US MINE REMOVAL OFFICE GRANTS 200,000 FOR DEMINING OF DRAGALIC

DRAGALIC, May 24 (Hina) - The US State Department's humanitarian demining office's head, Donald Patierno, on Thursday toured the municipality of Dragalic (eastern Croatia) and informed local authorities that the international foundation for the humanitarian demining had ensured 200,000 dollars for the removal of mines from this municipality. Dragalic, together with Vukovar, Skabrnja and Petrinja, is one of the most mine-infested areas in Croatia. Mines are planted at some 800 hectares in Dragalic. They can be found in yards, on farmland and along roads. At the beginning, mines should be removed from some 500 hectares so that normal life can be ensured for villagers. Since 1995 nine explosions of land mines have occurred in this area, and in those accidents three people have lost lives, two have been seriously wounded, and four sustained light injuries. So far nine mine removal projects have been conducted in Dragalic in which 511,166 square metres have been combed. A half of funds for this purpose has been ensured by the humanitarian demining foundation and the rest has been covered by some other US and German organisations. (hina) ms