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 SRYugoslavia) 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 [priority] 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 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 ideas 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