From: "Engin Mesanovic" <gino
...@bih.net.ba>
Subject: FAXLETTER No 73
Date sent: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 10:52:15 +0200
FAXLETTER No 73
Sarajevo, October 15, 1999
EXHUMATION OF WAR VICTIMS
On 5 October, Dnevni avaz reported that remnants of 82 Bosniaks were
exhumed in the area of the municipality of Gacko (Republic of Srpska -
south-eastern Herzegovina). These Bosniaks were murdered in June 1992 by
Serb extremists. The newspaper states that, in relation with the
exhumation, good co-
operation was achieved with the police and other competent bodies of the
Republic of Srpska. On the same day the newspaper brought an information
about the beginning of a process of identification of Bosniaks who had been
murdered in the area of Una-Sana Canton (BH Federation - north-western
Bosnia). Until 15 September, there were exhumed the remnants of 168
Bosniaks, who had been murdered by Serb ultranationalists. It is presumed
that number of murdered persons is much greater.
On 25 September, bodies of 165 Bosniaks were exhumed from a mass grave near
Prhovo, municipality of Kljuc (BH Federation - western Bosnia), reported
Dnevni avaz. The newspaper reads that Serb nazi-fascists murdered 55 people
in that village, for major part women and children.
KNIFE IN SREBRENICA
On 6 October, Munib Hasanovic, Bosniak, deputy secretary of the
municipality of Srebrenica (BH Federation - eastern Bosnia) was assaulted
by two masked assailants in the toilet of the municipal assembly building.
They savagely beat Hasanovic, tightening the noose around his neck, and
stabbed him
with a knife at the end. It seems that assailants thought him dead and
left. After he was medically treated in the neighbouring Zvornik, and then
in Tuzla (BH Federation - north-eastern Bosnia), Hasanovic's life is now
out of danger. Hasanovic was several times prevented from leaving Srebrenica
by one municipal officer. However, it seems that the officer in question
was not involved in this crime.
There is a demand from the international mission in BH that the case be not
politicised and to wait for results of the investigation. At the same time,
there are demands from the Bosniak public that Bert Jansen, High
Representative's representative in Srebrenica, accused of passivity in
regard to
activities for return of Bosniaks and protection of their political
representatives in bodies of local authorities, be discharged from duty.
After the incident, Bosniak deputies and public officers left this town, in
which in 1995 there had been perpetrated a genocide over about 10,000 Bosniaks
PUNISHMENT FOR "KAZANI"
On 8 October, the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo sentenced Asif Alibabic, a
Bosniak, to four years and three months of imprisonment. Alibasic was
sentenced to four years because he had given a knife to an other person to
kill Marina Komljenac and assisted in throwing the body of Radoslav Komljenac
into an abyss.
He was pronounced a six-month sentence because, being a witness, he did not
report the murders of Vasilija Laviriv, Milena Draskovic, Predrag Salipur
and Branislav Radosavljevic. Such sentence was pronounced because the key
witness, Bosniak Mevludin Selak, "could not remember the events", and
because the court experts found that in these cases the responsibility of
Alibasic was diminished due to temporary insanity. Alibasic was a member of
a brigade which defended Sarajevo, the members of which were suspect,
accused of or sentenced for murders which happened in the area of activities
of this unit, i.e. in the locality of "Kazani" above Sarajevo, during 1992
and 1993. According to what the investigation results indicate so far and
according to testimonies of witnesses which appeared in media, the unit
under the command of Musan Topalovic Caco had murdered an unidentified
number of civilians of non-Bosniak ethnic origin, mainly Serbs. Topalovic
was killed in an action which the BH Army, the member of which he was, had
undertaken in order to curb the "refractory" members. Circumstances under
which Topalovic was killed still remain unclarified.
CANTON OF TERROR
On 5 October, in Sarajevo, the President of the Helsinki Committee for
Human Rights in BH Srdjan Di
zdarevic held a press conference at which he spoke of situation in Una-Sana
Canton (BH Federation -
north-western Bosnia) together with Ibrahim Topic, President of
"Equality", Association of Citizen
s for Promotion of Human Rights Protection, established in that canton, and
with Enver Murgic, memb
er of democratic circle and member of the Association of Unemployed
Professional Workers. In his op
ening remark, Dizdarevic emphasised that Una-Sana Canton is the area with
the greatest number of vi
olations of human rights in the BH Federation. He said that the ordinary
citizens are with increasi
ng frequency being exposed to various kinds of harassment, along with
segregation in schools. Peopl
e are being proclaimed ideologically unsound just for not being close to
the ruling circles, or mor
e precisely, to the Party of Democratic Action of Alija Izetbegovic.
"Violating human rights, the leadership of Una-Sana Canton openly opposes
democratic principles; oc
cupying important political posts, there are some war commanders engaged in
unlawful activities; ma
ny citizens are proclaimed as in favour of movement for autonomy, this
being used as an excuse for
silencing the political opponents", warned the President of the Helsinki
Committee in his meeting w
ith journalists. Dizdarevic quoted several concrete examples of cases of
physical ill-treatment of
political opponents, even on the part of local police, which include even
the most brutal forms of
physical violence. Not even one of the perpetrators has ever been brought
to court. Dizdarevic also
pointed to cases of discrimination in employment.
Topic also spoke of such cases, quoting examples where workers were sacked
on grounds of being poli
tically unsuitable. Murgic warned of mass emigration of citizens,
especially of young people, who m
ove out because of the atmosphere in the Canton and bleak future of
economy. At the same time, the
return process is very slow. Out of 78,000 returns planned, only 700 were
realised.
Particular emphasis was given to the fact that, in the Canton, media are
under blockade and fully c
ontrolled by the ruling parties. In relation to this, the Helsinki
Committee for Human Rights in BH
expressed its concern that independent weekly Prezent, published in Cazin,
is in danger of being s
uppressed. Among else, Topic also mentioned that police keeps files on
journalists.
MAYOR WITHOUT PASSPORT
5 October issue of Dnevni avaz reported of investigation proceedings
undertaken at the municipal co
urt in Sanski Most against the former Mayor of the municipality of Sanski
Most, Mehmed Alagic, and
Head of the Financial Department in the local government, Omer Mustafic. On
grounds of being suspec
t of committing a criminal act of malpractice, Mustafic was arrested and
court ordered his detainme
nt on 2 October. On grounds of being suspect of committing a criminal act
of abuse of office and ma
lpractice, Alagic was taken away his passport and official documents.
Alagic was a renowned war com
mander and high official of the Party of Democratic Action of Alija
Izetbegovic. Independent press
quoted allegations that he, as Mayor of Sanski Most, committed dozens, or
even hundreds, of crimina
l acts.
EXPLOSION USED TO BLOCK THE VISIT
An attempt of a group of Bosniak returnees to visit their houses in the
settlement of Ilici in the
western part of Mostar (BH Federation - central Herzegovina) ended in an
incident during which a me
mber of the Spanish brigade of SFOR and a local policeman were lightly
injured. According to unoffi
cial information, the explosion took place when the SFOR soldier tripped
over a wire, thus activati
ng two mines. Local police, which is under the control of Croatian
Democratic Union, forbade the TV
crew of RTV Mostar to access the site where the incident had taken place.
Policemen were even issu
ing threats to journalists, ordering them to get away from the place.
RETURN AND STONES
On 27 September, in the settlement of Visici, municipality of Capljina (BH
Federation - southern He
rzegovina), a house of one returnee was stoned, however without greater
damages. Namely, two days p
rior to that, about twenty Bosniaks returned to that settlement.
ABOUT 20,000 BOSNIAKS IN RS
According to a statement given to 29 September issue of Oslobodjenje by the
competent minister of t
he Tuzla Canton Government (BH Federation - north-eastern Bosnia), about
20,000 Bosniaks returned u
ntil that date to about forty places in the Republic of Srpska. The return
plan for this year fores
ees the return of about 15,000 Bosniaks.
SERBS IN OLD TOWN
After return of Serbs to settlements surrounding the territory of Mostar
(BH Federation - central H
erzegovina), on 4 October 25 of them returned even to downtown area. The
displaced Serbs returned f
rom the eastern part of the Republic of Srpska.
RECONSTRUCTION OF 60 HOUSES
BHP reported on 1 October that reconstruction of 60 houses in the area of
the municipalities of Sto
lac and Capljina (BH Federation - south-eastern Herzegovina), the owners of
which are presently acc
ommodated in a transit settlement near Mostar, shall begin soon. These two
municipalities are other
wise continuously resisting the return of Bosniaks and Serbs.
SECONDARY DISTRIBUTION
European Union has completed the reconstruction of 344 apartments in
Dobrinja I and II, residential
areas of Sarajevo, reported Dnevni avaz on 5 October. This was the largest
rehabilitation project
in the area of the Canton of Sarajevo (BH Federation - central Bosnia). 236
pre-war occupancy right
holders moved into their apartments. 70 apartments were sealed because
their tenants did not show
up at designated time. If the pre-war occupants of the apartments do not
appear within 21 days, the
re will be applied the so-called "secondary distribution" of apartments to
those displaced persons
and families whose apartments have not been reconstructed, and against whom
the eviction procedure
has been initiated. During the hand-over of keys it was found out that 38
apartments were unlawfull
y occupied. The persons who had moved into these apartments were Bosniaks
from Bijeljina (Republic
of Srpska - north-eastern BH).
FOR TWO-WAY RETURN
On 2 October, Oslobodjenje brought an article in reference to a visit paid
by Spanish Brigadier-Gen
eral Pedro Pitarch, the SFOR Deputy Commander for Civil and Military
affairs, to the municipality o
f Pale (Republic of Srpska - central Bosnia), near Sarajevo. Among else,
the issue of return was di
scussed and Pale head officials expressed their willingness that Bosniaks
return to Pale. However,
they insist that Serbs should simultaneously return to the area of Sarajevo.
BOSNIAKS CAN GO TO ROGATICA
On 30 September, at the meeting of Municipal Assembly of Rogatica (Republic
of Srpska - eastern Bos
nia) it was concluded that 35 houses for Bosniaks returning to the locality
of Vragolovi should be
reconstructed, reported Dnevni avaz. Donations are necessary in order for
this project to be realis
ed.
HOUSES FOR RETURN
On 2 October, Oslobodjenje reported that local authorities and competent
international institutions
gave approval for return of Bosniaks to the settlement of Papraca,
municipality of Sekovici (Repub
lic of Srpska - north-eastern Bosnia). A group of about forty returnees
comes every day to clean up
the land for construction of 36 houses for returnees. Before the war,
there were 380 Bosniaks livi
ng in that settlement.
SOLIDARITY CONVOY
The municipality of Gracanica (BH Federation - northern Bosnia) on 25
September sent a convoy of tr
ucks containing about 500 tons of construction materials intended for
Bosniak returnees to the sett
lement of Stanic Rijeka, municipality of Doboj (Republic of Srpska -
northern Bosnia), reported BHP
. This relief was collected thanks to donations given by enterprises from
the area of Gradacac muni
cipality.
USA - 2,3 MILLION DOLLARS FOR REFUGEES
ON 1 October, Sarajevan dailies transmitted the news that the American
Government had approved addi
tional 2,3 million dollars as assistance to spontaneous return of refugees
throughout BH. The funds
will be used by those who voluntarily decide to return to their homes.
LACKING FUNDS FOR RETURN
On 30 September in Sarajevo, Werner Blatner, Swiss, Head of the UNHCR
Mission in BH, expressed his
concern regarding the issue of financing the return to BH and asked for
greater flexibility in allo
cating funds to returnees. Blatner welcomed the recent visit that the
ambassadors to BH had paid to
places of so-called minority returns in both entities, because this
contributed to providing addit
ional funding of return. Thus, Norway allocated 250,000 DEM, European Union
16 million EURO and Swi
tzerland 1,6 million DEM.
13,410 FAMILIES WAITING FOR RECONSTRUCTION
In the BH Federation, 13,410 families from the category of so-called
minority returnees are expecti
ng assistance in form of funds and construction materials needed for
reconstruction of their houses
, reported BHP on 10 September. These are the returnees who used their own
resources and labour to
clear up and de-mine the sites where their houses used to stand before the
war, and who now need ur
gent donor assistance.
"RETURNEES" SELLING HOUSES
According to 29 September Dnevni avaz, about 2,000 houses and apartments
were sold in Sarajevo, at
the average price of 150,000 DEM. The newspaper claims that a significant
number of these houses an
d apartments represent real estate that was returned to pre-war owners and
tenants.
RECONSTRUCTION OF ISLAMIC COMMUNITY BUILDING IN LIVNO
Reconstruction of the building of Islamic Community in Livno (BH Federation
- south-western Bosnia)
is being brought to close. It was financed by grants and voluntary
contributions of Bosniak Islami
c congregation from the country and abroad. According to ONASA information
of 3 October, the buildi
ng will be used, among other things, for religious instruction classes and
courses of informatics a
nd foreign languages. The Croatian Democratic Union is in power in Livno.
CEMETERY IN PLACE WHERE IT SHOULDN'T BE
On 1 October, BHP transmitted the news of HABENA which read that the
orchard and yard of Bosniak Ir
fan Husic, expellee from Brezovo Polje near Brcko (District under
international supervision in the
north-eastern part of BH) were transformed into a Serb Orthodox cemetery.
There are about seventy g
raves dug in the yard, and some of them are only five meters away from the
entrance door of Husic's
house.
THREATENING JOURNALIST WITH MURDER
Mika Damjanovic Avdo, free-lance journalist from Orasje (BH Federation -
northern Bosnia) on 29 Sep
tember addressed the competent international institutions in BH claiming
that he was several times
threatened with murder by Ivica Benkovic Marosev, owner of a local firm. He
threatened the journali
st over telephone that he would cut his head if the latter were to make
photographs of the site whe
re Benkovic's firm was building a market centre or if he were to write
about Benkovic himself.
GENERAL VERSUS DOCTORS
HABENA reported and on 28 September BHP transferred the information about
direct threats issued by
Ljubo Peric, general of the Croatian Council of Defence, addressed to
neurosurgeon Dr. Zeljko Vidak
ovic, according to which Vidakovic was to withdraw from his post in the
Clinical Centre in Mostar (
BH Federation - central Herzegovina), because of post-operative
complications that had occurred dur
ing Peric's treatment in that hospital. The management of the Clinic warns
that complications are p
ossible in these cases and that it considers threats to doctors as
unbecoming and directed against
all the doctors from surgical department.
CHILDREN'S DAY
On the occasion of October 4, the International Children's Day, and the
beginning of Children's Wee
k in the BH Federation, independent daily Oslobodjenje published an article
in which it was pointed
out, among other things, that the authorities are to be held accountable
in regard to respecting t
he Convention on Children's Rights. The tenth anniversary of the Convention
is to be observed this
year.
SCOOLS AS GHETTTOES
On 10 October in Sarajevo, the participants at the meeting of the
Association of Independent Intell
ectuals "Circle 99" estimated that the children in BH were witnessing
numerous violations of their
rights. The participants stated that the children were denied the return to
their homes, that socie
ty paid insufficient attention to children in terms of social care and
education, and that there we
re cases of segregation and discrimination in schools. Recently, public was
particularly alerted in
relation to a case of Vares (BH Federation - central Bosnia), where school
children were segregate
d on ethnic and religious grounds (Bosniaks and Croats, i.e. Muslims and
Catholics). On that occasi
on, this town was visited by the First Children's Embassy in BH, headed by
is President, Affan Rami
c, member of BH Academy of Arts and Sciences. Municipal leaders, Catholic
priests, headmasters of p
rimary schools, parents and children, with whom this was discussed, were
against such segregation.
However, a final solution to this issue, which was a result of political
games played in Zenica-Dob
oj Canton, has not been found as yet.
JAPAN FOR BH CHILDREN
On 1 October, in Sarajevo, there was an agreement signed between
representatives of the governments
of the BH Federation and the Republic of Srpska and the investor JICA
(Japanese Governmental Agenc
y for International Co-operation), concerning the project of construction
of 13 primary schools in
BH and procurement of equipment for them. The programme envisages the
construction and equipping of
13 primary schools in BH.
BH CONSTITUTIONAL COURT DECIDING ON APPEALS OF CITISENS
President of the Constitutional Court of BH, Prof. Dr. Kasim Begic, stated
for 27 September issue o
f Dnevni avaz that the Court had annulled several decisions of supreme
courts in the Republic of Sr
pska and BH Federation. Begic emphasised that it was not important how many
decisions were annulled
, but what was important was that for the first time the Constitutional
Court of BH passed decision
on claims of citizens who had appealed against decisions of entity
judiciary authorities.
AS MANY AS 81 PARTIES APPEARING AT ELECTIONS
The Provisional Election Commission (PEC) announced on 18 September in
Sarajevo that the process of
registration of BH parties for municipal elections in April next year was
finished. Out of 81 part
y registered, 12 of them are new ones; there were also 18 independent
candidates registered.
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, Hels
inki Committee in Norway, Helsinki Committee in Sweden, Know-How Fund and USIS
FAXLETTER ON INTERNET
FAXLETTER is also available on: http://www.bh-hchr.org/
------- End of forwarded message -------
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