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Home , Bratunac, Skelani, Tuzla

Sub-Office for Northern

Review of returns to June 2005

SREBRENICA 1995-2005

Any account of Srebrenica’s past and future is inextricably linked to the 1995 war-time killing of some 7,800 Bosniak men and boys stranded in the UN designated safe haven. On April 19, 2004 in Prosecutor v. Krstic, the ICTY Appeals Chamber unanimously ruled that this constituted an act of .

As pointed out in the Report of the United Nations Secretary-General on the Fall of Srebrenica1 (1999), “the tragedy of Srebrenica will haunt our history forever”. More and more mass Srebrenica Municipality in Eastern , graves are discovered, 32 previously BiH unknown were identified by the Report of the “Srebrenica Commission” UNHCR’s Update on Conditions for published on 11June 2004. Of the Return to Bosnia and Herzegovina 5,000 bodies found to date, 1,327 have (January 2005), certain categories of been buried at the Potocari Memorial persons, including war crimes witnesses Centre which was officially opened by and severely traumatised individuals, former U.S. President William Clinton on have continued protection needs. 20 September 2003. The establishment of the Potocari Memorial provided a Female headed households comprise a critical incentive to the return and very significant percentage of those who reconciliation process in Srebrenica. returned to Srebrenica already or who have expressed an interest to return, The fact, however, that the most which should be duly taken into account. prominent indicted war criminals are still Many of such families continue to live in at large and that many more suspected displacement in Tuzla and war criminals continue to lead a life in Cantons and whether they wish to return total impunity is important to consider or are unable to do so, they have when assessing the possibility to return specific vulnerabilities which require the in safety and dignity. As highlighted in continued attention of the domestic authorities, and the international 1 community alike. For a detailed UN General Assembly, Report of the Secretary General pursuant the General assessment of the needs of this group, Assembly Resolution 53/35, The Fall of see also UNHCR Survey on Displaced Srebrenica, Doc No A/54/549 dated 15 Persons in from the November 1999 2

Podrinje Area, Eastern Republika employment in the municipality. Srpska, June 2003. Srebrenica has thus raised the highest rate of employment of minority returnees As illustrated by the sporadic in the Eastern RS. appearance of hate graffiti, posters and signs which discourage returns and Over the last two years, the Eastern RS intimidate returnees, continuing has seen the largest returns of any area monitoring, law enforcement and in BiH. Most returns occur from Tuzla, confidence-building measures are Sarajevo and - Cantons in required. The active NATO/SFOR the Federation of BiH. military presence at Forward Operating Base Connor in until last year Minority returns (Bosniak) have taken had contributed significantly to the place primarily to isolated hilly rural returnees’ sense of security. The fact areas away from the town centre. The that today a multi-ethnic police force is infrastructure in these areas remains is operational in Srebrenica, including 16 in ruins, and some areas face additional minority policemen (one of whom is a problems with unexploded ordinance supervisor), gives hope that the situation and land mines. will further stabilise. Bosniak Returns to Srebrenica

YEAR RETURNS 2000 60 2001 127 2002 462 2003 1,455 2004 780 2005 180

During the last official national Census View of Srebrenica from surrounding hills in 1991, the Srebrenica pre-war population stood at 36,666, with the GENERAL RETURN SITUATION following ethnic breakdown: 27,572

Bosniaks; 8,315 Serbs; 38 Croats; 380 Returns to Srebrenica have been slow ; and 361 others. Population to begin with, and many families remain estimates today assume that in displacement, primarily in collective approximately 4,000 and centres and settlements in the 6,000 Serbs reside in the municipality. Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina At the same time, preliminary results of (FBiH). Minority returns to Srebrenica the 2004-2005 displaced persons (DP) and most areas in Eastern Republika registration show that 1,308 DPs (391 Srpska (RS) started in earliest only in families) remain in Srebrenica today. 2000, approximately three years after most other areas in BiH had The municipal return commission experienced significant return In December 2002, the Srebrenica movements. Municipal Assembly established the

Srebrenica Return Commission. It has Today, the Mayor of Srebrenica, five voting members who are municipal Abdurahman Malkic, is proactive in councillors and it is ethnically balanced supporting return. There are 57 Bosniak and politically mixed. The Commission minority returnees who have found

3 also has two professional staff and mediator between the local authorities maintains an Office in the municipality, and the population. accessible to the public on a daily basis. AWO, a German NGO, recently opened The Commission has three tasks: first, a "House of Trust" in Srebrenica, which to register and collect data on families will provide a public kitchen, psycho- interested in returning or leaving the social support, legal aid and medical municipality; second, to assist with assistance. project beneficiary selection (making field assessments) with NGOs and THE PROPERTY LAW donors; and third, to draft and forward IMPLEMENTATION PLAN project proposals. The Property Law Implementation Plan (PLIP) allowed all property owners and occupancy rights holders to repossess their pre-war property. PLIP was completed in February 2004 after 1,688 families repossessed their former homes. However, approximately 500 families who vacated property remain in government funded alternative accommodation within the municipality. These families could benefit from reconstruction assistance under a new Council of Development Bank loan project, the implementation of which will commence in the latter half of 2005.

RECONSTRUCTION

Houses Approximately 6,600 houses were destroyed during and just after the war. Memorial plaque at Potocari Memorial Centre, Some 1,530 will have been Srebrenica reconstructed by the end of 2005. Legal Aid, information and psycho- social support The primary international donors in The Legal Aid Network “Vasa prava” Srebrenica have been the governments (“Your Rights”) – a UNHCR-supported of the Germany, the Netherlands, national NGO operating throughout BiH Sweden, and U.S.A.. There are also a – has an office in Srebrenica, staffed number of private donors providing with two lawyers and one information housing assistance. These donors have officer. made substantial contributions, primarily assisting those returnees that are able A Centre for Local Development, funded to rebuild their homes under a self-help by the European Commission (EC), also policy. There are more than 2,600 operates in Srebrenica. It supports families currently registered who are still returnee re-integration and acts as a awaiting housing and income generating assistance.

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UNHCR invested some $680,000 in Srebrenica since 1996, which focused on reconstruction of homes, income generation activities and the provision of legal aid to all who need it, implemented by several NGOs.

UNDP has been working in Srebrenica since 2002 to revitalise the municipality and surrounding villages. Their core task is in five areas: Economic Development, Local Government, Civil Reconstruction funds are still required throughout Society, Gender Mainstreaming and Srebrenica Infrastructure. The overall goal of the Srebrenica regional recovery Infrastructure Programme (SRRP) is to promote the Some of Srebrenica’s villages are as far socio-economic recovery while as 45 kilometers from the town by dirt strengthening local government roads, often inaccessible during the structures. The lack of economic winter months. opportunities, the high rate of unemployment, lack of modern Returnees emphasize that return cannot technology, the loss of traditional be sustainable unless the pre-war markets linkages from before the war, infrastructure is re-established (e.g. coupled with the fact that qualified and regular bus lines to connect them with skilled labour has fled, are mjor Srebrenica), since public services for obstacles to getting the economy re- residents in rural areas is almost non- started. existent. In the past, USAID funded renovations UNDP included housing assistance as of the electrical grid throughout part of their Srebrenica Regional Srebrenica. Despite a considerable Recovery Programme (SRRP) for the monthly cash inflow, the electricity first time in 2005, as there remains a company does not budget funds to add substantial reconstruction funding gap. new locations to the grid, however. This The SRRP has committed $12.3 million affects many return locations. and expects to have spent $11 million by the end of 2005 in the wider The municipal water system was Srebrenica region. repaired with funding from the United Kingdom. In 2004 the RS authorities, contributed The repair and on-going maintenance of KM 1,565,000, and the FBiH primary roads is assisted by a World Government contributed KM 750,000 to Bank loan. UNDP is providing the SRRP. In 2005, KM 612,000 for assistance to reconstruct and repair reconstruction of 34 housing units will be eight rural feeder roads. These projects provided by the Return Fund established are co-financed with the municipality. under the aegis of the State However, a great deal of additional Commission on Refugees and infrastructural support will be required to Displaced Persons (SCRDP). facilitate returns.

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ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICES war, this is now largely defunct despite the presence of valuable natural Education resources. Minority returnees complain Primary and Secondary education is that no minorities have been hired in the available in Srebrenica town. Several businesses that do exist, with the primary schools were repaired in exception of the newly created returnee areas, but they only provide Government of Sweden/Sida-funded education up to the fourth grade, forcing food processing plant near the Potocari older children to travel to the town to Memorial. finish compulsory primary education. In some returnee areas there are no Regional Economic Development schools, in which case children, as authorities believe business potential young as six years of age, attend exists in the following three sectors: a) boarding schools in Sarajevo and visit Agro-business; b) Wood processing; their parents only during school and c) Tourism. Each would require holidays. substantial infrastructural investment in

the future. The most viable option to New identification Documents achieve economic sustainability for rural Many returnees do not register as returnees is agro-business. Local farm Srebrenica residents, thereby retaining associations and co-operatives are benefits they enjoy in their former places attempting to secure European Union of displacement in the FBiH (payments issued organic certifications for export of for families of missing persons, access organic products. to health care, social/pension benefits, priority in the fields of education, Ukrainian investors began rehabilitation employment and housing, etc.). and development of the Sase mine in

2004. However, no returnees work in Health care the underutilized mine. The Japanese Health services provided by the Dom International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Zdravlja are available to all, with a has initiated a project in in 2005. doctor from Tuzla visiting every 15 days.

(ends) Utilities In recent years, the Srebrenica Legal Aid Centre of “Vasa prava” has received a decreasing number of complaints regarding telephone and water connections. UNHCR has met on numerous occasions with officials from the electric company at the regional and municipal level to ensure that services are provided on a fair and equal basis. Massive electrical infrastructure development is needed.

ECONOMIC SITUATION

The very poor economic situation in Srebrenica is a primary obstacle to further returns. While Srebrenica had significant industrial activity before the