Vojvodina seen as human rights test for Serbia
10/11/2005
The treatment of Serbian minorities is likely to come under greater
scrutiny as the process of EU accession moves forward. Parliamentary
Assembly of Europe members recently drafted a resolution criticising
the human rights situation in the province of Vojvodina.
By Davor Konjikusic for Southeast European Times - 10/11/05
Serbian Minister for Human and Minority Rights Rasim Ljajic says the
Vojvodina human rights problem has been exaggerated. [File]
As Serbia begins to move forward on the road to EU accession, it is
likely to face greater international scrutiny of the human rights
situation for minorities in the republic. One area of particular
concern is Vojvodina province, where the Croat and Hungarian
communities have long complained about harrassment by Serb
ultranationalists and a lack of protection by the authorities. More
recently, Slovak and Ruthenians in the province have said they are
being attacked.
Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of Europe highlighted the
Vojvodina issue recently, drafting a resolution that expressed concern
over "the high number of alarming and sustained human rights violations
against ethnic and national minorities in the province of Vojvodina
which are reoccurring since 1992".
The reported violations include physical assaults, including against
women and schoochildren; vandalism of minority-owned property and
threats of violence meant to induce minorities to leave Serbia, with
leading intellectuals and politicians among the main targets.
Besides being a breach of human rights standards, the situation poses a
potential refugee problem for the EU, as people flee Vojvodina for
neighbouring Hungary or other parts of the bloc, the resolution said,
calling for EU observers to be sent to the province.
October also saw the release of a 52-page report from Human Rights
Watch that concluded authorities are failing to address a rising tide
of violence against ethnic and religious minorities throughout Serbia.
"Officials have been quick to minimise incidents, police have sometimes
failed to protect mosques and minority-owned businesses from attack,
prosecutors have been slow to prosecute attacks, and those who are
brought to justice are often punished with suspended jail terms or
small fines," the organisation said. According to Holly Cartner, its
Europe and Central Asia director, Serbia will find its EU bid hampered
"unless it starts taking these attacks a lot more seriously".
The government's weak response only encourages hate crimes, human
rights advocates say. The threat could become worse in the near future,
if tensions over Kosovo's status lead extremists to take out their
anger on minorities living close by.
Serbia's Minority and Human Rights Minister Rasim Ljajic, meanwhile,
insists the problem has been exaggerated and should not influence the
accession process.
"The European Commission and the all international officials agree that
progress has been achieved in respect for human and minority rights,
and facts are simply on our side," Ljajic said.
European diplomats have suggested giving Vojvodina more autonomy as one
approach to improve the situation there. Such a move, however, depends
on the constitutional process in Serbia going forward. At the same
time, Brussels has indicated that it does not aim to foist on Belgrade
a solution of what should be an internal matter. The EU's interest lies
in seeing a reduction in ethnic incidents and tensions, and in Serbia
showing that it is taking steps to bring human rights standards in line
with the Union it wishes to join.
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