Dizdarevic: Halilovic Belittles NGO Involvement in Preparation of Anti-Discrimination Law

Srđan Dizdarević, President of Bosnian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, responded, in an open letter addressed to the highest institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the invitation by Safet Halilović, Minister of Refugees and Human Rights, to take part in the Seminar on the proposed theses for preparation of the Anti-Discrimination Law. Srdjan Dizdarevic In his letter, Dizdarević says that the invitation, the Seminar and the proposed theses are completely opposite to the agreement reached at a meeting of April 29, that the Draft-Law will be based on a previous draft prepared by the non-governmental organizations, including the Helsinki Committee. The draft prepared by the HCHR-BH did pass the expert analysis and the public debate that included representatives of 168 organizations and was presented to the Ministry in September 2007. -The aim was to avoid unnecessary repetition of activities that were already completed and further spending of tax-payers` money, and to save the time, says Dizdarević, adding that the Ministry has obviously retreated from the agreement and now invokes theses that resulted from a procedure that lacked transparency. -Although we see the latest proposal as irrelevant, I have to say that they are far removed from the international human rights standards. At times, they reflect lack of proper knowledge of human rights and ignorance in terms of the necessary elements of anti-discrimination legislation, says the open letter. Dizdarević says that the proposed Law is one of the requirements for EU membership and that the non-governmental sector tried to make its own contribution to European integrations, adding that Halilović`s move belittles the efforts of the civil society, illustrating the arrogance of the Government. It is a slap in the face of the NGOs that should have been accepted as a useful ally in the process of accession to EU. Finally, refusing the extended invitation, the Helsinki Committee says it will not participate in the Seminar and demands from Minister Halilović to keep his word and submit to the Parliament for its review and debate, the Draft-Law on Prevention of Discrimination prepared and presented by the Committee, on behalf of the NGO sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Attached files

Dizdarevic`s letter (in BHS) 37.50 KB