Bosnian Faxletter No 66

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Subject: Bosnian Faxletter No 66

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: International Helsinki Federation <[email protected]>

Bosnian Faxletter No 66



Sarajevo, June 15 1999

Hague indictment for Milosevic

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and four other high military and
political leaders of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SRJ) and
Serbia are indicted for crimes against humanity and breach of war law
and customs of war, stated the Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY Louise
Arbour in the Hague on 27 May. On the same indictment bill with
Milosevic are the President of Serbia Milan Milutinovic, Vice
President of the FRY Government Nikola Sainovic, the
Commander-in-Chief of the FRY Army General Dragoljub Ojdanic and
Minister of Internal Affairs of Serbia Vlajko Stoiljkovic. The
indictments are motivated by most grave mass crimes committed against
the Albanians in Kosovo, about which the evidence is still being
collected. Previously committed crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina and
Croatia have also been taken into consideration.


Exhumation of victims of war

According to 22 May Oslobodjenje, in the area of Nevesinje (Republic
of Srpska � eastern Herzegovina), bodies of 85 Bosniaks who had been
killed by the Serb extremists were exhumed. In the neighbouring
Berkovici there have been found bodies of three Bosniaks who had been
burned in a house, reported 27 May Dnevni avaz. The same newspaper
reported of the funeral of 37 Bosniaks on 22 May who had been killed
by Serb ultranationalists in the municipality of Doboj (Republic of
Srpska � northern Bosnia) in 1992. On 22 May in Miljevici, place in
the territory of Sarajevo (BH Federation � central Bosnia), began
exhumation of bodies of Bosniaks and Croats killed during the war in
the part controlled by Serbs extremists. Until now 42 bodies have been
discovered, with visible traces of violence on some of them.

BHP reported on 1 June that bodies of 32 Bosniaks were exhumed in the
area of Kiseljak (BH Federation � central Bosnia) which, during the
war, had been under control of the Croatian Council of Defence. 28
bodies were identified. The same agency reported that mass was served
on 1 June in Bugojno for 26 Croats killed during the conflict of the
BH Army and the Croatian Council of Defence. The twenty-seventh body
was not identified.


Bombs in Mostar

On 30 May in western part of Mostar (BH Federation � central
Herzegovina), dominated by BH Croats, fireworks were organised to
celebrate the Day of Statehood of the neighbouring Croatia. The
detonat ions disturbed the Bosniaks from the eastern part of the city
who had not been informed of the fire works in advance. The same
night, in the eastern part of the city, a hand grenade was thrown in
the vicinity of a newly opened coffee shop. An explosive device was
activated at the city stadium located in the Western Mostar. This is
the stadium where the finals of the BH Federation football
championship should be played. This would mean that the football club
�Velez�, that practically owned the stadium before war, would for the
first time after the war play on this stadium. The Croatian extremists
are opposing the return of �Velez� on that stadium, as they are also
opposing joint participation. 


Incident in Kotor Varos

The Special Representative of the Secretary General of UN Elisabeth
Rehn condemned on 25 May in Sarajevo the conduct of the local
authorities in Kotor Varos (Republic of Srpska � western Bosnia)
because of their blocking the return of 30 Bosniak families. The
return was organised by the UNHCR, in co-ordination with the
International Police (IPTF) and SFOR. Rehn stated that the incident
had taken place in the village of Vecici on 21 May when an organised
group of about thirty Serbs, encouraged by a decision of the municipal
authorities to obstruct the return, prevented the Bosniaks from
returning to their homes.


Visit Prevented

The Bosniaks displaced from the local community of Tarevci,
municipality of Modrica (Republic of Srpska � northern Bosnia) did not
visit their village as scheduled for 22 and 23 May. Before war,
Tarevci was a Bosniak village and the visit was planned so that people
from Teravci could clean the graves of their relatives. The visit had
been agreed in the Municipal Assembly of Modrica but the Council of
the Local Community of Tarevci opposed it. The justification offered
was that it was impossibe to guarantee safety to the Bosniaks because
of NATO strikes against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In a
letter written by the Council of Local Community it was said if the
primary purpose of the visit of Bosniaks was to clean the graves, then
the Serbs presently living in Tarevci could do that if compensated
with money. 


Church instead of mosque

On 24 May, Dnevni avaz published an article about the village of
Divici near Zvornik (Republic of Srpska � eastern Bosnia) in which
about 3,000 of Bosniaks used to live before the war. Serb extremists
did all in their power to destroy everything that might remind of
Bosniaks. Thus, among else, in place of a destroyed mosque an Orthodox
Church was built. The name Divic was changed into �Sveti Stefan� (St.
Steven).


Useless Decision
On 24 May Dnevni avaz reported of a case of Bosniak woman Hasiba
Sutkovic from Bijeljina (Republic of Srpska � north-eastern Bosnia)
whose ownership over the house, presently occupied by a Serb family,
was confirmed on 3 April 1998 by the Commission for Property Claims of
Refugees and Displaced Persons. The decisions of the Commission,
institution established by the Dayton Agreement, are final and
binding, but the RS authorities obviously do not respect them.


Ban on manipulation with land

All decisions of municipal and entity organs concerning allocation of
land in social ownership passed after 6 April 1992 (beginning of the
war) were annulled by the Decision of the High Representative of the
International Community in BH Carlos Westendorp on 26 May. This
decision was made because of widely spread abuse, re-allocation and
sale of socially owned land which had previously been given for use to
persons presently in the status of refugees or displaced persons. Such
conduct is closely linked with corruption, but the main problem is
that it prevents refugees and displaced persons from returning to
their homes.


Protection of tenancy rights

On 19 May, Human Rights Chamber in BH forbade the local authorities to
destroy a building in a Sarajevan street Danijela Ozme, no 12, which
had been heavily damaged at the beginning of the aggression over
Bosnia and Herzegovina and completely unfit for living. According to
one version, it is necessary to destroy the building, while the other
version says that it could be repaired for a sum between 3 to 6
million DEM. The former tenants hope that such decision of the Human
Rights Chamber opens a possibility for them to return to their
apartments soon. They have undertaken action to save the building,
suspecting that the demolition of the building would open the space
for newly rich and war profiteers to move in. In the same street, a
similarly damaged house was pulled down and a big private bank was
built instead.


Emigrating because of politics

The President of the Muslim-Bosniak Organisation Mustafa Cengic stated
on 21 May at a press conference in Sarajevo that insecurity, fear and
violation of fundamental human rights rule in Cazinska Krajina (BH
Federation � north-western Bosnia), under media blockade and far from
the eyes of the public. Cengic stated that because of lack of
prospects for future, revanchist terror and political manipulations on
the part of Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and its opponent
Democratic Peoples� Union (DNZ), about 10,000 refugees from Cazinska
Krajina have no intention to return to their homes.


Houses for Bosniaks

On 22 May, Oslobodjenje brought an article on commencement of
construction of 27 houses for Bosniak returnees to the village of
Banjalucica in the municipality of Sokolac (Republic of Srpska �
eastern Bosnia). The reconstruction of 30 houses for Bosniak returnees
to villages in the near-by municipality of Han Pijesak should commence
soon.


Return of Croats

BHP quoted the media from the Republic of Srpska, which informed about
solemn celebration of the completion of reconstruction of 39 Croat
houses in the village of Micije, the municipality of Bosansk a
Gradiska (Republic of Srpska � western Bosnia), which took place on 28
May. The Government of Germany financed the reconstruction.


Zavidovici is opening

The municipality of Zavidovici (BH Federation � central Bosnia) at
this moment can accomodate 200 pre-war families and local authorities
are doing their best to open the process of return, reported BHP on 29
May. This information was presented during the negotiation of an
agreement on return of Serbs to this municipality.


To Glamoc without problems

On 22 May BHP quoted Serb RTV, based in Banja Luka (Republic of Srpska
� western Bosnia), saying that 110 Serbs returned to villages in the
municipality of Glamoc (BH Federation � south-western Bosnia) without
any problems. It is expected that all 450 Serbs who applied for return
to their region will return soon.


Serbs back to their villages

About 30 Serbs arrived on 24 May to the villages of Japija, Humac and
Ponor (Stolac � south-eastern Herzegovina) to reconstruct their houses
destroyed during the war. SFOR has taken care of their security.


Visit to cemetery

On 30 May Oslobodjenje reported of the visit of a group of Serbs to
cemeteries. They arrived to Lusci Palanka and Majkic Japri (BH
Federation � western Bosnia) in three buses and several private cars.
The Serbs, who visited the cemeteries, are currently settled in Banja
Luka and nearby cities (Republic of Srpska � western Bosnia).
Departure went without any incidents. A certain number of Serbs had
already returned to this part of the municipality of Sanski Most.
Thus, eleven renovated houses were handed over for use in the village
of Prastali on 28 May.


Roms have arrived

Ruzdija Mustafic�s family returned after seven years of exile to their
house in Bijeljina (Republic of Srpska � north-eastern Bosnia),
reported Oslobodjenje on 31 May. This is the first case where the
authorities of that entity gave their approval to return of property
to a Rom family.


New authorities in Srebrenica

The first post-war session of a multi-ethnic municipal assembly in
Srebrenica (Republic of Srpska � eastern Bosnia) was held on 7 June.
Thus, finally, in an action of the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the electoral results from the September
1997 elections were implemented. The Coalition for Unified and
Democratic BH, led by the most powerful Bosniak political
organisation, Party of Democratic Action, won thanks to the votes of
refugees and displaced persons, since there are no Bosniaks living in
Srebrenica at all after the mass crimes committed over them by Serb
ultranationalists in summer 1995 (more than 10,000 people have been
murdered or have disappeared). As Serb political parties did not want
to implement the electoral results, international governors were
nominated. 


Segregation in "Aluminium�

On 11 May, Dnevni avaz brought an article speaking about the
activities of trade unions of former workers of the �Aluminium�
combine in Mostar, which had been usurped by the extremists of the
Croat Democratic Union. Out of 800 employees of the Combine only about
20 are Bosniaks and 15 Serbs.


Radio �Osvit� (dawn) demolished

The representatives of the Independent Media Commission visited Radio
�Osvit� on 1 June in Zvornik (Republic of Srpska � eastern Bosnia),
one of the radio-stations believed to be among the rare independent
ones in that region. The radio was attacked by the Serb
ultranationalists at the time when dissatisfaction of extremists
erupted because of the decision that Brcko be proclaimed a District,
reported Oslobodjenje on 3 May. The same newspaper reported that three
days later the court proceedings were instituted against 13 persons
because of their unauthorised break into the premises of a private and
independent Radio �Osvit�. The editorial office was demolished, and
estimated damage is 71,000 DEM.


Mayor against journalists

Editor-in-chief of TV Zenica Medina Delibasic, editor-in-chief of
Radio-Zenica Spahija Kozlic and chief of the information and sales
centre of the newspaper Vecernje novine in Zenica Selevedin Avdic sent
a letter to the Office of the High Representative of the International
Community in BH informing him of the problems they have in performing
their regular job of editing and broadcasting informational program of
RTV Zenica, reported Sarajevan newspapers on 22 may. They refered to
pressures and unacceptable demands of the Mayor of the municipality of
Zenica (BH Federation � central Bosnia) Ferid Alic. The immediate
reason for this letter was a demand made by Mayor Alic to the Director
and editor-in-chief of the RTV Zenica Remzija Hukeljic to remove from
the office editors-in-chief of Radio and TV Zenica or otherwise he
would be removed. The reason for this was a letter that had been


Editor-in-chief of Slobodna Bosna sentensed

Senad Avdic, editor-in-chief of an independent magazine Slobodna Bosna
was sentenced for libel to three months of jail and one year suspended
sentence in the Municipal Court I in Sarajevo on 27 may. A private
accusation against Avdic was raised by Semsudin Mehmedovic, former
Minister of Internal Affairs of Zenica-Doboj canton (BH Federation �
central Bosnia). In his article Avdic had accused Mehmedovic for using
force to unblock a road during a protest of workers because of unpaid
salaries. The deblockade was executed by police under Mehmedovic�s
control. In the same article, Avdic also raised doubts that Mehmedovic
was hiding certain persons who, as alleged by the author, were to be
arrested in an anti-terrorist action in Central Bosnia. Avdic says
that Mehmedovic enabled some of these persons freely to leave Bosnia
and Herzegovina.


Worrying because of sentence

The representatives of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) talked
with the the editor-in-chief of Slobodna Bosna after his being
sentenced to three months of jail or one year suspended sentence on
grounds of libel. There are as many as 15 lawsuits against Abdic at
the court, and anynext sentence of this or similar kind could
automatically mean jail. IMC renewed its demand that Law on Libel be
removed from under criminal jurisdiction in order that journalists be
better protected. IMC deems that this represents an attack against
surveying journalism.


Media fined

On 21 May, the Independent Media Commission (IMC) penalised �Erotel�
with 2,000 DEM fine because of a number of breaches of Code of Conduct
of BH media. �Erotel� is in the hands of Croatian extremists and in
service of Croatian hegemonism. Radio �Srpsko Sarajevo� was fined with
2,000 DEM for several breaches, while Radio station �Sveti Jovan�, led
by the daughter of war criminal Radovan Karadzic, was fined with 1,000
DEM. RTV Srebrenica, also controlled by the Serb ultranationalists,
was fined with 800 DEM. It is interesting to note that Independent
Television �99� from Sarajevo was fined with 1,800 DEM. Several
electronic media in BH issued warnings because of their conduct.


Terroris ran away

On 27 May Reuters conveyed the information of the police from Lilles
(France) that Lionel Dumont, who was serving 20 year-jail sentence in
Sarajevo, had escaped day earlier. Another prisoner, Bosniak Edin
Dzihan, who was serving a short sentence of three months jail, helped
Dumont to escape. Dzihan was caught on 30 May. French citizen Dumont
became an islamic terrorist, and was sentenced in BH for murder and
assault upon a gas station.


Bosniak TV forbidden to work

By the decision of the Implementation Board of the Independent Media
Commission (IMC) Bosniak TV was ordered to stop broadcasting. The IMC
Board stated that Bosniak Radio-Television International had breached
a moratorium on issue of new work permits, proclaimed by the High
Representative Carlos Westendorp on 11 June last year. In addition,
this TV was working since 30 March without permit, while the term for
submission of applications for issue of work permits expired one day
later. Bosniak RTV accepted the decision of IMC. BRT is in fact RTV of
the Party of Democratic Action of Alija Izetbegovic, who deems that
the decision of IMC is a political discriminatory act.


Faxletter is produced by the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHC).
It is published by the BHC and the International Helsinki Federation
for Human Rights (IHF), Vienna.
This project is co-financed by the Council of Europe, Austrian
Government, ICRC, British Embassy, OSCE � Office for Human Rights
Protection, OSCE � Office for Democratization, Helsinki Committee in
Norway, Helsinki Committee in Sweden and Know-How Fund

Faxletter is also available on: http://www.bh-hchr.org/

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