Zagreb, January 27, 1999 (IKA) – The president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Josip Bozanić of Zagreb, and the president of the Bosnian-Herzegovian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljić of Sarajevo, signed a public statement issued on Wednesday, January 27, following a joint session of the bishops#! conferences of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina held on January 25 at the Archbishop#!s Palace in Zagreb. The bishops from Bosnia-Herzegovina acquainted their fellow bishops in the Republic of Croatia with the onerous conditions being endured by the faithful in Bosnia-Herzegovina. “Instead of the anticipated process of the return of refugees and displaced persons to their native dioceses,” the statement reads, “due to political, economic and security reasons many Catholic faithful who have endured all the horrors of the war are now being systematically forced to emigrate. Confronted with this dramatic situation, the bishops of both Conferences once again emphasize the importance of the survival of the Catholic Church and the Croatian people in Bosnia-Herzegovina for the establishment a lasting and just peace.” The bishops therefore “in the name of justice, seek from the officials of the international community, who in this country make the chief decisions, for them to assist those remaining and promote the return of all refugees, regardless of their religious and national affiliations or the region from which they have been expelled.” The members of the Bishops#! Conferences of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina also urge “the responsible and legitimately elected representatives of the Croatian nation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, for the future of the Croatian nation as a whole, and in accordance with the obligations undertaken, to protect the existence of Croats in all parts of this country of their ancestors.” Furthermore, they call upon “all the institutions of social and political life in the Republic of Croatia to provide their whole-hearted assistance within the limits of their legal possibilities and international standards.” The bishops expressed their “closeness and profound solidarity with all of those who have been forced to abandon their native lands and urge them not to lose hope and faith in God#!s providence. Conscious of their responsibilities before history and consistent in their positions during the entire recent war and its aftermath, the pastors of the Church urge Catholic faithful to exercise their right to return and testify to the Catholic faith following the tradition of their ancestors, with self-sacrifice through the long centuries.” The members of the sister bishops#! conferences with “the same responsibility and love” appeal “especially to priests, monks and nuns, to work tirelessly to assist displaced persons and refugees to return to their homes.” The current situation “requires completely concrete solidarity among the faithful.” The bishops “urge Catholics in Croatia and other countries to contribute to creating the conditions for the return of refugees to their homes, particularly through sponsorships between individual parishes and missions … While still experiencing the difficult aftermath of the war in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, the bishops are sorrowfully following reports arriving from the conflicts in Kosovo and express their solidarity with all the victims of violence. With their prayers, the bishops support all attempts to safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms of all people and nations in this part of Europe. They place their hope and the future in the hands of God, the Lord of history,” concludes the statement, signed on behalf of the bishops from Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina by the presidents of the two bishops#! conferences, Cardinal Puljić and Archbishop Bozanić.