INSURMOUNTABLE BARRIERS OF THE AUTHORITIES

Coalition Together Seeks Ways for Return of Banished Persons

Tuzla, 24 February, 1997 (AIM)

"The authorities in both entities of Bosnia & Herzegovina are massively violating human rights by preventing banished persons to return home. Policy of the ruling oligarchies, temporary legal solutions and barriers to free flow of information, are preventing return of several hundred thousand banished persons who have where to return. The Coalition is preparing new methods for their return which will be supported by the office of Mr Carl Bildt". This is the conclusion of a two-day gathering of the Coalition Together for return of the banished held in Tuzla, which was, by the way, ignored by the current authorities.

At the two-day gathering of the Coalition in Tuzla, there were about 200 representatives of the coalition from B&H, Croatia and Serbia and some guests from associations of banished persons from abroad. The gathering was held under auspices of Carl Bildt's Office, and Michael Steiner was also present. Having completed work in groups which considered legal issues concerning return, manner of contacting the current authorities, role of public information, organization network of the Coalition and the project of self-assistance, it was decided to establish regional offices of the Coalition in Mostar, Tuzla, Banja Luka and Sarajevo, where the centre of activities will be. In all the cities and towns where there is a large number of banished persons, boards will be established which will coordinate reception and directing banished persons to their homes.

The Coalition assesses that the authorities are manipulating information, legal provisions, so - with the help of Mr Bildt's Office - it will start a bulletin which will offer all relevant information concerning return of banished and displaced persons, possibilities of compensation of property and similar. The current authorities of the Federation and Republica Srpska will be asked to make their laws in compliance with the Dayton accords, which is not the case at present. Many believe that this is the main real barrier which the current authorities use as a pretext. The Coalition has decided to ask for higher material and legal and professional assistance from Carl Bildt's Office, but also to increase pressure on current authorities which are believed to be intentionally avoiding to implement provisions of the Dayton accords, because this enables them to use the situation of banished persons for their own benefit which helps them a lot to survive in power.

"The authorities in both entities claim that there are no conditions for return of banished persons. However, many places have not been devastated and had there been any good political will of the authorities, several hundred banished and displaced persons could immediately return home. Ruling structures in the entities are trying to lay the blame on "the others", but the process of return is not successful in the Federation either. We will soon make a map of banished persons in B&H which will make many things clear. Obviously, it would be a mistake to expect a more significant involvement of the authorities in the process of return, so we must rely on our own forces and the international community", said Smail Ibrahimpasic, a banished person from Modrica.

It is clear to current authorities in the entities that return of banished persons leads to reintegration of Bosnia & Herzegovina which would narrow down possibilities of manipulation with ethnic and religious characteristics of citizens, stirring fear among ones from the others, and various other divisions on the top of which are national oligarchies.

"The Dayton accords were the foundation of peace, but it is also the formula for return of banished and displaced persons. The authorities in both entities are not implementing them, because the possibility of manipulation the citizens would be reduced. Without implementation of Annex 7, there will be no peace in B&H, but there will be a possibility of a new war. Not even pilot projects from Annex 7 have been implemented. This is an indicator of the attitude of the authorities towards the Dayton accords. For the sake of creating prospects for return, we demand from the authorities to provide respect of right to private ownership, abolishment of P-2 form and Article 503 which enable new manipulations with banished persons. Furthermore, we demand free elections, suspension of politicians who are doing everything to sabotage return of displaced persons and trials to those suspected of war crimes. In order to carry out these tasks, we will establish a working group which will organize peaceful protests and exert pressure on the authorities" said Stanko Sliskovic, President of the HSS.

Every banished person accused the authorities in his speech for doing practically nothing for the return of banished persons. This is the general assessment, although some of them differentiated the degree of responsibility of the current authorities and that of the ruling parties in entities.

"It is true that the attitudes differ concerning return of banished persons, but it is also true that not a single ruling party or regime are doing anything concerning the return of banished persons", assessed Novka Agic.

Milan Marceta, representative of dipsplaced Serbs from Krajina, explicitly accused the authorities of being responsible for the destiny of banished and displaced persons: "The biggest obstacle on the road to our return are the authorities. They are to blame why refugees and displaced persons are not returning to Banja Luka, Stolac, Drvar, Mostar, Brcko... Human rights are not protected anywhere. If they respected human rights of the Serbs in Republica Srpska, then the rights of the Bosniacs would be respected also".

Representatives of the Coalition are accusing the authorities of concealing all relevant information in connection with the possibility of return of the banished. Mara Radovanovic - Helsinki Committee for Human Rights from Bijeljina - proposed publication of a brochure with legal instructions and comments on the possibilities of return of the banished and displaced persons, which would be distributed among the associations of these persons with the help of the international organizations. Apart from that, guarantees are requested from high representative Carl Bildt that members of the Coalition will be enabled free access to all municipalities in order to determine the actual situation on site. Obviously, banished persons do not trust the authorities and their information.

Michael Steiner joined in the chorus of criticism of the current authorities and claimed as follows:

"There are quite a few problems concerning return of citizens both within the Federation and the Republica Srpska. The politicians claim that nations do not wish to live together. But, when I see you here together, when I hear you talking, it is clear to me that people wish to go home. Return is the only way to reintegration of B&H. On the road to return you must confront political leaders who have a different view of these things, mostly within the limits of "their" entities and ethnic communities, which is sometimes frustrating".

Repeated allegations of the authorities that displaced and banished persons do not wish to return are denied, among other, even by banished citizens of Drvar in Bijeljina who claimed to representatives of the Coalition that they wished to return home. There are numerous similar examples.

Current authorities often pass over the question of banished persons to the international community. This was denied by Selim Beslagic - mayor of Tuzla - who was the only representative of the authorities who appeared at the gathering: "Those who used to be ordinary peasants before the war and are now riding in Mercedes cars oppose your return the most. It is clear to them that in case you do return, they would be back where they used to be, because they would not be able to use your property".

In presentations of the banished persons, a strong emotional charge and feeling of helplessness was evident. They all believe that the authorities are responsible for their destiny, as the only factor which indeed can resolve their problems. Mirko Antunovic from Bugojno established that sometimes he feels he was born in exile: "The nation of banished persons in B&H forms half of its population. We are the most numerous category which is interested most of all for reintegration and settling down of the situation in B&H. Those who do not lock the door with their own key and do not eat at their own dining-room table, they do not live like human beings. When will the authorities understand that? We are fed up of all kinds of heroes. A hero is a citizen who can and who wishes to live peacefully with his neighbour".

People from Brcko claimed that the decision of the international arbiter was the first possibility for their return. Banished natives of Posavina demanded - like people from Jusici - to go to live in Velika Brusnica which is in the separation zone, and 114 families applied. Representatives of the Serbs demanded to return to Drvar, Petrovac and other places.

"For the sake of achieving the joint goal - everyone in one's own home - religious, political and other communities should work together, together with banished unfortunate people. Return home for a man is return to himself. Your choice to return is non-forcible resistance to installed violence established by political leaderships who wish to make it permanent. Struggle for return is also the struggle for liberation of man from political chains. Our and your aim is liberation from violence imposed on us. Our road is that of democracy aimed at creation of a state ruled by law, in which all people will be equal in the face of law. A man's life counts from the moment he creates a family, makes his home. Life has been interrupted for the banished. By returning to our homes we are breaking up the circle of evil and opening the circle of good, and that is the direction we should take, sensibly and courageously, soberely and with firm hope to succeed", said father Luka Markesic.

During the gathering, Rasim Kadic, the current minister for banished persons and social issues in the Government of the Federation, was holding a public panel devoted to prospects of return of banished people to their homes. He did not care to even pay a visit to the gathering of the Coalition. Is not this strange but at the same time indicative for behavior of the authorities and the non-parliamentary Liberal Party of his which he likes to call

• opposition?! One of the participants of the gathering of the Coalition claims that Kadic has allegedly said - "it is a glee-club as long as no representative of the authority is present".

Among other, this was one of the things that induced some participants to claim that the authorities will not easily give up their involvement in the destiny of the banished, because they expect to get money from the international community for their return which they will use according to their preference. Besides, with isolated people such as the banished persons, it is easy to manipulate and preserve high posts in the administration. The value of this gathering lies in the fact that the international community has finally started to work with citizens who need help, partly avoiding the authorities who had brought them to their present position.

VEHID JAHIC