Afghanistan: Angola: Nicaragua: Mozambique: Bosnia & Herzegovina: Combodia.
What effects it has on Society An Inisible Barrier in Development
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Bosnia and
Herzegovina: Background A devastating war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) between 1992 and 1995 left as many as three million AP mines scattered over roughly 30,000 sites. AP mines were extensively used during the conflict by all parties. As a result, the BiH landscape is now severely contaminated by these indiscriminate killers. In addition, ground fighting throughout the war has left behind a legacy of unexploded ordnance (UXO) -- mortars, shells, and bombs which are buried in the ground or reside on the surface and can explode when touched. Returning refugees are forced to cope with finding their devastated villages contaminated by AP mines. Most could not have imagined that upon return they would find their homes and gardens booby-trapped and dangerous. Each month AP mines continue to cause up to 50 injuries or deaths. Despite the mass destruction caused by war, BiH has a relatively well developed institutional and national infrastructure, and is the target of generous international reconstruction assistance. The parliamentary system is beginning to revive, along with civil society, domestic media and local transportation networks. Civil reconstruction is proceeding rapidly and a very basic level of economic recovery is evident in both rural and urban areas. Unfortunately, landmines remain a pernicious obstacle to further recovery, refugee resettlement, and stability for victims of the war. It is clear that the removal of the threat of landmines will have a major impact on the morale and the freedom of BiH society. |