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Forum of Srebrenica NGOs

"The Forum of Srebrenica NGOs is a network of seven local nongovernmental organizations that are operating in the area of Srebrenica. It was established in the beginning of 2001 on the initiative of local NGOs from Srebrenica, with strong support of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC).

In view of the recent past and the terrible events that took place in Srebrenica during the war, the Forum was established as a response to the need to unite positive forces in Srebrenica regardless of their ethnic, social or political background. The goal was to promote democratic processes, the development of civil society, and return of Bosniaks to Srebrenica municipality and Serbs to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina." (Source)

The Forum serves as a clearing-house for information among its member organizations. Meetings are held each month -- either in Tuzla or in Srebrenica -- where representatives of the organizations can keep each other informed about their programs and their problems. For example, they might announce plans of pre-return visits from Srebrenica to Donji Vakuf, or from Lukavac to Srebrenica. In this way, each organization can help publicize projects and provide information about potential participants.

• Members of the Forum of Srebrenica NGOs

For more information about each member, please see the Srebrenica's NGO Advocates page.

Drina Srebrenica 99 SARA The Forum of Citizens of Srebrenica SAROS Maja Zelja Multiple Sclerosis Association of the Birac Region Priroda

AMICA BOSFAM Center for Legal Assistance New Hope Center for Democratization Leptir Srebrenica Danas-Sutra Potocari Women's Forum of Bratunac

• Background Information about Srebrenica

Srebrenica became infamous following the 1995 massacres, in which over 7,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred by Bosnian Serbs. 30,000 Muslims fled from the area, and part of the town was repopulated by displaced Serbs.

For years, the Muslims were blocked from returning to Srebrenica by the town’s nationalist Serb leaders. This, in turn, persuaded international agencies to impose an economic blockade, creating a further disincentive to returns.

Now at last, the tide appears to be turning, thanks to the efforts of courageous refugees who have braved intimidation and started to return to villages. The local government has also become more cooperative. This has persuaded some donors to end Srebrenica’s isolation, and $4.9 million has been pledged to a UN reconstruction program.

Though encouraging, this still falls well short of a breakthrough, and even when aid starts to flow the process of reconstruction will need to be carefully monitored to make sure that civil society’s needs are not brushed aside in the rush to rebuild houses. It is also essential that the current Serb population is not uprooted and expelled.

• Drina, a member of the Forum of Srebrenica NGOs, has engaged in mine risk education as minefields still exist in Bosnia, capacity building for NGOs in Srebrenica, computer training and drug prevention campaigns for youth.  In addition to these, Drina also has participated in economic development campaigns such as entrepreneurial training, trade linkage promotion, and publishing business guides.

• The Forum has also engaged in "capacity building" for its member organizations, sponsoring training sessions in such topics as conflict resolution, media work, and management throughout 2001.

• The Forum also organizes regular pre-return visits of displaced persons both to and from Srebrenica.

A wrecked Muslim graveyard next to a wrecked mosque. Due to community efforts this mosque has now been rebuilt.

• As well as offering coordination to other NGOs, the Forum is also reminding internal relief organizations that there is more to reconstruction than the return of Muslim refugees and massacre survivors. On problem is that many Serbs were displaced from the destroyed villages around Srebrenica and are now living in homes that were formerly owned by Muslims. As more Muslims return, these Serbs must either find alternative accommodation or return home. But they receive noticeably less support than returning Muslims. There simply is no such thing as one-way return. The Forum constantly presses this point with the agencies.

• The Forum also supports sports and cultural programs that help bring together young people from both entities of Bosnia in the interest of reconciliation.

• The Center for Legal Assistance, a member of the Forum, provides legal counseling for returning refugees, who have to negotiate a bureaucratic maze when they try to reclaim pre-war property.

• When financial support is available, the women of BOSFAM -- both Serbs and Muslim returnees in Srebrenica, and displaced Muslim women in Tuzla -- knit sweaters for a small fee. The sweaters are then donated to the needy schoolchildren of Srebrenica, most of whom are from displaced Serb families.

• Amica, a member of the Forum, has been facilitating contact between the displaced Srebrenican women in Tuzla and Serb women living in Srebrenica since 1998. Over 150 women come regularly for classes (in English, computers, sewing, and hairdressing) and companionship. Amica was the first ethnically mixed organization in Srebrenica and has plans to expand its services to psychotrauma counseling in schools.

• The Democratization Center, one of the Forum's members, produced ten radio programs in 2001 to discuss problems in the community such as poor water supply, deteriorating roads, and poorly equipped medical clinics. This was the first time these subjects had been discussed in public in the Republika Srpska in such a way.

• The Forum has asked AP to help it develop a website and newsletter, and promote their cause internationally. AP is well placed to respond to the request by the Forum. AP told the story of the first returns in 2000, and returned again in the spring of 2002 to collect material for a new web page on the Forum’s campaign. AP also sought funds for a six-month program of information support for the Forum.

• The Forum has applied for and received permission from the municipal government to renovate a building in the center of Srebrenica, next door to the municipal hall. This three-story building, now a shell, used to house the town library, a cultural association, and a theater. In late 2002 the new mayor of Srebrenica, Abdurahman Malkic, placed the building in the Forum's control for ten years. The organization feels that having a common meeting place would make it easier for them to work together and present a united front when meeting donors and relief organizations.

• Blogs

In 2005, AP sent Sabri Ben-Achour to work with the Forum of Srebrenica NGOs and Drina (one of the partners). Read Sabri's blog.

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