Ambassador Miguel Arias called on the Mayor of Derventa today to express his profound concern over a violent attack on the Derventa office of the OHR during the weekend.
An anti-personnel grenade was thrown into the office through a window. The office was empty at the time of the attack, but the grenade could potentially have caused serious injuries. It was thrown into the only room which had a light on. The attack also clearly endangered the life and security of a family of displaced persons living in the ground floor of the building.
Ambassador Arias stressed that such incidents could be damaging to the interests of the people of Derventa and to displaced persons in the municipality with whom the office is working. The people of Derventa need the economic development which the office is trying to attract.
Ambassador Arias also met the Chief of Police of Derventa and demanded a full and urgent investigation by local police.
Visiting the office to view the damage, Ambassador Arias discussed the incident with residents of Derventa who expressed their concern about the attack. Ambassador Arias assured them that the office would reopen and that Derventa would remain a priority area for the OHR.
The incident in Derventa followed a number of inflammatory statements by politicians in the Republika Srpska. Peaceful demonstrations and protests remain a fundamental right for citizens in a democratic society, but no society will accept calls for violence. Any party or politician in the Republika Srpska who is found to be connected to violent incidents risk immediate action by the OHR.