STATEMENT OF HENRY H. PERRITT, JR., PROFESSOR OF LAW, AND
DIRECTOR OF PROJECT BOSNIA, VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF
LAW, REGARDING RESULTS OF VISIT TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA BY
VILLANOVA PROJECT BOSNIA TEAM

16 August 1996

As the member of the Project Bosnia team who obviously has
more experience in policy development and institutional
reform, I would be remiss if I did not conclude by telling
you about a problem.

You have heard about the vision of Project Bosnia from my
colleagues. Mr. Ingis told you that the establishment of
Internet Service Providers is critical to the realization of
the vision of an Internet-enabled Rule of Law in
Bosnia-Herzogovina. I would like to talk about the policy
implications of that proposition.

One of the virtues of the Internet is its decentralized
character. Legal institutions can exchange information
through the Internet simply by connecting PCs to it and
sending and receiving word processing files. They can do
this only because someone else is doing the rest. The
Internet changes the economics of information because it
reduces the barriers to entry. The Internet is the
quintessential competitive marketplace for information. The
best way to get a number of Internet Service Providers set
up is to harness the energies of private and public
innovators.

I am satisfied that the basic physical infrastructure is
there for Internet access by legal institutions in Bosnia.
Dialup lines, intercity connections, and international links
are in place now or soon will be.

The problem is not technological or physical; it is
political - a choice between monopoly and markets. The
problem is not economic. There is plenty of demand for
Internet based communication in Bosnia. Even the demand for
information exchange for legal institutions and the press by
themselves could support one or more Internet Service
Providers. As an economic matter, that there are incentives
for small business to set up Internet access companies.

The problem thus is one of basic telecommunications policy.
Bosnia must shed its commitment to a monopoly market for
telecommunications and join Western Europe and the United
States in embracing competition for the exploding range of
telecommunications options and services. Even if it takes
time to work out a comprehensive telecommunications policy
centered on competition - as it did in the U.S. and in
Western Europe, the present monopoly must not be extended to
Internet services. It may take time to move forward. But a
commitment not to move backward can and should be made
immediately. The Internet, a new technology, should not
become a prisoner of policies now recognized as obsolete
even for old technologies.

There is much to be done to restore core telecommunications
services. The PTT has limited resources. It should focus
those resources on rebuilding the core, not on trying to do
everything. Extending a telecommunications monopoly and
holding off others who want to invest in building an
Information Superhighway for Bosnia is not the way to build
a civil society quickly.

Ordinarily it would be arrogant for an American to express
such definite views about the policy of another country, but
the International Community has a stake in the climate for
progress in Bosnia. America has a stake in what happens in
Bosnia. America has a stake in the climate for building
legal institutions and a civil society. It is appropriate
for me to tell you that I know something about market
structures for Internet development. I have written about
it. I know something about development of telecommunications
policy and law. I have written about that and served as a
member of President's Clinton's Transition Team working on
telecommunications. I know something about how to use the
Internet to enhance public access to legal information and
to enhance public participation in government.

Based on this background, I conclude that an urgent priority
for the International Community and for the United States
Government is to encourage the Government of the Federation
of Bosnia-Herzogovina to commit itself to allow competitive
development of Internet Service Providers in Bosnia. The
rest of the vision of Project Bosnia can then be realized
more easily, maybe even as a matter of course in some
institutional settings. With that realization, the World
Community can move civil reconstruction forward.

There is a second policy link: the link between Project
Bosnia and the September elections: We want to put the
Constitutional Court on the Internet. That is important,
because the Constitutional Court symbolizes Law's mechanism
for resolving disputes among the constituent parts of the
Dayton Accords. We want to put the Ombudsmen on the
Internet. That is important because the Ombudsmen symbolize
Law's mechanism for protecting human rights. One of the
necessary conditions for meaningful elections on September
14 is hope. You don't vote unless you have hope. Project
Bosnia can contribute to hope for a Rule of Law.



STATEMENT OF STUART P. INGIS, PROJECT MANAGER, PROJECT
BOSNIA, VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW


16 August 1996

We launched our project some eight months ago because we saw
a unique opportunity for innovation to help in the
implementation of the peace in Bosnia.  It was our
observation that a tremendous international effort was
underway, but there was a small concrete contribution which
could result in a disproportionately great impact.  Our
organization was uniquely positioned to do this.

We at Villanova have been involved over the past few years
in proving that Internet technology can promote civil
societies.  More specifically, the Internet has the ability
to create, maintain, and foster a rule of law.  In the
United States, through the law school's Center for
Information Law and Policy, we have connected all of the
Federal Appellate Courts, and some eight hundred federal
institution to the Internet.

The logic behind this vision is simple. In order to have a
civil society, Bosnia must have a rule of law.  In order to
have a rule of law, the legal community needs to exchange
information, in order to exchange information the legal
community needs to communicate effectively.  Given the
destruction in Bosnia, reprinting and distributing books is
not the way to do this. The least expensive and most
effective way to communicate is through the Internet.

We have during our visit met with leaders of
non-governmental organizations and the Bosnian Law Community
who have been overwhelmingly supportive of our plan.  We
have many successes to date which we hope to build on from
the results of our visit here.  We have a shipment of 35
computers due here next month, and another 100 in storage
back in the US.  We have designed software and are close to
completing connection of the nine constitutional court
justices who sit in diverse locations.  This will be the
first "virtual court" in the world.

We are working in conjunction with the American Bar
Association's Central East European Law Initiative(CEELI),
and with Eric Bachman, a true hero in proving technology's
contribution to Peace by setting up the only existing e-mail
network in Bosnia during the war.

As we have been reminded so often during our visit,
reconstruction is a long and detailed process.  In our
project some of the details include education, democratic
reform, collection and distribution of computer hardware,
and the creation of Internet service providers. While these
details can be frustrating, they must be completed.

For anyone to oppose the peace effort here is unacceptable.

>From a more global perspective, which after all is the main
attribute of the Internet, connectivity to the information
superhighway is also one of the most important tools for a
free press, international business and free markets, and the
democratic exchange of ideas.  We believe the people here
want to and can make a peace last.  Throughout the week, we
explained that the implementation of these modern
technologies and the international commitment to
humanitarian principle demonstrate where we  stand
collectively as people at the turn of the millennium, and
the fact that Bosnia will emerge from this war as a model
city. No citizen or relief organization should let anyone
tell them differently!



STATEMENT OF WILLIAM J. SAUERS, VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
OF LAW, REGARDING RESULTS OF VISIT TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA BY
VILLANOVA PROJECT BOSNIA TEAM

16 August 1996

Project Bosnia aims at hastening development of a civil
society. Development of a civil society is about politics. 

Politicians are important. The upcoming elections are an
excellent example.  They can ensure that the democratic
process will take hold.  But Bosnia is made up of people,
and most of them want to go on with their daily lives.  If
the politicians and politicking can move Bosnia toward that
goal, then it is an essential step on the road to a civil
society.  But when the political process keeps the people
from achieving their goals it can change from empowering
them to suppressing them.

One of the most exciting aspects of Project Bosnia extends
beyond law and legal institutions in the narrow sense. The
Internet can make election campaigns engines of democracy
instead of instruments of hatred. Internet connections can
allow the people of Bosnia to move on, past the political
juggernaut that led to war, by enabling dialogue, by
allowing people in Bosnia to access the people of the world.
The Internet can let the people of the world tell the people
of Bosnia, "We want to know you as people, not just people
whose political affiliation and ethnic identity must be
protected."

The Internet - the core of Project Bosnia - can ensure that
politicians do not lose sight of the Bosnian people.



STATEMENT OF MICHAEL R. HASWELL, , VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF LAW, REGARDING RESULTS OF VISIT TO
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA BY VILLANOVA PROJECT BOSNIA TEAM


16 August 1996


The Internet functions as a library, a public forum, and a
publishing house.  In this way, the Internet can ease
tensions arising from the difficulties with freedom of
movement on two levels.  First, the nature of the Internet
is inherently global.  An individual may travel "virtually"
anywhere in the world with the click of a mouse.  Second,
and perhaps more importantly, the free flow of communication
breeds understanding.  Peaceful coexistence hinges on mutual
respect.  It is only through candid discussion and
resolution, even if it is a resolution to disagree, that the
Federation will thrive.

During my five days in Sarajevo, indelible images of bullet
holes and broken windows gradually subsided with every smile
from a passerby.  In fact, I often was overcome by the sea
of people in the marketplace.  Sidewalk cafes buzzed with
the anticipation of reentry into the global theater.
Sarajevans have endured tremendous hardship without losing
hope, and I truly believe that this city is primed to serve
as a model city for the next Millennium.

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