Elections
As of 23 July 1996, the Refugee Elections Steering Group (RESG) has received
commitments from twenty-four country Governments to participate in the programme
of offering electoral services to Bosnians temporarily residing abroad in their
respective States. Of these twenty-four, twenty-two have already opened
Co-ordination Offices and trained staff, who are currently carrying out the
mechanics of the electoral process in concert with the OSCE.
OSCE technical equipment and materials being used in the verification
process include a dedicated computerised database of the 1991 Bosnia and
Herzegovina census, multilingual posters, pamphlets and other information
materials. The RESG has also fielded seventeen Country Representatives to
co-ordinate with the twenty-four host country mechanisms. These Representatives
have been trained in PEC and OSCE electoral policy, and carry the authority to
make eligibility decisions in their respective assignments.
Additionally, RESG maintains staff in the Vienna-based office to receive and
respond to requests concerning registration from Bosnian currently residing in
countries where no RESG Country Representative is resident. Queries have been
received so far directly from Bosnians in four other countries, and indirectly
from Bosnians in five others.
Dates for the outside-Bosnia and Herzegovina electoral process, as specified
by the PEC, remain as follows:
31 July: Outside-Bosnia registration ends
07 August: Outside-Bosnia appeal process ends
25 August- 01 Sept: Outside-Bosnia voting occurs
Acting by appointment of the European Commission, Causes Communes, Belgium,
in co-operation with Tele Bruxelles, will produce audio-visual material to be
broadcast in BH before 14 September 1996. The material will aim to promote the
elections as a democratic process of civil society development.
The general objectives of the project are to improve the public awareness of
the importance of the coming elections, while specifically, it will aim to offer
information, as complete as possible, about the election framework and its
impact at local and national level.
The information will be broadcast in a 60- minute programme, which will be
composed of short spots/videos covering election topics under a number of
different formats: interviews of voters and of OSCE representatives, didactic
presentation of the election system and its regulations, advertising cartoons,
etc.
Human Rights
In order to co-ordinate human rights responses during the electoral season,
the Human Rights Co-ordination Centre established an informal working group with
the main human rights implementing organisations. Among other issues, the group
devised guidelines on issuance of rally permits, display of campaign posters,
and security at party meetings. The guidelines are designed to compliment
existing regulations and specify acceptable campaigning procedures for all
parties.
OHR staff met last week in Bijeljina with the newly-established RS Helsinki
Committee, one of the few active human rights NGOs in Republika Srpska to
discuss ways to improve links with the OHR.
Joint Bodies
The 5th meeting of the Joint Civilian Commission (JCC) North East Working
Group on Economic Reconstruction was held in Tuzla on 23 July, chaired by OHR. A
meeting of 20 business representatives from both the RS and the Federation in
the JCC region was held simultaneously.
The meeting discussed the various road projects in the region but no
compromise on an Entity-linking road was reached despite numerous efforts. It
was agreed, however, that a small sub-group comprising representatives from the
Posavina and Tuzla Cantons as well as the RS be set up to work on a priority
proposal that would have clear Entity-linking character and could be endorsed by
the Group. Both parties are to inform OHR of their participation by 2 August.
The representatives of the 20 businesses from the Federation and the RS who
met alongside the JCC gave those present a chance to discuss business
opportunities and eventually move to practical negotiations. A similar meeting
will be arranged in parallel with the next Working Group meeting for follow-up.
The next meeting will take in place in Bosanski Samac on 21 August.
Refugee And Humanitarian Affairs
The Expert Group on Exhumation and Missing Persons met at OHR on 22 July.
Those attending included representatives of ICRC, UNHC for Human Rights, IFOR
and Physicians for Human Rights.
ICRC informed the assembly of the slow but steady flow of information on
individuals listed in its missing persons gazette published last month. Several
people have been located and information has been received on several dozen
individuals who have died and whose remains have been located. ICRC has also
deployed a staff persons to the Hague to look though the ICTY files for
information on the missing.
UNHCHR will hold a meeting with Geneva-based ambassadors on 10 August to
discuss funding. A similar meeting will be held in Sarajevo on 13 August.
PHR reported that the establishment of the antemortem database is proceeding
smoothly and that the Tuzla PHR/ Boltzmann Institute for Human Rights office in
Tuzla is now producing a newsletter answering questions on missing
persons/exhumation issues. Data collection questionnaires and procedures have
been developed, interviewers are being hired and trained, and a local
psychologist has been employed to develop a strategy for approaching families of
the missing.
Economic Assistance
The first train in four years to run down the Neretva river valley, linking
Sarajevo to the Adriatic coastal port of Ploce, will leave Sarajevo on 30 July
at 10.00 hrs.
The line Sarajevo-Mostar-Ploce was restored thanks to a Joint Action of the
European Union Member States, under the "Common Foreign and Security Policy"
(CFSP), aimed at reviving the economy, supporting the Federation and the
peaceful reintegration process.
The project was initiated in 1994, as part of the Action Plan for the
Restoration of Essential Services to Sarajevo, through the Office of the UN
Special Co-ordinator for Sarajevo. Altogether, EU Member States have contributed
more than 6,650,000 ECU for the repair of the line and its stations, through
contributions in cash, provision of equipment and material in kind and technical
assistance. Other international co-ordinating partners have been the EU
Administration in Mostar, UNPROFOR, IMG and then IFOR, assisting in the
de-mining.
Pending completion of the electrification system, diesel train will connect
the Bosnian capital to the Croatian coast.
In May 1996, the Neretva I and Neretva II railway bridges in Mostar, funded
by Germany, were opened.
After a ceremonial opening at Sarajevo railway station, the train will run a
symbolic return trip to Mostar, where the new Railway Station Mostar Putna is
scheduled to be officially opened.
Media Development
The Provisional Election Commission adopted on 25 July an amendment to
Article 127 of its Rules and Regulations governing elections in Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
The amended text of this Article reads as follows: "The Governments, in
accordance with the provisions of paragraph 7 of the Agreed Measures adopted in
Geneva on 18 March 1996, will ensure that licenses and frequencies for
electronic and print media are granted expeditiously, on the basis of objective
non-political criteria, in order to ensure that all political parties and
candidates in the elections have equitable access to the media.
In particular, in accordance with the Geneva Agreed Statement of 2 June
1996, the Governments will grant without delay to the Open Broadcast Network all
necessary licenses, including the right to broadcast and feed via satellite,
frequencies, permissions to use and develop sites, and any other
broadcast-related permits and authorisations, local or international.
The Commission will review the implementation of the above decision at its
next meeting on 30 July 1996, and take any necessary action to ensure
compliance."
Looking Ahead
- 31 July: Carl Bildt to address UN Security Council
- 1 August: JCC North, Tuzla
- 13 August: JCC West, Banja Luka
- 21 August: JCC South
The OHR Bulletin is produced by the Public Affairs Department of the Office
of the High Representative in Sarajevo and aims to give an overview of what is
happening on the ground in the civilian implementation of the Dayton Agreement.
Suggestions and contributions are welcome and
should be addressed to the Public Affairs Department of the Office of the High
Representative in Sarajevo (387-71) 447 275 ext. 562. Callers from outside BH dial via Brussels switchboard:
Tel. (32-2) 737 7000 & Fax (32-2) 737 7901
OHR Bulletin nr. 12, issued 29 July 1996.
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