SARAJEVO, May 24 (Hina) - Authorities at different levels in the Federation of Bosnia Herzegovina are responsible for serious violations of the human rights in this Bosnian Croat-Moslem entity, said Federal Ombudsmen who held a press
conference in Sarajevo on Monday to present their annual report on the human rights situation. Federal authorities at different level should be held accountable for such situation since they promote, first of all, interests of a nation rather than interests of individual citizens, Ombudsmen maintained. The institution of ombudsmen in the Bosnian Federation was established in 1994 and is working thanks to the support of the mission of the Organisation for European Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The aim of ombudsmen's activities is to promote and protect human rights. Ombudsman Branka Raguz told the conference that the authorities in the
SARAJEVO, May 24 (Hina) - Authorities at different levels in the
Federation of Bosnia Herzegovina are responsible for serious
violations of the human rights in this Bosnian Croat-Moslem entity,
said Federal Ombudsmen who held a press conference in Sarajevo on
Monday to present their annual report on the human rights
situation.
Federal authorities at different level should be held accountable
for such situation since they promote, first of all, interests of a
nation rather than interests of individual citizens, Ombudsmen
maintained.
The institution of ombudsmen in the Bosnian Federation was
established in 1994 and is working thanks to the support of the
mission of the Organisation for European Security and Cooperation
(OSCE) in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The aim of ombudsmen's activities is
to promote and protect human rights.
Ombudsman Branka Raguz told the conference that the authorities in
the Bosnian Croat-Moslem entity had committed themselves to
respecting highest standards in this field and therefore any move
which deviates from their commitments should not be tolerated.
In 1998, over 80,000 citizens asked the Ombudsmen's Office for
help, and more than 8,000 proceedings were instigated on the
grounds of their complaints.
Ombudsmen themselves initiated a hundred proceedings when they
assessed that authorities endangered human rights by adopting or
enforcing certain laws.
Raguz stressed that especially municipal authorities in the
Federation treated Ombudsmen in "an offensive and ignorant manner"
and even in 80 percent of cases they had refused to give requested
information.
The problem lies in arbitrariness of local authorities and also in a
lack of the political will, she said adding that most important
decisions have been still made outside institutions of the system
and by those powerful in political parties.
Ombudsman Vera Jovanovic said the existence of parallel or only
formally united structures of authority set a particular obstacle
in the exercise of human rights. She pointed to Herzegovina-Neretva
Canton and municipalities of Bugojno, Vitez and Kiseljak in this
regard.
According to Ombudsmen, citizens do not trust the federal judiciary
due to its susceptibility to political influences. Authorities are
particularly responsible for the violation of property rights and
the right of refugees to return to their homes.
The third Ombudsman, Esad Muhibic, announced more efforts to be
taken in this filed in the future.
The head of the OSCE mission, Robert Barry, said the Federal
Ombudsmen could further count on the assistance of the
international community.
Barry told reporters that a draft bill on establishing ombudsmen in
the other Bosnian entity - the Republic of Srpska - had already been
prepared. Its adoption, however, has been postponed due to the
current political crisis in that part of Bosnia.
(hina) ms