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In accordance with the authority vested in me under the Arbitral Award of February 14, 1997; the Supplemental
Award of March 15, 1998; and pursuant to Annex 7 of the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP); and the
June 9, 1998, Declaration of the Min
isterial Meeting of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council in Luxembourg, which states in para
graph 56 that “the voluntary return of displaced municipal officials to the municipality in which they ho
ld office is essential,” I hereby issue t
he following Order:
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The Municipal Government of Brcko, with the assistance of the Republika Srpska Ministry for Refug
ees and Displaced Persons, shall take necessary steps to enable the return of all non-Serb Municipal officials
and employees to their pre-war homes in Brcko.
These municipal officials and employees include, but are not limited to, councillors of the Municipal Assembly
, members of the police, judiciary, administration, and teachers who will be employed at the primary schools i
n Brod and Omerbegovaca. The Munici
pal Government shall either assist displaced persons currently occupying the homes of non-Serb officials and e
mployees to return to their own pre-war homes or provide them with reasonably sufficient alternative accommoda
tion.
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Significant progress on return of the aforementioned officials and employees shall be demonstrate
d by November 30, 1998. The municipal government shall submit to me an interim progress report on this no la
ter than November 13, 1998. Within one week upon
receipt of the report, the Supervisor will convene and chair at OHR-North a panel comprised of the Mayor, his
two Deputies, representatives of the Republika Srpska Ministry for Refugees and Displaced Persons, UNHCR, and
OHR to review progress in this retu
rn process.
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Due to the urgent nature of these cases, and for the purpose of this Order alone, the Municipal G
overnment shall give displaced persons a time limit of thirty (30) days to vacate the houses of the non-Serb o
fficials and employees covered in paragraph one w
ho have been approved by the Return Commission for return. All other aspects of the Procedure for Return to B
rcko of April 24, 1997, remain in effect.
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This Order in no way abrogates my firm commitment not to evict displaced persons residing l
egally in Brcko if no reasonably sufficient alternative housing is available. The responsibility for fi
nding reasonably sufficient alternative accommoda
tion for displaced persons and families living in houses or apartments belonging to non-Serb municipal officia
ls and employees affected by this Order falls entirely on the Municipal Government.
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This order shall have immediate effect.
Robert W. Farrand
Deputy High Representative
Supervisor of Brcko
November 3, 1998
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