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SPEEDING UP IMPLEMENTATION OF DAYTON

AIM Zenica, 4 August, 1997

And while, most frequently, only futile discussions are led about return of refugees and displaced persons, resolute initiatives for return of the citizens are increasing. While ones are waiting for the results of discussions at the top of the authorities, the others, like people from Zepa or Busovaca, are starting to resolve the problem of return to their homes on their own, but by organizing themselves for mass return. On the way to return there are still many political blockades imposed by ethnic (party) leaderships. This is mostly the case with the Serb entity, but there are also examples of this phenomenon in the Federation.

In municipalities where local authorities are active, favourable results are evident. In majority of municipalities, however, local authorities are silently waiting for decisions of higher authorities (Jajce, Bugojno, Stolac...). In such municipalities, citizens are insufficiently informed about the forthcoming elections, they do not know even which parties exist on the political scene, so they cannot know who they would vote for. They would most willingly vote for "some party or people who would take them back home". But, they do not have much hope. However, after Mostar, one would say, things have started "to move". Experiences vary. But, let us start from the beginning.

Example number one - Busovaca. During the entire war, the local authorities have made plans of return and reconstruction on their, although small, territory in the nearby Kacuni. And they achieved enviable results. Thanks to numerous donations, they managed to open the process of return of both the Bosniacs and the Croats to their homes in Strane and Putis, then to Loncari, Kacuni... The international community donated construction and reconstruction of houses, and recently the two federal partners signed in Busovaca a very important document on return in three phases, titled "Busovaca - Open Town". They did not wait for the political leaderships for revival of the economy and employment either. The economy perked up in Kacuni, about 100 people were employed, most of them demobilized soldiers, infrastructure was built, schools, clinics, roads, homes were reconstructed.

Example number two - Zepce. The citizens of Zepce set out on their way back to their homes of their own initiative, guided by the Dayton accords which the politicians talk so much about, but effectuate so little. Couple hundred Bosniacs returned, moved back into their empty homes, and now they are regularly receiving humanitarian aid.

Example number three - Brcko. As concerning return to numerous villages of Brcko municipality, at least its part in the separation zone, the officials assess that the process is going well. Hardly anyone expected anything of the kind because of obstruction of extremists for whom the Dayton accords are a thorn in their side. The assessment is that over there too, all the citizens wish to go back to what is their own.

Example number four - Konjic. This town is a good example that it is possible to live together. Here, there are even no incidents. Here too, the citizens returned "noiselessly", without "big" negotiations between the SDA and the HDZ, and with no pompous coverage by the media. More than negotiations of the partners in power, neighbourly conversations and the work of the Coalition for Return were of much greater assistance to them.

Example number five - Bugojno. From Bugojno, which used to be a controversial town, news are arriving that Bugojno was ready to receive no less than 15 thousand Croats who should return to their homes...

And in the end there is - Jajce. Banished citizens of Jajce decided a few days ago to follow the example of those from Zepce. Spontaneous return to Dnoluka took place in the past few days with full support of IPTF, SFOR and the local police. However, mass return of the Bosniacs caused negative reactions of the Croat population who blocked road M-16, the section at the entrance to Jajce, and demanded that the returnees move out, that is, go back to where they had come from to their town. By intervention of IPTF and SFOR the road was opened on Friday. But, a certain number of the Croats got drunk and set out to "inspect" surrounding villages. Since it is quite a big territory, they started on their way from village to village, and banished the Bosniacs by physically threatening them. They even used firearms, several people were beaten up, and unfortunately there was one murder case, so that more than 500 returnees withdrew under pressure.

SFOR soldiers managed to prevent a group of criminals from raiding villages of Kruscica and Bucici. About 200 people remained there and they are still in the position of hostages. Information confirmed by police administration in Jajce seated in Vince is absolutely discouraging that Hazim Sahman, who had returned to the village called Gornji Psenik, was found murdered and set on fire in his home. According to the latest information obtained from the head of Jajce municipality, Enver Sabic, yesterday afternoon, about 40 Bosniacs from the village of Bucici were banished, so that in the region of Dnoluka only about 80 Bosniacs in the village of Kruscica have been left. Returnees from Bucici confirmed the information that about one thousand present inhabitants of Jajce (of Croat nationality) had started on their way to Kruscica, after church mess, most probably with the intention to drive away the remaining Bosniacs from this village.

Demolished houses are not an obstacle for the people who wish to return. They were both the aim and the result of the war - they were demolished in order to deprive the people of having where to return. However, those who demolished them had forgotten that home is not just walls and a roof, but memories and warmth of love for one's homeland. Nobody can demolish that, and that is why it is impossible to prevent return. Regardless of how hard some of the authorities tried to do it. Indeed, it will not be possible for long to ensure remaining in power by manipulation of banished persons and by banning return of those who had been banished to their homes.

Fikreta HADZIAVDIC

(AIM, Zenica)