KEBO: REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS ARE STILL USED FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 29,2008) – A delegation of the Bosnian Association of Refugees, Displaced Persons and Returnees met with the FBiH Entity Vice-President Mirsad Kebo and concluded that solving the problem of refugees in Bosnia, that is full implementation of Annex 7 of the Dayton Agreement must continue to be the state priority.

"For definite solution of refugees’ problems at this moment there exist adequate legal and constitutional solutions but they have to be fully implemented”, stated Kebo at the meeting.

"There is nothing that stops us, according to the decision of continuativeness of peoples, to have a more just politics of employment of refugee population in entire Bosnia. But, certain politicians still use refugees for their political goals. That is why the work done by this association is extremely important since only through institutional channels and in coordination with state bodies problems of refugees and displaced persons in Bosnia could be solved”, stated the FBiH Entity Vice-President Mirsad Kebo.

He added that a final activation of public projects and employment of larger number of people, especially returnees will create a new economic and political ambience in which return will be a normal process of human rights realization, as well as regular constitutional and legal obligation of authorities obliged to implement such activities.

President of the Association, Mirhunisa Zukic informed Vice-President Kebo that they started with the realization of the project “Monitoring of Sustainable Return” which is instead of state institutions, financed by the Swiss government.

"Duty of the association is to strengthen local communities which will be true partners to state bodies in the return process since the association and its braches are best informed about the situation on the ground”, stated Zukic.
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