21/10/2010
Niksic is Montengro's second largest city and home to an enormous amount of potentially lethal surplus weapons and ammunition, an uncomfortable combination.
By Nedjeljko Rudovic for Southeast European Times in Podgorica -- 21/10/10
Niksic is Montengro's second largest city and home to an enormous amount of potentially lethal surplus weapons and ammunition, an uncomfortable combination.
By Nedjeljko Rudovic for Southeast European Times in Podgorica -- 21/10/10
For the past three years, the Montenegrin government has been wrangling with residents of several villages around Niksic. It wants desperately to destroy thousands of tonnes of unstable ammunition, enough to raze the city if it were to detonate. But residents have served up a series of protests and blockades, amid fears the deliberate detonations will pose health and environmental theats.
After independence four years ago, there were over 12,000 tonnes of ordnance in military depots across Montenegro. Of this amount, nearly 9,800 tonnes represent a surplus.
There were nearly 5,500 tonnes in warehouses, including about 3,700 tonnes in the Brezovik warehouse in Niksic. Nearly 1,000 tonnes of that is scheduled for destruction.
The ammunition, some of it 20 to 40 years old, is well past its expiration date, and as it degrades, becomes unstable.
"This can lead to spontaneous and uncontrolled explosion, which would have unforeseeable consequences. High risk is a munition with 'unstable gunpowder' ... Chemical degradation [is accompanied by] the release of heat, and can easily result in ignition," said Assistant Defence Minister Colonel Rifet Kosovac.
He tells SETimes that the munitions are conventional only, not chemical, biological or radioactive weapons and ammunition. "That simply does not exist in warehouses on the territory of Montenegro," he says.
Destruction of surplus weapons is conducted within the Montenegro Demilitarisation (MONDEM) programme and a technical agreement on the destruction of small arms and light weapons and various types of ammunition, signed between the defence ministry and the US State Department.
After independence four years ago, there were over 12,000 tonnes of ordnance in military depots across Montenegro. Of this amount, nearly 9,800 tonnes represent a surplus.
There were nearly 5,500 tonnes in warehouses, including about 3,700 tonnes in the Brezovik warehouse in Niksic. Nearly 1,000 tonnes of that is scheduled for destruction.
The ammunition, some of it 20 to 40 years old, is well past its expiration date, and as it degrades, becomes unstable.
"This can lead to spontaneous and uncontrolled explosion, which would have unforeseeable consequences. High risk is a munition with 'unstable gunpowder' ... Chemical degradation [is accompanied by] the release of heat, and can easily result in ignition," said Assistant Defence Minister Colonel Rifet Kosovac.
He tells SETimes that the munitions are conventional only, not chemical, biological or radioactive weapons and ammunition. "That simply does not exist in warehouses on the territory of Montenegro," he says.
Destruction of surplus weapons is conducted within the Montenegro Demilitarisation (MONDEM) programme and a technical agreement on the destruction of small arms and light weapons and various types of ammunition, signed between the defence ministry and the US State Department.
Some of it should have been removed by now. "We sold 1,500 tonnes of weapons and ammunition surplus, but customers still have not taken over them. Of the remaining amount, approximately 2,000 tonnes is scheduled for destruction. The rest will be offered for sale. If we don't sell that, it must be destroyed," says Kosovac.
Aleksandar Dedovic, director of the NGO Alpha Centre, believes that the existence of large quantities of surplus ammunition, weapons and mines poses one of the most serious threats to Montenegrin security.
"Bearing in mind that these weapons and ammunition were produced a very long time ago, and that it is stored in such conditions that do not guarantee long-term stability, we believe [the government] urgently needs to continue with their planning and professional destruction," Dedovic tells SETimes.
He adds that government communications with residents in the affected areas has been largely lacking. "It is necessary to present [clearly] that we are faced with serious danger and the [potentially] tragic consequences caused by the further continuation of this situation."
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
Aleksandar Dedovic, director of the NGO Alpha Centre, believes that the existence of large quantities of surplus ammunition, weapons and mines poses one of the most serious threats to Montenegrin security.
"Bearing in mind that these weapons and ammunition were produced a very long time ago, and that it is stored in such conditions that do not guarantee long-term stability, we believe [the government] urgently needs to continue with their planning and professional destruction," Dedovic tells SETimes.
He adds that government communications with residents in the affected areas has been largely lacking. "It is necessary to present [clearly] that we are faced with serious danger and the [potentially] tragic consequences caused by the further continuation of this situation."
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
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