OSCE CALLS FOR URGENT INVESTIGATION INTO ROBBERY OF SERB RETURNEES IN TRUBAR VILLAGE

SARAJEVO, APRIL 17 /SRNA/ – The OSCE Mission to BiH has called for an urgent and thorough investigation into an incident in the Drvar village of Trubar, where migrants reportedly robbed several houses belonging to Serb returnees and broke into an Orthodox church in order for the perpetrators be brought to justice.

The OSCE Mission told SRNA that it remains committed to supporting efforts aimed at ensuring human rights, personal and general security for all communities, including returnees. "Protection of freedom of religion or belief, as well as the preservation of religious sites, are important elements of security and social cohesion," the OSCE Mission to BiH stated. The OSCE noted that it is aware of reports related to recent incidents in the village of Trubar. The OSCE Mission also emphasized once again that responsible, objective, and balanced media reporting is essential, especially when dealing with sensitive issues. Approximately twenty Serb returnees in the village of Trubar, about thirty kilometers from Drvar, spent Easter in fear and uncertainty because migrants, after an unsuccessful attempt to cross the border into Croatia, broke into the local Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God and robbed several returnee households.