prijavu i prvi preliminarni program II Susreta se nalaze na:
OBRAZAC ZA PRIJAVU

Ako želite da se prijavite za učešće na susretu, popunite prijavu i pošaljite je na e-poštu: (susret@mladadijaspora.ba) do 31. maja/svibnja 2008.

Internet stranica: www.mladadijaspora.ba

Da vidite kako je izgledao «I susret mladih BiH iz svijeta» posjetite:
VIDEO PROŠLOGODIŠNJEG SUSRETA

Članice Saveza «Mlada Dijaspora BiH»:
Academy of BiH (SAD), Bosnian-Herzegovinian Youth Association of Canada (Kanada), Avangarda BiH (Njemačka), Behar (Španija), Društvo BH4 (Slovenija), BONUS Denmark (Danska), BHUF (Švedska), Collegium Bosniacum (Austrija), Mladi BiH (Nizozemska), Mladi Federacije udruženja kulture Bosne i Hercegovine u Turskoj (Turska), Stećak (Norveška), Terra BiH (Hrvatska), Urbani pokret (Francuska), kao i YA BIH (Italija)

Prijazno vabijo na ciklus treh predavanj:

*Jasmina Talam, Univerzitet u Sarajevu, BIH
Ilahija as a Melopoetic Form of Naqshibandi Order
in Bosnia and Herzegovina

*Tamara Karača Beljak, Univerzitet u Sarajevu, BIH
Sevdalinka - From Oral Transmission
to Melographic Papers and Discography

*Kjell Skyllstad (Univesitete I Oslo, Norveška):
Creating a Culture of Peace:
The Performing Arts in Interethnic Negotiations
A Contribution to the Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008

Filozofska fakulteta v Ljubljani, Aškerčeva 2/V, Ljubljana
Predavalnica Oddelka za muzikologojo
Sreda, 7. 5. 2008 med 16:30 in 19:30

Napovednik :: Online :: Društvo Ljiljan

U povodu Dana nezavisnosti BiH / Ob dnevu neodvisnosti BiH

Srdačno Vas poziva / Prisrčno Vas vabi na
LITERARNO VEČE / LITERARNO VEČER
»KNJIGA BEZ KRAJA – ZEMLJA MOJA“
KNJIGA BREZKONČNA – DEŽELA SONČNA

Susret sa pjesnikom i prevodiocem / Srečanje s pesnikom in prevajalcem
Ismetom Bekrićem
I promocija desete jubilarne knjige Banjalučkih žubora „Tražim grad“ /
In predstavitev desete jubilejne knjige Banjaluških žuborenj „Iščem mesto“

U programu učestvuju i članovi Literarne sekcije /
V programu sodelujejo tudi člani Literarne skupine

Mentor: Ale Botonjić
Muzički ugođaj / Glasbeno ugodje

U četvrtak, 28. februara / V četrtek, 28. februarja
U 19 sati / Ob 19 uri
U prostorijama Društva „Ljiljan“ / V prostorih Društva „Ljiljan“
U Ljubljani / V Ljubljani, Ulica Lujze Pesjakove 9.

VABILO ŠPORTNE SEKCIJE DRUŠTVA LJILJAN

Vse člane in prijatelje društva LJILJAN, ki bi radi igrali ŠAH vljudno vabimo, da se včlanijo v šahovsko sekcijo društva LJILJAN. Šahovska sekcija se sestaja vsako sredo ob 19.00 uri v prostorih društva LJILJAN, Lujze Pesjakove 9, 1000 Ljubljana.

Vse dodatne informacije v zvezi z šahovsko sekcijo se dobijo pri g. Čehić Hasanu na številko 040 916 497 in Alukić Elvisu na številko 040 818 026.

Broj: 2-128/07
SARAJEVO, 01/11/07

PREDMET: Stipendiranje djece žrtava rata

Poštovani prijatelji,

pozivam Vas da kupovinom zidnog kalendara za 2008. godinu, u izdanju Udruženja „Obrazovanje gradi BIH“, učestvuje u stipendiranju djece žrtava rata u BiH 1992. – 1995., invalidne i talentovane djece.

Udruženje «Obrazovanje gradi BiH» formirano 1994. godine kao nevladina i neprofitna organizacija sa misijom- djeca žrtava rata – naša trajna briga i sa ciljem da se djeci žrtava rata, invalidnoj i talentovanoj djeci pruži moralna i materijalna pomoć da kroz kvalitetno obrazovanje postanu korisni članovi društva.

U dosadašnjem postojanju Udruženje je stipendiralo 2.700 djece i njima podijelilo preko 27.000 stipendija u ukupnoj vrijednosti od 2.000.000 KM, te je više od 35.000 djece i mladih dobilo školski pribor, sportsku opremu, hranu i dr., u vrijednosti oko 3.000,000 KM. Udruženje je učestovalo u opremanju nastavnim učilima i školskim namještajem škola u Bihaću, Sarajevu, Tuzli, Ilijašu, Kupresu, Goraždu, Istočnom Sarajevu, Čajniću, Zenici i Zvorniku. Istovremeno, djeca i mladi, njih oko 1.820 bilo je na ljetovanju u Bosni i Hercegovini, Hrvatskoj, Italiji, Austriji, Njemačkoj, Španiji, Francuskoj, Belgiji, Turskoj, Švicarskoj, Slovačkoj, Danskoj, Kanadi i Urugvaju.

Udruženje jedanaestu godinu štampa godišnji kalendar čijom prodajom obezbjeđuje godišnje stipendije za 50–60 djece. Za 2008. godinu štampan je kalendar s motom «Moja, tvoja, naša Bosna i Hercegovina». Na šest stranica kalendara nalaze se djećiji crteži s motivima gradova Bosne i Hercegovine.

Cijena jednog kalendara iznosi 6,00 KM, a novac od prodaje namijenjen je za stipendiranje djece žrtava rata, talentovane i invalidne djece. Pozivamo Vas, da učestvujete u stipendiranju 50 djece žrtava rata tako što će te:

a) Otkupiti određen broj kalendara, po cijeni od 6,00 KM. Prilikom kupovine 50 i više kalendara Udruženje će na podložnoj stranici doštampati podatke o vašoj kompaniji-logo, adresu, broj telefona i dr.

b) Donirati određenu sumu novca za stipendiranje djece žrtava rata u BiH 1992-1995.

Kalendar 2008 može biti prikladan poklon za vaše poslovne partnere i prijatelje, posebno što je to za stipendiranje djece žrtava rata, invalidne i talentovane djece.

S poštovanjem,

IZVRŠNI DIREKTOR
Jovan DIVJAK
http://www.ogbh.com.ba/

Kasim Salkić
Predsednik Disciplinske komisije

E-pošta: komisija@ljiljan.si

E-pošta: odbor@ljiljan.si

E-pošta: finance@ljiljan.si, GSM: +386 41 250 375

E-pošta: sekretar@ljiljan.si, GSM: +386 31 663 782

Sead Redžić
podpredsednik in predsednik glasbene sekcije

E-pošta: podpredsednik@ljiljan.si, GSM: +386 40 220 209

Ale Botonjić
Predsednik in zakoniti zastopnik Društva

E-pošta: predsednik@ljiljan.si, GSM: +386 41 838 110