On 5 December, 2008, within the project “How to reach Truth?” supported by IKV Pax Christi, public debate “How Do we Live Human Rights – Vukovar Today” was held in the Lav Hotel in Vukovar.
The co-organisers in Vukovar were the Centre for Peace, Legal Advices and Psychosocial Support Vukovar and the Coalition for Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Osijek.
Around 20 people participated in the public debate, which is relatively poor turnout since having in mind the topic and the significance of the human rights. However, the turnout of the associations of the national minorities and citizens of non-Croatian ethnicity was very good and they had very good discussion with the speakers. The characteristics of the discussion, the structure of the participants, selected topics and poor turnout of the authorities point out that there are violations of human rights. In addition, it was noticed that there is fear among some citizens, national minorities, to emphasise publicly the problems they face with.

The speakers at the public tribune were Mr Jaroslav Pecnik from the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights Osijek and Mr Drago Hedl, a journalist. Their selection of the topics was very good, and they presented human rights violations both in the world and in Croatia. The moderator of the public debate was Mr Vehid Sehic, the president of the Forum of Tuzla Citizens.

During the public debate, one or two participants of Serbian ethnicity had very good dicussions. They presented concrete cases and emphasised the fact that human rights are still being violated to the members of the national minorities, although Croatia officially, but, unfortunately, only declaratively, points out that she respects human rights and that all citizens are equal before the law. Furthermore, two participants of Serbian ethnicity asked the organisers neither to record (audio) their discussions nor to make photos of them, which points out the fact that fear is very present among the members of the national minority to publicly state that their rights are being violated.

Political situation in Vukovar is unchanged in relation to the last year’s. Inhabitants of Vukovar still live one beside other, not one with another. Croatian authorities believe that peaceful reintegration was successful, although the last debate that FTC organised in Vukovar about human rights clearly showed that authorities violate minority rights more than it is acceptable for normal, democratic state.