Revija za geografijo - Journal for Geography, 11-1, 2016, 53-64 53 CHANGE IN THE STATUS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED BOSNIAKS OF THE SREBRENICA MUNICIPALITY IN THE TUZLA CANTON DURING THE PERIOD 2005-2015 Alija Suljić Dr. sc., Associate Professor Department of Geography, Faculty of Science University of Tuzla, Univerzitetska 4, 75000 Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina e-mail: alija.suljic@untz.ba Alma Kadušić Dr. sc., Assistant Professor Department of Geography, Faculty of Science University of Tuzla, Univerzitetska 4, 75000 Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina e-mail: alma.kadusic@untz.ba Dževad Mešanović Dr. sc., Assistant Professor Department of Geography, Faculty of Science University of Tuzla, Univerzitetska 4, 75000 Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina e-mail: dzevad.mesanovic@untz.ba Sabahudin Smajić Dr. sc., Assistant Professor Department of Geography, Faculty of Science University of Tuzla, Univerzitetska 4, 75000 Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina e-mail: sabahudin.smajic@untz.ba UDK: 314.745:914.971.5 COBISS: 1.01 Abstract Change in the status of internally displaced Bosniaks of the Srebrenica municipality in the Tuzla canton during the period 2005-2015 The war during the period 1992-1995 has caused massive forced migrations of the population in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in this period about 1.2 million people fled beyond the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina while about 1 million were displaced inside the country. After the Dayton Peace Agreement, there started the process of return of refugees and displaced persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, even after more than 20 years since the signing of the Agreement a significant number of refugees and displaced persons has not returned to their pre- war places of residence. This paper explores the number and the change in the status of the internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica Municipality in the period 2005-2015, those who were residing in Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the Federal Ministry of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Tuzla Canton, in 2005, the status of internally displaced persons had 2016 households with a total of 5549 members, and by 2015 this status has kept 1099 households with a total of 2867 members. The aim of this paper is to point out to some more significant factors that led to a reduction in the number of Bosniaks from the area of Srebrenica municipality who had the status of internally displaced persons in Tuzla Canton. Key words Bosniaks, people of Srebrenica, internally displaced persons, status, Tuzla Canton, Srebrenica municipality, municipalities of the Tuzla Canton Uredništvo je članek prejelo 23.5.2016 Alija Suljić, Alma Kadušić, Dževad Mešanović, Sabahudin Smajić: Change in the status of… 54 1. Introduction Bosnia and Herzegovina is known as an area of dynamic migration trends that were particularly intensified at the end of the twentieth century as a result of forced migrations. In the period from 1992 to 1995, half of the pre-war Bosnian population was displaced with about 1,2 million residents fled out of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Vallador Alvarez 2015, 6). Neighboring countries have accepted around 40% of the refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a significant number of Bosnians took refuge in Germany, Austria, Canada, USA and Australia. Around a million people were displaced within Bosnia and Herzegovina (Pasic 2015, 7). Similar data on the intensity of displacement of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian population in the period 1992-1995 was given by the IDMC, and the Norwegian Refugee Council, according to which over half of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian population were displaced during the period 1992-1995, of which about 1,3 million were forced out of Bosnia and Herzegovina; about 500000 fled to neighboring countries and around 700,000 to the countries of Western Europe, including about 350000 in Germany (A profile of the internal displacement situation, iDMC, NRC 2006). A particular example of negative demographic trends and forced displacement in the period 1992-1995 represents the Municipality of Srebrenica, which is situated in the eastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the border with Serbia. In this period Serbian forces carried out mass expulsion and killing of Bosniak population. In the area of this municipality, according to the census of 1991, there lived 36666 inhabitants, of which 75.2% represented the Bosniak population. By occupation of the "UN Safe Area of Srebrenica" in 1995 the Serbian army committed genocide against the Bosniak population. In July 1995 there were killed around 8,000 men of the Bosniak population (Van de Bildt 2015, 115), and at the same time the expulsion of this municipality's population was carried out so they were forcibly displaced throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina or fled to other countries of the world (Kulenovic, Suljic 2006, 12). According to the 2013 census in this municipality were enumerated 15242 inhabitants (Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2013), which means that as a result of mass murder and persecution, slow and weak post-war return process, this municipality lost about 21000 residents or 584 % of the pre-war population. According to Article 4 and 5 of the Law on Displaced Persons and Returnees in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, a displaced person is a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina who, after 30. April 1991, has been displaced in the territory of the Federation as a result of conflict, persecution, a well-founded fear of being persecuted or having his/her rights violated within the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who is neither able to return in safety and with dignity to his/her former place of residence nor has voluntarily decided to settle in a new place of living. A returnee is a refugee from Bosnia and Herzegovina or a displaced person who has expressed a wish to return to his/her former place of residence to the responsible body and who is in the process of returning, as well as a refugee from Bosnia and Herzegovina and a displaced person who has returned to his/her former place of residence. Returnees shall cease to be considered returnees upon the expiry of a six-month deadline, counting from the day of their re- establishment in their former place of residence. Returnee is not a person who has established himself/herself in another place of residence within Bosnia and Herzegovina (Law on Displaced Persons and Returnees in the Federation BiH and Refugees from BiH. Official Gazette of the Federation BiH, No. 15/05). Although after Revija za geografijo - Journal for Geography, 11-1, 2016 55 the Dayton Peace Agreement the process of returning refugees and displaced persons has been going on, according to the data of the Federal Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina there were 38,820 displaced persons registered by 31.12.2014. On the territory of this Bosnian- Herzegovinian entity in 2005 the status of internally displaced persons from the area of the Srebrenica municipality had 10139 persons, and in 2013 3174 persons (Database of displaced persons and refugees 2005). The largest number of displaced inhabitants of Srebrenica, that is, more than a half of the displaced residents of Srebrenica in FBiH have found refuge in Tuzla Canton. In 2005, in Tuzla Canton, there were registered 5549 displaced persons from the area of Srebrenica municipality, and by 2015 that number was reduced to 2867 people (Database of displaced persons and refugees. Ministry of Work, Social affairs and Return of Tuzla Canton. Tuzla, 2015). However, the reduction in the number of Srebrenica people with the status of displaced persons did not happen in this period as a result of returning the displaced persons to the municipality of Srebrenica. By the end of 2005, 1754 households with a total of 3946 members returned to their pre-war places of residence in the municipality of Srebrenica, whereas in the year 2015, in the Srebrenica municipality were less than 2000 inhabitants of Bosniak population. A certain number of displaced persons decided not to return to their pre-war places of residence due to past trauma of war, sense of insecurity, adverse economic and social conditions in the Republic of Srpska. The population of returnees often face poverty due to lack of employment opportunities, poor access to social and health services, the education system is ethnically divided and so on. In addition, younger generations of the displaced population have integrated into the new environment, their ties to the area of origin weakened, and thus their desire to return has weakened. Therefore, the reduction in the number of Srebrenica people with the status of displaced persons in the area of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Tuzla Canton, to a lesser extent was caused by the process of returning displaced persons to the municipality of Srebrenica. For the most part, it is the consequence of the social, economic, and political situations and the legislation in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Tuzla Canton in the post-war period. 2. Materials and Methods The study of the change in the number and status of internally displaced Bosniaks from the Srebrenica Municipality in the area of Tuzla Canton and Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the period 2005-2015, was conducted on the basis of the Database on displaced persons and refugees of the Federal Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees (data for 2005 and 2015) and the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Return of Tuzla Canton (data for 2015). The database on displaced persons and refugees for 2005 was formed on the basis of re-registration process of refugees and displaced persons in order to determine the actual number of persons in the said status. Data for 2005 contain an individualized list of the holders of displaced person status, as well as the number of members of their family households according to the pre-war place of residence and the current place, municipality and canton of residence in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Data for 2015, with similar content as in 2005, include exclusively displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica in the area of Tuzla Canton. Alija Suljić, Alma Kadušić, Dževad Mešanović, Sabahudin Smajić: Change in the status of… 56 In addition to the mentioned data on the internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica Municipality in Tuzla Canton, other statistical data were also used, which are directly or indirectly related to the internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica. These are the following databases: • Individualized list of Bosniak victims of genocide in the municipality of Srebrenica, in the period from 1992 to 1995 (containing 5400 killed and fallen persons); • Database of the Service for the return of Srebrenica Municipality, about the number of returnees to the municipality of Srebrenica by 31.12.2004. (contains information on 1687 households with a total of 3835 members by their settlements in the municipality of Srebrenica); • An excerpt from the Central Voters Register of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2006. The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo (contains data on 10283 voters with the right to vote in the municipality of Srebrenica). The other sources of information relating to the issue and the subject of research were also consulted, such as professional and scientific papers, statistical data of governmental and non-governmental organizations, as indicated in the list of references. All the mentioned data were compared with data from the Database of displaced persons and refugees, which was obtained from the relevant ministries at the level of the Federation BiH and Tuzla Canton. The purpose of these comparisons was to reach more exact indicators on the status and the number of internally displaced Bosniaks of the Srebrenica Municipality in the area of Tuzla Canton, as well as the actual number of displaced persons after the fall of the "UN Safe Area of Srebrenica", July 1995, and deportation of civilians, mainly women, children and the elderly to the area of Tuzla district (today Tuzla Canton), as well as the number of returnees in the municipality of Srebrenica. In addition to the method of comparison, the other used methods were the method of case studies and method of meta-analysis. 3. Number of internally displaced Bosniaks of the Srebrenica Municipality in the area of Tuzla Canton in the period 2005-2015 In the period from 1992 to 1996 the temporary accommodation in Tuzla Canton was given to about 15000 displaced Bosniaks from the Srebrenica Municipality. After signing the Dayton Peace Agreement in late 1995, and the cessation of the state of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first half of 1996, and finally opening of traffic roads both within Bosnia and Herzegovina and to foreign countries, there occurred migrations of internally displaced Bosnians of the Srebrenica municipality. These migrations have taken place both within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and towards the Western European or overseas countries. According to unofficial estimates, between 5 and 10 thousand of Srebrenica Bosniaks live outside Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although there are no exact figures to indicate how many Bosniaks of Srebrenica municipality have really been displaced in the territory of Tuzla canton (Tuzla district), it is assumed that in this period, in Tuzla Canton were residing about 80% of the total number of displaced Bosniaks from Srebrenica. However, through the process of registration of displaced persons and refugees in the post-war period, by the competent institutions in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the actual number of displaced persons from the area of Srebrenica within Tuzla Canton and the entire Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina was determined. Revija za geografijo - Journal for Geography, 11-1, 2016 57 By 2005, more than half of the internally displaced Bosniaks from the Srebrenica municipality had a residence in the area of Tuzla Canton. Out of the total number of expelled persons from Srebrenica who lived in FBiH, in the municipalities of Tuzla Canton lived approximately 54% of all displaced families, or 54,7% of all displaced persons (Kulenovic et. al. 2006, 16). Thus, in the area of Tuzla Canton in 2005, there were 2016 households resident with a total of 5549 members of the internally displaced people from Srebrenica. By 2015, this number decreased to 1099 households with a total of 2867 members (Tab. 1). Tab. 1: Number of persons expelled from Srebrenica, by municipalities of the Tuzla Canton, in 2005 and 2015. Year 2005 2015 Canton / Municipality Number of households Number of members Number of households Number of members Total, TK 2016 5549 1099 2867 Banovići 167 419 94 218 Čelić 9 24 1 1 Doboj Istok 11 33 5 16 Gračanica 108 312 68 207 Gradačac 114 379 61 208 Kalesija 45 144 51 142 Kladanj 31 99 16 56 Lukavac 375 1064 184 521 Srebrenik 522 1418 196 424 Tuzla 300 807 195 506 Živinice 334 850 228 568 Source: Database of displaced persons and refugees. Federal Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees. Sarajevo, 2015. In relative numbers shown, the number of households of the internally displaced Bosniaks from Srebrenica in the period 2005-2015 decreased by 45,5%, and the total number of household members decreased by 48,3%. The process of reducing the number of displaced persons in Tuzla Canton, and other administrative units of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was affected by several factors, the most significant being demographic (bio-reproductive), economic and housing. Of demographic factors the most important is low birth rate among the refugee population which was influenced by the so-called external factors, in other words, by the loss of a large number of male population in fertility age during the period from 1992 to 1995, which led to a large gender disproportion in the displaced population from Srebrenica and thus to termination of bio-reproduction in women who were married. Economic factors also had a major impact on the number of displaced residents of Srebrenica in Tuzla Canton. A large number of displaced and expelled persons in the municipality of Srebrenica had lost immediate family members (children, husbands, parents) who were killed, and thus according to current legislation in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina they could have provided adequate socio-economic benefits such as the right to a permanent family care allowance. In addition, a number of displaced persons from Srebrenica lost their status of displaced persons by solving their employment-legal status, that is, by getting employment and housing (Suljić et. al. 2015, 9). However, even though there was a significant reduction in the number of households (that is, the total number of internally displaced Bosniaks from the Srebrenica Municipality), still their relative proportion increased in the area of Tuzla Canton in relation to other areas of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2005, the Alija Suljić, Alma Kadušić, Dževad Mešanović, Sabahudin Smajić: Change in the status of… 58 share of internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica Municipality who stayed in the area of of Tuzla Canton amounted to about 55% of the total number of displaced Srebrenica people in FBiH. In 2015, this share was much higher being approximately 76,7% of the total number of internally displaced households, or 77,7% of the total number of internally displaced persons from Srebrenica who have the status of displaced persons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are several reasons that caused the expelled Bosniaks from Srebrenica to, in large numbers, retain the status of displaced persons in Tuzla Canton in relation to other cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina where this population resided. However, there are two most important reasons: one is geographical, the other is socio- economic. The area of Tuzla Canton is geographically closest to the municipality of Srebrenica, so the majority of refugees and internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica hope that, sooner or later, they will return to their pre-war places of residence in the municipality of Srebrenica. Another reason is the status or socio- economic nature, because people who have got legally recognized status of displaced or expelled persons are entitled to some legally provided benefits, such as for example the right to a permanent family care allowance, the right to health care, etc. The very process of returning to pre-war places of residence of internally displaced persons from Srebrenica did not significantly contribute to the overall reduction in people with the status of displaced persons. Although some official reports of government at all levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina show that the return of internally displaced persons to their pre-war places of residence was satisfactory, it can not be claimed for the municipality of Srebrenica. As an example, the data from the "Service for return"of Srebrenica municipality by the end of 2004 may be used. According to the aforementioned service of the Srebrenica municipality by the end of 2004 in this municipality have returned 1310 Bosniak families with a total of 3048 members. That these figures are much lower is shown by the data obtained on the basis of selected lists from the central electoral register of voters of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2006. Namely, the permanent residence in the area of Srebrenica had 1384 persons of Bosniak nationality who were aged 18 years and over (persons with the right to vote). If to this number is added about 20% of Bosniaks who are under the age of 18 years, it gives a total of 1730 people, or approximately 1800 Bosniaks who lived in the area of Srebrenica municipality in mid-2006 (BiH Central Voters Register. Central Election Commission. Sarajevo, 2006). From the above said, it comes out that the process of return of displaced persons to their pre-war places of residence can not be taken as an important cause of the decrease in the number of people with the status of a displaced person, especially when it comes to the number of returns to the municipality of Srebrenica. 4. Spatial distribution of internally displaced Bosniaks of the Srebrenica Municipality in the area of Tuzla Canton in 2005 and 2015 The territorial distribution of internally displaced persons from Srebrenica in the municipalities of Tuzla Canton was conditioned by several factors. The first and foremost factor is the original accommodation of internally displaced people of Srebrenica after their deportation from the occupied, so-called, "UN Safe Area" of Srebrenica in July 1995. The people from Srebrenica who were expelled, were first placed in military facilities and tents in Dubrave, near Tuzla, and later relocated to other municipalities of Tuzla Canton, primarily in the following municipalities: Banovići, Lukavac, Srebrenik, Tuzla and Živinice, and later in the municipalities of Revija za geografijo - Journal for Geography, 11-1, 2016 59 Gračanica, Gradačac and Kladanj. This can be seen as well from the total number of internally displaced persons from Srebrenica who mostly left in the municipalities in which they were placed at the end of 1995 and beginning of 1996 (Tab. 2). Tab. 2: Comparison of distributions of displaced persons from Srebrenica by municipalities of the Tuzla Canton in 2005 and 2015. Year 2005 2015 Canton / Municipality Number of households Number of members Number of households Number of members Total, TK 2016 5549 1099 2867 Banovići 167 419 94 218 Čelić 9 24 1 1 Doboj Istok 11 33 5 16 Gračanica 108 312 68 207 Gradačac 114 379 61 208 Kalesija 45 144 51 142 Kladanj 31 99 16 56 Lukavac 375 1064 184 521 Srebrenik 522 1418 196 424 Tuzla 300 807 195 506 Živinice 334 850 228 568 Source: Database of displaced persons and refugees. Federal Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees. Sarajevo, 2015. Other factors that have influenced the distribution of displaced persons from Srebrenica to the area of Tuzla Canton can be included in the group of geographic factors. The most important are geographical, topographical and traffic positions of municipalities in Tuzla Canton, or the proximity to the Tuzla City as the administrative, cultural, health and university center of Tuzla Canton. The best view of territorial and numerical distribution of internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica Municipality in 2005 in the municipalities of Tuzla Canton can be obtained through the relative numbers. The order of municipalities from Tuzla Canton is given by the largest share of internally displaced Bosnians: Srebrenik 25,6%, Lukavac 19,2%, Živinice 15,3%, Tuzla 14,5%, Banovići 7,6%, Gradačac 6,8%, Gračanica 5,6%, Kalesija 2,6%, Kladanj 1,8%, Doboj Istok 0,6% and municipality Ćelić 0,4% of the total number of internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica municipality throughout Tuzla Canton. So, from the above relative numbers, that is, shares of the number of internally displaced persons from Srebrenica over Tuzla Canton, it can be seen that most of the displaced persons had a residence in the municipalities in which the displaced persons were located at the end of 1995 and beginning of 1996, which gravitate towards Tuzla City. In addition to the aforementioned, a significant impact on the regional distribution of the displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica Municipality in the area of Tuzla Canton had a traffic position and size of the settlement of residence. Namely, the regional distribution of families displaced from Srebrenica in these municipalities was conditioned, first of all, by favorable geo-traffic position of these settlements compared to municipal urban centers (Kulenović et. al. 2006, 17-19). In 2015, the largest number of displaced persons from the municipality of Srebrenica had a residence in the following municipalities of Tuzla Canton: Živinice 19,8%, Lukavac 18,2%, Tuzla 17,6%, Srebrenik 14,8%, Gradačac 7,3%, Gračanica 7,2%, Kalesija 5,0%, Banovići 7,6%, Kladanj 2,0% and municipality Doboj Istok 0,6% of Alija Suljić, Alma Kadušić, Dževad Mešanović, Sabahudin Smajić: Change in the status of… 60 the total number of internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica Municipality in the area of Tuzla Canton. Based on these data, a conclusion can be made that in the period 2005-2015, certain changes happened in the proportion of internally displaced Srebrenica people in the municipalities of Tuzla Canton. The most significant decrease in the share of the displaced persons was recorded in the municipality of Srebrenik, and an increase in the municipality of Živinice. In other municipalities of Tuzla Canton there was no significant variation in the number of displaced persons from Srebrenica. These changes do not mean that a large number of internally displaced persons left some municipalities, and moved to others in the Tuzla Canton, even though such migrations existed. In most cases, if there was no return to pre-war places of residence, displaced persons resolved their housing and economic needs in the municipality area of residence, and hence by the force of law they lost the right to the status of displaced persons. The status of displaced person in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina may cease for various reasons, the most important are: voluntary return to their former place of residence; refusal to return to a former place of residence, although a voluntary return to his/her former place of residence is possible, in safety and dignity, and when there are no compelling reasons arising out of previous persecution or other strong humanitarian reasons; when a displaced person has voluntarily decided to permanently settle elsewhere in the territory of the Federation; when a displaced person has made a free use of his/her pre-war property in his/her former place of permanent residence (sale, exchange, rent); when a displaced person has made a free use of his/her property in his/her place of temporary residence (purchase or construction of house, apartment); when a displaced person has used assistance/donation for an urgent repair of his/her house, apartment in his/her place of permanent/temporary residence; in case of death (Law on Displaced Persons and Returnees in the Federation BiH and Refugees from BiH. Official Gazette of the Federation BiH, No. 15/05). One of the indicators that there were no significant intra- municipal migrations of displaced persons is that these people in the 10-year period, for the most part, retained the same place of residence. The best examples are the municipalities of Živinice, Tuzla, Srebrenik and Lukavac. 5. Distribution of internally displaced Bosniaks of the Srebrenica municipality in municipalities of the Tuzla Canton by gender and selected age groups in the year 2015 According to the data from the International Commission on Missing Persons 7755 residents of the municipality of Srebrenica were killed around 11 July 1995. Of that number, DNA analysis identified 6918 people (89% of the total number of killed), and 803 persons are still missing, that is, 10% of the total number of deaths in the genocide (International Commission on Missing Persons, 2015). Males make up the majority of the victims, but there were also women and children among victims (a little more than 5% of victims are children under the age of 15 years) (Leydesdorff 2011, 12). Therefore, most of the displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica are female persons, which is understandable, bearing in mind that in the area of Srebrenica during the war, from 1992 to 1995, were killed more than 5000 males (Suljic et. al. 2015, 9). Tab. 3. shows data on distribution of the displaced people from Srebrenica in the municipalities of Tuzla Canton, by gender and corresponding age groups. Revija za geografijo - Journal for Geography, 11-1, 2016 61 Tab. 3: Distribution of displaced persons from Srebrenica in municipalities of the Tuzla Canton by gender and selected age groups in 2015. Canton / Municipality Total Gender Age distribution total 0‒4 5‒17 18‒50 51 + unknown Tuzla Canton 2,822 male 1,174 17 145 827 184 1 female 1,648 19 136 834 658 1 Banovići 217 male 88 1 10 59 17 1 female 129 1 7 70 51 0 Čelić 1 male 0 0 0 0 0 0 female 1 0 0 0 1 0 Doboj Istok 17 male 6 0 1 5 0 0 female 11 0 0 8 3 0 Gračanica 205 male 85 1 9 66 9 0 female 120 3 8 61 48 0 Gradačac 208 male 88 1 13 64 10 0 female 120 1 16 66 37 0 Kalesija 132 male 56 0 8 38 10 0 female 76 0 8 39 29 0 Kladanj 42 male 23 0 2 14 7 0 female 19 0 1 8 10 0 Lukavac 553 male 237 3 24 177 33 0 female 316 5 32 170 109 0 Srebrenik 436 male 177 5 30 119 23 0 female 259 4 30 102 123 0 Tuzla 469 male 198 2 24 137 35 0 female 271 4 21 139 106 1 Živinice 542 male 216 4 24 148 40 0 female 326 1 13 171 141 0 Source: Database of displaced persons and refugees. Federal Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees. Sarajevo, 2015. Based on the data presented in table 3 it is evident that the part of female persons in the total number of displaced persons in Tuzla Canton is 58,4%, and the proportion of males only 41,6%. In the age group 18-50 years there is an almost equal proportion of male and female population, 29,3% of men and 29,6% for women. However, a significant difference exists between the proportion of male and female population aged 51 and over; only 6,5% of male and 23,3% of female population. One of the main reasons for this gender disproportion is the suffering of the male population in the municipality of Srebrenica during the period 1992-1995. Also, the proportion of the male population aged 18-50 years in the total male population is 70,4% and the share of females, aged 18-50 years, in the total female population is 50,6%. This difference was, probably, conditioned by entering marriages for a part of the female population, which created legal requirements for losing the status of displaced persons. Alija Suljić, Alma Kadušić, Dževad Mešanović, Sabahudin Smajić: Change in the status of… 62 From the above, it can be concluded that the share of mature and late-age population will increase, and the share of young population will decrease. Not only it is the matter of the biological aging process, and the associated demographic process of aging of the displaced from Srebrenica, but also it is the loss of the status of displaced persons on the basis of the acquisition of certain socio-economic conditions that are prescribed by law and regulated. The very return to the pre-war place of residence does not have a significant role in the process of reducing the number of people with the status of internally displaced persons. 6. Conclusion Among a large number of factors that have influenced the number of internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica in Tuzla Canton the political, geographical, socio- economic, legal and demographic factors can be sorted out. The political factors include war events around the so-called "UN Safe Area of Srebrenica" in July 1995, mass killings of young and middle-aged men, the expulsion of women and children to the area of today's Tuzla Canton and others. Geographical factors are determined by the shortest distance between the area of Tuzla Canton and the municipality of Srebrenica. Socio-economic factors, such as employment, housing, marrying, etc., have caused giving up or losing the status of displaced persons. The latter is related to the legal or statutory factors. Demographic factors are reflected in the low birthrate with refugee populations, gender disproportion which was conditioned by the mass murder of young and middle-aged men during the genocide in July 1995, especially young, married men and others. As for the territorial distribution of internally displaced people of Srebrenica in the municipalities of Tuzla Canton, during the period 2005-2015, it can be concluded that there were no significant changes, as observed in relative numbers. A significant reduction in the share of the displaced persons occurred in the municipality of Srebrenik, with simultaneous increase that occurred in the municipality Živinice, while in other municipalities this change was not significant. Considering their pre-war places of residence, the internally displaced Bosniaks in Tuzla Canton, originally were from 61 inhabited places of the municipality of Srebrenica, whereas from 10 settlements there was not even one person with the status of a displaced person. Only in two municipalities of Tuzla Canton, Sapna and Teočak, there were no internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica. The majority of the displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica are women as a result of the destruction of the male population during the war and mass killings during the genocide in July 1995. The highest and almost equal share for both genders is in the population age group of 18 to 50 years. A significant difference between the shares of both genders occurs in the population aged 51 and over, where the share of women compared to men is 3.6 times higher. The main reason for this gender disproportion is the destruction of male population during the genocide in the municipality of Srebrenica, from 1992 to 1995. The paper was created within the framework of the scientific-research project "The change in the status of the refugees and internally displaced Bosniaks of the Srebrenica Municipality in the territory of FBiH" which was approved and funded under the 5th Internal call of the University of Tuzla for financing/co-financing of projects in the field of science of importance for the Federation BiH in 2014, entitled "Support for research of importance for the Federation" (No. 01/2-2995/15) from 26.05.2015. Revija za geografijo - Journal for Geography, 11-1, 2016 63 References A profile of the internal displacement situation - Bosnia and Herzegovina. Internal Displacement Monotoring Centre (iDMC), Norwegian Refugee Council. Geneva, 2016. BiH Central Voters Register. Central Election Commission. Sarajevo, 2006. Database of displaced persons and refugees 2005. Federal Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees. Sarajevo. Internet: www.fmroi.gov.ba/bosanski/statistika/index.php (29.02.2016). 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Alija Suljić, Alma Kadušić, Dževad Mešanović, Sabahudin Smajić: Change in the status of… 64 CHANGE IN THE STATUS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED BOSNIAKS OF THE SREBRENICA MUNICIPALITY IN THE TUZLA CANTON DURING THE PERIOD 2005-2015 Summary The studies on changes in the status of internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica Municipality in Tuzla Canton during the period 2005-2015 were aimed to point out the main factors that have contributed to reducing the number of displaced persons, and that it was not significantly influenced by the return to the area of Srebrenica Municipality. Of the total number of internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica Municipality within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 55% of them lived in the area of Tuzla Canton by 2005, and 10 years later, that proportion increased to 77%, although the absolute number of internally displaced persons from Srebrenica in that period decreased by about 64% in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or about 52% in Tuzla Canton. The most important factors that influenced the process of changing the status of displaced persons are classified in the group of socio-political (war and post-war situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina), geographic (distance between the area of Tuzla Canton and Srebrenica municipality), socioeconomic (resolving employment-legal relations and housing issues), demographic (low birthrate and gender disproportion in the refugee population) and legal factors (loss of status due to changes prescribed by law). In late 1995 and early 1996, in Tuzla Canton area there were about 18500 Bosniaks from Srebrenica, including 15000 people who were expelled or fled after the occupation of the Srebrenica enclave in July 1995, and about 3500 people who were evacuated from the Srebrenica enclave in the spring of 1993. Internally displaced Bosniacs stayed within the area of whole Tuzla Canton, except in the municipalities of Sapna and Teočak, and the most numerous were in the following municipalities: Srebrenik 25,6%, Lukavac 19,2%, Živinice 15,3% and Tuzla 14,5%, according to data from 2005, or in the municipalities: Živinice 19,8%, Lukavac 18,2%, Tuzla 17,6% and Srebrenik 14,8%, according to data from 2015. The territorial distribution of families displaced from Srebrenica in these municipalities was conditioned, first of all, by favorable geo-traffic position of these settlements in relation to the municipal urban centers. In the area of Tuzla Canton in 2015 internally displaced Bosnians were originally from 61 settlements of the municipality of Srebrenica, whereas from 10 pre-war settlements of this municipality there was not even one internally displaced person. The majority of the internally displaced Bosniaks of Srebrenica is made up of women with a share of 58,4%, while the proportion of males is only 41,6%. In the age group 18-50 years there is an almost equal proportion of male and female population, with 29,3% of the male, and 29,6% of the female population. A significant difference exists between the proportion of male and female population aged 51 and over; only 6,5% of male and 23,3% female population. The main cause of this gender disproportion is the destruction of male population during the genocide in the Municipality of Srebrenica, from 1992 to 1995.