FM Alert, Vol III, No. 1

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Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 13:27:22 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: FM Alert, Vol III, No. 1

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: Paulette Layton <[email protected]>

FM Alert, Vol III, No. 1



FM Alert, Vol III, No. 1
January 8, 1999


REPUBLIKA SRPSKA ADOPTS PROPERTY LAW

A new property law in Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb entity of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, creates the possibility for Moslems and Croats
to reclaim residential property from which they fled during the
1992-95 war. It remains unclear, however, whether the property law,
which went into effect December 19, will stimulate a significant
return of refugees and displaced persons. Under the legislation,
pre-war occupants of homes and apartments are eligible to regain their
property and tenancy rights only if the property was declared legally
abandoned. A large number of the displaced were forced to flee
rapidly, and did not have their property declared legally abandoned.
There is no application deadline for those seeking the return of
pre-war private property. However, a six-month window has been
established for applications to recover rights to socially owned
property, including apartments. Authorities in Republika Srpska have
six months to settle claims, although a Forced Migration Projects
consultant, based in Republika Srpska, says the unwieldy bureaucracy
in the entity could delay implementation of the legislation. Current
occupants, the overwhelming majority of whom are Bosnian Serb, would
have the possibility to appeal rulings that would cause their
displacement. The legislation would also require authorities in
Republika Srpska to provide alternative housing to the displaced. The
Forced Migration Projects have advocated a regional framework to
resolve property issues, given their cross-border character. An FMP
meeting in Budapest on December 10-12 examined property rights issues
in the former Yugoslavia. (For additional information see FM Alerts of
December 10, October 9 and September 4, 1998).


APPLICATION DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR CEU SUMMER COURSE

A January 15 application deadline is looming for a Central European
University (CEU) summer course on forced migration issues. The course,
which will be held from July 5-16, is entitled Human Rights and Forced
Displacement: An Interdisciplinary Approach, and is part of CEU's
Summer Program in Budapest. The course will take a multifaceted
approach to all issues relating to population displacements, including
the causes of forced migration and the formulation of durable
solutions. Forced Migration Projects Director Arthur C. Helton, and
Boldizar Nagy, an associate professor at Eotvos Lorand University in
Budapest, are serving as co-directors of the summer course. The course
will include lectures in the fields of economics, international
relations, law and psychology. In addition, students will examine the
activities of international organizations and nongovernmental
organizations. The course is designed to benefit young professors,
lawyers, researches and policy-actors from Central and Eastern Europe.
(For additional information see FM Alerts of November 25 and October
16).


MEETING DATE SET FOR CISCONF STEERING GROUP

The fourth meeting of the Steering Group of the CIS Conference on
migration-related issues is scheduled for June 22-25 this year in
Geneva.

The first day of the meeting will be devoted to discussions among
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) concerning improving the
implementation of the Program of Action, adopted at the CIS Conference
in 1996. The follow-up period lasts until 2000. The NGO gathering is
open to all duly accredited third-sector participants. Over 150 NGOs
are accredited to participate in the discussions. Those NGO
representatives not already accredited should submit an application
for accreditation to UNHCR by March 30. At the third meeting of the
Steering Group in June 1998, UNHCR officials expressed a desire to
improve cooperation with migration-related NGOs in the former Soviet
Union. In connection with the Steering Group meeting, the Forced
Migration Projects, in cooperation with a consultation of local NGOs,
plans to release the results of an NGO survey. The survey is designed
to assist efforts to forge an association of migration-related NGOs in
CIS states. (For background information see FM Alerts of December 28,
November 5 and June 19, 1998).

For more information contact:
The Forced Migration Projects
400 West 59th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10019
tel: (212)548-0655
fax: (212) 548-4676
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.soros.org/migrate.html

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