text:
“Different” Banja Luka Guy on the Throne of Electronic Music | Balkan Diskurs
Neda Vukadin
July 1st, 2022
Luka Ćurguz, a 24-year-old from Banja Luka, can’t call the physical injury he was born with an advantage, but he does believe that it makes him unique and easily recognizable in his athletic accomplishments and musical career. Luka is a successful athlete and musician who wants to put his hometown of Banja Luka, and his country, on the map of electronic music.
He was born without a left forearm, which makes his left arm half as long as his right. He didn’t research or ask the doctors about his physical impairment. Looking back on his childhood as a whole, it was no different than that of his peers.
“There’s surely a specific medical name for my condition, but I never wanted to research it in more detail. I never thought about it that way, so I didn’t even ask the doctors. Throughout my mother’s pregnancy, my parents only knew that the baby was a boy. The real story starts from my birth,” said Ćurguz.
In an interview with Balkan Diskurs, he explains that he has always been in step with his peers, be it in sports, climbing trees, or other games. Throughout his life growing up, he tried to achieve positive things, regardless of his situation or any negative circumstances. “Luckily for me, it goes exactly how I want it to every time,” Ćurguz pointed out.
During his early childhood, he says he wasn’t even aware that he was different, except when he looked at others. However, this didn’t bother him much because he always tried to be on par with his peers in their activities, and oftentimes, he even did better.
“Until I became fully aware of my situation, whenever someone asked me ‘What happened to your hand?’ my answer was always ‘I was born that way, but don’t worry, it will grow.’ And here, after so many years, it hasn’t happened yet, but I’m proud that it’s like this. And honestly, if I could go back and choose, I’d have to think hard about whether I’d choose to have ‘both hands,’” he said jokingly.
Fortunately, he has never encountered unkind people in his life, so he’s avoided unpleasant situations. Over time, he’s been in various environments and has always made new friends, both at school and through sports and music. “Some of these people somehow didn’t even feel that I was lacking, which many of them sometimes tell me. They simply forget that I’m different precisely because of the fact that I’m very resourceful and agile,” explains Ćurguz.
His childhood was filled with many athletic success and laughter, and today, this young man can boast of an accomplished musical career in the electronica scene in BiH. He has truly made a name for himself artistically in recent years, performing on the biggest stages in Europe. His goal is to put his country and his hometown of Banja Luka on the map of electronic music.
“Through sports, I think I have built my character and I think that’s why I am who I am today. I played football, basketball, and badminton, and I excelled in all sports, regardless of my condition. Basketball will always be my greatest passion, so I’m always happy to talk about it in detail,” said Luka. He adds that it all started on the school field when he dived into athletics with his friends. He very quickly became just as good as those who were more serious about sports.
When he saw that he could play and compete with as equals, he decided to play basketball. In his first official tournament, he scored 22 points and was named the best player.
“I think it was a turning point. It was then that I realized that there are no limits for me. All that matters is having the desire and persistence to achieve what you want most in life.  If you do things with all your heart, anything is possible,” he explained.
The best things in life happen by chance, Luka confirmed, and that is exactly how his musical journey started. As he said, music has always been a part of his life, but he could never have imagined that it would become his life’s calling. In fact, it all started when he applied for the competition for the Garden Of Dreams Festival in Sarajevo, where he managed to secure a place for his work.
He was encouraged by this, and he said to himself, “Okay, you can do this, just try!”
He is very happy to be preforming this summer at Exit Festival, one of the best music festivals in Europe. “I’m returning to Sarajevo this year, and besides the festival I mentioned, there is also the Fresh Wave Festival in Banja Luka, the NOX Festival in Šibenik, and many performances in the best regional clubs and many more festivals,” explained Ćurguz.
His family and friends are his greatest supporters. He emphasizes that he can’t say that his physical impairment is an advantage, but he is sure that it makes him unique and unforgettable, and in fact, the greatest advantage is that recognizability.
“I love being unique, it’s my signature and it has made me who I am today. State support has always been there, but in financial terms, I don’t know how much attention is given to such children given their perhaps difficult lives. I definitely think that state structures should pay attention to such people because you never know how capable someone is in life until you look inside yourself to see what you are capable of,” concluded Ćurguz.

created: July 1st, 2022


text:
A Special Educational Program for Youth this Summer in Srebrenica | Balkan Diskurs
Balkan Diskurs
July 4th, 2022
The Srebrenica Memorial Center and the Post-Conflict Research  Center are organizing the third edition of the Srebrenica Youth School from July 5th to 13th. The participants will have the opportunity to learn about transitional justice, memorialization and historical narrative building, human rights, and the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities.
This year’s Srebrenica Youth School will bring together 50 young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, the United States, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Slovenia, Poland, Turkey, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Canada.
Srebrenica Memorial Center Director Emir Suljagić described the importance of the Srebrenica youth School as an integral component of the annual commemoration of the genocide in Srebrenica and a unique educational program for young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region, and the world.
Suljagić also added that, starting this year, the Srebrenica Youth School has two new partners – the Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund and the Manhattan College’s Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith (HGI) Education Center.
„Through cooperation with local and international organizations, the Srebrenica Youth School gives young people the opportunity to learn from experts in the field of genocide and conflict prevention,“ Suljagić said.
Velma Šarić, president and founder of the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC), said that unlike in the previous two years, this year’s school will include a one-day pre-program in Sarajevo. The participants will visit the Tunnel of Hope and learn more about the Siege of Sarajevo, in the year which marked the 30th anniversary of its beginning.
Participants of the Srebrenica Youth School will also attend the international conference „Srebrenica Heroines,“ which will be held on July 10th, 2022, at the Srebrenica Memorial Center.
„The „Srebrenica Heroines“ conference is a unique event that will bring together women who survived the genocide, but also activists, academics, representatives of victims and survivors’ associations, and civil society organizations working to preserve the truth about genocide through women’s perspectives,“ said Šarić.
The participants include students of all ages from more than 30 world universities, including University of Hamburg, University de Lorraine, Dresden University of Technology, University of Ljubljana, Scripps College in California, King’s College London, University of Sussex, Stanford University, University of Bologna, and many others. Through the interactive program, they will have the opportunity to learn from experts, academics, and artists working in various fields.
In addition to Suljagić and Šarić, this year’s lecturers and speakers of the School are Ahmed Kulanić, director of the Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund, Tanya Domi, professor at University of Columbia in New York, Dino Abazović, professor of sociology at the University of Sarajevo, Edina Bećirević, professor at the Faculty of Criminalistics, Criminology and Security Studies at the University of Sarajevo, Hariz Halilovich, social anthropologist and professor at RMIT University in Australia, Mehnaz Afridi, professor of religious studies and Paul Lowe, professor at the University of the Arts in London.
Additionally, they will speak with the representatives of local, regional, and international organizations, like the KVART Youth Center, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Croatia,  the OSCE Mission to BiH, the International Commission on Missing Persons, and  the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.
Two PCRC documentaries, „Memories 677“ and „Cases of Evil: Vlasenica,“ will also be shown during the school. The film, photography, art, and other multimedia material that will be used throughout the program are designed to encourage critical (re)evaluation, which in turn encourages processes of dealing with the past.
This year, the school will be held with the support of the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the OSCE Mission to BiH, the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, the Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund and Manhattan College.

source: news-balkandiskurs

created: July 4th, 2022

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Balkan Diskurs


text:
Punishing Denial: Thoughts on the Amendment to the Bosnian Criminal Code | Balkan Diskurs
Leonardo Torelli
July 8th, 2022
On July 23rd, 2021, Valentin Inzko, the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), introduced a Law on the Amendment to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina punishing the denial of international crimes and glorification of war criminals. Coming shortly before the end of his mandate, this decision, in Inzko’s words, was taken after “all chances offered to the domestic authorities to distance themselves from war criminals were ultimately rejected.”
Previous attempts to introduce such a law have been made by the Parliament of Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, since 2007 the enaction of a ban has been continuously vetoed by both Bosnian Serb MPs and the Bosnian-Croat nationalist party, the Croatian Democratic Union (Hrvatska demokratska zajednica; HDZ). For this reason, the new law was imposed by the High Representative through the so-called Bonn Powers.
As soon as the law was introduced, it stirred tensions within the country. Milorad Dodik, the Serb representative of the tripartite Presidency of BiH, threatened the secession of the Republika Srpska (RS), the country’s majority Serb entity. RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic also moved quickly to make the new measure inapplicable in that entity. If the rationale behind the law is generalizable, this article aims to investigate the possibility of criminalizing denial not only in BiH, but also more widely in Europe.
In recent years, punitive memory laws have increasingly been gaining attention, especially after the Council Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA which invites the EU Member States to adopt legislation punishing the negation of international crimes.
First of all, it is necessary to distinguish between revisionism and negationism. While the former constitutes part of historians’ work and is usually based on new evidence, the latter is aimed to distort historically proven facts or deny that they have ever occurred. Thus, when negationism is targeted at historical events such as the Holocaust, whose condemnation is part of the core values of a society, the state intervenes to say: “we need to remember this historical fact in a certain way” (Fronza, 2006).
Most importantly, negationism can be a form of hate speech, which is the case in BiH. Recalling the work of Robert Kahn on the Holocaust, it is possible to draw parallels. Focusing on the context, if brazen denial of the Holocaust in Germany and Austria constitutes hate speech, then denying the Srebrenica genocide in BiH has the same implication. This is for two reasons. Firstly, denial offends survivors and makes them feel unsafe. Secondly, it attempts to discredit the victims of genocide, and as such “isolates those connected to the victims from the rest of the human race” (Kahn, 2011). Thus, negationism alone can inflict serious harm, to both groups and individuals.
A third dimension which needs to be considered is the glorification of war criminals and their crimes. According to Hariz Halilovich, a professor at the RMIT University of Melbourne, this “goes beyond genocide denial. It is not ignorance, neither denial itself. It is something different: triumphalism.” Today, triumphalism and denial have entered popular culture. “You see people singing that Srebrenica should be repeated three times and calling for new massacres,” continues Professor Halilovich, “No other post-conflict societies had to deal with that, neither Germany nor Rwanda. This is something very unique to the Bosnian context, where genocide denial is also embedded in the political discourse”. This dimension is obviously unbearable and deeply offending for both the survivors and the victims.
Punitive memory laws aim to fulfill multiple functions: to defend a “state-established truth” and memory, to protect the dignity of survivors, to prevent hate speech, and to punish the glorification of violence. Whether or not these expectations are met by such laws is theoretically debated, with three weaknesses commonly pointed out.
Firstly, a punitive solution clashes with freedom of expression. For some, “the denial of rights in the defense of officially sanctified ‘truth’” (Hayden, 2008) pose a concrete risk to personal liberty. Nevertheless, the recent amendment to the Bosnian Criminal Code seems to be balanced with the right to express different opinions, as it punishes only conduct which publicly denies judicial findings or is likely to encourage hatred and violence. Thus, the law would only be applied in cases of strict necessity.
Secondly, the law might polarize the consent around the deniers (Fronza, 2012). Punishing them can activate a sort of victimization mechanism and consolidate their ranks while contributing to propagating their distortions. As of today, no one has been tried in BiH for violating the new law and it is therefore too soon to draw conclusions. However, the use of memory laws in some European countries has shown that this is a potential risk. As the Italian historian Carlo Ginzburg puts it, where laws on negationism have been adopted, the courts have become a formidable sounding board for deniers’ arguments. On the other hand, this is not always the case. As Sarajevo-based genocide scholar Hikmet Karčić underlines, the case of Holocaust denier David Irving against the historian Deborah Lipstadt proves the exact opposite. “What happened is that she became more famous than he did,” he says, “and then she was made a hero.”
Thirdly, there is uncertainty surrounding the law’s actual implementation. As Karčić points out, “To enact such a law does not mean that this is going to be implemented,” which he says is his main issue, adding that he does not “believe that local prosecutors are brave enough to file an indictment against somebody for denying genocide.”
After having briefly discussed the aims and weaknesses of punitive memory laws, it is necessary to clarify the purpose of the Bosnian regulation. This law differs from the memory laws adopted in other European countries which also protect a shared memory of the past and the core values of the society.
For example, the German Constitution was born on the rejection of Nazi fascism and the Holocaust. Thus, while the punitive memory law adopted in Germany protects the “constituent pact” (Fronza, 2012) and is rooted in its national identity, it is hard to say the same for BiH, where the same pact, namely the Constitution, crystallized the country’s ethnic partition and thus opposing narratives of the past. The history of the Bosnian conflict is not yet agreed upon and ‘different truths’ collide regarding these events. Therefore, for some, adopting a punitive response in a transitional context is seen as a potential trigger for an internal “memory war”.
In order to better understand the purpose of the recent law, we can draw a parallel with the constitutional structure of Germany. Carna Pistan, a scholar and researcher at the Harriman Institute of Columbia University, compares the two constitutions. “On one hand, German and Bosnian constitutions are very similar,” she explains, “since both were imposed internationally. Nevertheless, there is a difference. On one hand, we have the German constitution, the one of ‘never again.’ Here we see an attachment to norms and values of the democratic constitution, called constitutional patriotism. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, it is the opposite. The constitution entailed in the Dayton Agreement has incorporated the ethnic partition, defining the three constituent peoples, in its preamble. Thus, the Constitution reproduces ethnic division, which reflects on the three different historical narratives present in the country.”
Hence, the purpose of this law is not to protect the Bosnian “constituent pact” as the expression of a shared narrative over the past. For this to happen, the Constitution needs to be reformed in a more inclusive sense, since it is also a requirement to enter the EU. Secondly, the aim of this law has little to do with promoting reconciliation. It has been imposed by an international body and the literature converges on the conviction that reconciliation cannot be imposed by external actors (Bloomfied et al., 2003). Nevertheless, according to Pistan, punishing negationism might help with reconciliation, “but only in the sense that it can prevent denial, glorification, and preserve the judicially established truth, being that this is the precondition to construct reconciliation and trigger democratic memory building.”
The purpose of the Bosnian punitive memory law needs to be circumscribed. It has little to do with common memory protection, reconciliation, and lack of acknowledgement. “Facts have been acknowledged,” explains Karčić, “the only issue we have now is the intentional distortion of proven facts.” This law serves to respond to the new wave of “strategic denial” brought forward by the Serb Bosnian establishment. Indeed, there has been a clear change in policy and denial is being used for political purposes. For instance, in 2004, Dragan Čavić, then the President of the RS, and his government acknowledged the crimes that were committed in Srebrenica. Conversely, Dodik recently asserted that empty coffins were buried in Srebrenica.
Nowadays, as Karčić underlines, “The law was much needed because the denial level is high and brutal, not among ordinary people, but among politicians.” Thus, the irresponsibility of politicians had an impact on the people’s perception. According to Professor Halilovich, one of the reasons for genocide denial is the narrative that nationalists have been fomenting. “Serb nationalists invented that if Serbs admit genocide, they will be considered a ‘genocidal people.’ But there is no such a thing. What is important to discuss and acknowledge is individual accountability.” Luka Šterić, a researcher at the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, points out that “in Republika Srpska very few people accept the decision by the Hague tribunal (…) that there has been genocide in Srebrenica, because in their heads that would delegitimize the whole notion of existence for Republika Srpska.”
Finally, the rhetoric of denial and triumphalism certainly finds fertile ground as a result of the fact that the education system has been hijacked. “History that children normally learn in Bosnia-Herzegovina ends in 1992,” explains Professor Halilovich, “however, nationalist narratives are pushed into other subjects like literature and geography.”
The ban was much needed, and there is general agreement that it should have been introduced earlier. Perhaps if it had been implemented immediately after the war, it could have played a positive role in the process of dealing with the past. In this sense, an opportunity may have been missed.
However, today it is necessary to punish hate speech and distortions of historical reality regarding the Srebrenica genocide, which deeply wound the survivors. Choosing to pursue policies of denial and minimization is irresponsible and perpetuates the constant indignation and insecurity experienced by survivors who fell under constant threat.
This law is unique. As Pistan points out, it is part of a new category of internationally enforced punitive memory laws. This is why it was appropriate to try to understand its purposes. As discussed, the focus is not so much on the protection of the Bosnian “constituent pact” or on promoting reconciliation as it is on the need to protect the dignity of the survivors and the memory of the victims. In this way, it seeks to stem the current of denial which pervades the political discourse and remove a formidable obstacle to mutual understanding.
The law, as of today, has had some impact. “What is interesting is that the number of denialist rhetorics lowered online,” notices Karčić, and adds “we will see how the situation will be now regarding the 11th of July” on which the 27th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide will be commemorated.

created: July 8th, 2022

author: Leonardo Torelli


text:
Bosnia and Herzegovina is Proudly Coming Out: The LGBTI Community’s Fight for Visibility and Equal Rights | Balkan Diskurs
Berta López Domènech
July 18th, 2022
Around 1,500 people marched through the streets of Sarajevo on the 25th of June under the slogan “Family Gathering” in the third-ever pride march in Bosnia and Herzegovina to protest discrimination and injustice against the LGBTI community.
With this year’s slogan, the organizers aim to shed light on the fact that same-sex partners families are a reality in Bosnia and Hercegovina and “to create a space where we are all a family,” explains Banja Luka resident Irma Besirević, one of the organizers of the march.
In a city of over 300,000 inhabitants, there isn’t a specific and openly gay bar where the LGBTI community can gather and express themselves freely. It’s still very rare to see same-sex couples holding hands in the streets of Sarajevo, showing affection in a cafe, or kissing in a nightclub.
“Most people from the LGBTI community still feel that the city is not a safe place for them. Showing affection still draws attention, and there have been cases of violence,” notes Darko Pandurević, Advocacy and Program Manager at the Sarajevo Open Center (SOC), an NGO committed to defending and advancing LGBTI and women’s rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The necessity to create safe spaces for the LGBTI community became even more evident after the lockdown. “The pandemic was very tough for those people who had to confine themselves with relatives who didn’t accept their identities,” says Irma.
That has never been a problem personally for Irma, who was born in Sweden and moved back to Bosnia, where both her parents come from. Irma’s family always accepted her identity and sexual orientation and for her, coming out was a very smooth process. “My mum was always asking a lot, and I decided to come out to her when I started my relationship,” says Irma, who remembers her mother being very happy.
However, not everyone in Bosnia has the same luck. The 24-years-old acknowledges that while she is “a privileged one,” most of her friends had a hard time coming out. In fact, an opinion poll carried out by NDI in 2015 found that 44% of parents would try to “cure” their children if they found out they were LGBTI.
Change is coming with newer generations, due in part to social media. “Internet culture has really opened up a safe space for everyone. We have found LGBTI references online that have helped us understand our own identities,” explains Irma. However, most of the LGBTI content in social media is anchored in English. Local activism is thus crucial to bring these messages onto the streets. “It is important to have content in our language and a pride march in our country so that people can have local LGBTI references and see that homosexuality is also a reality in Bosnia,” she adds.
In 2008, the Bosnian capital hosted the Queer Sarajevo Festival, which was the first public coming out of LGBTI people in the country. However, it ended up being canceled on just its third day, after dozens of anti-LGBTI protesters injured eight people. Six years later, in 2014, history repeated itself when around ten people broke into the International Queer Film Festival Merlinka and injured three participants.
In 2019, Bosnia and Herzegovina held its first-ever pride march. This event was the result of almost two decades of queer activism and it made BiH the last of the former Yugoslav countries to host a pride celebration. It was also an attempt to bring the country together: “Unlike in other major cities, the march is not named after the city, but the country. We are trying to overcome the country’s divisions and to move forward,” states Irma.
The parade was a serious milestone for the LGBTI community in BiH, especially in light of the 2008 and 2014 incidents. “The march has given us visibility and opened up the possibility of not having to leave the country as a young person who is gay,” adds Irma. The way mainstream media approaches the topic has also helped to normalize it.
Same-sex partnerships are not yet legal in Bosnia. In 2020, the first attempts to legalize it were made in the Federation, one of the two entities comprising BiH, but the process is currently stagnated. “The legalization of same-sex partnership, alongside with the strengthening of the right to freedom of assembly and the recognition of the rights of transexual and intersex people, are our main short-term goals”, states Darko Pandurević.
Some progress has been made on the judicial front. Last April, 13 years after the adoption of the Anti-Discrimination Law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a judgment based on this law was passed related to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore, the members of the judiciary have become more accepting towards LGBTI people: “For several years, we’ve been working with prosecutors, judges, and police officers, training them and making them more sensitive towards these topics,” highlights the Advocacy and Program Manager of the Sarajevo Open Center.
According to the ILGA-Europe’s Annual Review of the Human Rights Situation of LGBTI People, 2021 saw a severe rise in anti-LGBTI rhetoric from politicians and other leaders across the continent, namely in Hungary and Poland. This trend has fueled a wave of violence against the LGBTI community, with hate crimes reported in every European country.
These homophobic trends are already having an impact in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “There is always the spillover effect with everything that is going on in the world. For these right-wing conservative movements, political opposition to the rights of LGBTI citizens are one of their main pillars, and in Bosnia, some political figures that never talked about LGBTI rights before are now also appropriating this discourse,” warns Pandurević.
Last year, the Serb member of the BiH Presidency, Milorad Dodik, took part in the Budapest Demographic Summit, an event that brings together populists, nationalists, and ultra-conservative leaders from Europe and abroad to “discuss the main issues affecting families.” There, alongside anti-immigration, islamophobic, and illiberal messages, Dodik condemned what he called “the ideology imposed by liberal states.” “How can it be incorrect to say that a woman is a mother, and a man is a father?” Dodik asked rhetorically in front of an audience that also included the Slovenian, Czech, and Serbian Presidents. “I can’t comprehend this logic. I accept everyone who is different, but they want to impose their own values on me, and I’m running away from it. You shouldn’t offend me,” he added.
At this moment, public attention is focused on the campaign for the upcoming general elections scheduled for October 2022. “In an election year, everything is a political battlefield and can be used to score political points,” laments Darko. In Sarajevo Canton, the opposition is using the fact that the cantonal government allocated money for the funding of security measures for the pride march as a political tool. They argue that under previous cantonal administrations, a march of this kind never took place.
Despite the opposition of some sectors of society, the LGBTI community took to the streets of Sarajevo again to fight for their rights, visibility, and acceptance. The third-ever pride march in Bosnia Herzegovina ended peacefully under the tight security measures taken by the Sarajevo Canton government and the city police.

author: Berta López Domènech


text:
Remembering the Srebrenica Genocide in Tuzla | Balkan Diskurs
Balkan Diskurs
July 20th, 2022
In the Bosnian Cultural Center in Tuzla, the exhibition “Genocide in Srebrenica Through Legal Judgements” was opened as part of Srebrenica Genocide Remembrance Day. The exhibition is a part of the joint research project of the Srebrenica Memorial Center and the Post-Conflict Research Center.
“Genocide in Srebrenica Through Legal Judgements” presents all of the individuals who were convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes by the final verdicts of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, later the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Courts, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the High Court in Belgrade.
Velma Šarić, founder and president of the Post-Conflict Research Center, said that this exhibition in Tuzla presents the judicially-established facts in order to make them accessible to younger generations in a clearer and more creative way.
“With this project, we want to show citizens how many people were sentenced for the genocide in Srebrenica. We know that more than 8,000 men and boys were killed, and 53 people have been sentenced so far. With the project, we want to emphasize how important it is to continue prosecuting war crimes, but also to educate young people about the facts,” said Šarić.
She notes that the project includes verdicts for other municipalities as well, such as Prijedor, Zvornik, and Višegrad. By the end of this year, she says that the Srebrenica Memorial Center and the Post-Conflict Research Center will create an interactive database showing exactly how many people have been sentenced for war crimes and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Amir Kulaglić, President of the subcommittee for the 2022 Peace March, said that the genocide in Srebrenica is a forensic, theoretical, scientific, and legal truth, which was the result of a systemic crime. In the fight for accountability for the genocide, Kulaglić emphasized the 27-year struggle of the “mothers and sisters,” who found the strength to fight for truth and justice, testify in judicial proceedings, persevere in the search for the bones of all those who are considered disappeared and in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Nemanja Stjepanović, a researcher for the Program of the Mechanism for Informing Communities Affected by Conflicts, said that the trials before the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Courts are more or less over for the areas of the former Yugoslavia, but that now we have court-established facts, an extensive archive, and an abundance of documentary evidence. This includes wartime diaries, intercepted conversations, as well as testimonies such as videos, which are accessible.
“These verdicts for genocide and crimes against humanity in Srebrenica can be encouraging for young people, that is, for new projects that can involve thousands of people,” said Stjepanović.
Vedad Gurda, a professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Tuzla, cited data from the research, according to which a total of 1,054 people were convicted in all courts, including courts in Germany, Norway, and other countries which prosecuted war crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, comparing that number with tens of thousands of victims.
“The average sentence of the Court in The Hague is 15 years, and the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina is 11 years,” said Gurda, stressing that it is very important to establish the official truth.
According to Gurda, Srebrenica is a symbol of suffering in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a symbol of the suffering of humanity; however, when the numbers of those convicted are compared, more people were sentenced for war crimes committed in Prijedor. “A lot has been done, but still not enough,” Gurda says.
Jasmin Imamović, the Mayor of Tuzla, said that everything that is done in the Srebrenica Memorial Center must be done in every part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“We have to do it, first of all, out of respect for the victims of genocide and crimes against humanity. We have to do it for the sake of humanity, because it is the most terrible act that a person can commit against a person and humanity. We must stand up to genocide deniers because genocide denial is preparation for a new genocide. It is a textbook example of preparation for a new genocide. Genocide must never be experienced by anyone ever again – not by Bosniaks, Serbs, Croats, or any people, anyone,” said Imamović.
Ahmed Omerović, Minister of Education and Science of the Government of Tuzla Canton, emphasized the importance of preserving the memory of the genocide and crimes to ensure that they are not repeated.
The exhibition “Genocide in Srebrenica Through Legal Judgements”  was open in the Bosnian Cultural Center in Tuzla from July 5 until July 13, 2022, with the aim of commemorating the 27th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica.


text:
Srebrenica Youth School – The path to multicultural understanding | Balkan Diskurs
Balkan Diskurs
July 22nd, 2022
The third edition of the Srebrenica Youth School, which was held as part of the 27th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, was characterized by participants as a useful and educational experience.
In addition to wholistic insight into the authentic space of the Srebrenica Memorial Center, the school provided students with academic knowledge about human rights, transitional justice, and the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities. Participants also had the invaluable opportunity of setting up the recent exhibition “Mother’s Scarf,” hanging up for display hundreds of donated scarves, each of which with its own story and gravity.
The Srebrenica Youth School, organized by the Post-Conflict Research Center and the Srebrenica Memorial Center, was held this year form July 5th to 13th. It was attended by 50 participants from various countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, the United States, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Slovenia, Poland, Turkey, Belgium, United Kingdom, Mexico, and Canada. Along with participating in the the installation of the exhibition “Mother’s Scarf,” students this year attended the conference “Srebrenica Heroines” on July 10th, which was dedicated to the mothers who have fought, and continue to fight, for truth and justice.
“The school is an indescribable experience that I would recommend to everyone, especially those who have never been to Srebrenica, that is, the Memorial Center,” said Rijad Isanović, a participant from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He emphasized that taking part in the installation of the exhibition “Mother’s Scarf” left a deep impression on him, as each scarf has its own specific story.
Zahra Beg, a participant from Belgium, highlighted the importance of education, especially in the context of anti-Islamism. She explained that while the genocide in Srebrenica is seen as an event from the past, and the denial of the genocide in the Republika Srpska and Serbia shows that Bosniaks are still being subjected to violence.
Begum Šimšir, from Turkey, also noted the significance of participating in the installation of the “Mother’s Scarf” exhibition. “During the installation itself, I discussed with other participants the importance of a woman’s freedom to choose whether she wants to wear a headscarf, since that freedom is threatened every day,” Šimšir said.
“Srebrenica is a really special place. It really left a special impression on me. We should definitely visit Srebrenica so that we don’t forget the genocide that was committed in this area, especially us younger generations,” said Medina Odobašić from Bosnia and Herzegovina. She added that her most emotional moment was the arrival of the truck with the mortal remains of genocide victims.
During the School’s opening ceremony, Memorial Center Director Emir Suljagić pointed out the importance of the existence of the Memorial Center, which not only “preserves and tells the story of the genocide,” but also honors the memory of the victims.
“Nothing says more about us and who we are than the way we react to a situation where people are killed because of their religion, ethnicity, race, or political beliefs,” said Suljagić.
Velma Šarić, president and founder of the Post-Conflict Research Center, said that it is very important for the participants to be in the place where the genocide was committed, to see the daily life of the people of Srebrenica, and learn about the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities.
The participants included students of all ages from more than 30 universities worldwide, including the University of Hamburg, University de Lorraine, Dresden University of Technology, University of Ljubljana, Scripps College in California, King’s College London, University of Sussex, Stanford University, University of Bologna, and many others. Through the interactive program, they had  the opportunity to learn from experts, academics, and artists working in various fields: Tanya Domi, professor at Columbia University in New York; Dino Abazović, professor of sociology at the University of Sarajevo; Hariz Halilovich, social anthropologist and professor at RMIT University in Australia; Paul Lowe, professor at the University of the Arts in London; and Edina Bećirević, professor at the Faculty of Criminalistics, Criminology and Security Studies at the University of Sarajevo.
During the school, the participants attended two panel discussions with local and international organizations, including the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Courts, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, International Commission on Missing Persons, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, the KVART Youth Center, and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network BiH.
School participants were also present at the arrival of the coffins with the remains of those killed in the genocide and at the collective funeral.
The third edition of the Srebrenica Youth School also had a preliminary program that started in Sarajevo, during which the participants visited the Tunnel of Hope, which was the city’s only connection with the rest of the country and the outside world during the siege. The Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund introduced participants to the lives of the citizens of Sarajevo during the longest siege in modern history, as well as the timeline of the Srebrenica genocide, and the events in the period between 1992-1995.
This year, the school was held with the support of the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the OSCE Mission to BiH, the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, the Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund, and Manhattan College.


text:
“Srebrenica Heroines:” Persistency and Determination in the Fight for Truth | Balkan Diskurs
Balkan Diskurs
July 25th, 2022
Witnesses, fighters, and heroines are the words used to describe the mothers and women of Srebrenica. For 27 years, they fought for the truth, the existence of the Srebrenica Memorial Center, to find the remains of their loved ones, and to punish the perpetrators of the most terrible crimes.
Their voices have brought the Srebrenica genocide to the attention of the whole world. Their struggle and the roles of women in post-conflict societies were discussed at the Srebrenica Heroines International Conference, which was held on July 10 at the Srebrenica Memorial Center on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.
The conference was organized by the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves, the Post-Conflict Research Center, and the Srebrenica Memorial Center, and its panelists included women from Srebrenica, the Podrinje region, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the wider Balkan region, and around the world. In four separate panels – “Missing Persons,” “Judicial Legacies,” “Memorialization & Role of Mothers,” and “Women’s Activism in Politics” – the panelists discussed the immeasurable role of women in Bosnian-Herzegovinian society and their contribution to changing international law. They also encouraged other women around the world to never give up.
Munira Subašić, president of the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves, emphasized the significance of holding the “Srebrenica Heroines” conference at the place where the genocide was committed. Her message to all the women of the world was to follow the example of the mothers of Srebrenica: “We are women who lost those closest to us, but we stand proud. We have managed to raise [our children] without hatred or a need for retaliation.”
Alice Wairimu Nderita, United Nations Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide, highlighted the necessity of talking about the Srebrenica genocide, stating “History teaches us that genocide denial and glorification of war criminals divides peoples, communities, and states. Denying genocide constitutes an attack on human dignity, especially to the victims and survivors. We must confront it.” She also applauded the courage of the mothers of Srebrenica who she noted deserve the greatest credit for bringing war criminals to justice.
Emir Suljagić, director of the Srebrenica Memorial Center, said that the women survivors set the example, giving everyone a sense of direction and purpose after the genocide in July 1995.
“Nobody liked us after 1995. No one welcomed us. People didn’t even know what had happened here in July 1995, or even before that. This part of the world here had been taken back to the Middle Ages, and these women showed us direction and purpose. Thanks to them, we knew what to do next,” explained Suljagić.
Velma Šarić, president and founder of the Post-Conflict Research Center, presented the background of the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves. She pointed out that the mothers of Srebrenica contributed immensely to the process of proving genocide and war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the long-term fight.
“They did this through their brave testimonies, but also, very frequently, by submitting evidence and everything that was necessary just to prove that their husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons had actually existed,” added Šarić.
Hamdija Fejzić, president of the Organizing Committee for the Commemoration of the 27th Anniversary of the genocide, said that in the genocide against Bosniaks in Srebrenica, thousands of women were left without husbands, brothers, and sons, but persisted, nevertheless, in the fight for truth and justice.
“They are the voice of those who cannot speak because they have been killed. In the first years, all of them hoped to find their loved ones, for them to return alive. Then they spent years hoping to find the bones of their loved ones, to bury them with dignity as they deserve, to find peace for them and their loved ones,” said Fejzić, during the opening remarks at the Srebrenica Heroines Conference.
Kada Hotić, Vice President of the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves, Kathryne Bomberger, Director-General of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), Pakiza Colo, Head of the ICMP Data Coordination Department, Dragana Vučetić, senior forensic scientist and anthropologist at ICMP and Alma Džaferović, head of the War Crimes Department of the Tuzla Canton Prosecutor’s Office addressed the public during the panel Missing Persons.
Hotić said that they fought for their lives with superhuman strength during the war, but also that women’s adaptability played a key role in this effort. “Many lives were taken but they did not kill our spirit,” said Hotić.
Bobmerger spoke about the strength and love of the women of Eastern Bosnia: “I was amazed by not only their strength to fight for answers, but the love that they had for each other and the other families of those missing. From the beginning, they united not only as the Mothers of Srebrenica, but as the mothers of all Yugoslavia.”
“Together with the mothers of Srebrenica and mothers from the region, we managed to use the most advanced DNA methods to identify seven of the eight thousand missing in Srebrenica. This is a fact that has been confirmed by international and domestic courts, and I think that all this says the most important thing: Please, stop denying the genocide,” Bomberger continued.
The panel “Judicial Legacies” addressed the strength of the mothers of Srebrenica and other women of Eastern Bosnia who testified before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Through their courage, they made instrumental contributions to changing international law to see rape classified as a war crime, as well as to ensuring the perpetrators of crimes in Srebrenica were held accountable. The panelists at this session were Šuhra Sinanović, president of the Association “Women of Podrinje – Bratunac, Laurel Baig, Senior Appeals Counsel in the Office of the Prosecutor of the Mechanism, Diana Kajmaković, prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rada Pejić Sremac, coordinator of the Mechanism for Informing Communities Affected by the Conflict program at IRMCT, Tanya Domi, professor at Columbia University in New York, and Jasna Zečević, president of the Vive Žene Tuzla Association.
“There cannot be justice unless women are part of that justice,” asserted Baig, who was in the appeals process at the trials of Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić, the highest political and military leaders of the Republic of Srpska. For the genocide in Srebrenica and crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, they received 40 years in prison and life sentence respectively.
In this case, healing does not come with time. Time is our enemy. All of your testimonies help us to understand that women can and are surviving, that the women of Eastern Bosnia survived,” said Kajmaković. She emphasized the immense value of the work of international judges and prosecutors in trials for genocide and war crimes.
The lessons of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to Professor Domi, can be used in courts around the world.
The panel “Memorialization and the role of mothers” panel welcomed Fazila Efandić, president of the Srebrenica Mothers Association, Dunja Mijatović, European Council Commissioner for Human Rights, Tali Nates, founder and director of the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre, Annick Lacroix, vice-president of the Paris Committee Mothers for Peace, Jadranka Miličević, co-founder and director of the CURE Foundation and Azra Fazlović, Tuzla Muftiship.
Efendić recalls that while they were dealing with pain and sadness, they were also fighting, together with other mothers and women, for shared goals: to find their loved ones and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The importance of art was highlighted by Dunja Mijatović, in respect to the artistic installation “Mothers Scarf” which was opened at the Memorial Center on the occasion of the 27th anniversary. The exhibition is comprised of hundreds of donated scarves, which, Mijatović stated, is a testament to what we can do. She went on to express the hope that the  Srebrenica Memorial Center will continue to be a place that promotes learning about the atrocities that were committed in Srebrenica, to ensure they is never repeated.
“When we speak about memory, we also need to speak about action and we need to act faster,” Nates asserted.
The Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Kasja Ollongern, addressed the participants of the Srebrenica Heroines Conference, pointing out that the mothers of Srebrenica continue to make an important contribution to the fight for truth and justice. “They are a reminder that there is no evil that women cannot defeat,” Ollengern added.
The panel “Women’s Activism in Politics” included: Munira Subašić, president of the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves,  Tineke Strik, member of the European Parliament, Edita Đapo, minister of tourism and environment of the Federation of BiH, and Alma Čolo, member of the in the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly.
Subašić told how the struggle of the mothers of Srebrenica for justice and truth began. “We went to protests, asked for information about our loved ones, collected statements that we sent to The Hague, testified before the courts, fought to find the bones of our loved ones and bury them here in this Memorial, fought for special recognition, helped with education and upbringing children who were left without one or both parents… Even today we are fighting so that the genocide is not denied. Women can do it all,” explained Subašić.
“The mothers of Srebrenica are a source of strength for all of us. We, organizations and politicians, should and must continue to work together for a better country for our children and future generations,” said Čolo.
Tineke recalled that few weeks ago she was in Republika Srpska, where she says there was a normal atmosphere, as if nothing had happened. “That worried me a lot, because if they don’t acknowledge it, then how to start the process of reconciliation. We can only achieve reconciliation if there is acknowledgment of what has been done. We cannot continue not punishing the denial and glorification of genocide,” said Tineke.
For Minister Đapo, the mothers of Srebrenica are a great inspiration. “They showed us that when women work together, they can send a very strong message to politicians and the whole world,” Đapo added.
The closing remarks of the Srebrenica Heroines Conference were delivered by Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.
“Women are among the most affected by conflict. In Srebrenica, many of you lost your loved ones, while others were victims of rape. Nevertheless, you led the fight and inspired others with your persistence and determination,” said Judge Santana in her first address as president of the IRMCT.
The conference included short videos in memory of the mothers of Srebrenica who have passed on, “In memoriam: Srebrenica Heroines” and “Mother,” produced by the Post-Conflict Research Center, and “Srebrenica Through Women’s Eyes” by the ICTY.
The conference opened with a musical performance by the female vocal ensemble Allegro: Lullaby  “Nine sine, spavaj sine,” arranged by L. Jusić, and “Što te nema” (text by Aleksa Šantić) accompanied by Elvira Solak on guitar.
The conference was moderated by Almasa Smajlović, PR of the Srebrenica Memorial Center, Tatjana Milovanović, project director of the Post-Conflict Research Center, and Erna Mačkić, project manager of the Post-Conflict Research Center.
The Srebrenica Heroines Conference was held thanks to the generous support of the National Endowment for Democracy, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the City of Zenica, the Federal Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees, the City of Sarajevo, the United Nations in BiH, and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). Support for the conference was also provided by Sarajevo Kiseljak and the Tuzla Muftiship.


text:
Revitalization of Herzegovinian Tobacco - Remembering the Tradition | Balkan Diskurs
Kristina Gadže
July 29th, 2022
The climate and soil in Herzegovina favor the development of one of the most consumed plants – tobacco, the so-called “yellow gold” which ensured the financial income of numerous Herzegovinian families. While trying to restore the recognition of Herzegovinian tobacco, the memory of the tradition was immortalized by the opening of the Tobacco Museum in Ljubuški.
There is very little or no demand for the type of tobacco grown in Herzegovina from big tobacco giants like BAT, Philip Morris, JTI, and Imperial. This local variety of semi-oriented tobacco was long ago removed from the blend cigarette recipe. This is why private capital has not yet recognized the possibility for profit.
The Federal Agro-Mediterranean Institute of Mostar is trying to revitalize the production of Herzegovinian tobacco, but exclusively as cut tobacco in different packages. This will initially be for the markets in Bosnia and Herzegovina and neighboring countries, but if demand increases, other countries will be considered.
The Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina has issued a decision on the right to the name of origin of the association “Duvan Hercegovački Ravnjak.” However, pending any further developments, those interested in doing so can reflect on the former staple of Herzegovinian identity and the region’s uniqueness by vising the Tobacco Museum in Ljubuški.
Tobacco first appeared in Herzegovina in the 17th century, and with the introduction of a state monopoly by what was then Austria-Hungary, the product’s importance grew as did support for its production. Today, plain Herzegovinian tobacco is a protected product of geographical origin on the list of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Tobacco in Herzegovina was the heart of “yellow gold,” and many were fed and educated by growing this plant.
Benjamin Tomić is the owner of the region’s only tobacco museum, which is located in Ljubuški. He explained that growing tobacco used to be a painstaking job because everything was done by hand and entire families took part in growing tobacco. Today, only three tobacco buying stations remain in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and all existing factories have been shut down. The last tobacco buying shop  in Herzegovina was closed ten years ago in Stolac.
Marko Ivanković, director of the Federal Agro-Mediterranean Institute in Mostar, said that in 1985, an estimated 1,200 tons of tobacco was purchased in Ljubuški. At the time, this amounted to roughly five million German marks worth; however, in today’s economy, the value would be four or five times more.
“We have no illusions that we will return to pre-war production quantity, but our goal is to produce a premium product, with recognizable quality and tradition in consumption, which will again have a high price,” said Ivanković.
He goes on to explain that the goal is to take matters into their own hands. In simpler terms, this would mean that primary production, processing (cut tobacco and packaging), and market sale would be done by a single company. “Our efforts are aimed at revitalizing the production of Herzegovinian tobacco exclusively as cut tobacco in different packages. In the beginning, we aim to distribute to the market in BiH and neighboring countries, and if demand were to increase, other markets could be considered,” said Ivanković.
Tomić is of the opinion that tobacco production in Bosnia and Herzegovina will never be fully revitalized due to problems with the protection of domestic production, and that it is impossible to compete with tobacco companies that receive equal or better treatment regarding excise duties and taxes on tobacco and tobacco products.
Tobacco is a state monopoly everywhere in the world. It accounts for a significant source of income in state budgets, and its production is strictly regulated at the exclusion of the market forces. However, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, following the post-socialist transition to an open liberal economy, Ivanković says that not all the segments of the production chain are monopolized.
The relationship between the primary producer and the purchase organizer (tobacco stations), as stated by Ivanković, takes place through contracts, but on market principles: “Each year, practically, contracts are signed between the purchase organizer and the primary tobacco producers and contract prices are not influenced by the state. In the former system, the state determined the purchase prices of raw (unfermented) leaf tobacco.”
Individual producers as well as entire countries strive to differentiate their products and regions – that is, the localities on the market – to make them recognizable and competitive. In this context, the Institute for Intellectual Property of BiH states that Herzegovinian tobacco can be one of the recognizable elements of the Herzegovinian identity, which can complete the recognition of Herzegovina as a unique region. “Throughout history, Herzegovinian tobacco has gained a reputation as a quality tobacco that was known beyond the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the Institute stated.
In the project “Revitalization of the Production of Herzegovinian Tobacco,” Herzegovinian tobacco was presented as a tourist product, the sale of which would be exclusively cut tobacco for rolling. Ivanković led the team that created the project, but they were unable to get the support of potential investors. Aware of the fact that the majority of today’s consumers do not know how to roll tobacco, they planned an activity in the project under the working title “Tobacco Rolling School.”
Given that it is a tourist product, Ivanković said that the logical idea was to establish a museum of Herzegovinian tobacco.
In May of this year, a tobacco museum was opened in a former cigarette factory in Ljubuški. This tobacco museum is the only one in the region. The Tabak Restaurant, located within the museum, is filled with antiques, including needles, shredders for cutting tobacco, scales, hooks and strings on which tobacco was hung up to dry, and so on.
Tomić, the owner of the museum, said that after technically equipping the building, they hired the academic sculptor and designer Robert Alilović, who suggested that they collect as many antiques as possible from across the region. “For months we contacted collectors throughout the region – in BiH, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro – searched classified ads, registered on portals where antique auctions are held, etc. We bought everything that was on sale, and now we have a collection that we think is impossible for anyone to replicate,” Tomić said.
He says that they have tried to collect artifacts from the Austria-Hungarian period up until the present day items. “We have exhibited antiques from the time of Austria-Hungary, the Independent State of Croatia, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and up to the present day. Along the way, we also touched on the world history of tobacco, such as famous world consumers of tobacco and tobacco products, former global advertisements for various tobacco products from when tobacco was not yet considered a product that is harmful to health. We also touched on Cuba, that is, advertisements for Cuban cigars, etc.,” Tomić described.
The first attempt to open a tobacco museum dates back to 1989, when the Mostar Tobacco Factory bought a collection of antiques with the aim of building a museum within the factory. However, the collection was destroyed in the war and the museum was neer created. The second attempt to open a museum, according to Tomić, was by the Federal Agro-Mediterranean Institute Mostar, but he is not sure why the idea never came to fruition.

author: Kristina Gadže


text:
Help from the “Reds” on the Nezuk-Potočari Route | Balkan Diskurs
Selmir Smajić
August 1st, 2022
In this year’s Peace March, thousands of participants walked from Nezuk (Sapna municipality) to Potočari (Srebrenica municipality) in memory of those killed in the genocide of July 1995. They passed through mountainous terrains, dense forests, and a number of returnee settlements. Upon arrival in Potočari, they attended the funeral for 50 victims of the genocide whose remains were found over the past year.
Among the march participants were many members of the Civil Protection of the Federation of BiH and the Red Cross of the Tuzla Canton, the so-called “reds,” who were also there to provide first aid and any other support for participants if necessary.
Azmir Huseinović, originally from Konjević Polje, is a volunteer for Red Cross Lukavac (Zvornik municipality). He was not even four years old when the genocide in Srebrenica was committed in July 1995. After the fall of the then protected enclave of the United Nations (UN), part of his family left for Lukavac. He stayed there until he moved to Slovenia in 2019.  His father, grandfather and four uncles were killed in the genocide.
“In 2008 I set off for my first March. I went as a civilian, trying to see and learn as much as possible about the Death March of July 1995 from people who survived it,” said Huseinović.
Thanks to the Red Cross Lukavac and the Red Cross of the Tuzla Canton, Huseinović went to the March in 2011 as part of the first aid team, which was a confirmation for him that this work was and always will be his calling.
“Being able to help others while walking that path with them is an incredible feeling, because it often makes me think of Dr. Ilijaz Pilav and Dr. Fatima Klempić. These remarkable individuals risked their own lives to help people trying to reach free territory through various ambushes and mined areas,” Huseinović explained.
Every march opens old wounds for Huseinović. They are emotional and difficult journeys because members of his family were killed somewhere along the way while trying to reach freedom and their loved ones.
His closest relatives are buried at the Srebrenica Memorial Center in Potočari. When the marchers reach that site, Huseinović and his “red family,” as the volunteers of the Red Cross call one another, go to the graves of his loved ones and honor them by praying.
Huseinović highlighted that “having a family like them, an army of people in red, who are there by your side no matter what, is an incredible feeling.”
No difficulties on the Peace march route are insurmountable for Huseinović. Regardless of how many challenges he faces, come intense rain or extreme heat, Huseinović presses forward because he wants to help people. Once he reaches the white lines of the gravestones, he forgets all of the hardships endured along the way. He explained simply: “we do this so Srebrenica never happens again to anyone.”
24-year-old Dino Hasanović, a volunteer for the Red Cross Sapna, has also been marching the route to Srebrenica for several consecutive years with the intention of helping other participants if needed.
“As a Red Cross volunteer, I wanted to do something to help and felt an obligation to walk the route that the people of Srebrenica walked in July 1995. I believe that every person should make the journey from Nezuk to Potočari,” said Hasanović.
He explained that while there are certain difficulties to be faced along the way, arriving at the Srebrenica Memorial Center in Potočari and experiencing the gratitude and feeling of having helped someone make them all worthwhile.
“I would invite all citizens to march this honorable way and to be the bearers of the message: ‘May it never happen again to anyone,’” said Hasanović.
20-year-old Belmin Alibašić, also a volunteer of the Red Cross Lukavac, has been providing help on the March route for the second year in a row. He emphasized that there are many smart, experienced and good people around him and that the difficulties that they face do not matter once they get to the Srebrenica Memorial Center.
As part of the commemoration of the genocide against Bosniaks in and around Srebrenica, thousands of participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and around the world pass along the March route to commemorate those killed in the genocide. The march lasts three days, from July 8 to 10, and takes the following route: Nezuk – Baljkovica – Parlog – Crni Vrh – Snagovo – Liplje – Jošanica – Donja Kamenica – Bakrači – Glodi – Udrč – Cerska – Kaldrmica – Đugum – Mravinjci – Burnice – Kameničko Brdo – Ravni Buljim – Jaglići – Šušnjari – Budak – Potočari.
During the journey, shorter history classes are held in certain localities where one can hear testimonies from survivors of the “Death March” of 1995. It is possible to meet many of the survivors because they are in the column of participants. Participants also get familiar with the places of mass execution for captured Bosniaks, as well as the sites of primary and secondary mass graves.
For those who do not feel physically ready to complete the route from Nezuk to Potočari, there is an alternative route from Borak to Potočari that lasts two days.

created: August 1st, 2022

author: Selmir Smajić


text:
‘Mother’s Scarf’: A Creative Commemoration for the Women of Srebrenica | Balkan Diskurs
Jonathan Angell
August 5th, 2022
More than 50 young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe and the world tied scarves and shawls on both sides of the path that connects the Srebrenica Memorial Center and the graves of Srebrenica genocide victims, creating an art installation entitled „Mother’s Scarf“ to pay tribute to the mothers and women – the heroines of Srebrenica – and their long-standing fight for justice and truth.
Scarves and shawls were donated by women from Bosnia and Herzegovina and around world, from as far away as Cuba and Kenya, at the initiative of the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC), the Srebrenica Memorial Center and the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves. The path leading from the victims’ cemetery to the Srebrenica Memorial Center was lined with row upon row of marame, or scarves, which were officially unveiled on July 10th as part of the commemoration of the 27th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica.
During the official opening of the Mother’s Scarf art installation, several scarves were tied together by the mothers of Srebrenica together with Alice Wairimu Nderita, United Nations (UN) Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Kathryne Bomberger, Director General of the International Commission for Missing Persons, Tali Nates, founder and Director of the The Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre, Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Annick Lacroix, Vice President of the Paris Committee Mothers for Peace, as well as other experts from different fields from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the world, who attended the international „Srebrenica Heroines“ conference.
„Srebrenica Heroines“ was a day-long event that brought together experts, policymakers, activists, and local community members to honour the victims and survivors of Srebrenica and to emphasize the important role of women both during the war and in post-conflict peacebuilding.
Scarves were selected by the Post-Conflict Research Center, the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves, and the Srebrenica Memorial Center as the medium of choice because of their cultural and religious significance to women not only in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but all over the world.
Munira Subašić, President of the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves association, emphasized that the scarf is a symbol of a woman, explaining that some wear it around their neck, while others cover their heads with it. Subašić made sure to point out that „the headscarf is particularly a symbol of Bosniak women who carried the burden on their backs both during and after the war.“
The burden that Subašić refers to is two-fold. First, often in the absence of husbands who were lost to the conflict, many of the women of Srebrenica continued to care for loved ones in times of remarkable violence and insecurity during the war. „They kept their communities running by working in factories, helping refugees, organizing humanitarian initiatives, and fighting to secure an education and brighter future for their children“, explained Subašić.
Second, many of these women became advocates for peacebuilding following the conflict. Important sites of commemoration such as the Memorial Center and the common graveyard for genocide victims would not exist without the efforts of women such as Subašić. Without the mothers of Srebrenica, it would not be possible to ensure sentence for the perpetrators of genocide and other crimes. Farther afield, many of the Mothers of Srebrenica have traveled to The Hague to testify at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), with some having gone multiple times. In doing so, they have made essential contributions to peacebuilding by telling the truth about the atrocities of Srebrenica, helping to bring war criminals to justice, and together with women of Eastern Bosnia influencing international law related to sexual violence in conflict.
Amina Sejfić, Project Manager at the PCRC, explained that “without the Mothers of Srebrenica, justice would not be achieved.” She also pointed out that despite their importance, „these women are not acknowledged by the state as much as they should be for their contributions to peacebuilding.“
The “Mother’s Scarf” installation, the accompanying exhibition and publication, and the “Srebrenica Heroines” international conference were designed by the Post-Conflict Research Center, the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves, as well as the Srebrenica Memorial Center, to recognize the significance of and express gratitude to the mothers and women of Srebrenica, as well as to all of the women who fight for truth and justice.
The Post-Conflict Research Center, the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves and the Srebrenica Memorial Center invited organizations and individuals from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Balkan region, Europe and the world to send scarves and shawls. Some scarves hold strong sentimental value to their owners because they were worn by family members or on special occasions. They also sent messages in which they emphasize the value of fighting for the truth, as well as the necessity of allyship with the Srebrenica heroines.
Women– mothers and daughters– donated more than 3,000 scarves and shawls, which the Post-Conflict Research Center’s fourteen summer interns, who come from prestigious universities all over the world, sorted, photographed and catalogued by material, color and pattern.
The results of these efforts became apparent once the scarves were brought from Sarajevo to Srebrenica. There, with the help of participants from the Srebrenica Youth School (SYS), a week-long initiative created by the PCRC, the organization’s staff and interns hung hundreds of scarves on wires outside of the Memorial Center. The scarves were tied to one another in rows organized by colour, with the knots between them symbolizing togetherness and solidarity between women worldwide.
Ena Rizvić, one of the PCRC interns, highlighted that this was the most meaningful part of participating in the project, as „seeing youth from all over the world working together to create this important installation was really inspiring“ to her.
On July 10th, the day of the “Srebrenica Heroines” international conference, participants, panelists, numerous journalists and television crews, as well as members of the general public walked through the fluttering scarves to enter the Memorial Room of the Srebrenica Memorial Center – the main site of the conference. All of the delegations that attended the July 11th commemoration, as well as others that attended the burial of the remains of 50 people killed in the genocide, passed between the scarves and shawls of the “Mother’s Scarf” installation.
Kajsa Ollongren, the Dutch Minister of Defense, showed solidarity to mothers of Srebrenica by donating a scarf herself.
Sejfić stressed that „it is no longer enough just to talk about something that happened during the war. It is no longer enough to just have a commemoration – especially for the younger generations who are surrounded by technology and other distractions at every step“.
,,It is important,“ Sejfić said, ,,to use creative multimedia to generate interest among the general public, to reshape established narratives, to propel dialogue, and to elevate underrepresented voices.“
Sejfić concluded that she hoped for the installation to ,,inspire hope, intercultural understanding, and cooperation among people living in post-conflict and divided societies.“
The UN Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide emphasized that memory is key in preventing the atrocities of July 1995 from happening again. ,,The commitment not to forget constitutes a commitment to prevent,“ said Nderitu to an audience in the former Dutch Battalion base in Potočari.
She emphasized that this commitment to prevent is all the more necessary in light of recent genocide denial, glorification of war criminals, and hate speech in the region. A pattern which, according to Nderitu, ,,divides people, communities, and states.“
While these trends are a pressing issue, it is a source of comfort to know that the Mothers of Srebrenica, along with countless other activists in the region, remain insatiable in their pursuit of justice. They have persisted in their goals despite such upsetting trends and a general lack of acknowledgement for their work.
As Sejfić said, they ,,have demonstrated, in word and deed, their commitment to accountability.“ It is thus of the utmost importance that the Mothers of Srebrenica continue to receive the recognition and support that they deserve.
The “Mother’s scarf” installation remained on display outside of the Center throughout the conference and until the end of  the events commemorating Srebrenica Memorial Day on July 11th. Its journey does not end there, however. The “Mother’s Scarf” installation will become a nomadic monument that will travel to different cities around the world. In this way, “Mother’s Scarf” will continue to serve as an accessible and striking way of highlighting the often unrecognized, but important role of the Mothers of Srebrenica, both during the conflict, and in peacebuilding throughout the decades that have followed.

created: August 5th, 2022

author: Jonathan Angell


text:
“Scarves of Remembrance:” Strength, Courage, and Tenderness | Balkan Diskurs
Berta López Domènech
August 8th, 2022
The exhibition “Scarves of Remembrance” was opened at the Srebrenica Memorial Center on July 9th, as part of the commemoration of the 27th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica.
Featuring photographs of the mothers of Srebrenica, it honors their years-long fight for justice and truth, their perseverance in the search for the remains of their loved ones to give them a dignified burial, and their efforts to “preserve life” in the years after the genocide in Srebrenica. “Scarves of Remembrance” is accompanied by a photobook about the lives of the mothers of Srebrenica.
The exhibition and photobook are, in turn, accompanied by the artistic installation “Mother’s Scarf.” The exhibition, located inside the Memorial Room of the Srebrenica Memorial Center, is an integral part of the outdoor installation lining the path leading from the Memorial Room to the cemetery where the victims of genocide are buried.
The scarves are a symbol of Bosnian women, who sometimes wear them during prayer, when entering cemeteries, or simply as fashion accessories. In displaying these scarves, the exhibition and photobook honor these women and their role in preserving the memory of the genocide.
Munira Subašić, President of the Movement of Mothers of the Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves, says that the aim of the exhibition is to unite women from all over the world. “We wanted to find a way to connect all mothers, all women, first from Srebrenica and then also globally, because we are very much aware of the role that women have in our society – the role that they had to take on during the war, but also during peace,” explained Subašić.
In the words of the Director of the Memorial Center, Emir Suljagić, “if you want to learn something about these women, don’t look at their face, but at their hands, because we grew up on those hands, and many of us don’t have access to those hands now.”
“Many of those hands will never caress their loved ones again,” adds Suljagić. He says that the hands of the mothers of Srebrenica tell stories we need to hear, describing them as strong hands, but at the same time, the tenderest in the world.
Velma Šarić, Founder and President of the Post-Conflict Research Center, also emphasized the symbolism of the hands of the mothers of Srebrenica, which convey their strength as well as the burdens they have borne.
“The scarves and hands in the photos show our mothers’ burden and pain, but also their strength,” said Šarić.
In July 1995, more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed in and around Srebrenica by members of the Bosnian Serb army under the command of General Ratko Mladić together with police forces of the Republika Srpska under the political leadership of Radovan Karadžić. The bodies of the victims were thrown into mass graves located in the area surrounding Srebrenica, Bratunac, and Zvornik. Following the public discovery of the burial sites, the remains of the victims were exhumed and transported to secondary and even tertiary mass graves in an attempt to hide the evidence of the crimes.
After the war, the women from the area of Srebrenica, who had been forcibly deported by bus in July 1995, led the fight for justice and truth. Over the years, the women of Srebrenica have also pioneered the search for and identification of their sons, husbands, and brothers. The focus of this year’s commemoration of the genocide was on these women, the mothers of Srebrenica, honoring and acknowledging the crucial role that they played both during and after the war.
During the opening ceremony, the President of the Organizing Committee for Commemorating the 27th Anniversary of the Genocide, Hamdija Fejzić, recalled, “The mothers took on the biggest burden. After the war, they led the fight for truth and justice, testifying as witnesses at the ICTY and facing the perpetrators. Many of them did not live to find even a bone of their children.”
An integral part of the exhibition are photographs of Kada Hotić, Vice President of the Movement of Mothers of the Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves. She lost numerous family members in the genocide including her son Samir Hotić, her husband Sead Hotić, her brothers Ekrem and Naser Đilović, and her brother-in-law Naser Hotić.
“Together with the other mothers of Srebrenica, I survive and fight for the truth with which we write our history,” said Hotić. At the opening of the exhibition, she emphasized the importance of scarves and shawls worn by women around the world.
As Hotić explained, scarves are worn as fashion accessories or as protection from the elements. “For us, Muslim and Bosniak women, it is also a tradition to cover our heads when we pray, when we bury our loved ones and when we go to pay respects to the dead,” added Hotić.
The “Scarves of Remembrance” exhibition, the photobook about the life of the mothers of Srebrenica, the artistic installation “Mother’s Scarf,” and the Srebrenica Heroines international conference were organized by the Srebrenica Memorial Center, the Post-Conflict Research Center, and the Movement of the Mothers of the Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves for the commemoration of the 27th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

created: August 8th, 2022


text:
Guardians of Rivers – Guardians of Life | Balkan Diskurs
Naida Eljazović
August 11th, 2022
Bosnia and Herzegovina, a small heart-shaped country, has some of the most beautiful rivers and natural springs in this part of the Balkans. According to some traditions, the very name of “Bosnia” comes from the word Bosnae, which is the Illyrian name for the river Bosnia, which flows through our country.
Nowadays, we are witnessing the pollution of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s rivers, both by individuals and by various companies that want to get rich at the expense of our rivers and thus are destroying them for that selfish purpose. However, many bravely fight to preserve the rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes defending them with their own bodies. Among them is the Studio for Social Changes – ACT [Fondacija Atelje za društvene promjene – ACT], which was founded in 2020. The founder, Marsela Pećanac, from the United States, and the director, Lejla Kusturica, from Sarajevo, believe that all people should live in peace and harmony with each other and with nature.
Kusturica explains that as an activist organization, their primary mission is to connect, inspire, and empower activists, but they aim also to inspire artists of various kinds.
“We are not a project organization – we are not only there as long as there are some projects. We are here for a higher goal: to empower young activists and contribute to a healthier and more sustainable life in our local communities,” said Kusturica.
As for most non-governmental organizations, the beginnings were not easy for the Studio for Social Changes – ACT. However, it wasn’t long before their efforts bore fruit. Already in September 2020, they had the #jaBiHdatečem campaign to save rivers in BiH. They supported the Coalition for the Protection of BiH Rivers’ request to the Government of the Federation of BiH (FBiH) to comply with the resolution banning the construction of small hydropower plants.
In accordance with that resolution, Kusturica explains that last year, a proposal was submitted for the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Electricity in FBiH, which prohibits the construction of new small hydropower plants in FBiH. A few months ago, the #VodajeZakon campaign was launched, after which both houses of the FBiH Parliament adopted legal measures prohibiting the construction of small hydropower plants in the FBiH.
The #VodajeZakon campaign was also supported by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who, in addition to acting, is also involved in environmental activism. The ACT Foundation is grateful to the world-famous American actor for the support he provides, but they still point out that the main heroes of this story are Bosnian activists who have been struggling for years to preserve our rivers.
“The activism started in the village of Duge in Prozor, in 1997, and continued in Fojnica, Kruščica near Vitez, Bunski canals near Mostar, Jablanica, the Neretvica valley near Konjic, Kakanj, Foča, East Sarajevo, and numerous other places where the people clearly and loudly opposed the construction of these eco-cidal facilities,” said Kusturica.
In the course of preserving and protecting the natural resources of Bosnia and Herzegovina, activists encountered various obstacles. Their lives, as well as the lives of their loved ones, were often threatened due to their persistent struggle to protect the rivers from companies that want to use them for their own purposes. Despite all these negative experiences, the activists did not give up. They know that there is a greater goal: clean and free rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is in this goal that they find their strength and enthusiasm to continue this struggle.
“This is a fight that is certainly not easy, but if we know that there is a greater goal for the benefit of all of us and if we are all united as one and persevere in defending that goal – then nothing can be difficult for us,” said Kusturica. She emphasized that there are many enemies –the energy lobby on the one hand, and the political lobby on the other – who are content with everything in the country being sold for money.
According to Kusturica, the protest to protect rivers is probably the most sincere and the biggest in recent times. She recalled the brave women of Kruščica, activists who literally defended and protected the rivers with their bodies. “Consciousness is awakened in people and that is the greatest success and achievement,” Kusturica pointed out.
The Studio for Social Changes – ACT had its biggest struggle in the last few months before July 7th this year, when the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament adopted the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Electricity.
“This is a people’s law. It was really initiated by the people, and it is extremely important for the unimpeded flow of our rivers and the cessation of the construction of new HPPs,” added Kusturica.
After the adoption of measures in the FBiH Parliament, it is the Republika Srpska’s turn, and Kusturica believes that there will be significant action.
“Our planet is threatened by the climate crisis. We must protect wild nature because it is a prerequisite for the survival of all living things on Earth, and then we must educate and connect, in order to resist the forces whose only goal is to dominate, exploit, and profit from both people and nature. We can do it, we just need to believe.” concluded Kusturica.

created: August 11th, 2022

author: Naida Eljazović


text:
Tunnel of Hope: A Means of Survival during the Sarajevo Siege | Balkan Diskurs
Kristina Gadže
August 15th, 2022
The siege of Sarajevo (1992-1996) was the longest siege of a capital city in modern history. The daily campaigns of shelling and sniping, targeting the civilian population, were terrible and cruel, compounded by the blockade of humanitarian aid convoys and the severance of any connection with the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the world.
In an effort to survive and communicate with the outside world, Sarajevo residents dug a tunnel in the yard of the Kolar family. Stretching from the settlement of Dobrinja to that of Butmir, it was thus known as the D-B Tunnel, or alternately, the Tunnel of Hope.
The Tunnel of Hope was under the control of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) and used to distribute food, cigarettes, and weapons for defense. The tunnel’s construction began in April of 1993. According to curator Edis Kolar, the son of Bajro Kolar, they were aware beforehand that a tunnel would be built in their yard, but it was not publicly discussed.
Even though they were fighting on the frontlines, both Edis Kolar and his father went regularly to check on their house. Edis recalls that on one occasion, there were some people in front of the house, including engineer Nedžad Branković, the chief designer of the tunnel, some architects from Zenica, and Bakir Izetbegović.
“I remember what Bakir said very well: ‘We need a house and land for something.’ We knew that a tunnel was being built, but it was a well-kept secret. My dad knew what he needed, so he just said, ‘Everything that’s mine is yours too,’” Edis recalls. He goes on to explain that his father worked on the team that dug the tunnel and helped with the procurement of equipment.
Two months after that visit, Edis said that people started digging by hand, taking turns. There was less shelling, however, when the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) found out about the digging of the tunnel, they launched two terrible attacks on March 17th and 18th. “They demolished everything. But they still didn’t succeed,” said Edis.
He says the tunnel was of enormous importance for the citizens of Sarajevo, and if it hadn’t been built, one could only guess what would have happened. He also emphasized that the tunnel was not built for escaping Sarajevo.
After they built the trenches and communication lines, Edis explains that the tunnel became a testament to the daily life of Sarajevo citizens, in which some married.
One of them was Edis’ friend, Elvir Spahić, who was 18 years old at the time and had been with Edis on the battlefield in the area of Treskavica. “He [Spahić] had a girlfriend from Hrasnica and we teased him about her. But one morning, Spahić said he was getting married. We laughed, but we took rifles and fired a few shots into the air, and they went through the tunnel to Sarajevo,” Edis recalled.
According to Edis, the tunnel was not used during the last month of the war since it had filled up with water. Edis and his father went home to clean it and found abandoned things, carts, and pictures. “We picked it all up and arranged it in the basement, which was empty, and that’s how the museum was created,” said Edis.
Inspired by the idea of preserving what was left behind, Edis searched for artifacts to buy from that period all over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Even today, artifacts can be donated to the museum if citizens believe they relate to the tunnel during the siege of Sarajevo. Edis states that even though many humanitarian organizations came to help with the rebuilding of their house after the war, his father did not want it to be rebuilt. He wanted the house to be preserved exactly as it was.
The museum was run by Bajro and Edis Kolar until 2012, when the Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund took over. This year, they completed the reconstruction of the 130-meter tunnel, which had to be rebuilt from the ground up. Part of the airport runway was reconstructed in 1998, and the entire length of the pipe was filled with concrete.
“Three or four years ago, we decided to block that pipe and not go underneath the airport, but only as far as we can while staying on our land. So, boards and rails were inserted through that concrete pipe,” said Edis, explaining that the conceptual project was created by architect Selina Tanović, and an international application has been posted to support its completion.
The tunnel and museum are visited by roughly 170,000 visitors each year. The content has been adapted in order to make it accessible to the blind and visually impaired, as well as to those with developmental disabilities. “Every year we organize workshops for blind and visually impaired children, together with an educator and our curator. They helped us print the guide in Braille,” said Edis.
Visitors come to see the tunnel and museum from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region, and across the world.

created: August 15th, 2022


text:
Covered Women are Just Like Everyone Else | Balkan Diskurs
Ilma Husika
August 22nd, 2022
Women who chose to wear a hijab – the headscarf worn by Muslim women as a religious custom – are sometimes subjected to jokes, negative comments, prejudice, and stereotypes. Usually, they simply ignore this. Instead, they focus on professional and social development, proving that women, covered or uncovered, are not just meant to stay at home.
Hafez Adisa Aganhodžić is a professor at the Osman ef. Redžović Madrasa in Visoko. She has been wearing a hijab for more than two decades and says that discrimination is as present as ever for covered women. Nevertheless, she emphasizes that covered women have never had more opportunities than they do in the present. This is because of the greater engagement among covered women in society, including in education, the workforce, and social life. She adds that this is exactly what Islam itself teaches and encourages.
Aganhodžić attributes discrimination to the fact that people are afraid of what they do not know, and there is still widespread ignorance about the religion of Islam. This includes stereotypes which portray Muslim women as backward primitive, and ‘meant to stay at home.’ These stereotypes reflect a serious misunderstanding of Islam’s attitude towards women.
“We are a society that reads little. For some reason, we are satisfied with our ‘intelligence’ in various fields. On current issues, we have our own views. We present them, and in this way, we create prejudices towards a certain topic. But the more you read, the wider your perspective is. Until we achieve progress in that field, until people realize that a covered woman is a normal person like anyone else, with virtues and flaws, ready to contribute to make society better, there will be prejudice and discrimination,” said Aganhodžić.
Dženana Bajraktarević, a professor of the Bosnian language at the Elča Ibrahim Pasha Madrasa in Travnik, speaks proudly of wearing her hijab. She also adds that in today’s society, comments about in women with hijabs are commonplace.
“For centuries, Islam has been as interpreted by male Muslims. Women were present, but a small number of them dared to enter the public sphere, because firstly, it wasn’t supported by their fathers, brothers, and husbands, and secondly, it required enormous effort and dedication, because, by default, her role was assumed to be managing the household and raising children,” said Bajraktarević.
“Discrimination exists, but there are also positive occurrences. Not everything is so black or white. There are colors, you just have to look more carefully,” explained Bajraktarević.
Aganhodžić pointed out that she never experienced any inconvenience because of her hijab, neither in her country nor in the Western European countries she has visited. On the contrary, she was treated with respect and even a kind of admiration.
In breaking down stereotypes and prejudices, she believes that covered women have a leading role. “With good qualities and characteristics, women with hijabs strengthen their role,” said Aganhodžić. She emphasized that women should be good role models and should promote the values of reading and studying in their families and communities. Furthermore, it’s their duty to encourage young girls to engage in various social activities including volunteer work and humanitarian projects.
As she explains, this will contribute to greater mutual understanding among those with differing world views, as well as greater respect for oneself and other. All of this creates a more pleasant world for everyone.
“We have to work on ourselves, study, get an education, be the best at what we do. The Prophet said that Allah is pleased if, when a person does something, the person does it in the best way possible,” said Aganhodžić.
Bajraktarević said that she hasn’t encountered any major problems related to wearing the hijab. She sometimes faces jokes and insults, and she has tried responding in different ways. The first – to leave, the second – to keep silent, the third – to endure, the fourth – to speak in a nice way and the fifth – speak your mind. She explains that she has tried everything and now chooses to ignore any provocation.
“You don’t have to wear a hijab to face big challenges like looking for a job in the society we’re in as a woman. Or with domestic violence, which, after the pandemic, was swept under the carpet, because we constantly hid it `between four walls,’” said Bajraktarević.
She explained that as a covered woman, she notices the problem of lack of early education, which manifests itself in the lack of self-confidence.
Bajraktarević explained it was not difficult for her to find a job. She worked on a strawberry plantation, sewed shoes, cleaned, sang, enjoyed herself, and volunteered. Today, she teaches children.
“You see one thing, an honest person (and a woman is also a person) will find a job, do it honorably, and progress. However, our perception of what is for a woman or a man, and what is not, or, on the other hand, what we could do but without any effort, is a completely different matter. For me, it’s normal for a woman to be a taxi driver, an excavator, a car designer… I have no problem with that. Covering for me means a difficult path which is walked only by strong people. After all, your grandma used to wear the hijab many years before you. Look inside yourself and you will see that you have her reflection. She looked after you when you were growing up and knows your dreams. Live them! Now. Because that’s the only thing we can do,” said Bajraktarević.
She concludes that it is easy to turn on the light in the room, but the most difficult thing is to turn on the light within yourself.

created: August 22nd, 2022

author: Ilma Husika