BOSNIA - WOMAN OF COURAGE NOMINATION FOR FATA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 002229

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR G/IWI (BOTTNER) AND EUR/SCE
(FOOKS,STINCHCOMB)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KWMN KPAO BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA - WOMAN OF COURAGE NOMINATION FOR FATA
ORLOVIC

REF: SECSTATE 126072


1. (U) Post nominates Fata Orlovic as an International Woman
of Courage for 2008. For more than 8 years, Ms. Orlovic, a
Muslim, has been involved in a political and legal battle
with the Government of the Republika Srpska (RS) and the Serb
Orthodox Church for the return of property illegally taken
from her during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. Ms. Orlovic's
defense of her property and her struggle for justice has
established a standard for other returnees, many of whom are
poor, elderly, illiterate widows like herself, who are
struggling to rebuild their lives in Bosnia's post-war
society. Her non-violent persistence in the face of
nationalist threats to her safety, in addition to her
steadfast determination against a legal system prone to
manipulation and discrimination, has repeatedly demonstrated
that Ms. Orlovic is a woman of strength and courage deserving
of our recognition.


2. (U) Fata Orlovic has been battling RS and Serb Orthodox
Church authorities since 1999 when she returned to her home
in the eastern RS town of Konjevic Polje to find a Serb
Orthodox church had been illegally built in her front yard.
During the 1992-1995 Bosnian War, Serb forces ethnically
cleansed local Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) and many, like the
Orlovic family, went to live in the Srebrenica enclave. When
Serb forces overran the UN-protected safe haven in 1995, Ms.
Orlovic and her children were separated from her husband and
taken to a town near the city of Tuzla where they spent the
remainder of the war. Ms. Orlovic's husband, 22 close family
members, and more than 7800 other Bosniak men and boys were
then systematically killed in what the International Court of
Justice has declared a genocide. Mr. Orlovic's remains were
discovered in a mass grave years later, and he was buried
with other Srebrenica victims at the Potocari Memorial and
Cemetery in July, 2005 -- the tenth anniversary of his death.


3. (U) During the war, internally displaced Serbs from other
parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina moved into the houses and
neighborhoods of Bosniaks who had been forcibly removed. The
Serb Orthodox Church then built churches in these areas to
service the religious needs of the new inhabitants and to
send a nationalist message of Serb dominance. Illegal
construction of the church in the Orlovic front yard began in
1996, following the signing of the Dayton Accords that ended
the 1992-1995 conflict. The church was completed in 1997 at
the same time that Bosniaks began returning to Konjevic
Polje. This was also the same time that many Serb refugees
began to leave the town. For three years, Ms. Orlovic
struggled to have her house returned, but the Serb Orthodox
priest who had moved into her home refused to leave until the
RS Minister for Refugees and Displaced Persons signed an
eviction notice. The original decision read that all of the
Orlovic property should be restored, including the land where
the church had been built. Powerful Serb Orthodox Bishop
Vladika Vasilije, however, allegedly intervened and used his
influence to have authorities change the decision to read
that only her house would be returned, and not the land
encumbered by the church.


4. (U) Since her return to Konjevic Polje, Ms. Orlovic has
tenaciously fought to have the church removed and her land
returned. In 2002, she filed a lawsuit against the Serb
Orthodox Church, but the RS courts have yet to issue a ruling
on her case. She notes that there are no Serbs in Konjevic
Polje, and therefore no reason to have a church there. The
church is only used to celebrate Serb national holidays,
which are attended by Serbs from neighboring towns and are
intended to discourage Bosniak returns, frighten and
antagonize non-Serbs, and raise inter-ethnic tensions in the
municipality. Because of her outspoken battle against the
church, Ms. Orlovic, who lives alone, frequently faces
threats and harassment. She has received letters telling her
to leave her property and stop her fight. On several
occasions Ms. Orlovic has confronted the Serb Orthodox
priests who hold services in the church, telling them to get
off her land. For this, she was indicted by RS officials for
"instigating religious hatred and intolerance." She was
acquitted of all charges at trial.


5. (U) In June, the RS Government finally set aside
approximately $120,000 to relocate the church to a new
location. There is concern, however, that the Serb Orthodox
Church will take its time in relocating the church. In the
meantime, Ms. Orlovic says she is determined not to leave her
property until the church is removed. She has turned down
generous offers from the RS and the Serb Orthodox Church to
purchase the land, trips to see her children now living
abroad, and an offer from the Bosnian Islamic Community for

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an all expenses paid Hajj because she says she will not leave
Bosnia until the church is gone.


6. (U) Fata Orlovic's property dispute highlights just one of
Bosnia's many human rights abuses requiring resolution. Her
case has national implications, as minority returnee
communities in all parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina face similar
discrimination and harassment by majority populations. The
Orlovic case, long iconic in Bosnia, has recently taken on
celebrity status winning the attention of international media
outlets like the Associated Press and the British
Broadcasting Corporation. Although Ms. Orlovic may not be a
typical candidate for the Woman of Courage honor, she has
become a symbol of the Bosnian struggle against systematic
discrimination, religious intolerance and injustice. We
believe there is no better example in defense of human
dignity than the indomitable spirit, strength and
perseverance of Ms. Fata Orlovic.


7. (SBU) Ms. Orlovic has been notified of our intent to
nominate her, and her personal information is as follows:

Full Legal Name: Fata Orlovic
Job Title: Pensioner
Date of Birth: Ms. Orlovic does not know when she was born,
but thinks she is approximately 67 years old
Citizenship: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Address: Konjevic Polje, 75420, Bratunac, BiH
Telephone: 387-61-104-105
E-mail: Ms. Orlovic does not have an e-mail
Passport Number: Ms. Orlovic does not yet have a passport
ENGLISH