Fact Sheet
  Office of the Spokesman
  Washington, DC
  January 2, 2003
 
 
UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina

On December 21, 1995, the United Nations Security Council 
passed Resolution 1035, setting up the UN International 
Police Task Force and a UN Civil Affairs Office. These 
were brought together as the UN Mission in Bosnia and 
Herzegovina. The UN Mission (UNMIBH) was created to help 
implement the General Framework Agreement for Peace in 
Bosnia and Herzegovina (also referred to as the as the 
Dayton-Paris Agreement). It was "under the authority of 
the Secretary-General and subject to coordination and 
guidance as appropriate" of the High Representative in 
Bosnia and Herzegovina appointed to oversee the Agreement's 
implementation. On December 31, 2002, the UN Mission in 
Bosnia and Herzegovina completed its mandate. The European 
Union Police Mission (EUPM) assumed international police
monitoring duties in Bosnia and Herzegovina on January 1, 
2003. The International Police Task Force has reformed 
and restructured local police personnel and organizations 
in Bosnia and Herzegovina, reducing the bloated local police 
forces from over 40,000 personnel in 1996 to approximately 
20,000 today. Through this process, the UN has also 
de-certified officers who were without proper training or 
education and those who participated in war crimes or other 
violations of the law. In addition, the UN worked to improve
recruitment of officers from minority groups within the 
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska 
and mentored local police in leadership positions. The UN was 
instrumental in making the State Border Service operational so 
that it now controls all land borders and the country s three 
international airports. It is Bosnia and Herzegovina s first 
state-level, multi-ethnic law enforcement agency, and already 
appears to have cut down dramatically on illegal entry into 
the country. This has important ramifications for the fight
against trans-national crime and terrorism. The UN s Special 
Trafficking Operation Program ( STOP) raised public awareness
of trafficking in persons in the country and the region, and 
monitored raids by local police of bars and nightclubs suspected 
of trafficking. The STOP program oversaw some 800 such raids and 
aided scores of trafficking victims to escape their plight. The 
United States hopes the international community and the government 
of Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue strong efforts in this area.
President Bush made a campaign pledge that he would promote better 
burden sharing in the Balkans, and the successful transfer of this 
core mission exemplifies his commitment to that pledge.


by Maj. John Dowling
 
EAGLE BASE, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Army News Service, Sept. 30, 2002) 
Clad in gladiator-like attire carrying batons and shields, U.S. soldiers of 
Multinational Division (North) conducted crowd control training in mid-
September to prepare for potential crises in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The experience taught peacekeepers how to support local police in the event 
of a civil disturbance without using deadly force, according U.S. Army Europe 
officials. "The training is designed to enhance our soldiers' capabilities and 
provide commanders a different tool besides lethal weapons when dealing with 
stability and support operations," said Eric Nizer, a U.S. Army Europe non-
lethal action training officer. Nizer is a Department of the Army civilian with 
USAREUR's Seventh Army Training Command. A team of five military police officers 
from the 95th Military Police Battalion assisted in teaching the finer points of 
crowd control. "The bottom line is maintaining public order without an escalation 
in force," said Nizer. Participants included Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers 
deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina for Operation Joint Forge. Soldiers were from 
the 1st Platoon, Company C, 109th Infantry Battalion (Task Force Blue Steel) based 
at Forward Operating Base Connor and members of 1st Platoon., A Troop, 104th Cavalry 
Squadron (Task Force Saber) assigned to the FOB Morgan area of operations. Nizer said 
he was impressed with the results of the training exercise, which attempted to 
replicate a possible real-life scenario in this country where a popular community 
leader is detained for breaking the law. The training runs contrary to the primary 
mission of the infantry where the "spirit of the bayonet" is the order of the day, 
he said. "They're motivated and understand the mission they were sent here for. 
Infantry soldiers are trained to kill in combat; now, we're trying to put them in the 
mindset not to kill or hurt. They seem to be receptive to that," Nizer said. The four-
day training included orientation to crowd control equipment such as batons and shields, 
crowd dynamics, hand-to-hand combat, and non-lethal weapon munitions and live fire 
exercises. Platoon leaders were given a warning order two days prior to the capstone 
event to be prepared to respond to a call for a quick reaction force in the community.
The scenario forced platoon and squad leaders to exercise their leadership abilities 
in planning and conducting crowd control operations. "It was real good training. We 
knew they were going to press us. We wanted to be able to keep our cool. When the 
situation escalated, we were the ones that were in control," said 1st Lt. Sean O'Brien, 
1st platoon leader, Co. C. It's not easy with an angry crowd of role-playing GIs taunting 
them and dousing them with water, according to O'Brien. But the training effectively 
prepared soldiers to rapidly respond to realistic conflicts that could occur on their 
patrols. "They were grabbing our shields, throwing water on us and taking our sticks 
when they had the chance," he said. "It really tests the platoon. When you go through 
your rehearsals, you never know what the other guy is going to do. You can't catch that 
feeling of what's going to happen next until it actually happens." The training was the 
first opportunity for the two platoons to train together on the deployment where split-
second decision-making could mean the life or death of a fellow soldier or even a civilian.
Students said the experience was invaluable. "It's very important. You always got to be 
looking out for your buddy, especially on the front line with the shield. Everybody has 
to be communicating for unity and not let anyone get separated," said Sgt. James Prebich,
a grenadier in Co. C, 1st Bn., 109th Inf. "You have to control your emotions and not let 
them get the best of you. It was excellent training." A demonstration of non-lethal weapons 
and munitions was held on a small range constructed near the training event. Ammunition 
including sponge grenades, and rubber shotgun pellets and bullets were used to show members 
of the local media SFOR's capability to contribute to the safe and secure environment in 
Bosnia and Herzegovina without jeopardizing the lives of local civilians.
(Editor's note: Maj. John Dowling is assigned to the Task Force Eagle Public Affairs.)