Letter to Schmidt: Take concrete action for the implementation of Annex VII

(Patria) - Edin Ramić, a member of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ramiz Salkić, a member of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska (NSRS), and Amir Hurtić, a member of the NSRS, sent a letter to the High Representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt.

"As elected representatives of the Bosniak people from the entity of Republika Srpska, due to continuous attacks on Bosniaks in this entity and the general deterioration of the security situation, we wish to invite you through this letter to take concrete action for the implementation of Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

As you yourself stated in the OHR's press release, Annex VII is one of the cornerstones of the Dayton Peace Agreement. This Annex has never been implemented in the territory of this entity as foreseen by the Dayton Peace Agreement. From the very beginning of the return process, Bosniaks have been exposed to security threats, attacks, injuries, and murders that have never been clarified by the police and competent prosecutor's offices to this day.

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Schmidt claims to be engaged in resolving the security issues of returnees, but does not answer what he will do concretely

By Amina Čorbo-ZećoTo stop the wave of incidents in Republika Srpska that mostly go unpunished, and at a time when the security situation in this BiH entity is worse than ever for returnees, victims' associations are calling for the establishment of

Bosniaks are discriminated against because they cannot study the Bosnian language in schools, nor can they be employed in public enterprises, nor in local or entity bodies in accordance with Article 97 of the Constitution of the Republika Srpska entity. One of the key problems for the security of Bosniaks is the mono-ethnic structure of the Republika Srpska entity police and the symbolic participation of Bosniaks and Croats in its structure.

Today, out of approximately 7,000 police officers, only 330 are Bosniaks and 62 are Croats, which in no way reflects the constitutional principle that provides for representation based on the 1991 census. This constitutional principle is equally exercised by all three peoples at the state level of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while in the Republika Srpska entity this right is denied to Bosniaks and Croats, thus violating the entity's Constitution, as well as the Dayton Peace Agreement.

It is your obligation to protect the Dayton Peace Agreement and enable the implementation of Annex VII, the return without any form of discrimination. Bosniaks are discriminated against because the provisions of the Constitution guaranteeing the right to representation in entity bodies are not being implemented.

The inadequate representation of Bosniaks in the entity's police structures is the key reason for Bosniaks' distrust in the entity police and the inadequate reaction of the police, as well as frequent attacks by extremists on Bosniaks in the Republika Srpska entity. The letter sent to you by representatives of Bosniak civil war victims' organizations most vividly depicts the situation and position of Bosniaks in this entity, as well as the problems arising from the mono-ethnic structure of the police forces in this entity.

Therefore, we call on you, based on the authorities granted to you by the Dayton Peace Agreement and the mandate of the High Representative, to take steps to ensure the implementation of Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the application of constitutional provisions for the adequate representation of Bosniaks and Croats in entity bodies, including the police structure.

We call for your urgent reaction in accordance with your mandate, for the respect of the Constitution and the Dayton Peace Agreement in the interest of peace, stability, the realization of constitutionally guaranteed rights, and the security of Bosniaks in this entity. The absence of an adequate reaction will mean complicity in the further implementation of discrimination against Bosniaks and potential attacks on Bosniaks in this entity," the letter states.