SARAJEVO, Oct 7 (Hina) - Eight years after the war in Bosnia, about a hundred people are killed or severely wounded every year by land mines, and the threat of booby-traps will exist in the country for the next 70 years if mine
removal continues at this rate, said Colonel Matthew Tresidder, who is in charge of mine clearance at the Stabilisation Force headquarters.
SARAJEVO, Oct 7 (Hina) - Eight years after the war in Bosnia, about a
hundred people are killed or severely wounded every year by land
mines, and the threat of booby-traps will exist in the country for
the next 70 years if mine removal continues at this rate, said
Colonel Matthew Tresidder, who is in charge of mine clearance at the
Stabilisation Force headquarters. #L#
Since the end of the war only 33 square kilometres have been cleared
of mines. It the job continues at this pace, it will take at least 70
years to remove mines from the entire territory of Bosnia-
Herzegovina, the British officer said, adding that the process
could take even longer.
Sarajevo spends some 4.8 million euro annually on this demanding
task.
The Stabilisation Force (SFOR) representative said that it was now
up to Bosnian authorities to make political moves in order to set up
an integrated army that would be also engaged in mine clearance
operations.
(hina) ms sb