Syndicate: Belgrade: Conference Recommendations (from B92)

[Andreas Broeckmann <abroeck@transmediale.de>]

from: <mediawatch@lists.opennet.org> via <nettime>
sent: Monday, May 21, 2001 9:01 PM
subject: "In Search of Truth and Responsibility - Towards a Democratic
Future" Conference Recommendations

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONFERENCE "IN SEARCH OF
TRUTH AND RESPONSIBILITY - TOWARDS A DEMOCRATIC FUTURE", HELD MAY
18-20 IN BELGRADE, ORGANISED BY B92

Recommendations to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in
Yugoslavia

1. To initiate wide public discussion in the country on the program
and the powers of the Commission, the issues of facing truth and
responsibility for all violations of human and minority rights, war
crimes and other criminal acts committed since 19991 to date;

2. To make every effort to hear in public the stories of the victims;

3. To extend the membership of the Commission and include in its work
a larger number of the minority ethnic groups' representatives,
members of various religious communities, NGOs and professional
associations;

4. To publish all relevant documents, which may contribute to the
disclosure of truth regarding who, when and where made and enforced
decisions which in turn directly contributed to preparations,
organising, eruption and conduct of wars;

5. To establish close co-operation with similar commissions and
ombudsmen in the region, including the exchange of documents as well
as the testimonies of the victims and witnesses both in written and
electronic form;

6. To establish co-operation with the Hague Tribunal as well as with
the specialised non-governmental organisations engaged in the work on
the protection of human rights;

7. To review the situation in culture, education, judiciary and media,
and to determine their role and responsibility in spreading religious
and national hatred and intolerance, violations of human rights and
warmongering;

8. To establish co-operation with different structures of society, and
particularly with the media, NGOs, religious communities, interest
groups and professional associations.


Recommendations to the Federal Parliament and the Government, and the
President of FRY

1. It is recommended to the Federal Parliament and the Government to
consider, in co-operation with the President of FRY as the founder of
the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the possibility of enacting a
law which would regulate the jurisdiction and the powers of the
Commission;

2. It is recommended that the possibility of jointly establishing an
international Truth and Reconciliation Commission with the countries
formed through the process of disintegration of SFRY be considered.


Recommendations to the Federal Parliament and Government, and  the
republics' parliaments and governments:

1. To allow independent work of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission and its presence in the public;

2. To allow access to all relevant documents and information of which
the state is in possession;

3. To grant the Commission the powers to summon witnesses who have
knowledge about the relevant events;

4. To ensure total legal and physical safety of the witnesses -
victims;

5. To assume obligation to compensate those individuals who were the
victims of state violence, according to the findings of the
Commission;

6. To provide direct and unhindered connections and co-operation with
the commissions and ombudsmen from other countries.

In Belgrade, May 20, 2001

On behalf of the organiser of the conference B92

Veran Matic

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