In his speach to the media, few days ago, the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH Ambassador Douglas Davidson (right) is of the opinion that 12 years past the end of war in BiH, there are too many unsolved cases of war crimes. (26-DEC-07)

This article is based on the articles already published in bh media. The release has been edited for publication here by HRH / Mirsad Pandzic.

“Justice demands processing of as many cases as possible. Truth can be determined this way; basis for reconciliation between peoples, who fought war some time ago, can be created this way, Ambassador Davidson told to news agencies.

Expert assistance and return
He stated that the OSCE Mission has offered some limited expert assistance to the BiH Prosecutor’s Office in the process of development of a strategy and solving of the most important cases. Many of them are yet to be solved. Davidson is of the opinion that an accelerated solving of the war crimes could help create conditions of sustainable return in BiH. He stated that most of the people who wanted to return to their pre-war hoes have done so. However, authorities have not created all the conditions necessary for sustainable return.

Social care and transparency
He added that the adequate social care without discrimination could contribute sustainable return.
In that sense, Ambassador Davidson emphasized a significant role of the local authorities, for towns are the first and the most frequent instance of contact between the citizens and authorities’ representatives. Davidson started that the OSCE officials for democratic processes have contributed a lot in the sector. The number of municipalities has significantly increased, as well as the level of fiscal control and transparency. However, BiH Federation has not fully implemented the Law on Local Self-Rule. RS has done that but experience in the entity has shown that certain improvements of the law are necessary.

Education
Commenting the sector of BiH education, Davidson said that schools have been divided on the national basis and that they are still functioning, in spite of the obligations taken over five years ago. Davidson added that such system of schooling needs to end. “OSCE reports have shown that parents are even willing to end their children to distant schools only to avoid enrolment areas with children of different nationalities”, Davidson said. He warned that different national curricula and division on national basis decreases the level of understanding in the country.

On the other hand, Davidson stated that District of Brcko has found a way of dealing with these issues and that students there are able to attend schools in the way that they listen to lectures in their mother tongues without being separated from the students of other nationalities. Ambassador Davidson is of the opinion that this could serve as a solution to illegal practices and national divisions which marked education in other parts of the country.

Military stabilization
Commenting the military stabilization, OSCE Head of Mission emphasized that Department for Safety and Cooperation of the Mission continued with activities in 2007 in order to make BiH peaceful and safe. Officials of this department assisted the BiH Armed Forces inspections in order to ensure all obligations related to weapons control defined by the Dayton Agreement are implemented. That resulted in decrease of the number of small-calibre weapons and ammunition.

Officials of the department also cooperated with domestic and international partners in the process of strengthening civil supervision of the army. That also means parliamentary monitoring, which is one of the bases of every western democracy.

OSCE Mission
OSCE officials, Davidson stated, will continue with activities in 2008, especially in the human rights sector, democratization, education and regional military stability. Although the Mission will decrease in the number of personnel and locations, OSCE goals will remain more or less the same.
The overall goal of the OSCE Mission will be helping BiH strengthen democracy, rule of law and human rights for all citizens, who should be equal before the law, regardless of their nationality, Davidson stated.