Meanwhile, some 100,000 people have returned to areas where they are a minority. Mirko Shagul, editor in chief of Oslobodenje newspaper, stressed the importance of the repatriation of refugees. That is the only way to make sure Bosnia remains united. But returns by Muslims, Serbs or Croats to areas controlled by other ethnic groups are often risky. Returns to neighbourhoods that refugees had been driven from remained rare, Meigs said, because other people now occupy their houses.
Security is also a major issue.
Most individuals are still fearful of living in areas administered by a different ethnic group. Dayton called for the creation of a multi-ethnic police force. They restricted freedom of movement. The forces were mono-ethnic. Thus for example, in a Serb area, the force would be made up entirely of Serbs.