Our protest is based on the following facts:

1. In accordance with the great project of Greater Serbia (“all Serbs in one State “), Serbia and Montenegro carried out military aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in the occupied territories of the internationally recognized Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina committed the crime of genocide against Bosniak population.

2. The aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and genocide against Bosniaks are the essence of the joint criminal enterprise conducted in the 90′s by Serbia and Montenegro.

3. The intent of these genocidal acts, based on Greater Serbia project, was to occupy the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to attempt the extermination of Bosniaks, or their reduction to insignificant ethnic group.

4. The aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and genocide against Bosniaks were planned by Serbia and Montenegro, and ordered from the respective political and military position and executed as planned, in a systematic and organized fashion.

5. The International War Crimes Tribunal (ICTY) found that:
Slobodan Milosevic “was a participant in a joint criminal enterprise, which included the Bosnian Serb leadership, whose goal and intentions were to destroy in part the Bosnian Muslims as a group “(ICTY, Prosecutor v. Slobodan Milosevic). Serbia was convicted by the International Court of Justice for not preventing genocide in Srebrenica in 1995. Serbia still has not gone through the process of dealing with crimes and responsibility from the past. Serbia still openly denies that genocide took place, a fact that was confirmed by the decisions of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia, International Court of Justice and several national courts.

6. Collaborators of the aggression, authorities and officials of a smaller entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina under the direct management, organization, command, participation and support of the state of Serbia and Montenegro occupied territory of the Republic Bosnia and Herzegovina and participated in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against Bosniak population.

7. A smaller entity in Bosnia, Republika Srpska, led by Radovan Karadzic, Momcilo Krajisnik, Biljana Plavsic and other war criminals was a direct result of aggression and genocide.

These are historical facts, proven by the scientific research institutions around the world, deeply etched in the minds of victims of aggression and genocide. Based on this information only, we consider it unacceptable and morally and politically harmful to the United Nations to allow the country responsible for the gravest crimes committed in the 90′s, guilty of starting four wars in the Balkans to be nominated for the position of the Chairman of the General UN Assembly.

Respectfully,

Haris Alibasic, MPA
President of the Congress of North American Bosniaks

Professor Emir Ramic
Director of the Canadian Institute for research of Genocide

On behalf of Bosniaks in North America, Australia, and the victims of genocide and ethnic cleansing we are writing to you as the ultimate authority accountable for the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement to prevent the legislative violations of human rights of Bosniaks in Diaspora regarding the census of population and property taxation in the smaller smaller entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB), Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IRGC), Bosnian American Institute for Genocide and Education (BAGI)  and the Australian Council of B&H Organizations (ACBHO) strongly condemn the adoption of an amendment to remove article 48 of the proposed law on census of population and households, in B&H by the Joint Commission for Economic reform and Development of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Article 48 contained the important condition that the results of the ethnic structure of the population census of 1990 years be used in the formation of government until the full implementation of the Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement, or until the completion of the return of refugees and displaced persons. This act represents a de facto legalization of the campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide that was committed against Bosniaks between 1992 and 1995. Annex VII of the Dayton agreement is still largely ignored by politicians in B&H and the international community, including the Office of the High Representative (OHR), which marks the destruction of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the violation of basic human rights of returnees.

Mr. Inzko, we request from your office concrete steps to prevent the removal of article 48. Continued obstruction of Annex VII by the RS representatives lacks basic security and economic conditions for the return of Bosniaks to their estates in the Republic of Serbia which further means that the Dayton agreement is broken and the census, households and housing in Bosnia and Herzegovina can’t be implemented.

In this case, we ask you to protect the rights of displaced B&H citizens, from the actions of the representatives of the RS and the Bosniak representatives in Parliament, which due to petty political interests, compromised the return of displaced Bosniaks in the RS and their human rights in the territory of B&H. Removal of Article 48 reminds us of the war period when the victims of the genocide and aggression when Serbian troops forced the Bosniaks to forfeit property. The aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina continues by political methods, while the representatives of the Bosniaks in BiH knowingly waive Bosniaks and Bosniak assets in the RS in favor of their political positions in the Federation.

We also ask from your Office to stop the anti-Dayton actions by the RS representatives regarding property taxation of Bosniaks in RS. The RS authorities used the current situation in which there is no common law on the entire territory of B&H on the taxation of property. They are abusing the legal and abusing this legal provision by not using the same tax rate for people living in the territory of small entities and for those individuals who have assets in the RS reside outside of the entity. Taking into account the geographical distance of the displaced Bosniaks in Diaspora, and the culture of bribery and corruption among the officials, the legal owners of property in the RS are victims of a fait accompli that prevents them from holding onto their property, which had already once been abducted during the aggression and genocide during the 1990s.

This political administrative method of completing the genocide is only possible because B&H and its state institutions do not have the proper authority in the smaller entity, and the leaders of the same consistently obstruct their work to prevent the state and all other bodies from establishing the normal functioning of the executive authorities with the aim of Euro-Atlantic integration in the NATO and the EU.

Because of political stagnation and incompetence of Bosniak politicians in B&H, the only hope for displaced Bosniaks is the Office of the High Representative, which has unfortunately been weakened over the last few years due to lack of international involvement and support. We ask you to stop this aggression against the expelled Bosniaks and to take all the steps, including the Bonn Powers, to prevent further aggression and ethnic cleansing of Bosniaks in the RS.

Respectfully,

Haris Alibašić, CNAB President
Emir Ramić, IRGC Chairman
Sanja Drnovšek, BAGI Chairman
Senada Softić-Telalović, ACBHO President

Dear Madam Secretary Clinton,

The Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB), an umbrella organization advocating on behalf of  Bosniaks in the United States and Canada, is very encouraged by your December 13, 2011 meeting with  His Excellency Zeljko Komsic, Chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency. Bosniak Americans and Bosniak Canadians are closely following the U.S. involvement in Bosnia and Herzegovina and continue to hope for a more active U.S. role in supporting democratic and constitutional reforms that are much needed for Euro-Atlantic integration. More recent news on the formation of the central government in Bosnia and Herzegovina may be viewed in the same light, and is in part a direct result of the United States government involvement in the process. It took the ruling parties grueling 14 months to negotiate and form the new government because of the opposition of the same destructive forces who are constantly diverging Bosnia and Herzegovina from its path to a better future. CNAB warned of the destructive policies of Milorad Dodik, and his nationalist and radical agenda aimed at destroying Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state institutions. In a recent interview to a Bosnian daily newspaper, the U.S. Ambassador Patrick Moon expressed his disappointment at Mr. Dodik’s destructive behavior and his  nationalist policies.

Bosnia and Herzegovina can only move forward with strong central government institutions and without populist nationalists leading the country into the policies of the past. CNAB representatives raised this very point at the meeting with Chairman Komsic in Washington D.C., on December 13, 2011. Among other issues discussed at the meeting was the need for comprehensive reforms including the need to revise Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitution based on equal rights of all Bosnian citizens regardless of ethnicity or religious affiliation. The Constitution of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina represents a great starting point for these reforms. These reforms are needed if Bosnia and Herzegovina is to successfully integrate into NATO and European Union. NATO membership for Bosnia and Herzegovina would be mutually beneficial as it would increase stability in the region and ensure Bosnia and Herzegovina’s path to EU membership and bring about long-term prosperity and peace. These are the same goals that you have so poignantly articulated in your public statement with President Komsic.

Bosnia-Herzegovina looks to the United States for leadership to bring about these changes. The United States has previously shown strong leadership in the past; it was the American direct advocacy and engagement of President Clinton’s administration that stopped Serbian atrocities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and brokered the Dayton peace accords. For this, we are grateful but more must be done to ensure long term peace and stability. It is absolutely necessary for the United States to take a more forceful role to help reduce external and internal threats to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s independence and sovereignty. Constant inflammatory secessionist rhetoric from Bosnian Serb political leadership, constant legislative gridlock, and the undermined role of the Office of the High Representative are only some of the issues where the United States should take a lead to find the long term solutions.. We believe that it is also in vital United States interest that Bosnia and Herzegovina continues on the path to NATO and Europe, which would have a direct impact on long lasting stability in the entire region of southeast Europe.

Despite political challenges, Bosnia and Herzegovina has continually demonstrated that it is a key ally and friend with the US. This is evidenced with the fact that Bosnia-Herzegovina was one of the first  countries to sign the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States; it cooperated with the United States on matters of security, counterterrorism, as well as prevention of drug and human trafficking. Bosnia and Herzegovina has also been a key partner with the NATO forces, in the United Nations Security Council, actively participating in missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Bosnian forensic experts helped US officials identify 9/11 victims, just to name few examples.

Dear Madam Secretary, please provide the leadership needed to help Bosnia-Herzegovina continue on the right path towards democracy, peace, stability, and successful integration into NATO and the European Union. CNAB stands ready to assist you with these efforts.

Respectfully,

Haris Alibasic, MPA
President of the Congress of North American Bosniaks

The Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB) welcomes the decision by the French government to not carry out the arrest mandate issued by the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for the arrest of the journalist Florence Hartmann, a former spokesperson for the prosecutor at the Hague..   For more than two years, CNAB has written to ICTY demanding that the charges against the French journalist be dropped because it unjustly punished Florence Hartmann for publishing the truth about behind-the-scenes dealings involving ICTY and the Serbian government. 

In her book “Peace and Punishment”, Hartmann wrote about the existence of secret documents, which was already in the realm of public knowledge,  linking the Serbian government with atrocities committed in Bosnia, and secret agreements between the Hague tribunal and the Serbian government at the expense of Bosnia and Herzegovina. For this, she was found “guilty” of telling the truth and sentenced to a monetary fine that was converted into days in jail.

CNAB agrees with the French government in asserting that the Hague Tribunal should focus on doing its job by investigating and prosecuting the war criminals, especially the need for swift justice in the cases against war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, the leaders of the Bosnian Serbs during the war and aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina.  ICTY should not be wasting time and resources prosecuting those who tell the truth.

Lastly, we demand once again of the United Nations to issue an investigation into the illegal agreement signed with Serbia which denied the justice for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Without justice, there can be no peace and reconciliation in the region. This is evidenced by a continuous ethnic turmoil in the country which threatens the stability of the entire region. This turmoil is also a byproduct of injustice and lack of accountability of Serbia and Montenegro for its policies of aggression in the 1990s.

On behalf of CNAB,

Kemal Hamulic, spokesperson

In a very productive and useful meeting, the parties discussed the issues concerning Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens in the United States and Canada, particularly issues regarding dual citizenship, concerns about property ownership of the diaspora  in the smaller entity of BiH, voter registration process and the need for work tenure transferability between  Bosnia and Herzegovina and United States and Canada.  Another topic of discussion was the current political stalemate in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the neeed for greater involvement of Bosnia and Herzegovina in supporting lobbying activities in the United States and Canada, cooperation with the State Department, the role of BiH in the U.N. Security Council, and the importance of NATO membership for Bosnia and Herzegovina.  CNAB also raised concerns about the lack of a unified educational system in certain parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

CNAB President, Mr. Alibasic highlighted the importance of activities of the Congress of North American Bosniaks, and the need to expand the membership of the United States Congressional Caucus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Canadian Parliamentary BiH Friendship Group.  He also mentioned the importance of supporting Bosniak American Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina because of their presence in DC.

President Komsic praised the activities and engagement of the Congress of North American Bosniaks, emphasizing that CNAB works “systematically and through personal involvement” to promote the interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the states and communities in which they live. President Komsic also added that “all of Bosnia and Herzegovina can benefit greatly from the activities of the Congress of North American Bosniaks.”. He also expressed desire for further cooperation between institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Congress of North American Bosniaks, along with the Bosniak American Advisory Council and the World Diaspora Association

 Mr. Semir Djulic informed president Komsic of activities surrounding the new Bosnian community center in Atlanta, GA. 

 Vice President, Mr. Custovic emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to make more progress in the action plan for NATO membership.

 President Komsic stressed that NATO membership is one of the main priorities for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 CNAB president, Mr. Alibasic thanked President Komsic for his support and presented him with the recent Grand Rapids proclamation regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina Statehood day and invited him to visit the cities of Grand Rapids, Charlotte, Atlanta, and other cities with significant presence of Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens.

On behalf of CNAB,

Kemal Hamulic, spokesperson

“This is the first ever liaison officer assigned to a state,” said Army National Guard Maj. Matthew DiNenna, the SPP director for Maryland. “This is a benefit for the Guard.”

Lt. Col. Dzevad Buric is the Bosnia-Herzegovina liaison to the state of Maryland, as well as the assistant BiH Defense, Military, Naval and Air attaché to the United States.

Other state programs are beginning to see the benefit of the position.

DiNenna said other SPP directors have contacted him to obtain information on how they may be able to have liaisons for their programs as well.

Buric’s position is currently a three-year tour where he works as the advisor on BiH issues to Army Maj. Gen. James Adkins, the adjutant general of Maryland. His position as the liaison officer is also to build closer ties between Maryland public and private institutions with their counterparts in BiH such as areas in education, economic opportunities and health care. He coordinates policies and procedures between the Maryland National Guard and the BiH armed forces and the annual schedule of joint training events between the two services. Additionally, Buric provides knowledge and advice on BiH practices.

“There is no higher symbol for our partnership than to provide an officer position for Bosnia to sit on our staff,” Adkins said. “I can’t emphasize enough the importance of relationships we’ve built on a long-term basis. There is nothing more important than establishing relationships promising peace and democracy between the nations.”

DiNenna said that because of Buric’s background, he was the ideal candidate for the liaison position because he had previously worked with the Ministry of Defense coordinating with the joint staff and the International Corporation Department.

“He was the most qualified person to help push the program forward,” DiNenna said.

Buric is essential to the SPP because he is a subject matter expert on BiH, he added.  Buric knows contacts in his home country that can be used to answer any questions, he understands the rank structure of the BiH armed forces and government, and he is able to better prepare the Travel Contact Teams on what they need to know before traveling to BiH.

While the Maryland National Guard is seeing many advantages from Buric’s position as the liaison for the program, the BiH armed forces is also benefiting from the partnership between Maryland and the country.
 
“From our perspective, we see this partnership as a way to bring us closer to NATO standards,” Buric said. “The skill sets that your Soldiers have, they transfer to our Soldiers, and our Soldiers also transfer some of our skills for your Soldiers to learn.”

Depending on the mission, BiH armed forces may come to Maryland, or Marylanders will visit BiH to learn different skills from each other.

Recently, members of the Maryland National Guard traveled to BiH for a Senior Leader Visit, a Flight Safety Assessment and Accident Investigation training, and to assist with developing post-deployment reintegration programs. 

Currently members of the BiH armed forces are scheduled to come to visit Maryland throughout the summer to attend various Maryland National Guard annual trainings to receive training on their respective functional areas.

While the main focus of the SPP is military-to-military events, Buric added that they are looking to expand to more civilian-to-military events, as well as civilian-to-civilian activities.  This is another benefit that the liaison position brings to Maryland, being able link the additional elements together, as the SPP is not authorized to work outside the military-to-military relationships.

The SPP was launched in Europe as part of the initial outreach by the United States to new democracies in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The SPP brings together U.S. states and territories with partner nations through a range of military, civil-military and civil activities under the Maryland Military Department auspices.

The Maryland Military Department has another partnership with Estonia that has been in place since 1993.

Source: Maryland National Guard News

CNABC is pleased to inform you that we are now working with the Bosnian diaspora in Canada to encourage all Members of Canadian Parliament to join the CBiHPF Group.  The CBiHPF Group will be a powerful force for the good of Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It aims to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, direct attention to the needs of Bosnian – Canadians, and present the values of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Canadian society.

The Group’s Executive currently consists of five Parliamentarians and longstanding friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina:

Chair:  MP Dave MacKenzie

Vice Chair:  MP Brian Masse

Vice Chair:  MP Bernard Trottier

Executive Member:  MP Nina Grewal

Executive Member:  Senator Raynell Andreychuk

In addition, close to 30 Parliamentarians have confirmed their membership in the Group, and this number is growing.

We are encouraging voting citizens who support a democratic and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina to be proactive on this issue by contacting their Member of Parliament and asking them to join the CBiHPF Group. We hope that the Bosnian diaspora in Canada will now actively engage in the Group’s activities.

For more information, please visit: www.bosniak.org/

How do I get my Member of Parliament to join the CBiHPF Group?

1.           First you need to find out who is your Member of Parliament. You may find this information on the Parliament of Canada website at: www.parl.gc.ca/Default.aspx?Language=E

2.           Contact your local Member’s Constituency Office by e-mail, mail, telephone or fax, and ask them to join the Group.

3.           Follow up. You must remember to be persistent. It does not hurt to follow up.

Sample letter for your use:

(Date)

Mr. / Mrs. (full name)

(address of your Member of Parliament)

Dear MP (surname of member),

My name is (your name and surname) and as your constituent from (your place of residence), I am writing to ask you to join the newly formed Canada – Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliamentary Friendship Group (CBiHPF Group). Joining this Group will help demonstrate that you deeply care about issues important to your Bosnian-Canadian voters. Today, there are more than 50.000 Bosnian–Canadians living in Canada, and as you know, many of those live in your riding.

In recent years, the Government of Canada has played an integral role in the promotion of good governance, peace keeping, as well as the strengthening of state-level institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With your support and membership in the CBiHPF Group we can continue to build stronger bilateral relations between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and further assist Bosnia and Herzegovina as it continues to mature and prosper.

The Group’s Executive currently consists of five Parliamentarians and longstanding friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina:

Chair: MP Dave MacKenzie

Vice Chair: MP Brian Masse

Vice Chair: MP Bernard Trottier

Executive Member: MP Nina Grewal

Executive Member: Senator Raynell Andreychuk

In addition, close to 30 Parliamentarians have confirmed their membership in the Group, and this number is growing.

Should you have any questions on how to become a member of the Canada-Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliamentary Friendship Group please have your staff contact the CBiHPF Group directly at cbihpfg@gmail.com .

I sincerely hope you will join this bipartisan Group as a committed supporter of a free, democratic, and sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as of your local Bosnian-Canadian community.

Thank you in advance for joining the Canada – Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Sincerely,

(your full name)

(your signature)

(your address of residence)

Contact the CNABC

Phone:     905 385 3606 (Canadian office)
Website:  http://www.bosniak.org/

Email: cnab.canada@bosniak.org

Write to CNABC
7. Southside Place, #6, Hamilton, Ontario, L9C 6W7, Canada

“I must admit that I find it difficult to use the word genocide, which conjures up images of the Holocaust. ” (read the full post here)

While we never questioned Mr. Dobbs’ acceptance of the occurrence  of these crimes against Bosniaks, we did express concerns about his hesitation to use the  term “genocide. Most of Mr. Dobbs’ reporting regarding the Srebrenica genocide is highly commendable (just read his latest post slamming the pro-Serb genocide denier  “Srebenica historical project).  However,  using incorrect terminology such as “massacre” is very damaging to the victims of genocide because it fails to portray the full intent of the Serb army to annihilate the population of this enclave.

In today’s blog response, Mr. Dobbs clarified his position that he agrees with the classification of Srebrenica genocide by the courts stating:

“While I do not agree with all the opinions handed down by the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal, I agree with the conclusion of the judges that the Srebrenica massacre met the legal definition of “genocide,” as defined by the United Nations Convention. ” you can read the full blog post here .

We appreciate Mr. Dobbs clarifying his position on genocide and we urge him to be more consistent in his use of the word  (instead of “massacre”) when describing the horrific genocide against Bosniaks in July 1995 in Srebrenica.  While to some it may appear insignificant, from an international law perspective it has significant implications on preserving the truth about the agression on Bosnia and Herzegovina, genocide against Bosniaks. Furthermore, there can be no peace or reconciliation in the region without full acceptance of responsibility for these actions.

Hamdija Custovic

CNAB Spokesperson

The Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB), an umbrella organization representing the interests of American and Canadian Bosniaks, welcomes the recent report submitted to the United Nations on November 15, 2011 by the High Representative, Mr. Valentin Inzko.

Mr. Inzko rightly points out that that smaller of two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska is “continuing to combine legal and political activities that bring into question the state institutions, competencies and laws, as well as the authority of the high representative and UNSC resolutions.”  The biggest threat to long-term peace and stability is the worrying trend of current threats of secession by Republika Srpska’s (RS) politicians and their denial of war crimes committed by Serbian and Bosnian Serb forces during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  To make matters worse, the Bosnian “Croatian Demoractic Union (HDZ)” leadership has also been undermining efforts within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to form a functioning government.  There seems to be no fear of consequences for any actions by these politicians from the Office of the High Representative (OHR), whose authority has been severely undermined by the lack of international reaction to these obstructionist threats.

Unfortunately, as CNAB pointed out on several occasions, the ascertainment that the destiny of Bosnian framework is up to the local politicians, is only partially acceptable because the international community, with the Dayton agreement, provided them with tools which they now misappropriate for nationalist gain, by spreading propaganda of fear and hatred in order to promote a secessionist agenda.  It is imperative to implement sound foreign policy to prevent the injustice that Bosnia has suffered and the tragedy that has happened to its centuries’ old tradition of tolerance, diversity, and coexistence. Bosnia and Herzegovina can and must exist as a multi-ethnic, democratic, and prosperous nation that is fully integrated in Europe and a future member of NATO.

The most glaring need and obstacle to Bosnia’s long term peace, progress, and stability are the constitutional reforms. Dayton Agreement stopped the war but has in the recent years become a hindrance to Bosnia’s path to Europe. Therefore, constitutional reforms must address all aspects of the Dayton agreement which do not help it meet the necessary conditions to join the EU. We believe that majority of Bosnia’s citizens wish to see a country that will have the adequate laws and institutions which will enable it to prosper economically and be fully integrated into the European Union. Constitutional reforms should guarantee equal rights for all of its citizens, but also eliminate the undemocratic process of ethnic voting that holds the central government hostage from implementing any reforms that would lead towards euro-Atlantic integration. One of the main obstacles to Bosnian democracy is the so called ethnic voting, which severely undermines the ability of Bosnia and Herzegovina to function as a state.

The Constitution of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina should serve as the basis for any reform. Even Bosnia’s educational system is fragmented along the ethnic lines and should be reformed to make sure the future generation of Bosnians will value equality, diversity and tolerance. There is also an often forgotten question of refugees who never returned to their homes. We believe that the new Bosnian government should pass laws to promote return of all refugees, including financing the cost of return.

From a security standpoint, the top priority needs to be the necessary reforms for eventual membership in NATO which would significantly weaken both internal and external threats to Bosnian sovereignty. It should also be noted that Bosnia has shown partnership and willingness to stand by the United States in its hours of need for cooperation and support of its strategic interests.

We urge the High Representative to use the Bonn powers to return Bosnian on the right track towards euro-Atlantic integration. We also request that the United States and the European Union provide full backing to the Office of the High Representative during these times in enforcing the reforms necessary to protect Bosnian sovereignty and ensure successful integration into the European Union and NATO.

On behalf of CNAB,

Hamdija Custovic

CNAB Spokesperson

Historically important day for relationship between Bosnia and Hezegovina and Canada

Mr. Brian Masse, Member of the Canadian Parliament and sponsor of the Srebrenica (remembrance) Genocide Day, which was adopted last year in the Canadian Parliament informed the Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch that a Friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina Group has been formed in the Canadian Parliament.

The Friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina Group in the Canadian Parliament consists of:

Chair:  Mr. Dave Mackenzie, MP,

Vice Chair:  Mr. Brian Masse, MP,

Vice Chair:  Mr. Bernard Trottier, MP,

Executive Member (Treasurer):  Mrs. Nina Grewal, MP,

Executive Member:  Senator Raynell Andreychuk.

Group currently has 26 members

Special credit for the formation of the Group in the Canadian Parliament goes to H.E. Biljana Gutić-Bjelica, Ambassador Bosnia and Herzegovina in Canada, MP Nine Grewal and Dženita Hozo.

It is also important to emphasize that the formation of the Friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina Group was assisted by the Bosnian Community in Canada led by Congress of North American Bosniaks and Institute for Research Genocide, Canada.

The special assembly on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Canadian Parliament will provide support to the Canadian Parliament with the necessary political and economic reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to improve cooperation between  the two states. With this new establishment there is an aim to also improve cooperation between the two parliaments, and the present the values of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Canadian society.

After the recognition of the Bosnian language in Canada, the ability to use the ethnic name Bosniaks in the Canadian political and statistical documents, the adoption of the Srebrenica Genocide resolution in the Canadian Parliament, the establishment of a parliamentary procedure regarding the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the formation of the Friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina Group in the Canadian parliament demonstrates a successful start, but the process of lobbying for the interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Canadian cultural mosaic must continue.

Prof. Emir Ramic

President of the Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch

Dear Members of the Committee on Conscience:

The Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB), the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IRGC), and the Bosnian American Genocide Institute and Education Center strongly protest the reporting by Michael Dobbs, a Committee on Conscience fellow, who openly questioned the classification of killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak civilians in Srebrenica as genocide. In his contribution to “The Mladic Files”, Mr. Dobbs shockingly stated the following in the post called “Defining Genocide:

“I must admit that I find it difficult to use the word genocide, which conjures up images of the Holocaust. “

It is appalling that anyone would question the use of the term genocide in this case, given that it has already been established by the International Court of Justice, as the largest case of genocide in Europe since WWII.  Of course, the Holocaust, in which more than 6 million Jews were killed by Nazi and Fascist forces was much greater in magnitude, but nevertheless the Srebrenica genocide fits the UN definition that genocide constitutes “the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group.”  More than 8,000 Bosniaks were deliberately executed in Srebrenica in a matter of days because of their ethnic and religious identity. Furthermore, more than 30,000 were forcefully expelled.   Prior to the war, Srebrenica’s population was more than 70% ethnic Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim).  After the genocide, the population is now less than 1% with only a handful of families returning.

It is even more disappointing and shocking to us that the questioning of the term genocide in Srebrenica would appear on the official website of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, an organization which we collectively admire and support. CNAB even published the announcement of the “Mladic Files” project and encouraged its members to spread the news.  Hence, it is very disheartening to us and all the Bosnian genocide victims whom we represent that we must once again defend the truth even to those who are supposed to help preserve it, the USHMM Committee on Conscience.  Even though you state on your website that “The views expressed are his own”, we strongly advocate that you have a moral responsibility to stop the open questioning of genocide because it is hurtful to the victims and undermines the integrity of your committee.  Just as it’s the case with Holocaust deniers, Srebrenica genocide and other genocide cases that occurred in Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot be questioned, as Srebrenica genocide is  one of the most documented and undeniable cases of genocide in modern history?

In conclusion, we believe it is your responsibility, according to the mandate found on your website (http://www.ushmm.org/genocide/about/ ) “to alert the national conscience, influence policy makers, and stimulate worldwide action to confront and work to halt acts of genocide or related crimes against humanity.”  One of the most important ways to prevent genocide is to stop its denial.  Thus, we respectfully ask that you remove Mr. Dobbs’ outrageous post from your website and prevent any future denial of genocide by people associated with the USHMM.  It is the least you can do to honor the victims and preserve the truth.

Sincerely,

Haris Alibasic, MPA, President
Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB)
www.bosniak.org

Prof. Emir Ramić, Chairman
Institute for the Research of Genocide, Canada (IRGC)
http://www.instituteforgenocide.ca/

Sanja Seferovic-Drnovsek J.D, MEd, Chair
Bosnian American Genocide Institute and Education Center (BAGI)
www.baginst.org

We are outraged and deeply saddened by this act of violence against the U.S. Embassy and the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina values the importance of the strategic partnership and the role that the United States has played in BiH, and the support BiH continues to receive from the United States. We urge the authorities to immediately investigate the and take necessary measures to bring to justice all those responsible.

Sincerely,

Hamdija Custovic, CNAB Spokesperson

“The Mladic Files” will provide a multifaceted account of the proceedings against Mladic, who, as commander of the Bosnian Serb Army during the 1992–95 Balkans conflict, has been indicted for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. “The Mladic Files” is available at www.ushmm.org/mladic-files. The project’s blog is available on Foreign Policy’s website.

The project is being led by the Museum’s Goldfarb Fellow, prize-winning foreign correspondent and author Michael Dobbs, who will follow the trial as part of his investigation into the 1995 massacre at Srebrenica. In addition to observing the legal proceedings in The Hague, Dobbs will travel to Srebrenica, Sarajevo, and Belgrade to interview Mladic’s victims and associates, posting his discoveries to the website as he seeks to uncover what drove the Bosnian Serb military commander to order Europe’s deadliest massacre since World War II.

“‘The Mladic Files’ will not only document the trial but also explore the roots of the Srebrenica massacre and its ongoing impact in the former Yugoslavia and the international community,” says Michael Abramowitz, Director of the Committee on Conscience, the Museum’s genocide prevention program. “This historic trial will play an important role in determining if Mladic’s actions constituted genocide. We are pleased that, through our fellowship program, the Museum will be able to provide deeper insights into the trial and the events that brought it about.”

As part of its genocide prevention efforts, the Museum has long shone a spotlight on the atrocities in the Balkans and in particular the massacre at Srebrenica, which is one of the few cases that the international community has deemed genocide. The Museum has been monitoring the arrests and trials of those accused of crimes against humanity in the region.

The Museum’s work on genocide and related crimes against humanity is guided by the Committee on Conscience, a standing committee of the Museum’s Council. The Committee on Conscience’s mandate is to alert the national conscience, influence policy makers, and stimulate worldwide action to confront and work to halt acts of genocide or related crimes against humanity.

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Federal support guarantees the Museum’s permanent place on the National Mall, and its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by generous donors. For more information, visit ushmm.org.

Source: United States Holocaust Museum

Source: Columbia Daily Spectator

To the Editor:

Tuesday’s lecture by the genocide denier and president of the smaller of the two political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, was a slap in the face to the victims of genocide. It is astonishing that Columbia would allow him the platform to spread his lies and propaganda regarding the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite protests by victims of genocide and organizations like the Congress of North American Bosniaks, Bosniak American Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian American Genocide Institute and Education Center, and Institute for the Research of Genocide, Canada. It is maybe even more disturbing that he was accompanied by Darko Trifunovic, a well known genocide denier and leading Islamophobe in Europe, under the guise of academia. It seems that your honorable publication forgot to do the homework on this person and painted a rosy picture of his willingness to talk to the protestors.

Trifunovic is one of the main genocide deniers who, in a report published in 2002, accused the wives and mothers of Srebrenica of filing falsified reports about missing relatives and alleged that “less than 100 Muslim soldiers” had been executed at Srebrenica. Trifunovic also tries to portray himself as a “terrorism” expert and has on numerous occasions tried to promote the Serb nationalist agenda and justification of their aggression towards Bosnia by painting many Bosnian Muslims as members of the so-called “white al Qaeda.” It is a disturbing trend that he and another controversial “scholar,” Srdja Trifkovic, have tried to promote as part of the global anti-Muslim agenda. It should be noted that Srdja Trifkovic was denied entry into Canada earlier this year when he was scheduled to give a lecture at the University of British Columbia due to his role as a genocide denier and a spokesperson for Radovan Karadzic, the butcher of Bosnia. Karadzic is being tried at The Hague for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity, among other charges.

It was disappointing to hear that many Bosniak Americans were denied entry to the lecture being held by Dodik even though they received confirmation of their registration. It is difficult to believe that discrimination did not take place given that so many of the protesters were denied access to confront the Republika Srpska president.

Lastly, I would like to draw attention to the perceived pro-Serbian bias that was apparent in the organization of this event and the high likelihood of conflict of interest, given that Columbia received significant Serbian funds in the establishment of the “Njegos endowment.” Dodik’s lecture at Columbia can therefore be seen as a favor to Serbian nationalists for their generous financial contribution.

Respectfully,

Hamdija Custovic

Spokesperson for the Congress of North American Bosniaks

BAACBH strongly condemns Columbia University’s discriminatory actions against Bosnian Americans that occurred yesterday, October 25, 2011. The University’s Harriman Institute of Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studies hosted Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska (RS), where he gave a lecture titled “An American Foreign Policy Success Story: The Dayton Accords, Republika Srpska, and Bosnia’s European Integration.”

 The Columbia Daily Spectator, the student newspaper, reported that a few dozen individuals came to protest Dodik’s speech, but were turned away after being told that their names were not on the list of pre-registered attendees. However, many of these individuals had in fact pre-registered for the event and had printed copies of the confirmations in hand. Individuals with what sounded like Bosnian Muslim names were taken off the list, while individuals with Serb or American sounding names were permitted to enter. When those present objected to being excluded to the event for which they had confirmed registrations, they were threatened with arrest by Columbia University security. This is clear discrimination by the Harriman Institute and Columbia University, and it poses potential legal consequences.

 BAACBH has strongly opposed Columbia University’s willingness to host Mr. Dodik from the outset, and sent a protest letter together with partner organizations. Mr. Dodik denies that genocide took place in Srebrenica despite the fact that the U.S. Congress passed H.R. 199 defining the crime as genocide and both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) have ruled that genocide occurred in Srebrenica. Since his rise to power Dodik has undermined the reconciliation and post war rebuilding process in BiH. He has constantly menaced BiH with the threat of secession by the RS, has openly questioned the validity of the BiH state court system, undermined the rule of law, and has actively opposed the prosecution of war crimes committed by the Serbs during the aggression on BiH in the early 1990′s.

 Columbia University’s decision to provide a forum to a political figure so detrimental to the peace and reconciliation process in Bosnia is all the more concerning because of the University’s decision to exclude Bosnian Americans from the event. Such actions run counter to open dialogue and diversity of opinion that characterize institutions of higher learning. It is all the more painful to the Bosnian Americans who could not enter the event last evening because many of them fled their hometowns in the early 1990′s for fear of persecution of the Serb army precisely because of their names. BAACBH has tried to contact the Harriman Institute for comments without success and strongly advises the University to take the necessary steps to repair the damage caused by its actions.

 BAACBH encourages all Bosnian Americans and all friends of Bosnia to ACT NOW and send a protest letter to:

 John Coatsworth, Dean of School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia jhc2125@columbia.edu

 Timothy Frye, Director of Harriman Institute, tmf2@columbia.edu

 lan Timberlake, Director East Central European Center at Columbia, at2205@columbia.edu

By Refik Hodzic, director of communications at the International Center for Transnational Justice.

I am objecting to the lecture which was hosted by the Harriman Institute yesterday.

While I fully respect the right of the Harriman Institute to invite speakers of its choice, I believe that the title of the lecture, “An American Foreign Policy Success Story: The Dayton Accords, Republika Srpska, and Bosnia’s European Integration,” begs several serious questions of the organizers (The Republika Srpska is one of two political entitites in Bosnia and Herzegovina).

The question of how Republika Srpska—with its record of a policy of extermination (a fact established in numerous International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia judgements) of its non-Serb citizens and continuing human rights abuses—can constitute “an American foreign policy success,” I leave to the relevant U.S. officials. While understanding how the Dayton Peace Accord can be seen as a success in the fact that it ended the war, I think that Richard Holbrooke’s statement that allowing Republika Srpska to continue to exist was the greatest mistake of the Dayton Peace Process sums up what a “success” it was.

However, I am not sure whether the organizers of this event at the Harriman Institute are aware that they are inviting a denier of the Srebrenica genocide to speak about Bosnia-Herzegovina’s integration into the European Union. Namely, Milorad Dodik, in his capacity as Republika Srpska’s prime minister and now president, has repeatedly denied—contrary to the judgements of the International Court of Justice, ICTY and the Declaration of the European Parliament—the Srebrenica genocide in statements like these: “Bosnian Serbs will never accept that the 1995 Srebrenica massacre was genocide,” (in Apr. of 2010) or “[The international community is attempting] to impose responsibility for the genocide—which did not happen—on an entire nation, and to keep quiet and intimidate all those who have a different understanding about the crime which happened in Srebrenica” (in Dec. of 2010).

It is baffling that Dodik would be invited to such a respected institution and provided with an outlet to voice his revisionist and hostile propaganda which is greatly damaging long-term stability in Bosnia and the region. However, drawing on the parallel of the invitation to the Iranian president Ahmadinejad to speak at Columbia as a gesture encouraging dialogue, the least the Harriman Institute can do is adopt the same policy and acknowledge Dodik’s denial of Srebrenica genocide.

Secondly, Dodik needs to be understood to be a politician who relentlessly tries to undermine Bosnia-Herzegovina’s efforts to prosecute war crimes at the State Court. His actions against the State Court included a campaign of virulent public attacks, culminating in an openly racist statement in December 2008: “…it is unacceptable for the RS that Muslim judges try us [Serbs] and throw out complaints that are legally founded.”

A number of Human Rights Reports of the US Department of State document Dodik’s concerted efforts to undermine the State Court’s ability to investigate and prosecute, while OSCE’s “Report on the Independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina Judiciary” from December 2009 identifies Dodik’s actions as “clear interference in the ongoing criminal investigations.”

Without going into Milorad Dodik’s politics, which have contributed to further divisions and Bosnia’s stagnation on the road to inclusion in the EU, his record of genocide denial and damage to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s capacity to conduct war crime trials at the state level must not be ignored by Columbia University. If Dodik is to be given a platform from which to present his views, he must be asked why and on what basis he denies facts about Srebrenica genocide established beyond reasonable doubt by international courts and investigative bodies, and what his motives are for undermining the country’s capacity to try war crimes. If the Harriman Institute does not make an ongoing effort to address these questions, then its motives for providing him with high-profile public platform must also be questioned.

The Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB) expresses its sincere sympathy and condolences to the victims of the horrific 7.2 magnitude earthquake in eastern Turkey on Sunday.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the Turkish people as they mourn the victims and conduct a search and rescue effort of the survivors.   We stand together with the Turkish people and government who also came to the aid of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its citizens during the war of aggression on our homeland. CNAB will do whatever it can to assist and encourage its members to do the same in helping the victims of this natural disaster.

  Sincerely,

 
Haris Alibašić, MPA
President of the CNAB Board of Directors

John H. Coatsworth, Ph.D
Dean, School of International and Public Affairs
Columbia University
14th floor, MC 3328
New York, NY 10027

Timothy Frye , Ph.D.
Director, The Harriman Institute
Marshall D. Shulman Professor of Post-Soviet Foreign Policy
Columbia University

Dear Dr. Coatsworth and Dr. Frye:

We are writing to you on behalf of 300,000 Bosnian Americans and 50,000 Bosnian Canadians to protest the planned event organized by The Harriman Institute and  SIPA on October 25, 2011, featuring Milorad Dodik, the current President of Republika Srpska (RS).

Milorad Dodik is a genocide denier and tirelessly promotes ethnic division within Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In April of 2010, Mr. Dodik gave an interview to the Belgrade newspaper “Vecernje Novosti” openly stating that “Bosnian Serbs will never accept that the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of some 8,000 Muslims was genocide.” Mr. Dodik went further to say that “We cannot and will never accept qualifying that event as genocide.” By denying genocide, Mr. Dodik is actively working against the peace and reconciliation process within BiH. Both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) have ruled that what happened in Srebrenica was genocide. In addition, the U.S. Congress passed H.R.199, which defined the crime as genocide.

Dodik’s morally reprehensible rhetoric on Srebrenica and his obstructionist attitude towards Bosnia as a unified state threatens the peace, stability and prosperity of not only BiH but also Southeast Europe. Dodik actively supports the defense of Ratko Mladic, the indicted war criminal currently standing trial at The Hague for the Siege of Sarajevo and the genocide in Srebrenica.

Dodik actively encourages a lack of accountability for war crimes committed by the Serbs during the aggression on BiH in the early 1990′s. Furthermore, Dodik has worked to undermine the authority and proper functioning of national intuitions, including the BiH state court system responsible for war crimes prosecution. Mr. Dodik continues to menace the country with the possibility of an illegal secession by the RS, the consequence of which includes the possibility of renewed violence in a society still deeply traumatized by war.

Ultimately, the same parties under Dodik’s leadership within the Republika Srpska who were responsible for the deliberate destruction of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who were then rewarded in the Dayton Agreement with territorial and political concessions gained through genocidal violence, are now actively working to impair the reintegration of the country as a unified, sovereign state.

We strongly object to Columbia University providing a platform of legitimacy to Milorad Dodik and urge that his invitation be withdrawn.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Haris Alibasic, MPA, President
The Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB)
www.bosniak.org

Ajla Delkic
Executive Director
Bosniak American Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BAACBH)
www.baacbh.org

Prof. Emir Ramić, Chairman
Institute for the Research of Genocide, Canada (IRGC)
http://www.instituteforgenocide.ca/

Sanja Seferovic-Drnovsek J.D, MEd, Chair
Bosnian American Genocide Institute and Education Center
www.baginst.org

Dear Mr. Portnoy,

We are writing to you on behalf of 300,000 Bosnian Americans and 50,000 Bosnian Canadians that we represent to protest the planned event on October 21, 2011 showcasing Milorad Dodik,  the current president of the smaller of two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is known for creating negative publicity in and around Bosnia and Herzegovina, and most notably as an open denier of genocide committed by Serbian and Bosnian Serb forces against Bosniaks during the war and aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Milorad Dodik threatens the peace, stability and economic prosperity of the entire Balkans region by purposely undermining Bosnian state authorities and threatening “secession” whenever it suits him politically. The Republika Srpska entity was created by the Dayton agreement through war time policies of genocide and ethnic cleansing while under the leadership of the now imprisoned war criminal Radovan Karadzic. Milorad Dodik’s rhetoric of genocide denial and obstructionism is very similar to Karadzic and remains a threat to long term peace and stability.

Milorad Dodik repeatedly denies genocide against the Bosnian people and said in an April, 2010 interview for a Belgrade newspaper “Bosnian Serbs will never accept that the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of some 8,000 Muslims was genocide.” Furthermore, he added that “We cannot and will never accept qualifying that event as genocide.” By denying genocide, Dodik is effectively blocking all attempts at peace and reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. The Srebrenica massacre has been ruled as genocide by two international courts — the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at The Hague (ICTY). In 2005,the United States congress passed the House resolution 199 recognizing the Srebrenica genocide and demanding that war criminals be brought to justice.

Your company’s social responsibility statement reads that you “are committed to operating in a manner that promotes the business goals of our clients while advancing workplace diversity, environmental sustainability and the well-being of the communities in which we work and live.” By allowing a genocide denier to promote his agenda in a public forum sponsored by your company, you are causing an incomprehensible anguish to thousands of Americans of Bosnian decent who lost thousands of loved ones through a campaign of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and torture.

We sincerely hope you will listen to our serious concerns and look forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,

Haris Alibasic, MPA, President
The Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB)
www.bosniak.org

Prof. Emir Ramić, Chairman
Institute for the Research of Genocide, Canada (IRGC)
http://www.instituteforgenocide.ca/

Sanja Seferovic-Drnovsek J.D, MEd, Chair
Bosnian American Genocide Institute and Education Center
www.baginst.org

cc: Elyse Blazey, Public Relations Manager, SNR Denton

cc: Frederick D. McClure, Partner, Washington office, SNR Denton

cc: Caryn L. Chalmers, Partner, Chicago office, SNR Denton

The denial, prejudice, supremacism: they are all seeds of evil, for they evolve, they expand, and if left unchecked, when they ripen, they flourish, overgrow, and unleash the violence of unimaginable proportions. They can turn seemingly good men — everyday husbands, fathers, neighbors – into psychopathic rapists, ferocious tormentors, maniacal monsters, and mass killers. It happened in Bosnia.

The human ‘willingness’ to use rape as an instrument of terror in war, for the sole purpose of inflicting irreparable, long term psychological and physical trauma to defenseless women and children, became evident in the bloodstained Serb-led campaign of ethnic cleansing in eastern Bosnia, between 1992 and 1993. A preliminary European Community report, published in January of 1993, estimated that 20,000 Bosniak women may have been raped by Serb forces in Bosnia. The report also added that there was strong evidence that many women and children were killed during or after sexual abuse. (AP, The News-Journal, p.8A, “Bosnia Rape Victim Waits to Give Unwanted Birth”, 8 January 1993.) In 2001, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia ruled that rape was indeed used by the Bosnian Serb armed forces as an ‘instrument of terror.’ (Trial Judgment in the case of Kunarac et al.)

While Serb soldiers participated in systematic rape of Bosniak women and girls, often mothers with their daughters, Bosniak men were sent to concentration camps or execution fields. Before they met their fate, Bosniak prisoners were savagely beaten and then forced into signing coerced statements that they had committed “crimes against Serbs.” The Serb authorities needed these “confessions” from tortured Bosniak prisoners so that they could falsify both the history and the nature of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina (see, for example, the trial judgment of the International Criminal Tribunal in the case of Duško Tadić, par. 163-167.)

Women, War & Peace is the latest, and arguably the most important documentary film focusing on the systematic rape in war zones like Bosnia, to be published since the end of the Bosnian Genocide. As a survivor of war, words cannot express my gratitude toward everyone who was involved in the making of the “Women, War & Peace” DVD, especially toward the Academy-Award-winning actor, screenwriter and philanthropist Matt Damon. I urge everyone to pre-order this DVD as soon as possible. Hat tip to distinguished journalist Jessica Buchleitner for telling me about this project. Here is a preview:

Women, War & Peace is a bold new PBS mini-series challenging the conventional wisdom that war and peace are men’s domain. A co-production of THIRTEEN and Fork Films, Women, War & Peace places women at the center of an urgent dialogue about conflict and security and reframes our understanding of modern warfare.

Featuring narrators Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton, Geena Davis and Alfre Woodard, the series reveals how the post-Cold War proliferation of small arms has changed the landscape of war, with women becoming primary targets and suffering unprecedented casualties. Simultaneously, they are emerging as necessary partners in brokering lasting peace and as leaders in forging new international laws governing conflict.

Episodes include…

When the Balkans exploded into war in the 1990s, reports that tens of thousands of women were being systematically raped as a tactic of ethnic cleansing captured the international spotlight.

I Came to Testify, narrated by Matt Damon, is the moving story of how a group of 16 women who had been imprisoned by Serb-led forces in the Bosnian town of Foča broke history’s great silence – and stepped forward to take the witness stand in an international court of law. Now, as Bosnia is once again in the headlines with the capture of Bosnian Serb wartime general Ratko Mladić, the women agree to speak for the first time since then, on condition that we keep their identities hidden for their protection. “Witness 99,” who was held at gunpoint for a month with dozens of other women in a sports hall in the center of town remembers: “We were treated like animals. But that was the goal: to kill a woman’s dignity.” Their remarkable courage resulted in a triumphant verdict that led to new international laws about sexual violence in war. Returning to Bosnia 16 years after the end of the conflict, I Came to Testify also explores the chasm between this seismic legal shift and the post-war justice experienced by most of Bosnia’s women war survivors.

The War We Are Living travels to Cauca, a mountainous region in Colombia’s pacific southwest, where two extraordinary Afro-Colombian women are fighting to hold onto their gold-rich lands. They are standing up for a generation of Colombians who have been terrorized and forcibly displaced as a deliberate strategy of war.

War Redefined, the capstone of Women, War & Peace, challenges the conventional wisdom that war and peace are men’s domain through incisive interviews with leading thinkers, Secretaries of State, and seasoned survivors of war and peace-making. Interviewees include Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee; Bosnian war crimes investigator Fadila Memisevic; and globalization expert Moises Naim.

Note: A good complement to Women, War & Peace is BBC’s The Land That Radovan Built with Allan Little. I helped BBC producers with contacts in Bosnia during the shooting of this documentary in September of 2008. I still keep two production copies of CDs and a Thank You note sent to me from BBC producer Kate Peterson. You may watch a short preview here.

Originally published on the Official Blog of Daniel Toljaga

The Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB) welcomes the decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) ruling that the controversial Citizenship Act is unconstitutional. The Court ruled that the Bosnia and Herzegovina Parliament has six months to change the law which takes away the Bosnian-Herzegovinian citizenship to those citizens who have also become citizens of another country, except for those holding citizenship of countries with whom BiH has signed bilateral agreements on such issues. CNAB has repeatedly warned that the Citizenship Act  discriminates against Bosniaks in the Diaspora because of the fact that the majority of them were forced to leave the country during the Bosnian war. Enforcement of the Citizenship Act in 2013 would have devastating consequences for relations between Bosniaks living outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina and their homeland.

This decision is extremely important in its intention to encourage more serious and long term solution in relation to the Bosnia-Herzegovinian diaspora. More must be done to improve the relations of the Bosnian government and the large number of citizens who now live in other countries. It is appalling that the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has an extremely high percentage of citizens who live outside of its borders, does not have an established Ministry for Diaspora relations which is necessary to adequately address the needs and concerns, especially of those citizens who were forced to leave as refugees.

CNAB will continue to lobby the state institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as all relevant institutions in the United States, Canada, and the European Union to call attention to the problems faced by Bosnians living abroad. Furthermore, we will continue to voice our concerns with human rights violations against Bosniaks in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including obstruction to the return of refugees as well as the lack of progress in development and implementation of key reforms that would create the necessary conditions for the return of refugees to their homeland.

On behalf of CNAB,

Hamdija Čustović, CNAB spokesperson
www.bosniak.org

In evaluating the sentence of 27 years of imprisonment for General Perišić, the Trial Judgment emphasized that “the Army of Republika Srpska’s crimes lasted over a long period of time and that the victims were numerous and particularly vulnerable and that General Perišić kept providing assistance to the VRS [Bosnian Serb Army] for months after being informed of the massacre in Srebrenica”… “
Helge Brunborg, a demographer and expert witness, testified about the total number of missing persons involved with the fall of the enclave of Srebrenica. According to Brunborg, as of 21 November 2005, approximately 7,661 people were identified as missing based on reports from family members. Brunborg noted, however, that some were never reported by their relatives as missing, in some cases because the whole family was killed. It follows that the total number of missing people is probably higher.”

Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia today convicted Momčilo Perišić, a former Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Army, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia and sentenced him to 27 years of imprisonment.

Perišić, the most senior officer and Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Army (VJ) from 26 August 1993 to 24 November 1998, was found guilty by majority in the Trial Chamber, Judge Moloto dissenting, of aiding and abetting murders, inhumane acts, persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds, and attacks on civilians in Sarajevo and Srebrenica. He was also found guilty, by majority of Judges, Judge Moloto dissenting, of failing to punish his subordinates for their crimes of murder, attacks on civilians and injuring and wounding civilians during the rocket attacks on Zagreb on 2 and 3 May 1995. Perišić was unanimously acquitted of charges of aiding and abetting extermination as a crime against humanity in Srebrenica and of command responsibility in relation to crimes in Sarajevo and Srebrenica.

Today’s judgment is the first handed down by the Tribunal in a case against an official of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Trial Chamber found that General Perišić oversaw the Yugoslav Army’s provision of extensive logistical assistance to the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) and the Army of Serbian Krajina (SVK), the self proclaimed Croatian Serb entity, which notably included vast quantities of infantry and artillery ammunition, fuel, spare parts, training and technical assistance. Such assistance “became more centralised, structured and coordinated during General Perišić’s tenure” – Judge Bakone Justice Moloto, Presiding, said reading the Judgment.

General Perišić also proposed and implemented the idea to create Personnel Centres to maintain the status of military officers of the Yugoslav Army for those who serve in the VRS (30th Personnel Centre) and SVK (40th Personnel Centre).

In relation to the crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Judgment states that “the VRS regularly made no distinction between civilian and military targets. In fact, it targeted Bosnian Muslim civilians as a matter of course”. It further adds that “the crimes charged in this case were not perpetrated by rogue soldiers acting independently. Rather, they were part of a lengthy campaign overseen by top VRS officers on the Yugoslav Army’s payroll, including General Mladić.” Besides General Mladić, members of the 30th Personnel Centre included high-ranking officers who have been convicted by the Tribunal’s Trial and Appeals Chambers for crimes in Sarajevo (Stanislav Galić and Dragomir Milošević), and for crimes in Srebrenica (namely Milan Gvero, Radivoje Miletić, Ljubiša Beara, Radislav Krstić, Vujadin Popović, Vinko Pandurević, and Dragan Obrenović).

In the finding of the Majority, “General Perišić was alerted to the fact that the VRS was conducting a campaign of sniping and shelling against civilians during its siege of Sarajevo”, a campaign that lasted from September 1992 to November 1995 and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and the wounding of thousands of others, which the Majority found to constitute murder as a war crime and crime against humanity, and inhumane acts and attacks of civilians as war crimes. General Perišić was receiving information from a variety of sources concerning the VRS’s criminal behavior and discriminatory intent against Muslims, including from the Yugoslav Army’s own monitoring of international community and international media and from diplomatic reports.

“General Perišić knew that it was highly probable that the VRS would forcibly transfer Bosnian Muslims and commit killings and other abuses with discriminatory intent once Srebrenica had fallen under VRS control” – reads the part of the judgment on Perišić’s aiding an abetting of murders, inhumane acts (inflicting serious injuries, wounding, forcible transfer) and persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds as crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Srebrenica in July 1995.

The Trial Chamber, however, could not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that General Perišić could reasonably have foreseen, based on his knowledge of the VRS’s prior conduct, that the VRS would engage in the systematic extermination of thousands of Muslims in Srebrenica, and acquitted him of aiding and abetting extermination as crime against humanity in Srebrenica.

The VRS largely depended on logistical and personnel assistance overseen by General Perišić in order to conduct its operations in Sarajevo and Srebrenica. Since such operations encompassed systematic crimes against civilians, General Perišić’s actions had a substantial effect on these crimes that amounted to aiding and abetting them. “General Perišić repeatedly exercised his authority to provide logistical and personnel assistance that made it possible for the VRS to wage a war while he had knowledge that the VRS’s operations encompassed grave and systematic crimes against Muslim civilians” – the Trial Chamber, by Majority, concluded.

In reaching its conclusions, the Trial Chamber relied upon witness testimonies as well as other numerous sources of information, such as material delivery forms, personnel files, internal military reports, communication records, and minutes of the Supreme Defence Council featuring discussions between General Perišić, Slobodan Milošević, Zoran Lilić and other top officials.

While Momčilo Perišić was found criminally responsible for aiding and abetting murder, inhumane acts, attacks on civilians and persecution on political, racial or religious grounds in Sarajevo and Srebrenica, he was found not guilty as superior pursuant to Article 7(3) of the Statue in relation to these crimes and extermination. The evidence did not establish beyond reasonable doubt that there was a requisite superior-subordinate relationship between him and perpetrators of the crimes committed in Sarajevo and Srebrenica. «Even though General Perišić had a collaborative relationship with Mladić and substantially aided his operations, the evidence does not establish that he exercised effective control over him or any other Yugoslav Army officer serving in the VRS through the 30th Personnel Centre” – presiding Judge Moloto said.

Momčilo Perišić was also found guilty, on the basis of command responsibility, of crimes committed by the Army of Serbian Krajina firing rockets on the city of Zagreb, on 2 May 1995, that killed 5 people and injured 146, and again on 3 May, which killed two persons and injured 54. Unlike his relationship with officers serving in VRS, Perišić is found to have exercised effective control over Yugoslav Army officers serving through 40th Personnel Centre in the SVK as he initiated disciplinary proceedings against them and had the ability to issue command orders to senior SVK officers who considered them binding. The Trial Chamber, by Majority, therefore, found him guilty for failing to take necessary and reasonable measures to punish his subordinates in the SVK who perpetrated the two unlawful rocket attacks on Zagreb, although he was immediately notified of both the attacks.

In evaluating the sentence of 27 years of imprisonment for General Perišić, the Trial Judgment emphasized that “the Army of Republika Srpska’s crimes lasted over a long period of time and that the victims were numerous and particularly vulnerable and that General Perišić kept providing assistance to the VRS for months after being informed of the massacre in Srebrenica”.

Perišić is entitled to credit for 1,078 days he has spent in custody. Both the Prosecution and the defense have the right to appeal.

The Indictment against Momčilo Perišić was raised on 24 February 2005 and he surrendered on 7 March 2005. His trial began on 2 October 2008 and concluded with closing arguments on 31 March 2011. The Trial Chamber heard over 100 witnesses and admitted in evidence 3,794 exhibits.

Since its establishment, the Tribunal has indicted 161 persons for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed on the territory of the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 2001. Proceedings against 126 have been concluded. Proceedings are currently ongoing for 35 Accused.
Trial Judgement: Momčilo Perišić (Serbia’s Involvement in War Crimes in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia)

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Originally posted and authored by the Srebrenica Genocide Blog:  http://srebrenica-genocide.blogspot.com/2011/09/perisic-judgement-confirms-serbias.html

Today marks the 10th year of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, what represents one of the most senseless and devastating crimes known to modern civilization, when nearly 3,000 innocent people were killed by terrorists who hijacked three airplanes and used them as missiles to carry out their attack against the United States and its citizens.

On this sad day, CNAB remembers and honors the victims and hopes for a future without terrorism, aggression, genocide, and war. As victims of war and genocide, we know what it is like to lose our loved ones and what can happen when an ideology of hatred goes unchecked. 

Just like we remember the victims of the Bosnian genocide, we hope that doing so will ensure that we prevent such acts in the future, by speaking out against all forms of  hatred and promoting peace and tolerance.

We condemn all forms of terrorism, and acts of aggression, especially those done in the name of God or  religion.   We believe that the best way to honor the victims is to work to promote peace and tolerance in the world, but also to bring all those responsible to justice.

CNAB Board of Directors

We demand of the Office of the High Representatives to review and stop the policies of insidious attempts by the RS to continue to policies of ethnic cleansing and forced removal of Bosniaks from their historic lands.

Hamdija Custovic, CNAB spokesperson

The Court ruled that “under Article 7(1) of the Statute, General Perišić is charged with aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated in Sarajevo and Srebrenica, Bosnia, between 1993 and 1995 by the Army of Republika Srpska, known as the VRS.” It is an evidence of the Serbian government involvement and support for war and crimes committed in the name of Greater Serbia. Serbia must eventually accept its responsibility for role in the genocide and aggression against the sovereign nation of Bosnia.

We hope that the other war criminals, including Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic will be swiftly prosecuted and convicted so that justice will be served and truth preserved regarding the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the genocide against the Bosniak people.

Hamdija Custovic,  CNAB Spokesperson

References:

http://www.icty.org/x/cases/perisic/tjug/en/110906_summary.pdf