Peace Newsletter

broj 5 juni/srpanj 2011.

In this issue:

� My Story: Choosing Peace Together � March for Everyday Solidarity, Non-Violence

and Peace! � United Against Patriarchy � Public budgets have to recognise the needs of

both women and men � Young Women - Agents of Positive Change � The Situation of Inter-ethnic Trust Prior 1991

and Today

� Children on the move - Position and Programs of Support and Protection for Children on the Move in the Republic of Serbia

� Regional School of Transitional Justice � Dealing with the Past in the Western Balkans � A Superhero for Peace � Diary of a Foreign Student: What is so

important about language? � Legitimacy of Citizen Disobedience

issue 27 April 2013

Photo: Milan Uljmanski, Novi Sad

Peace Newsletter 2

impressumEditor-in-Chief:Goran Bubalo

Editors:Suzana BožićŠejla Dizdarević

Translation:Lejla Mamut, Mersina Šehić and Goran Bubalo

Proofreading:Allison Olender

Design/layout:Šejla Dizdarević

contactinfo@mreza-mira.netwww.mreza-mira.netwww.facebook.com/mzim.bh

tel: +387 33 812 401

My Story: Choosing Peace Together

The Choosing Peace Together is a four-year project supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Car-itas of Bishops Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The goal of this project is to help people of different ethnic and re-ligious backgrounds in Bosnia-Herzegov-ina to progress towards reconciliation by promoting more positive and harmoni-ous attitudes and behaviors.

Choosing Peace Together targets two mutually reinforcing groups: indi-viduals who can utilize their particular influence to actively promote healing and reconciliation, and institutions that can employ their structures to provide leadership and space for reconciliation to take place. This approach is based on theory of change that if individuals rec-oncile with consequences of conflict in their lives, then they will become more active promoters of peace in their local communities.

The project specifically targets associations of families of missing people and ex war-camp prisoners, associations of civilian war-victims, people with post-trau-matic stress disorder, youth associations, and NGOs that support these groups. By organizing training workshops on communication, trauma and forgiveness in process of reconciliation, networking and strengthening capacities of victims’ as-sociations, CRS and Caritas are working to build a sustainable peace at the local and national levels.

In April 2011, the second phase of the project was initiated, where a main focus is helping key influencers to publicly share their personal stories about what happened to them during the war, and how they have used the communication, trauma and forgiveness workshops to begin to come to terms with the past and use that process to reach across ethnic divides today. These public speaking out events are called My Story: Choosing Peace Together, and are taking place all across the country. These events are designed to invite people who were deeply affected by the war to share personal experiences so the listeners would have an opportunity to be inspired by their example and understand the importance of reconciliation.

To date, 35 people, representing a diverse range of war victims associations, have been identified and trained to lead public speaking events. My Story: Choos-

Suzana Božić, Caritas BK BiH

Peace Newsletter 3

choosing peace together

ing Peace Together has been presented at secondary schools, faculties, local communities, municipalities, cultural centers where the key message was tolerance, coexistence and peace. Messages of peace and reconciliation are shared by members of various ethnic, gender and age groups who bear various experi-ences from the war - associations of families of missing people, war-camp prisoners, women and civilian war victims.

While speakers use three familiar languages, i.e. Bosnian and Croatian and Serbian, they also speak with one voice. Theirs is a language of hope. A language of trust. A language of strength and compassion. It is the language of the heart and of the soul. This is the voice of women who have undergone suffering, but which carry a message of truth and peace, message to new generations to come. This is the voice of peace.

To enable a greater number of people to hear these stories, CRS and Caritas, in cooperation with the Foundation for Creative Development, developed a documentary movie My Story presenting six personal stories: Amir Omerspahić, Anđelko Kvesić, Janko Samouković, Semina Alekić, Smilja Mitrović, Stanislav Krezić. Their voices can be heard at www.moja-prica.org.

Peace Newsletter 4

March for Everyday Solidarity, Non-Violence and Peace!

Today, after more than a century of activists’ work for women’s human rights, the improvement of women’s position in society, and ending violence

against women, etc., the people who are in positions of power within our government still have not created se-cure plans for the creation of gender equality in society, something for which women around the world are fight-ing. Women in BH face the same problems as women in the other parts of the world, which are very similar to problems from the past- unequal position of women, no represen-tation in politics, no participation in economics, education, science, power, decision making, busi-ness, etc…

Today, when women do not have rights on paper, it is necessary to put all of our energy into the creation of a world of equal opportunities, and use every single opportunity to emphasize the kind of society we want to live in from now on. As a result, for the fifth year in a row, CURE Foundation organized a march for International Women’s Day in cooperation with other non-governmental organizations, formal and informal groups, and activists from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina. More than 50 activists came from different cities in BH and marched from the National Museum to the square in front of the BBI Center carrying signs and posters, where they expressed their goals- the imple-mentation of already existing laws, the end of violence against women, more women in decision making posi-tions, equal pay for the same job, etc. We urged our government to take responsibility for the creation of a society with equal opportunities for all its citizens.

With this peaceful protest rally, CURE also aimed to remind the citizens of BH what the true values of the 8th of March are, and to remind them about the heroines who went to the streets to push for better working conditions.

The focus of this year’s march was on the women who are currently enduring all kinds of violence (physical,

psychological, verbal, economical, etc.), and to empha-size the problems women are dealing with in all spheres of today’s society such as sexism, omnipresent in the BH society; hate speech and misogyny, which is expressed in the public and private sectors (from streets to govern-ment institutions); verbal discrimination; and sexual terrorism which is present every day!

For International Women’s Day, 8th of March 2013, the

participants of the march showed their solidarity and supported activists from Egypt who survive violence every day, and who protest for equal rights in society and the betterment of living conditions. Egyptian people use sexual terrorism to frighten, devalue and humiliate activists during protests, which are held at the Tahrir Square in Egypt.

With this march we showed that there are people who will use their voices and bodies to take over public spaces to demand that society take UN Resolution 1325 seriously, and understand the necessity of this resolu-tion in our society. Also, we wanted everyone to under-stand how much of an influence violence has on today’s society, and that all forms of violence against girls and women must be condemned and sanctioned, as well as the people who use violence to achieve their goals, whatever they may be.

Peace Newsletter 5

choosing peace together

United Against PatriarchyDespite significant progress in the emancipation of women in the 20th century, we still have a lot of work to do to create equal possibilities and rights for women. Women continue to be barred from positions of real pow-er such as those in economy, politics, culture and education, while marriage is increasingly becoming a negation of women’s autonomy. Yet the great-est inequality is usually found in the employment of women, where they are paid less and often lose their jobs due to pregnancy, etc. The division of labor in the home based on gender is still present as a form of discrimina-tion of women in families. For ex-ample, when a woman misses one day of work because her child is sick, her coworkers assume that she is incapa-ble and unorganized, while a man in the same situation would be regarded as a hero. This situation is caused by the unequal distribution of power and is perpetuated by the traditional values of our culture, patriarchy and an undeveloped economy. That is why the fight for equality is far more difficult in undeveloped countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a way to mark the 8th of March - International Women’s Day - in Banja Luka, the Association of Citizens Oštra Nula organized a screening of the documentary “Gloria: In her own words”, as well as the second annual 8th of March march, under the slogan “United Against Patriarchy”, because our society is built on the abuse of one sex. “Patriarchy as a system of economic, cultural, moral and legal values has always gone up against women, but it constrains not only the female’s but also the male’s gender roles.” said Dražana Lepir, president of the Asso-ciation of Citizens Oštra Nula. Macho behavior is not an exclusively male behavior, but it is considered typical because it is traditionally stated to be

the stereotypical male profile (aggres-sive, dominant, active, individualistic, etc.). On the other hand, women are pushed into restricted and repressed versions of themselves instead of letting both genders achieve their full potential, first and foremost, as hu-man beings. “I marched today in order to remind women that our fight is not over, and men that women are not lesser beings and that we should all fight together against discrimination and for equality in our society,” said

woman’s rights activist Danijela Bal-jak. The problems for women in BiH can be linked to passivity and lack of awareness. The Constitution does in fact guarantee these rights to women – they are simply not aware and not taking advantage of those rights. The eighth of March was derived from women’s desire to fight for their rights and to be considered equal in the economic, political and social sense of the word. However, this has been reduced to the exchange of flowers and gifts, trinkets and male striptease. Most men in our country perceive this day as the only day a year that they need to show attention to their wives. They throw presents and kisses at her, then the following

day it is back to the normal abuse. The degradation of this important holiday is to be blamed on women, as they are the ones who allowed it to become what it is today. Being raised in a patriarchal family, they are used to celebrating this holiday in such a way. Any kind of deviation from this “norm” is considered an attack on manhood and is rejected. Feminism has been equally propagated by both women and men. Throughout history, there have been male feminists who considered gender equality neces-sary for both women and men. So, when I really think about it, we live in a society of absurdity and patriarchy where we are all victims of prejudice and babbittry.

Milica PralicaOštra Nula activist

Peace Newsletter 6

BUDGETING FOR GENDER EQUALITY AND YOUTH

Public budgets have to recognise the needs of both women and men

R Gender-responsive budgeting does not mean the existence of a separate budget intended for women, but an assessment of how budget allocations af-

fect both men and women. For example, if small town girls show the tendency to pursue college education less frequently than young men, will there be any programme designed to encourage the girls to continue their studies? If girls take part in a town’s social and political life to a much lesser extent, does this mean that the budget would anticipate funding projects aimed at empowering girls and their active inclusion in the society?Budgeting for gender equality, youth or empowering girls through gender-responsive planning and budgeting is an initiative by which the Institute for Youth Development KULT plans to empower and motivate girls and Youth Of-ficers to advocate the concept of gender-responsive bud-geting within legal frameworks and in the decision-making processes, and educate at least 360 girls from 9 local com-munities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia about gender equality and human rights. The Institute will provide financial and advisory assistance to the local youth associations in the course of conducting civic initiatives that will be launched by the training course participants.“Budgets and policies exert various influences on women and men, and may contribute to an increase or a decrease in gender equality. Girls, women and men, including even young girls and boys, have distinct priorities and they organise their own lives differently, and this should be visible through budgetary allocations. Gender-responsive policies are an excellent tool for enhancing equality in all of a country’s processes”, says Nejra Kadić, representative of the Institute for Youth Development KULT in Sarajevo, who is in charge of coordinating the initiative aimed at increas-ing gender equality.Research findings show that the economic crisis and transi-tion related issues cause significant negative effects for

women and girls: They have difficulty finding jobs and easily lose their jobs, leave school more often, have fewer opportunities for advancement than men, etc.One of the five core values that the European Union is based on is the equality of women and men. Even though many efforts have been pursued to regulate this relation-ship in Bosnia and Herzegovina by means of introducing legal documents, it is obvious that equality and respect for human rights have been poor, and that public authori-ties rarely show interest in improving the current state of affairs. Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing an issue concern-ing the monitoring of and control over the implementation of youth strategies at the local level, especially in terms of allocating budget lines related to youth affairs. This issue is important for both the local level government and the non-governmental sector that is increasingly being recognised by the public authorities as a valuable resource for providing services that meet the needs of citizens (especially when it comes to the needs of women, chil-dren, youth and persons with disabilities). With regard to improving young women’s status and the current general state of affairs in society, the establishment of cooperation between the non-governmental sector and local authori-ties is essential. Although women make up half of the world’s population, only 20% of them have been engaged in decision-making processes. Therefore, the gender perspective is of extreme importance for ensuring equal opportunities and equal participation of each and every person, as well as the full respect of human rights.The non-governmental sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina lacks qualified young experts and youth leaders trained to promote active young people involved in society and to establish partnerships with public authorities that will recognise the needs of young people, especially women and girls, and improve their status in the society.The project will contribute to increasing gender equality in the selected communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia, by enhancing the capacities of and empowering young women. Furthermore, the project will ensure active engagement of girls in decision-making processes in the course of creating a gender-responsive budgeting model and enabling its incorporation into local youth strategies. Moreover, the project will build strong networks of empowered girls, and create a platform for

Budgets are not gender neutral and do not represent mere economic resources, but rather reflect a measured monetary policy that reflects political priorities.

Peace Newsletter 7

choosing peace together

exchanging knowledge and expertise among the training participants from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herze-govina, as well as advocate for a mutual approach to the development of the youth sector in line with EU values, i.e. in the European manner. Upon taking part in the project, civil society organisations and public authorities will be able to strengthen their own capacities so as to pursue mutual efforts concerning the development of youth work to be carried out at higher EU levels and in line with EU standards. Consequently, the dialogue, which will be established between civil society organisations and policy makers, will lead to better and more equal circumstances for all young people.The initiative is supported by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN), and is being carried out in Bosnia and Herze-govina, Croatia and Serbia.The initiative aims to facilitate gender equality advocates to effectively incorporate gender equality into legislative acts and political processes at the local level.

The vision of the Institute for Youth Development KULT is an open society in which the citizens have been trained to become engaged in all decision-making processes in public life. The website of the Institute is www.mladi.org.

Glossary

Gender-responsive budgeting –a gender-based assessment of public budgets, i.e. the consideration of the effects of a reallocation of funds that suit the needs of women and men in a community.

Gender equality – anticipates that the society, community or organisation offers equal opportunities to women, men and persons of different gender identities so as to contribute to the cultural, political, economic and social progress, and that they have been provided with equal chances to enjoy all benefits and the well-being resulting from a community’s progress. (European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life)

Youth officer –a civil servant who has been equipped with professional qualification for youth work, which certifies the knowledge of youth policies and youth work; (Youth Law of FBiH, Article 4, Official Gazette of FBiH no. 36/10)

Youth strategy –the document of government institutions incorporating a programme based approach to youth activities, which includes defined youth issues and needs, strategic orientation, strategic aims and measures for the implementation of strategic goals; (Youth Law of FBiH, Article 4, Official Gazette of FBiH no. 36/10)

Peace Newsletter 8

From the 15th to 17th of February, 2013 CURE Foundation held a training

titled “Activism in the Field of Women’s Human Rights“ at Ilidža, Sarajevo. There were 27 participants from 14 different BH cities: Doboj, Tuzla, Bijeljina, Brčko, Konjic, Kiseljak, Mostar, Bosanski Petrovac, Maoča, Goražde, Visoko, Novi Travnik, Kladanj and Sarajevo. This was the first time these women had participated in a training of this sort. During the three-day training we discussed:

� Women’s human rights, feminist activism and activism in the field of women’s human rights,

� Violence against women and legislative procedures regarding the prevention of violence against women,

� Lobbying through the media and ways to create a successful media campaign.

The trainers who participated in the training were: Berina Džemailović, Berina Meheljić, Jadranka Milićević and Ševko Bajić.

The goal of the training was to empower these young women and introduce them to topics such as feminism and feminist activism. It was designed to give them tools to continue such work in the future and to organize women’s human rights actions and campaigns of their own.

Here are some reflections from our

participants regarding the training:

“I am absolutely amazed by the lecture on the topic of feminism. I learned so much, and this motivated me to do a lot of research and work regarding this subject. “

“The trainers had a great, relaxed approach to the participants and new pieces of information were given to us in a very clear, interesting way. The work in groups was amazing. I hope we will have a lot more activities which will be this interesting. “

“I was very surprised with this training because in the beginning I was also one of those people who

misinterpreted feminism and did not understand the purpose of it, so it was pretty strange for me to say that I am a feminist“

The follow-up training is planned for the second half of April, where these same participants will take part in another set of lectures on the topic of feminism.

The project “Young women- agents of positive change“ is implemented with the support of UN WOMEN and in the cooperation with Autonomous Women’s Center from Belgrade (http://www.womenngo.org.rs/), and CESI (Center for Education, Counseling and Research from Zagreb (http://www.cesi.hr/).

Project “Young Women - Agents of Positive Change“ CURE Foundation organized a training:“Activism in the Field of Women’s Human Rights“

Peace Newsletter 9

choosing peace together

Youth Initiative Study Tour Article

IN MARCH, ICMP HOSTED 15 YOUTH ACTIVISTS FROM THE REGION for the third Youth Activist Study Tour on Missing Persons. For five days, these participants from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, and Serbia, traveled around Bosnia and Herzegovina to see the work of ICMP, the state authorities responsible for the missing persons process in BiH, and to learn about the important contribution of families of the missing to the process. The youth activists as well as visit important memorials and memory sites. The focus of the study tour was to increase awareness of missing persons’ issues, increase youth involvement, and to lay the foundation for future steps in terms of memorialization processes. During this visit, YIHR activists learned about the work the ICMP including the Justice and Civil Society Initiative department, the political unit, and the forensic

identification process. The study tour demonstrated the work of ICMP’s DNA identification systems in the laboratories and showed ICMP’s involvement in the Western Balkans and their role globally.

In addition to the tour of ICMP, in Sarajevo, the group met with the Board of Directors from the Missing Persons Institute (MPI), where they discussed the role and importance of the MPI and process of excavation and identification of missing persons. Chairmen of the MPI Board of Directors Mr. Milutin Misic, informed the activists about the Law on Missing Persons in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the current issues facing MPI today. The group was also able to meet with state prosecutor Ibro Bulic, who explained the war crimes strategy in Bosnia-Herzegovina and gave very good examples from his practice and problems that the prosecutor’s office are facing in their work.

The YIHR activists also traveled to Tuzla, where they visited the Podrinje Identification Project (PIP) and ICMP’s Identification Coordination Division (ICD), where they had a chance to learn more about forensic analysis, along with how the identification process has dramatically transformed over the years due to the strides that have been made in DNA analysis. At ICD, the activists were able to observe how forensic experts examine human remains and how the forensic experts match DNA profiles from blood and bone, and then generate an ICMP DNA matching

Ian MitnickICMP JCSI Intern

Junior at Northeastern University in Boston, Ma Studying Political

Science and International Affairs

Youth activists agreed that ad-dressing the missing persons process is critical for dealing with the past, strengthening the rule of law and building a sustainable peace. They also expressed an interest in team-ing up with associations of families of missing persons to push the process forward.

Peace Newsletter 10

report. Following the meetings in Tuzla, the group traveled to the Potocari Memorial and visited Srebrenica. For many of the participants, this was their first time seeing the Potocari Memorial.

This week’s study tour culminated with an ICMP organized seminar on the memorialization of missing persons in the Western Balkans. At the seminar three internatonal guest speakers made presentations; Nicolas Moll, an independent researcher discussed “How important are time and timing in the memorialization process,” Günter Schlusche, an architect/urban planner behind the Berlin Wall Memorial discussed “Concepts, Processes and Designs of Commemoration,” and author Geoff Dyer discussed “The Missing and the Missed” drawing examples from the American civil war and the first world war. Open question

and answer segments and then smaller group discussions between the youth activists, members of the Regional Coordination, and the presenters, followed the presentations. Besides hearing from very knowledgeable speakers, the seminar provided a space for the Regional Coordination together with youth activists from the region to discuss possible future actions within a process of joint memorialization related to missing persons in the Western Balkans. Youth activists agreed that addressing the missing persons process is critical for dealing with the past, strengthening the rule of law and building a sustainable peace. They also expressed

an interest in teaming up with associations of families of missing persons to push the process forward.

ICMP endeavors to secure the co-operation of governments and other authorities in locating and identifying persons missing as a result of armed conflicts, other hostilities or violations of human rights and to assist them in doing so. ICMP also supports the work of other organizations in their efforts, encourages public involvement in its activities and contributes to the development of appropriate expressions of commemoration and tribute to the missing.

In March, ICMP hosted 15 youth activists from the region for the third Youth Activist Study Tour on Missing Persons. For five days, these participants from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, and Serbia, traveled around Bosnia and Herzegovina to see the work of ICMP, the state authorities responsible for the missing persons process in BiH, and to learn about the impor-tant contribution of families of the missing to the process.

Peace Newsletter 11

choosing peace together

Who will give us back the years?

Childhood. A time when we should be carefree and happy, when we should smile and be surrounded by siblings and family who love us. It is a time when we should play and run, pursue interests and discover affini-ties. Very few of us who are under 20 years old today can claim to have had such a childhood as this. The real question is: Did we have one at all? Did we have time to be kids?

We didn’t have a childhood because our games were interrupted by the sound of sirens announcing an aerial threat. We couldn’t have friends because they were constantly on the move. Of course, this was all because of war. I don’t want to point blame. I gave up on that long ago. I know that years can’t be brought back. But we can tell them, we can let them know, what the children lost. Simply put, we lost time for carefree games, serenity and laughter. After all, it is never too late for laughter and happiness; we are never too old. I only wish it was really that easy.

We had to watch our parents struggle to create a semblance of normality. We had to stand by as our fathers dressed in ugly uniforms and left the day we wanted to play basketball with them. And we had to pretend to be happy so we didn’t make their lives even harder.

We had to hide in wet basements and garages so we didn’t get hit by a grenade the day we wanted to make cookies from mud and sand. We had to watch our mother cry and pretend not to see her tears. We had to read by candlelight, and play with beans and corn.

We were extremely happy on the rare occasions that we could have chocolate, or when there was electricity so we could watch cartoons on national television. Our joy was indescribable. I still remember the announcement, orange screen and Cyrillic inscription: “CARTOON”. I remember hoping another one would start, hoping the electricity wouldn’t fail.

I remember how I wanted to go to school, but school was interrupted all the time. I remember how we collected parts of grenades and played with them. Whoever collected the most won the game. It was something childish that we still held onto in spite of it all.

I remember the day I had to leave our apartment. I remember putting clothes in my backpack, not believing that we would ever return. I remember fear. I remember my doll was too big to bring with me. We had to leave our pets, my bicycle. I remember we left everything when it was time to go. Eight people in one car. I remember fear, and my grandmother’s hands tying to bring me peace and safety in those unimaginable moments.

After that I changed schools, cities, apartments, teachers, friends and neighbors. I calculate that I have moved thirteen times during my lifetime. I have lost a sense of belonging. After all those moves, after all the loss, we have developed a fear of connectting with people and things. We lost a sense of safety. And what is serenity?

We didn’t have the chance to discover sports, to discover our talents. We couldn’t because there was war, and after war there was crises, there was no money. By that time we were too old for many things. I remember the moment during my travels when I realized that, by no fault of my own, I could no longer enroll in music school. Too much time had passed, I was too old.

Materials lost don’t matter any more. They are all temporary and replaceable. We have all of those things now, but who will bring back my childhood? Who will bring back the Sundays when I should have smiled, instead of visiting cemeteries? Who will bring back the tears and turn them into laughs?

Was it worth it? Were those sacrifices for freedom really meaningful? I beg you to convince me. Make this country worthy of being my home. We gave so much, yet so much was taken away. Give us a reason to smile now, when we are adults, to rejoice in the small things. Do not allow kids to lose their childhood ever again!

Jelena Despot

Peace Newsletter 12

Activities of the Bridge of Friendship Forum

A round table event held in Sarajevo on 6 April 2013 was the first of the planned activities within the Bridge of Friendship Forum. Professor Esad Bajtal provided an introduction to the discussion.

This was the first part of the preparatory activities for the final meeting where the discussion will focus on the establishment of inter-ethnic trust within Bridge of Friendship as an informal association of organizations and individuals working on peace-building.

The next step is to create an overview of the work completed so far, as well as the ongoing work of establishing inter-ethnic trust in BiH, Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia.

The conclusions were accepted by all 28 participants present. Apart from those attending the event, the conclusions were also accepted by Mirjana and Igor Galo from Pula, as well as Veseljko Koprivica from Podgorica who, due to other commitments, were unable to attend.

The Association for Culture and Art Lola and the members of the Bridge of Friendship Forum from Sarajevo hosted the event along with our partner, the NGO Small Steps (Mali Koraci).

Peace Newsletter 13

choosing peace together

BRIDGE OF FRIENDSHIP FORUM

Roundtable: The Situation of Inter-ethnic Trust Prior 1991 and Today

Deriving from the fact that 18 years have passed since the end of the war in the territory of former Yu-goslavia, there is still a sense of disastrous hatred between different national groups;

Trusting that peace-building as a way of life is possible only through establishing the truth about events from the past;

And coming from the conviction that truth can be reached by dialogue which is only possible on the basis of inter-human, particularly inter-ethnic trust, we, the participants of The Situation of Inter-ethnic Trust Prior 1991 and Today roundtable held in Sarajevo on 6 April 2013 within the Caravan of Friendship citizen activities on building peace hereby,

State the following

Inter-ethnic trust before the war breakup of Yugoslavia, apart from certain gaps, was at a high level.

Preparations for the war and the breakup of Yugoslavia, whose only goal was to hurt the people living in this territory, was based on the exploitation of national and religious beliefs. In order to make overcoming the consequences of war and the establishment of a normal way of life for citizens living in this territory as difficult as possible, immemorial crimes were committed for which there lacks sincere acknowledgment and empathy for survivors by political elites and institutions.

This attitude is one reason why inter-ethnic trust remains, as of the date below, at the level which could bring about the establishment of genuine peace.

The participants of the roundtable state that the likelihood of political elites, institutions and public media moving toward the establishment of inter-ethnic trust as a basis for peace-building, is very slim. We find that in today’s situation, the citizens are the only ones who are aware and can bring about peace – the basis of peace-building as a way of life – and thus we call upon citizens to join efforts and connect with all organiza-tions and individuals who work for the establishment of inter-ethnic trust in this part of the world.

In Sarajevo, 6 April 2013

Participants of the roundtable

Peace Newsletter 14

CHILDREN ON THE MOVE - Position and Programs of Support and Protection for Children on the Move in the Republic of Serbia

In Belgrade a presentation was held of the analysis CHIL-DREN ON THE MOVE - Position and Programs of Support and Protection for Children on the Move in the Republic

of Serbia in late March, produced within the project “Set-ting an Agenda for Child Oriented Social Reform”, which is financially supported by the European Commission, the Fund for an Open Society - Serbia and Redd Barna (Save the Children Norway), and implemented Save the Children in partnership with NGO Atina and Group 484. In recent years there has been a noticeable increase in the number of children who migrate for different reasons, voluntarily or involuntarily, within a country or between countries, with or without a parent or guardian. Although there are no official statistics on the phenomenon of children on the move, it is certain that these children are often exposed to risks from inadequate care, economic and sexual exploitation, abuse, neglect and violence. Seriousness of the situation is best illustrated by children statements documented in this study: “When I went to the center for social work and told them that I am going abroad, they just told me that it might not be good for me. They have not checked how I am going, with whom I am going... and they should have. What was I thinking when I decided to leave? I do not know, I thought I will be better off, since I did not have anything here. Or anyone. I knew that man before. There were all sorts of things, but it is not for talking about. He took me to Switzerland, I guess some-where between Germany and Switzerland,” said one of the interviewed minors.In order to formulate a comprehensive response to the need for the creation of an adequate system of protection and improvement of the situation of this group of chil-dren, analysis has been conducted on the characteristics and consequences of migration of children in Serbia, with special reference to the system of support and protec-tion. The special quality of the analysis is the segment of the research conducted with the children where one can find authentic children’s answers to the questions that are posed in the process of improving the system.The initiative for the implementation of the project was motivated by the intention to allow children on the move in the Republic of Serbia to exercise adequate access to services of social protection system based on the Rights of the Child. A first step set in achieving this goal was determi-nation of characteristics of the children on the move in the Republic of Serbia, the international standards in this area and assessment of the adequacy and adaptability of the existing system of protection to the dynamic phenomenon with transnational dimension. Analysis CHILDREN ON THE

MOVE - Position and Programs of Support and Protection for Children on the Move in the Republic of Serbia will further serve as a basis for developing a program for capac-ity building of professionals from governmental and non-governmental sectors with a mandate in the area of child protection, as well as for the further improvement of the protection system and services to be child oriented, taking into account the specifics and complexities of the situation of children on the move in Serbia. The term “children on the move”, although recently coined, implies a well-known phenomenon of children who migrate and who are, during these migrations, exposed to specific risks. These are the “children moving for a variety of reasons, voluntarily or involuntarily, within or between countries, with or without their parents or other primary caregivers, and whose movement might place them at risk (or at an increased risk) of economic or sexual exploitation, abuse, neglect and violence.” Save the Children definition also lists groups of children on the move: refugees, inter-nally displaced children, asylum seekers, irregular migrants, victims of trafficking, children involved in the life and/or work in the street, returnees under readmission agree-ments. Although children from all groups of children on the move are exposed to various risks and vulnerabilities, they are not treated in the same way in the Serbian protection system, or recognized as a specific group by practitioners, experts and decision makers. Specific lack of capacity is noted in the area of creating effective programs and ser-vices to meet the needs of children on the move. This leads to dramatic violations of children’s rights, and exposes children to additional risks of violence, exploitation and abuse. Lack of knowledge and documented experiences on this group of children and inconsistency of practices related to them were the reason for the study which is the first attempt of operationalization of the term “children on the move” and contextualization of this phenomenon in Serbia.CHILDREN ON THE MOVE - Position and Programs of Support and Protection for Children on the Move in the Republic of Serbia gives an overview of the situation of children on the move who were in the Republic of Serbia at the moment of research realization, and points out to the perspective of children in the process of migration, their experiences, and risks they are exposed to along the way. For many children on the move, leaving home is an op-portunity for a better life, a way out of poverty, abuse, vio-lence and conflict, creating opportunities for employment, education and access to basic rights. At the same time, many of these children on that path face the risks and dan-gers that threaten their lives and development. Research

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findings clearly confirm that the current responses of the state to the needs of these children are not adequate, and that many of them do not receive the support and protec-tion to which they are entitled.Therefore, we consider this publication as the first step and guidance for future research in this area and further devel-opment of the methodological framework for working with children on the move in Serbia. The research is intended for practitioners and professionals from different systems engaged in the protection of children and civil society orga-nizations, as well as for public policy makers. The need for multi-sectoral and inter-agency cooperation in child protec-

tion process is shown through the importance of research being recognized by professionals engaged in other areas of social protection, specific programs of social inclusion, and areas of systematic inter-sectoral cooperation.Save the Children is expanding its work in the area of protection of children on the move to Bosnia and Herze-govina and Montenegro, where same kind of research will be carried out, in order to obtain an insight into existing systems for protection of children on the move in all coun-tries of the North West Balkans, based on which adequate measures will be planned and implemented towards its improvement.

Peace Newsletter 16

Regional School of Transitional Justice The Humanitarian Law Center of Belgrade, the Humanitar-ian Law Center of Kosovo and Associate Pravnik Sarajevo held the final seminar for students of the Regional School of Transitional Justice on March 23-24th.On Saturday March 23, Biljana Sinanović, Judge of the Supreme Court of Cassation in Belgrade, presented diplo-mas to the first generation of students from the Regional School of Transitional Justice from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia. On this occasion, Judge Sinanović emphasized the importance of searching for the truth in a professional and objective manner through trials for war crimes, as well as through other non-judicial mechanisms in order to create a complete picture of what occured in the past.During the seminar, the students presented their final papers, the top ten of which will be included in the publica-tion of the Humanitarian Law Center. In their papers, students analyzed topical issues related to the process of dealing with transitional justice and the past. Some included analysis of the memory of culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina; the study of certain aspects of ex-trajudicial mechanisms for establishing facts on war crimes, such as the initiative for REKOM; content analysis of history textbooks in Bosnia and Serbia; and analysis of the trials for war crimes before the ICTY and national courts.***In a region where multiple interpretations of the recent past are still in opposition with each other and where facts are misused for exclusive narratives of single-community victimhood, the process of reconciliation continues to be delayed and obstructed. Various ethnic groups in the re-gion continue to hold conflicting views of their joint history, while denial and justification of crimes are still widespread,

in spite of the wealth of judicially established facts and available evidence.The Regional School for Transitional Justice raises its par-ticipants’ awareness of the importance of accepting the facts about the armed conflicts of the 1990s by all post-Yugoslav nations. By providing them with knowledge of facts, it empowers them to spread that awareness further in their countries and communities.The regional character of the educational programs pro-duces an alumni network of activists and professionals, active in various segments of the civil and political societies throughout the region. This contributes to greater cohe-sion between individual activists, as well as between their organizations from different countries of the region. It also enables them to act together or in close coordination, in order to raise awareness about, and advocate for, the need for post-Yugoslav societies to reach a shared view about their recent, joint, violent past.By educating young, socially and politically active citizens of the target countries, the Regional School for Transi-tional Justice aims to achieve several interconnected goals, all aimed at facilitating the processes of peace-building through inter-ethnic dialogue, careful management of crucial post-conflict issues, and peaceful conciliation of the conflicting historical memories held by different ethnic groups.The additional relevance of this project arises from its segment aimed at advocating for the inclusion of the fact-based educational content related to the war crimes and mass human rights abuses committed during the wars of the 1990s in the formal educational curricula of the univer-sities in B&H, Kosovo and Serbia.

Fond za humanitarno pravo (http://www.hlc-rdc.org/)

Peace Newsletter 17

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For 13 years, the playgroup ‘Ciciban’ in Trebinje has been one of the most creative educational institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has won many awards and acknowledgements in the fields of education, culture, sport and ecology in the country and the region.

It works in partnership with local communities, the public and private sectors, as well as NGOs, on projects related to the UN convention on the protection of children and their rights. Considering that this is a multinational kindergarten which accepts both healthy children as well as children with dis-abilities who are equally integrated in the wider social community, this institu-tion implemented several projects dealing with the subject of peace. With this and similar projects, children are the main actors in educational workshops and cultural events focused on peace building. Through these children’s participa-tion, we also aimed to remind adults that we all have the same rights to life, education, healthcare, security, privacy, freedom, democracy and religion.

Our goal is to use workshops, the arts (painting and music activities, for example), sports and field trips to begin to raise awareness of peace building in early childhood, i.e. pre-school. Though we are a small institution, the results of our work indicate that we are an organization of great importance. We are always ready to cooperate with those who sympathize with and value our work.

Currently, children from China, USA, and Canada attend our kindergarten, which shows that we represent many colours, races, nations and religions. The staff of ‘Ciciban’ kindergarten is made up of volunteers and professionals with long-term pedagogical experience. It is important to indicate that our institution is financed primarily through parent participation, with occasional assistance from Trebinje Municipality and private sector dona-tions.

We hope that our hard work will inspire the community to support this institution and donate didactic materials, toys, and operating supplies in order to further enrich these children’s education.

Playgroup ‘Ciciban’ from Trebinje

Jovanka BakmazGraduated Educator-pedagogue Director of “Ciciban” playgroup

Trebinje

Peace Newsletter 18

Workshops in High Schools

As part of the project “Gender- based violence”, implemented by CURE

Foundation on the 13th of March, 2013 in the Technical High School in Sarajevo, we organized a workshop for students in first grade.The workshop’s topic was “Gender-based violence: a view from a different angle- violence in youth relationships” and it was held during one school class, from 13:10 to 14:00. The workshop was held by the activists from CURE Foundation, together with the pedagogue Ljiljana Vidović.There were 24 students present during the workshop.

Meeting of the Network of young activists

In the period from the 22nd to the 24th of February 2013, CURE Foundation organized the annual Meeting of the Network of young activists. There were 26 young women and girls present from different parts of BH including: Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Prijedor, Jajce, Tuzla, Živinice, Velika Kladuša, Bosanski Novi, Srebrenik, Kladanj and Vinci. The goal of this three day meeting was to prepare the activities for International Women’s Day on the 8th of March.During the meeting, CURE held workshops (with the topics such as feminism and women’s human rights), watched movies on gender equality, and discussed, debated, and organized performances, etc. We also encouraged the girls who were not very active to share their experiences by creating a safe space where the women could listen to each other, and offer support and

acceptance. We are very happy that we prepared activities not only in Sarajevo, but also in other cities such as Banja Luka, Travnik, Tuzla, and Velika Kladuša. We also learned from each other and expressed our opinions and attitudes in a creative way. We were all very happy and full of positive energy. Here are a couple of reflections from our participants:“The performances were great, all the girls found the essence of feminism.”“I learned a lot about myself, and I had the opportunity to associate with amazing girls who showed me new ideas, perspectives, personal stories, and small victories.”Some of the girls wrote that these experiences changed their attitudes and way of thinking, increased their self-confidence, charged them with positive energy, and made them feel secure and supported. Thanks to all the girls and women who were part of this meeting, and who shared their experiences

regarding activism and feminism. This project is supported by cfd- Die Feministishe Friedensorganisation.

Workshops in cooperation with “Wings of Hope”

Within the project “Gender- based violence” implemented by CURE Foundation, and in cooperation with “Wings of Hope”, on the 9th March 2013, in the offices of “Wings of Hope”, we held a workshop for high school students. The two hour workshop was focused on “Gender-based violence”. The workshop was held by the activists of CURE Foundation with the support of Marija Šarić (Wings of Hope)There were 11 students present at the workshop.Workshops of this type will be held once a month with the same number of people, dealing with different issues. The topic for the month of April is “Communication”.

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Initiatives for Peacebuilding and Transitional Justice in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia

ed. by Martina Fischer and Ljubinka Petrović-ZiemerBerghof Report No. 18, Berlin 2013, 215 pp

The publication presents results of a project funded by the German Foundation for Peace Research (DSF). The study in-vestigates initiatives for reconciliation and “dealing with the past” which were undertaken by international organisations, legal institutions and local civil society actors in response to the wars of the 1990s. The coherence of objectives and strat-egies and their implications for peacebuilding, forms of cooperation and learning experiences, and the political resonance of the various approaches were a particular focus of interest. In all, 150 interviews were conducted in 28 municipalities. The study was carried out with input from civil society organisations and academic experts in the region. Srđan Dvornik (Zagreb), Katarina Milićević (Belgrade), and Ismet Sejfija (Sarajevo) co-authored the study.See http://www.berghof-conflictresearch.org/documents/publications/BR18e_DwP.pdf A print version will be available by end of April 2013.

Dealing with the Past in the Western Balkans

Peace Newsletter 20

A Superhero for PeaceIn Timor-Leste, an exciting new initiative aiming to spread ideas of non-violent conflict resolution is underway, involving the production of a new television series. The series is the work of a local peace building and development organisation called Ba Futuru, meaning “For the future.” The series is called Feto Fantastiku ba Dame, or ‘Fantastic Woman for Peace’, and follows the story of a female Timorese superhero, who has the unique power of bringing peace in the community and solving problems without using violence. Ba Futuru has been working in Timor-Leste since 2004, and coordinates a range of programs, which aim to promote peace and reduce the use of violence in the young country. It is essential work, as the nation recovers from centuries of Portuguese colonialism, decades of brutal Indonesian rule, and a recent struggle through which the nation achieved independence just ten years ago. Timorese people have fought hard for their freedom, but the turbulent history has fractured the society, and cycles of violence continue.Working to break these cycles, Ba Futuru has already engaged thousands of people through programs that use education and the creative arts, including theatre, to bring important messages to the people. Moving from theatre to film is an exciting new step and promises to reach a larger audience around Timor-Leste.The filming of Feto Fantastiku has recently been completed, and the series will be shown regularly on national television from May onwards. The three episodes each depict a common situation that causes conflict in Timor-Leste. Neighbours steal each other’s water,

brothers fight over a motorbike, and child abuse is combatted in a family setting. Each time, the female superhero steps in, dressed in a cape made from a traditional woven fabric, tais, with a crown on her forehead. Feto Fantastiku saves the situation, solving the problem while teaching her audience skills in nonviolent conflict resolution.

To find out more about Ba Futuru’s work or contribute to its success, you can visit www.bafuturu.org.

Jemma WilliamsMedia and Communications Officer

Ba Futuru /For the Futurewww.bafuturu.org

Email jemmaw2@gmail.com

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Tomislav Jovanovski

The implementation of conflict resolution policies seem to be a myth in the Western Balkans, indicating that in spite of everything we have been through, we (the Balkan Nations) are not learning from our mistakes!

The effects of conflict can only be diminished by overcoming stereotypes and prejudices between ethnic groups, all of which have roots in the Balkans. The first step to bridging these gaps is to create room for dialogue between members of different ethnicities, something we failed to do in the late eighties and early nineties. Furthermore, the fact that the presence of ethnic and religious minorities in significant numbers in almost every country in the Balkans has resulted in many conflicts, further perpetuates descriptions such as ‘the Balkan powder keg’ and ‘history repeats itself.’

It is telling that even after many bloody wars, there continue to be armed conflict over the same, unsolved issues. This is a region where many different cultures and religions intersect and have cohabited in mutual respect for centuries. Now they live in parallel worlds, within physical proximity, yet so distant one from another. Even families have not escaped the consequences.

In Macedonian society, the two most prominent ethnic groups are ethnic Macedonians and the Albanian minority. They have had continuous conflicts - beginning well before the armed conflict in 2001 - which have arisen in many different forms other than clear lines of combat. For example, marking ethnic territories - where you are safe among your own people - is one strong indicator of the silent, ongoing conflict. As a result, the last 20-30 years have seen an increasing number of ethnic Macedonian families moving from one bank of the river to the other near Vardar (in Skopje), or from Western parts in Macedonia toward the Skopje municipalities. It has turned into a fight over territory, intensifying and perpetuating the conflict between the two groups.

The main issue is how to bring youths and intellectuals from different ethnicities to talk at the same table, and to argue with accurate information. But first, we must determine if it is possible to have accurate information about the others, when they are constantly stereotyped and dealt with from afar.

How do you convey to young people screaming at the participants of a public event held by members of another ethnicity, that beyond the prejudices they are just people like you and me? How do you explain that they are suffering similar economic challenges, similar threats to their livelihood? How do you help them understand that everyone’s futures are bound together, dependent on the future of the Balkans as a whole?

Conflicts, in various forms, are obviously a dominant part of our lives. We must learn from past, unresolved conflicts in Balkan history, and decide if we care enough about our children’s prospects to alter the Balkan legacy, and create a new, brighter future for the coming generations.

How will we learn from the mistakes of our predecessors and shift from continual silent conflict and a pattern of armed conflict almost every fifty years, to a peaceful political climate with no massive war tragedies? Our strategy to overcoming conflicts must involve aligning the platform of ideas with the needs of our people, and those of our neighbors. I believe in the Balkan countries and the Balkan people, do you?

Learning from our mistakes

Peace Newsletter 22

DIARY OF A FOREIGN STUDENT: You speak three different languages, yet everyone understands each other, but still you do not want to admit it. What seems to be the problem?

“Politicians, officials of the State and ‘so called’ historians continue to propagate attitudes that lead to the conclusion that a people cannot exist without an identity that includes their own moniker and language to set them apart from others.

Today, with public media of such poor quality, choosing poor topics to cover, it is difficult to find good news and understand what type of langue is now recognized as good reporting. For me, as a future communication expert, it is especially difficult. It is almost necessary to create dictionaries in order to comprehend the new, overwhelming notions relating to modern communication systems. This is disappointing as we have beautiful languages, rich with expression, and there is much we can say by using them.

The media is, and always has been, necessary, but the extent to which it has infiltrated our lives with the emergence and development of the Internet greatly impacts the perception of the final recipients, who have become an interactive, audio-visual audience.

One could claim that this development brought improved quality, better information with less mistakes. It should be a real pleasure to follow the role of the media in today’s world. However, the reality is quite different.

What is so important about language?

Apart from the langue itself, an important issue is the relation between three languages i.e. their inter-relation. Such an unstable situation, not only regarding the languages, but throughout the entire State as well, has made people in public, and private, look ridiculous and foolish. The amount of energy we spend taking care about what we say and in which of the three languages used in this country, is politically incorrect. These are the consequences, which these languages must endure.

Politicians, officials of the State and “so called“ historians continue to propagate attitudes that lead to the conclusion that a people cannot exist without an identity that includes their own moniker and language to set them apart from others. Situations elsewhere in the world tell a completely different story. If this were in fact the case, we would not have numerous examples of countries including the USA, Switzerland, Canada and many others,that thrive even with the wide use of several languages. We should use their example as a basis on which to build our attitude towards language, especially language in the media.

Let me hear you speak and I will tell you who you are – is the attitude that most people have.

It is because of this that media impartiality is of vital importance for the survival of languages. If there is a lack of interpersonal understanding in the public, can we realistically expect things to be different in the media?

“Considering the fact that the specificity of people actually lies in their unique opinions, the opinions of ac-curate, independent and democratic media have become my guid-ing thought.”

Stefanie JaramThe author of this text is an Australian born consultant for Internews and a second-year student of Communication Studies at the Faculty for Political Science in Sarajevo. In this text she comments on language and media politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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There is a perpetuating belief that the language of one group endangers the language of another, equal people. This lack of media independence, national cohesion and inter-ethnic trust simply does not and cannot bring about positive and high-quality media. The human ego i.e. the ego of nationalists who wish to use the power of language for the purpose of creating division between members of the three constituent peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has taken the quality of expression into irretrievability. The professional standards of journalists have never been lower and self-regulation, or any type of regulation of the media for that matter, has had no serious impact. Every human being needs information, without exception, and research has shown that the media influences the public as much today as when it first appeared.

The power of the media is indisputable and thus it is very important to maintain high standards of the language itself, as well as the information used by viewers to form their perceptions and interpretations of events and issues. If public and popular institutions such as news agencies are not setting a good example, it is no wonder that we, as a society, do not act in line with decency and culture either. It is mere human nature. If one sees someone else geting away with something, he/she will automatically wish to do the same.

Adequate channels of communication within the political system will assist the media in providing the public with ample and accurate information, and encourage the media to continue this type of comprehensive reporting in other areas covered. The principles of political truth and democracy are basic notions protected by the right to free press and access to information. We must be aware of the vital role the media plays as the “bridge” connecting the information to the audience. Considering the fact that the specificity of people actually lies in their unique opinions, the opinions of accurate, independent and democratic media have become my guiding thought.

It is the human being that is most important

Communication is our basic feature as social beings. If we are denied equal opportunities to inform ourselves, if we divide the media so clearly based on national identity, how can we expect to use our language to its fullest potential and remain a whole society? This fact is painful and absurd because our needs are the same – we need a language, we need to be informed and we need to belong. Language has become a weapon used to create division, which is in the interest of political elites in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Alienate and rule” is a very popular saying, applicable to people who, at any cost, wish to impose their opinions on their surroundings. It affects all levels of society, from family-members to powerful officials in international organizations, such as the United Nations. The three languages of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a situation I find worrying and I believe it is our duty, as future communication experts, to work to improve this situation. Preserving the richness and genuine function of language must become our modus vivendi, because without language we cannot operate. Let us stop politicians from continuing to alienate us from each other and limiting us by perpetuating these divisions. Our goal should be for media to reach and maintain high professional standards, and to inform citizens in order to give them opportunity to assess social issues, suggest different solutions, and be involved.

The media has the ability to successfully resolve conflicts that are crucial for the development and progress of society. The functions of the State apparatus must be transparent in order to be able to identify and stop misuse in a timely manner. Public officials should not aim to further divide people according to the language they speak. Language is something that connects people, it is one thing we all have in common. The threefold naming of the language spoken in Bosnia simply so each person can call it their own is absurd. The artificial differences, which have been vehemently imposed, create tension between members of the three groups in both the private and public spheres.

“Secrets are there so someone can sense them“

I want to be a messenger of change and a source of critical thought, because young intellectuals should have the task and desire to positively engage in changing media standards. The state we live in is far from ideal, and our values are in question, but I still have hope that society can progress. Let us be the ones who can identify our goals and use our abilities to influence the world around us. Knowledge is power, it has always been, and it always will be. Our existence in this world should be marked by efforts aimed to improve our lives. I want free media that does their job honestly. I want states that care about their citizens, and citizens that recognize true values: honesty, dignity and love, the driving force of all that is good in this world.

Peace Newsletter 24

Legitimacy of Citizen DisobedienceI recently read somewhere an almost quasi-

intellectual ‘critical’ review of the legitimacy of civil disobedience, which can be reduced to the conclusion that all criminals should be kindly asked to go to prison! I could not be indifferent to this point of view on civil disobedience and I immediately remembered a strike I had heard about. Until recently the strike was illegitimate, prohibited. The three Eights were not respected (8 work hours, 8 hours of rest, and 8 leisure hours), children were working, there was no labour protection... I could go on, but there are many examples like this in other spheres of life too, not only when it comes to work.

Immediately, a question presents itself: isn’t a legal right not to respect the law ‘contradictio in adjecto’ – in itself contradictory?

I believe that criticism of civil disobedience, no matter how mild, is contradictory and, in this way, sends the completely wrong message to the public, which becomes passive and apathetic. It smothers empathy, strengthens egoism, forgets solidarity, and increases dissatisfaction, violence, crime, psycho-social tensions etc., which results in the destruction of universal permanent human values. And when a citizen engages in legitimate, lawful, legal and democratic attempts to fulfil or protect their rights then hits a wall – what should they do?

However, luckily in Bosnian society there are no citizens or intellectuals who would feel this way or would point it out. We believe we are a happy and satisfied society because there is no activism or revolts – we are fine. When there is a revolt in Slovenia we wonder why - they are in the European Union after all. If we were to enter the EU, wouldn’t they be there to help solve out problems, like they should be helping Slovenia? When we do enter the EU though, we will likely continue to deal with our issues the same way we always have. We will then no longer be surprised with Slovenia, but with our own foolishness that we carry on into the 22nd century. Although we now operate under democratic institutions, our nationalistic foundations continue to put pressure on many parts of society

including culture, education, economy, human rights, etc.

Broken principles of social cooperation between equal and free people lead to civil disobedience. In Bosnian society, there is no elementary cooperation, excluding short-term money collection for medical treatment, that reflect powerlessness or numb the blade of systemic solutions. Equality cannot be seen, even on the horizon, of social activities, because there are no social activities. The closure of The National Museum exemplifies our society’s alienation not only from culture, but also freedom and equality, denied by the corruption we all witness, yet ignore.

When a legislator (government, parliament, etc.) enacts a law that is inconsistent with human rights, individuals then have the moral right to violate that law. For that reason, laws (and the constitution) may imply that every individual has the right to protection from state. This attitude has a strong effect on everyone,

Zoran Petrovski

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and increases public sensitivity because without public support, it is difficult to initiate institutional changes. Every act of civil disobedience should have some effect on democratic principles, as well as the laws at which it is aimed.

Civil disobedience is a political act par excellence, and a legitimate form of political activity in service to further democratization of the whole society. Though the dynamic process of democratisation has begun, there are still many legal and democratic principles that must be learnt. The strike, mentioned above, is good for this. But how can we know that our rights are endangered?

I will answer this question indirectly, in order to leave space for you, dear readers, to participate in the emancipation of your own thought on daily politics. I would like to remind of how Bosnia and Herzegovina’s separation from Former Yugoslavia came about, how the new countries from Slovenia to Macedonia were formed, and how war could not be avoided. Bosnia and Herzegovina has been an example of the inefficiency of democracy and civil society (and the international community as well); there is (still) privatisation in the interest of political parties through which the new ‘elite’ was created. Those elites, politicians and new owners most likely did not have financial means for purchasing companies, or did not need to prove themselves as successful businessmen before the separation of Yugoslavia. Privatisation was completed in order to end public ownership, but that is exactly the reason that many people lost their jobs. Financial police, courts and other institutions lead the political system to protect national interest and the law, instead of protecting human rights. These circumstances are fertile ground for corruption - and where everyone is corrupted, no one is corrupted. Corruption overtook common, small people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where they were unaware of what they were participating in. There is no true and honest action against corruption, leaving few opportunities for individuals and groups to have true justice. There is no foundation people who (with a strike, for example) demand their wages, or bridging of service periods so they can go into deserved retirement, or who demand meals because they are poor. There are many examples, not only in Bosnia and Herzegovina

but around the world, of human rights being secondary or tertiary priorities. And this alone should affirm in all places (not only Bosnia) the legitimacy of civil disobedience.

In consistency with all conventions that Bosnia and Herzegovina has ratified, the laws and constitution should include the right of citizens to demonstrate (civil) disobedience and thus express their moral attitude in order to improve the legal environment and quality of life, in times when the country does not respect, or violates, the human rights of its citizens.

In conclusion, democracy is activism. At least the very least this should be demonstrated once every four years by voting, but also through further action to ensure the maintenance of adequate conditions. Through its institutions, democracy increases or decreases the influence of certain groups in society (as mentioned in the strike), which means that the will of organised individuals or groups has the ability to come to light more easily in a such a society.

info@mreza-mira.net

www.mreza-mira.net

www.facebook.com/mzim.bh

www.facebook.com/pages/Mre%C5%BEa-za-izgradnju-mi-ra/153214424746935

This publication was produced with assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflectthe views of the USAID or the US Government.