Initiative for RECOM

The Coalition for RECOM is a non-political regional gathering of civil society organizations in the countries of the former Yugoslavia. It consists of a network of non-governmental organizations, associations, and individuals who represent and promote the Initiative for RECOM towards the establishment of a Regional Commission Tasked with Establishing the facts about All Victims of War crimes and Other Serious Human Rights Violations Committed on the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia in the period from 1991-2001 (RECOM).

The Initiative for RECOM is the first regional post‐war initiative by which civil society in the region of the former Yugoslavia demands that an inter‐governmental and independent body for establishing and publicly disclosing facts about all victims, war crimes, and other serious human rights violations related to war be established. Approximately, 1,900 non‐governmental organizations, associations of victims’ families, victims, youth organizations, and renowned individuals from the region have gathered around this initiative. From May 2006 until today, the Coalition for RECOM has organized 129 consultations, five assembly meetings, and eight transitional justice forums, involving 8,700 active advocates of the Regional Commission establishing. The results of the four‐year‐long consultation process are the loosened tensions between ethnically homogenous associations of victims’ families and the RECOM Statute, which has potential to build up memories of the past and which mobilize for solidarity and compassion with all victims.

Most recently, on 22 July 2011, Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, had a meeting with representatives of the Coalition for RECOM and on this ocassion he supported the Initiative for Establishing Regional Commission for Facts About Victims and War Crimes, and Other Serious Violations of Human Rights on the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia. He said that he thinks the Initiative is important. “I highly appreciate the work of the Coalition for RECOM", Prime Minister of Kosovo stated. He promised that he would personally initiate meetings with the President of Kosovo, President of the Parliament and Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs with regard to the initiation of a procedure for discussing RECOM Initiativeand the establishing of the Regional Commission. Representatives of the Coalition for RECOM informed the Prime Minister in detail about the consultative process, Draft RECOM Statute, and the Petition for the Support for Establishing RECOM signed by 100,000 citizens of Kosovo. Prime Minister Thaçi expressed willingness to accept the request for the establishing of RECOM on behalf of the Government of Kosovo.