DATE=7/7/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UNHCR / BOSNIA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-264165
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Refugee Agency, U-N-H-C-R,
says there has been a significant increase in the
number of Bosnian refugees returning home to areas
where they are considered be ethnic minorities. Lisa
Schlein in Geneva reports the agency says this is an
optimistic sign and may indicate an easing of
hostilities among the three ethnic groups -- Serbs,
Croats and Muslims.
TEXT: The United Nations Refugee Agency says at the
end of May, some 15-thousand-600 Bosnian refugees had
returned to areas controlled by their former enemies.
U-N-H-C-R Spokesman, Kris Janowski says this is more
than three times the rate of minority returns during
the same period in 1999.
/// JANOWSKI ACT ///
After five years now, nearly, after guns fell
silent in Bosnia, finally something has moved on
minority returns. And these minority returns
are still one of the least implemented parts, if
not the least implemented part of the Dayton
peace agreement. So, it's good that something
moved there.
/// END ACT ///
The U-N refugee agency estimates there are 800-
thousand internally displaced people in Bosnia and
another 600-thousand people who have sought asylum in
other countries. Of the refugees who have returned
this year, the agency notes more than six-thousand
have gone to the Serb-controlled, Republika Srpska.
It says most who have gone back are Muslims.
The refugee agency says the bulk of the refugees --
more than nine-thousand-600 - have returned to homes
in the Muslim-Croat Federation. These include many
Serbs.
Mr. Janowski says one of the most important factors
affecting the decision of refugees and the internally
displaced to return home is whether they have a home
to which they can return.
/// JANOWSKI ACT ///
Many peoples' property in Bosnia-Herzegovina,
particularly in rural areas, (was) destroyed
during the war. U-N-H-C-R's concern and the
lack of international funds for the
reconstruction of homes and infrastructure may
jeopardize the increased momentum of returns.
Up to three-thousand-600 homes are in the
process of being rebuilt, each one estimated to
cost some 10-thousand U-S dollars. But, that is
not enough to cover those who have already
returned this year.
/// END ACT ///
The U-N Refugee Agency estimates some 11-thousand
houses urgently need to be rebuilt to accommodate
people who returned in 1999 and this year. With the
growing number of people returning over the summer
months, it says even more houses will need to be
rebuilt before the coming winter. (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/JP
07-Jul-2000 10:48 AM EDT (07-Jul-2000 1448 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
