Seminar organized by
the Center for European and International Affairs
of the University of Nicosia
within the framework of the Network for Federal Studies and
Governance in Biethnic and Multiethnic States
THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND CYPRUS: SEJDIC AND AZIZ COMPARED
by
Nasia Hadjigeorgiou
Wednesday, 27th of November, 2013
11:30 – 13:00
Room: M115 Conference Room, Millennium Building (1st floor)
University of Nicosia
Chairman: Achilles Emilianides
Abstract
The international community has expressed in a series of peacebuilding reports an unwavering expectation that the protection of human rights can promote peace in ethnically divided, post-conflict societies. However, this expectation remains broad, unqualified and unjustified and thus, unable to shape in a helpful way peacebuilding practices on the ground. This paper examines and compares the effect of one particular human right, the right to vote, in two ethnically divided, post-conflict societies: Bosnia-Herzegovina and Cyprus. The ECHR has found the voting provisions in both countries inadequate and has demanded in Sejdic and Finci v. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Aziz v. Cyprus respectively, that they are amended accordingly. Both cases have had disappointing peacebuilding results. Sejdic remains, 4 years after the ECHR’s decision, unenforced and any suggestions for its implementation seem to be further fragmenting Bosnia’s fragile policies rather than bringing them together. The case has also undermined reconciliation in the country, since negotiations between the three constituent groups have been accompanied by nationalist arguments from all sides. Conversely, Aziz has been reluctantly implemented by the Republic of Cyprus, yet this has resulted in few or no changes on the ground. The cases point to an urgent need to rethink the ways in which human rights can improve democratic practices in post-conflict societies and curb assumptions that they can, on their own, promote peace.
This project is funded by the Research Promotion Foundation
R.S.V.P. – Tel: 22841600, Email: cceia@unic.ac.cy
