KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON [Main Title]

Log in to create clips, download free screeners and save clips/films in Collections. Click here to find out more.


  • Title: KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON [Main Title]
  • Film Number: UNT 564
  • Other titles: UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION (UNTV) ZAGREB COLLECTION, YUGOSLAVIA [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Miners at the Breza coal mine in central Bosnia work for humanitarian aid as they keep the mine open and provide coal for the region's electric power system. UNTV also visits Kakanj surface coal mine. Both mines have been helped by the Overseas Development Agency.
  • Description: Shots of Breza coal mine in Central Bosnia, miners coming out of a building with their head torches on, in the descending lift and filing out with picks slung over their shoulders. Interview with Ćamil Zaimović, Technical Director of the Breza mine, who explains that this mine has been supplying coal for the electric power system on both the Serbian and Croatian side. So, he says, coal has not been used as a method of war, it is instead humanitarian work. At present only two excavation sites are working. Shots of a miner at the coal face and coal being transported away from the face. Ćamil Zaimović explains that the workers are not paid wages, but instead receive a small amount of food and humanitarian packages. Interview with Mehmed Kaplan, a miner, who says that those who are fighting are fighting for free, “everything is for free now” so they do not expect wages. Shot of men shovelling coal. Kaplan says that the support they receive from humanitarian organisations is vital but it could not be enough. The Overseas Development Agency (ODA) has allowed production to continue. Interview with Haydn Barratt, Project Manager, ODA, Power and Mining Group, who explains that they alleviate shortages by providing spare materials for coal-cutting machines, lamps, and a self-rescuing system for miners. Mirsad Frljak, a miner, says that this mine faces constant shelling as it is close to Serbian lines but it has been less frequent since UNPROFOR increased its presence in the area. He says that if the mine is being shelled the workers are told to wait for it to end underground, in the mine shaft. Shots of miners coming back to the top and the damaged buildings. One miner says that though miners have been killed during the shelling, coal production must continue. UNTV also visit Kakanj surface mine. Shot of digger loading truck with coal and digger working in a landscape of coal hills. Interview with Zilad Frljak, Development Director, Central Bosnia Board of Mines, who explains that production nearly stopped due to shortages of basic parts and spare parts and the difficulties of maintaining vehicles. Haydn Barratt, Project Manager, ODA, says that they helped to prioritise machinery and vehicles for repair, but the blockade prevented orders reaching them. The foreman of Kakanj Surface Mine stresses that they need spare parts, that without them many vehicles will remain out of service. Shots of disused vehicles. Zilad Frljak says that they had to work without explosives for over a year, but now they are co-operating with an explosives company in Vitez looking to be resupplied with explosives, in exchange for coal. At the Kakanj power station, coal is used to supply the electricity grid. Shots of coal on a conveyer belt. A worker stokes the furnace. Interview with Enver Šabanović, Technical Director, Kakanj power station, who explains that the power station is not supplied with enough coal for all sections of the plant to function. Internal shots of the power station. Haydn Barratt, Project Manager, ODA, says that lack of coal is a problem because the power station cannot react to changes in demand. Enver Šabanović is optimistic that the supply of coal will improve. Electricity then goes out to substations and into the homes of Bosnians. Closing shots of the people of Bosnia in the snow.
  • Alternative Title: UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION (UNTV) ZAGREB COLLECTION, YUGOSLAVIA [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: English (Tape Code A)
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: UNT 564
  • Sound: Bosnian (Tape Code B)
  • Access Conditions:
  • Featured Period: 1990-2000
  • Production Date: 1995-01 1995-02-22
  • Production Country: UN
  • Production Details: Currie, Mary (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords: Bosnia-Herzegovina & Tesanj (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: English (Tape Code A) Sound format: Bosnian (Tape Code B) Soundtrack language: Croatian (Tape Code C) Title language: Serbian (Tape D)
  • Technical Details: Format: Beta-SP Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    UNT 564

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    UNT 602 (UNTV PROGRAMME NO 60 [Main Title]) UNT 909 (UNTV PROGRAMME NO 91 [Main Title]) UNT 564 X (KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON (UNEDITED RUSHES) [Allocated Title]) UNT 568 (WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL (PART 2) [Main Title])
Register