Zagreb, April 16, 1999 (IKA) – Bishop Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina, accompanied by his vicar Dr. Miljenko Aničić, spoke on April 15 with the vice president of the Croatian Government and minister of foreign affairs, Dr. Mate Granić at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Zagreb. During this conversation, Bishop Komarica presented problems being encountered by Catholic refugees from the Banja Luka Diocese who are presently living in the Republic of Croatia, particularly the uncertainty encountered by an increasing number of Catholic refugees from Banja Luka who are being required to vacate the temporary lodgings they have been occupying. Many of these people still do not know where they will be able to find other lodgings. During the meeting, there was also discussion concerning the possibilities for those refugees who so desire to return to the Banja Luka region, the need for assistance in rebuilding houses, and the living conditions of the Croats and other Catholics in this territory. At this meeting, Bishop Komarica presented Minister Granić with a letter.
In the letter, Bishop Komarica pointed out that he has already acquainted Minister Granić and his deputy, Ivo Sanader, with the difficult circumstances and fate of tens of thousands of Croatian Catholic displaced persons and refugees who were forcibly driven from the territory of the Banja Luka Diocese, as well as the northern part of the Vrhbosna (Sarajevo) Diocese. He also acquainted the minister with the desire of many thousands of displaced and refugee families who want to return to their native villages and cities and “live with all human and civil rights and freedoms.” The Vicariate of the Banja Luka Diocese in Zagreb has specific data about these families. In the letter, Bishop Komarica also noted that numerous Serbs are returning to Croatia, owing to the efforts of international officials, based on Article 11 of the Erdut agreement. He emphasized that the majority of these houses have been occupied by refugee Croats, whose fate is apparently of no interest to either domestic or international politicians. Greater interest in the fate of these refugees was shown recently, emphasized the letter, by ambassadors from Article 11, led by the American ambassador to the Republic of Croatia. In a conversation with them, it was stated that they “will make additional efforts to further the forthcoming peaceful return of all Croats to their native villages and cities who want to return to the territory of the Republika Srpska (RS) and that they will advise their governments concerning material assistance for these refugees.” The Banja Luka Diocesan Caritas, with its colleagues from Europe and America, has succeeded in obtaining financial assistance for the construction and rebuilding of over 600 houses for returnees, and up to now has successfully built or rebuilt over 400 houses, of which nearly 50 are in the Republika Srpska. Bishop Komarica noted that numerous refugees from Banja Luka currently in Croatia have received notification that they must vacate the temporary lodgings they have been occupying. A large number of them, not knowing what else to do, have contacted the Vicariate. According to the bishop, in a conversation with representatives of the Republika Srpska, a readiness was shown to allow the return of a certain number of Croatian Catholics to areas where it is not necessary to move Serbs out. However, as the bishop of Banja Luka mentioned, there has been no political agreement with representatives of the Croats in either Bosnia-Herzegovina or the Republic of Croatia. Hesitation regarding the return of Croats to the Republika Srpska has also been exhibited by representatives of the international community in the Republika Srpska “because none of the official political representatives of the Croatian people are seeking this of them.” The bishop again requested of Minister Granić “finally and effectively, to assist these poor disenfranchised people in exercising their fundamental human rights, the right to their native place and the right to their own property.” The letter notes that the Croatian Government has promised to build 1,200 houses for Croatian returnees, but in the territory of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The president of the Government of Croatia, Zlatko Mateša, during a conversation with Bishop Komarica, promised assistance in building 100 houses for returnees who register for return to the Banja Luka Diocese. Therefore, “I additionally request you to accelerate the promised assistance, and also assistance for those who will return to the territory of the Republika Srpska with the help of our Caritas.”