One year after the Dayton peace agreement, which specifically guaranteed freedom of movement and the return of displaced persons and refugees, the parties continue to deny this fundamental freedom. Some of the parties have blown up the homes of would-be returnees, some have thrown stones, shot at them or otherwise blocked their attempts to visit or return. The international community has refused to protect displaced persons and refugees seeking to return home, to take effective steps to stop such attacks or to develop a clear plan to ensure their return only when conditions are durably safe. One year into the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement, no single international body is exercising decisive leadership to address these and other human rights concerns. There is still no clear, publicly available human rights budget and no plan of action with a timetable.
International bodies have insufficient professional and experienced human rights staff.
The authority to ensure coordination of work on individual cases and concerns, particularly at the local or regional level, is often lacking. However, instead of strengthening its human rights commitments, the international community is reported to be intending to scale down its human rights effort and leave the protection of human rights to the parties and ineffective government institutions. Amnesty International once again calls upon the international community to implement its extensive and detailed recommendations of October 1995 and June 1996. The High Representative should issue frequent, comprehensive reports and make prompt interventions with the parties or other international agencies involved with the implementation where their actions or inaction threaten fulfilment of the plan. Governments should ensure that they and the parties implement promptly and in good faith the recommendations of the High Representative.