A LETTER TO BH OFFICIALS
CONCERNING
THE ISSUE OF MISSING PERSONS
Dear Sir/Madam,
Allow us first of all to inform you that, on
initiative of certain number of non-governmental
organisations, informal interest group was
established dedicated to the issue of missing
persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This informal group, composed of the
representatives of the national non-governmental
organisations, and in co-operation with
corresponding foreign organisations, had its
first meeting in February 1999. Our basic
objective is to help in solving one of the most
painful issues, i.e. issue of missing persons as
a consequence of the war and to help the families
of missing persons who are, as you are aware,
suffer great pain and are faced with great
uncertainty. According to our knowledge, still
more than 20,000 persons are on the lists of
missing persons, and more than 200,000 members of
their families are trying to know the truth on
their fate and to bury them with dignity, if
presuppositions on fatal epilogue were confirmed.
We use this occasion that inform you of our
conclusion that until now there has been achieved
little progress in supplying information and
giving replies on demands of the International
Red Cross by the authorities of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Republic of Srpska and BH
Federation. We are also of opinion that justified
demands on the part of the family of the persons
whose fate is still unknown, have not been met
with adequate response by the authorities that
are, both according to the Dayton Agreement and
Madrid Conference, responsible for the process of
search of missing persons.
We would like to emphasise the importance we give
to the work of the Work Group for Missing Persons
managed by the ICRC and to ask you to make
additional efforts to improve the efficiency of
work of this extremely significant body. We
especially deem important that the Armed Forces,
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of
Justice should give support to the Work Group.
Therefore, we are free to suggest creation of
corresponding structures and mechanisms for
co-ordination of these activities and designation
of persons in charge in the bodies of
authorities, thus affecting better efficiency of
the work of the Work Group.
Expressing our willingness to contribute as much
as possible to the process of search of missing
persons, we ask for your understanding and
co-operation in this delicate and significant
work.
Best regards,
Sarajevo, 16 June 1999
No: 25-06/99
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fra Marko
Oršolić IMIC |
Zlatko Lagumdžija
Forum 2000 Evropa – BiH |
|
Senka Nožica Helsinški komitet u BiH |
Lučić Nenad “Istok” Višegrad |
|
Vehid Šehić Forum građana Tuzla |
Branko Todorović Helsinški odbor RS |
|
Miodrag
Živanović Alternativno ministarsko vijeće |
Srđan Dizdarević
Helsinški Komitet BiH |
|
Vlatko Doleček Krug 99 |
Mirjana Bunčić Centar za informisanje i podršku NVO |
|
Mirjana Malić HCA Sarajevo |
Predrag
Štrbac IDIS Lukavica |