Bosnia: Helsinki Committee's Appeal
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Subject: Bosnia: Helsinki Committee's Appeal
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Panayote Elias Dimitras <[email protected]>
Bosnia: Helsinki Committee's Appeal
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in RS
Esteemed,
We are very much worried because of the dramatic destabilization of
the situation in Republic of Srpska and in the whole region. In the
past month three important events (the announcement of the arbitrage
decision over Brcko, the deposition of president Poplasen and
occurrences in SR Yugoslavia) contributed to this kind of situation.
In the past three years Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in RS
constantly pointed the need for line of significant reforms in Bosnia
and Herzegovina and Republic of Srpska, and that reforms were not or
were partially realized.
Before all, we were thinking of police and judiciary reform and the
present occurrences showed in full that these two very important state
segments are not capable of responding to the challenges they were
facing with. In the line of protest meetings, attacks on international
community representatives, terrorism and violence case, the members of
police and judiciary showed their incapability of functioning in
complex situations.
Naturally, every discussion about the situation in B&H opens one of
the key questions, and that question is: Is it possible to build
democratic society in B&H with the political leaders mainly from the
time of the war who are representing ultra nationalistic attitudes?
The situation in which RS is right now to a large extension is
produced in Belgrade. In RS Belgrade regime always supported those
political parties they could directly and strongly influence.
Situation was highly complicated with the connections ultra
nationalists from Belgrade and from RS. In this moment there is a very
objective possibility that Belgrade can cause incidents in RS and in
B&H so that present conflict in the territory of SR Yugoslavia
escalates. Ultra nationalists used all three above-mentioned events to
recuperate nationalistic feeling among the citizens, and with a view
to direct political promotion on meetings and public gatherings. From
those meetings and gatherings very serious threats were said to the
international community representatives in B&H, bearers of democratic
changes in RS, some NGOS and to the individuals. Ultra nationalists
have strengthened their activities after withdrawal of almost all
international community representatives in RS.
Additional complexity brings six months crises in RS over the election
of the new Government. The two political blocks are nonplacable
confronted without visible perspective of solving the problem over the
election of the new Government. That is greatly affecting the blockade
of a line of state agencies and institutions. The special problem is
the lack of the communication between local and republic agencies.
Crime and corruption are every day bigger and they are becoming the
models for functioning of the line of institutions and agencies.
The media are taking the side of the momentary prevailing political
state of mind in RS and extremely they are performing propaganda by
taking information from the state media in SR Yugoslavia. A small
number of independent journalists and media are exposed to violence
and threats. The process of economical reforms, reconstruction and
privatization are slowed down or completely stopped.
The return of displaced persons and refugees is not realizing and is
almost completely stopped. In the territory of B&H new refugees are
coming from SR Yugoslavia and all objective forecasts over the
solution of the problem of refugees and displaced persons are
pessimistic.
There is very little talk about the need of taking the suspects in war
crimes to the international tribune in Hague.
The incidents on the line of entity segregation are announcing the
possibility of escalation of all kinds of violence and terrorism, and
deliberately to cause chaos and fire.
The thing we are worried about is that the utmost number of political
parties in RS, on the excuse of recruiting of the voters do not want
to say publicly anything about above mentioned issues, instead of that
they are indirectly supporting nationalistic attitudes.
What can we expect in the following period?
In the coming period we can expect further deterioration of the
situation.
What do we have to do to prevent that?
We find as a prorate the election of new Government in RS. We find
very important to accentuate individual responsibility of political
leaders who are calling for hatred, violence and terrorism. We find as
a very important that the representatives of international
organizations return to RS and continue with their activities on the
implementation of Dejton Agreement. It is necessary to continue the
started reconstruction process and maintain the continuous of
international support to RS.
It is necessary to maintain with encouraging and supporting of
political parties, NGOs, associations and individuals, who are
pledging for the development of democratic society in B&H.
It is very important that the representatives of international
community present in B&H, and before everyone else SFOR, distance as
much as it is possible from the happenings in SR Yugoslavia. It is a
very big mistake that we do not have in B&H high representatives of
international community with the clear and open messages to the
citizens through media, and especially TV. It is necessary for the
citizens of RS to be objectively informed. According to our analyzes,
one of the basic reasons for such an easy manipulating the citizens by
extreme nationalists is the lack of qualitative information over the
engagement of international community in B&H and the perspectives of
development. At the end we would like to expose our notice over the
role of the part of NGOs in RS in the past month events. The utmost of
the NGOs which are gathered in so called Forums of the Regions were
manipulated by the ultra nationalists, so that some NGO Forums took
active part in destructive demonstrations and in violence. That
confirms the allegation that great deals of NGOs are under the direct
control of ultra nationalists.
It is very worrying the manipulations with high school and student
youth, were we have the principles of secondary schools and faculties
forcing professors and students within the classes, the most often
under the influence of alcohol, which was given freely, to come out on
the streets and perform violence and chaos.
The best illustration of the situations on the public gatherings and
tribunes will be that on those gatherings illegal courts of ultra
nationalists publicly announce death sentences to the individuals.
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in RS works in the hardest
conditions from its foundation. We are facing the line of serious
threats to the organization and to our members and activists
personally. We are working in very bad and risky environment. Our
work, our attitudes and our public announcements are public and open
and this way we are trying to create the space for the idees of
tolerance and understanding. We are willing to do everything that is
in our power to prevent bad condition of human rights from becoming
worse. Moreover, we are asking you that within your possibilities and
activities do everything to improve situation in RS and B&H. Your
small contribution together with ours can make sure that the citizens
of B&H have better future.
Branko Todorovic
President of Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in RS
Bijeljina, April 02, 1999
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