Harvest 2001 In Bosnia And Herzegovina

The international stabilisation force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SFOR) has announced that operation Harvest 2001 to collect weapons and ammunition will be carried out in the Northeast of the country on November 15 -December 15. During Harvest 2001, the local population will be bringing in weapons, ammunition, and personal equipment. Both the Croat-Muslim Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Srpska Republic will supervise the operation. The peacekeepers' representative said that the operation is set up this way to improve trust, facilitate peaceful processes, and create safe conditions for all residents. After the civil war of 1992-1995 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the population has kept significant numbers of weapons. The remaining mine fields creates the major problem. Military experts estimate that from 700,000 to 1 million anti-personnel mines have not been neutralised on the territory of the country. The international community annually allocates $20 million to clear the land of Bosnia and Herzegovina of mines, but if continued at the current rate this work would take decades. The government calls on the republic's population to exercise extreme caution when mines, charges, grenades that could still be live are found and report such findings to police or military authorities.