CESVI

704 houses under reconstruction in Drvar

CESVI has two primary objectives when it comes to working in Drvar. Firstly, generating the return of displaced persons and refugees to the area and secondly recording those displaced persons originating from Kakanj in the Central Bosnia Canton, who wish to return to their place of origin. The European Commission's Obnova programme is supporting the project to the tune of 4.3 million EURO.

By Mile Sevo

Two-way return

According to Fabio Amici, the head of CESVI's Drvar office, 704 houses are currently being rebuilt in the town in order to accommodate returning displaced persons and refugees. CESVI operates in 14 villages in the southeast part of the municipality and a total of 450 houses have been reconstructed so far. Returnees are becoming more and more visible and this willingness of people to come back to their homes provides a key motive for CESVI to continue its work. Part of the Drvar scheme includes a credit line designed to generate employment in the region.

"That part of the project is designed to aid job creation and encourage the empowerment of the returning population. Aid is not given to everyone and selections are made following a careful evaluation of every application", Amici said.

Reconstruction of school and veterinary station

Another important aspect of CESVI's program concerns the rebuilding of key infrastructure. "In co-operation with Canadian SFOR we have rebuilt a veterinary station that is now able to offer adequate assistance to the population. A primary school and market place have also been rebuilt. The market place, besides being an economic centre, also encourages people to meet and mingle which in turn helps to create a spirit of healthy co-existence", Amici said.

In parallel with its reconstruction program in Drvar, CESVI is also helping to rebuild houses and infrastructure in Kakanj municipality in the Central Bosnia Canton. Some 30 Croat families have already returned from Drvar to Kakanj and are now living in houses rebuilt by CESVI, all of which have running water.

According to Mr. Amici, the co-operation with the municipal authorities of Drvar and Kakanj is currently satisfactory and is expected to improve in the future.

Contentment and discontent

The CESVI project was a subject of our conversation with the mayor of Drvar municipality, Mr. Milo Marceta. But while the mayor was grateful for the aid his town had received he nevertheless had some criticisms.

"They only reconstruct the skeleton of houses then provide returnees with the materials to finish the reconstruction themselves. This sometimes creates problems because many of the returnees are old, sick, weak and often unskilled in masonry. One of the biggest problems for the returnees is electricity supply. There are people, in the village of Bastasi for example who have had no electricity for three years. This is a political problem which needs to be solved as soon as possible", he said.

For more information:
CESVI Drvar
Fabio Amici
tel.: +381 80 820 106 or +381 80 820 701
fax.: + 381 80 820 106
e-mail: cesvibl@inecco.net
or fabiodr@inecco.net