RS Government Must Act on Palić Commission Report

Following his meeting in Banja Luka on 3 May with RS Prime Minister Dodik, during which the case of Colonel Avdo Palić was discussed, Senior Deputy High Representative Peter Bas-Backer has written to the prime minister reiterating that the RS Government must act without delay on fulfilling the mandate of the RS Government Commission on Palić, and locate the remains and hand them over to the family.

After the Commission issued its Report, on 21 April, which quoted weather related reasons as to why the remains could not be exhumed within the set deadline, the RS Government undertook to exhume the remains “in a matter of days.” To this date, though, no progress has been made.

In his letter to Prime Minister Dodik, Ambassador Bas-Backer expressed concern over this failure of the RS Government to act.

He notes that the Human Rights Chamber Decision on the RS authorities’ obligations in regard to Avdo Palić is war crimes related. The fall of Žepa is the subject of a current case before the ICTY and therefore the authorities must make this an issue of the highest priority.

RS PM Dodik made a commitment during the meeting with Ambassador Bas-Becker to engage personally in this issue. Prime Minister Dodik said that he would visit the Han Pijesak region during the next week in order to ensure that progress is made before the next session of the RS Government on 15 May.

Of course, the Government of the Federation of BiH should also follow up on important Human Rights Chamber Decisions, such as the one on the missing Serbs from Sarajevo . SDHR will engage with the FBiH Government on this issue soon.