Banja Luka, March 19, 2002 (IKA/KTA) — In response to the most recent events in Drvar, the bishop of Banja Luka, Msgr. Franjo Komarica, president of the Conference of Bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the archbishop of Sarajevo, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, issued the following appeal, that we present in its entirety:
“Finding ourselves together in Banja Luka on the occasion of the celebration of the feast of St. Joseph, it is with sadness that we hear that once again our faithful are leaving the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is difficult for us to know the whole truth about all the actual events in Drvar and Knin but once again disagreeable memories of the recent war are recalled, when these same people were forced to abandon their property, homes and parishes. It pains us profoundly that during the last years some of the leaders of the Croatian people had falsely promised building sites and construction materials to these displaced Croats, who due to misfortune had been resettled in Drvar, in order for them to build new living accommodations, and have now them left them in the lurch! We are also pained that these same refugees, deceived by false promises, forgot their homes from which they were expelled, and do not wish to exert pressure on the responsible politicians for them to provide the necessary conditions for a safe return to their native villages. Once again, we are unpleasantly surprised by the attitude of the individual representatives of the international community who are applying a double standard toward displaced persons who are members of different ethnic groups. The official representatives of the Catholic Church in Bosnia-Herzegovina have consistently engaged themselves in the defense of the right to private ownership by each person, without any differentiation, and emphasize that it is not possible to solve any refugee problems by usurping houses and apartments belonging to others. For who knows how many times, we are appealing to those responsible in this country to finally do everything necessary in order to end the bitterness of refugee life! We urge all displaced Catholics to unite in the struggle with all the legitimate means for achieving one of the fundamental human rights — the right to return to their native villages and homes. We urge the humanitarian organizations, as well as other institutions for the renewal of the land, to also provide persecuted Croats with the assistance necessary for their sustainable return. We energetically urge those responsible not to manipulate the suffering of the refugees for their selfish interests! We urge all people of good will in this afflicted country to help every person, especially the disenfranchised, so that they can live like people, with all the rights and freedoms,” states the appeal issued by Bishop Franjo Komarica and Cardinal Vinko Puljic.