PRESS RELEASE
Segregation
and apartheid at work
The Helsinki
Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina has, on a
number of occasions, appealed against the devastating separation
of school-age children based on ethnicity. Despite all
activities and appeals, the problem has escalated at the
beginning of this school year, to the extent that we now have a
practice of open segregation and apartheid in Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
The cases of
physical separation of pupils into separate schools in Èapljina,
Prozor/Rama, Stolac are the latest acts of a persevering and
dangerous project within the ruling parties’ nationalistic
programmes. In the towns mentioned, the coalition partners have
agreed and decided so.
Reminding
that the decisions were made contrary to the Framework Law on
Primary and Secondary Education, which was adopted at the state
level in June 2003, and that they are totally contrary to the
international documents on human rights, the Helsinki Committee
is urging the democratic public in Bosnia and Herzegovina to
raise their voices against such uncivilized behaviour that will
most certainly have long-lasting consequences. Disabling
children to meet others and those different from them is turned
directly against coexistence and tolerance. It feeds intolerance
and hatred and paves the way for some further conflicts, known
to us from the recent past. While the world is celebrating the
dates marking the end of segregation and apartheid, this
anachronistic practice is becoming openly established in our
country.
The Helsinki
Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina is also
requesting from the authorities at all levels to stop such
practice and insist on compliance with relevant laws and
international documents.
No:
02-09/2005
Sarajevo, 13 September 2005
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