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The OHR’s Reconstruction and Return Task Force will close on the last day of
2003, when the relevant BiH institutions will formally assume responsibility for
the return process. Property Law implementation is nearing completion, almost
one million people have returned to their homes, and the BiH institutions have
expressed a clear desire to take the lead in maintaining and then completing the
return process. As part of the ongoing process of handing back responsibility
for key state functions to BiH institutions, the International Community will
primarily assist and monitor the newly empowered domestic authorities with
Annexe-Seven implementation as of next year.
“Full responsibility for human rights and for refugee return is being
formally returned to the BiH authorities, because they now have the tools that
they need to complete the work of refugee return and to uphold the human rights
of BiH citizens,” the High Representative, Paddy Ashdown, said. “This handover
is crucial because the responsibilities being handed over are so important, and
because it is part of the process of domestic institutions taking full
responsibility for the governance of BiH.”
It should be emphasized that Annexe Seven implementation is not complete.
Large numbers of homes have still to be rebuilt and there remain many citizens
who wish to move back to their pre-war places of origin but have not yet done
so.
The BiH Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees (MHRR) opened its first
regional centre in Sarajevo on 22 December 2003. Centres will be established
throughout the country to maintain and facilitate the return process. The launch
of the regional centres marks the start of an implementation program that will
set in place a comprehensive nationwide structure through which the MHRR can
discharge its responsibilities effectively. An important practical boost to this
programme has been BiH’s recent acceptance as a member of the Council of Europe
Development Bank, which will make it possible for BiH to receive soft loans for
return and reconstruction projects.
“Despite the progress that has been, and is being, made – there are still
major challenges for the years to come,” the High Representative said. “Those
who have returned face the challenge of reintegrating in their community, and,
even more importantly, they and their neighbours face the common challenge of
overcoming difficult economic conditions. This process of sustainable
return must be addressed in the context of the overall process of economic and
other reforms already underway in BiH.”
There is no definitive data on how many registered returnees have chosen to
remain in their pre-war communities but as many as 2-300,000 may still wish to
return. They will be helped by BiH institutions, who will implement
reconstruction and return projects, with continued assistance from the
International Community. The aim of BiH's strategy is to complete the return of
displaced persons and refugees by 2006.
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