On August 12, 1997, in my capacity as the Supervisor for Brcko, I herein issue the following Order in accordance with my authority under the Arbitral Award on the Interim International Supervision in the Brcko Area:
Returnees to the Brcko municipality in the territory of the Republika Srpska must be in possession of a valid identity card. This identity card gives them the same rights and obligations as other inhabitants of the municipality.
I have requested the authorities in Brcko to issue RS identity cards on the day of and in the village of return for citizens currently residing in the Federation who are approved for return to Brcko. The authorities have refused to comply with this request in spite of my intensive efforts as the Supervisor.
Therefore, for returnees who are approved for return by either the current Returns Commission or the International Housing Commission, Federation identity cards with an OHR plastic cover with a laminated insert shall be regarded as valid identity cards as long as this Order is in force. For this purpose, the OHR plastic cover with a laminated insert will be issued by the UN International Police Task Force and RS police officials on the day of and in the village of return. The OHR laminated insert states: “Valid for the period of the Interim International Supervision of Dayton Implementation in the Brcko area until the final decision of the Arbitral Tribunal for the Brcko Area.”
A register of all persons issued OHR laminates will be kept by OHR/IPTF. The Republika Srpska authorities in Brcko will be given a complete list of the names of the persons in this register.
Returnees to the Brcko area carrying this identity card with OHR insert have the same rights and obligations as holders of regular Republika Srpska identity cards, provided that they accept their obligations in accordance with the Return Procedure.
This Order stays in force until I, as Supervisor, conclude that Republika Srpska authorities in Brcko are complying with my request to issue Republika Srpska ID cards under the arrangements outlined above.
Robert W. Farrand
Supervisor for Brcko
Brcko, 12 August 1997
