Human rights The key projects /activities
- Legal Aid and Counselling
- Paths Towars Law and Justice
- Free Legal Aid
War and post-war period burdened the citizens and Croatian society with sever and mass violations of human rights: mostly crimes over civilians, "ethnical cleansing" and deprivation of basic citizens' rights. The consequences of the afore-said have not been removed even a decade after the war: legal and social conditions have not been realized yet, nor the practice that would give everyone who suffered any damage (and the public) the right to find out the truth about the missing ones and about the circumstances under which the victims were hurt, the right of victims that the perpetrators are called to account for committed crimes, the right on return and reconstruction of damaged property. Courts are still not considered trust worthy in regard to their impartiality and professional attitude and the silence of administration is the main long-lasting obstacle to the realization of a set of citizens’ and gained rights related to the processes of return, damage compensation and reconstruction. The holders of political power and public influence have taken a more uniform viewpoint in regard to cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal in den Hague. After several years of resistance, avoidance and obstruction they are more ready to support individualization of crimes committed by ordinary soldiers, officers and generals, but not to open issues related to political responsibility for the same deeds or war in general. Moreover, the messages of the most responsible politicians indicate that the future should bring an organized “oblivion”. At the same time, Croatian society is still divided also in relation to the conflicts from World War II.
Transition. At the same time with violations of human rights – which were a fundamental part, and are a direct result, of war strategies, aims, and work – during and after the war the process of privatisation was being conducted in a way that legally enabled misappropriation and bad management of (previously social and today state) public goods. The results of this process are impoverishment of a great part of population, destruction of production, and mass unemployment on one hand, and connection of organized criminal and politics on the other. Taking into account the frequency and heaviness of consequences on the life of people, the most endangered rights are social and labor rights and the right on equal availability of judicial institutions (there is no law on legal aid free of charge). Domestic violence has also increased.
By using democratic, legal procedures and other non-violent methods of political action we support sanctioning of war crimes and work on establishment of the rule of law, democracy, and sustainable peace. We try to contribute to the establishment of an equal level and inviolability of universal rights for all people regardless of their race, ethnic, religious, political, class, or gender background, education or property. Also, we are putting our efforts into recognition and practice of the «“policy of differences or identities” (difference in gender, race, cultural identity, education, economic power, sexual orientation…). We are against xenophobia, intolerance, and arrogance in political work and we promote tolerance and positive discrimination of especially vulnerable minority groups.
Programme goals
Improvement of conditions for the return and integration of refugees and displaced persons.
Equal availability of judicial institutions for all citizens
Strengthening the rule of law and public responsibility for public benefit
Development of individual and social processes for facing the past
Contact:
Ljiljana Božić Krstanović, ljiljanabk@centar-za-mir.hr
