American-British Deception of Bosnia: Are We a State or a Protectorate!?

By Rasim Belko

At the beginning of June, under the spotlight of the international community and on the margins of this country's real life, another session of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council will take place. For those who don't know, that is the group of diplomats who have been managing Bosnia and Herzegovina as a colonial experiment for three decades. And lo and behold – even after 30 years of "help," reforms, declarations, and the famous "steps forward," this country still doesn't know where it's going, nor is it allowed to decide for itself.

This time, they have decided, again, to fix what they themselves broke. The focus, as they say, is on the necessity of forming a new coalition at the state level and overcoming the "destructive policy of SNSD." It is clear that Milorad Dodik no longer suits the current colonial masters, so it's time for a pawn reshuffle. The plan? The government at the state level should be taken over by two Trios – the Sarajevo one (SDP, Our Party, People and Justice) and the Banja Luka one (PDP, SDS, For Justice and Order), plus the two HDZs (Dragan's one and Čović's shadow one, HDZ 1990).

Who is pushing this? The British, of course. The eternal masters at wrapping colonial interests in the guise of democracy. They want to buy stability, but not for the citizens of this country – but for their own interests, so they can trade peacefully and put out fires they themselves started. All, of course, under the fairy-tale name of "aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina." In essence – keeping the country in a state of frozen conflict, permanently incapable of making its own decisions.

Because let's ask ourselves seriously: if the government in this country can only survive with the approval of ambassadors, if every important law must be signed by the High Representative who was not elected, then what are elections for? What are parliaments, governments, presidencies for? Why do we spend millions of marks to organize elections that are ultimately challenged by embassies, corrected by OHR decree-holders, and implemented by commissioners earning 20,000 euros a month? It would be better to abolish everything and write at the entrance to the country: "Bosnia and Herzegovina – Protectorate Under Permanent Supervision."
In BiH, democracy has been turned into a staged theater.

We vote, we elect, we decide... and then ambassadors in Marin Dvor, in their offices with thick curtains and English tea, decide whether the government will be formed and who will sit in the Council of Ministers. The most bizarre thing about all of this is that those who suffered a political defeat in the elections, or were clearly relegated to the opposition by voters, are included in this new government structure. But it doesn't matter what the people want. What matters is what the embassies have agreed upon.

This is nothing new. History teaches us that colonial powers have always managed the peripheries of Europe and the world through compliant local clienteles. In India, British viceroys in their palaces chose Hindu and Muslim leaders based on the principle of "divide et impera." In Africa, they installed local chiefs who worked for London's interests. Today, they are doing the same in BiH. Only now, ambassadors don't wear uniforms, but Armani suits. There are no more governors, but we have a High Representative. No viceroys, but we have the Ambassador of Great Britain deciding what the political map of this country will look like.

And the citizens? No one asks them anything. Their will fits into two sentences of pre-election marketing. And as soon as election night is over, their role ends. From that moment on, power moves to the embassies, and decisions are made by diplomats who are not elected, are not accountable to the citizens of this country, and who are not held accountable to anyone for the consequences of their decisions.

The paradox is that this "new" government, if they craft it as planned, will be even more unstable, even more corrupt, even more unscrupulous. Because when ambassadors assemble a government for you, they don't choose based on ability, but on compliance. They choose those who will nod their heads. Those who will vote as ordered. Those who will sell out national interests, those who will do anything just to get a seat.

And that's why there is no real progress today. Nor will there be as long as Bosnia and Herzegovina remains an American-British experiment, as long as the government is formed in embassies and not in elections. Because as long as there is no authentic, internal political will to build a state for its citizens, we will remain a colonial province where ambassadors appoint ministers, and the people just pay the price.

Therefore, let someone finally tell us: are we a state or a protectorate? If we are a protectorate – tell us. So we know, so we don't listen to fairy tales about "Euro-Atlantic integration" and a "promising future." If we are a state – let us make mistakes ourselves, let us learn, let us elect and dismiss. And if this is all a colonial deception, then let the buildings of BiH institutions be torn down, let the Parliament be demolished, let a large tent be set up in Marin Dvor, and let the ambassadors sit there in the UN camp and sign whatever comes to their minds.

Because as things stand, BiH is not a state. It is a sad colonial caricature. And as long as we lack the courage to admit it and rebel, we will remain hostages of ambassadorial experiments and deceptions wrapped in colorful lies.

It's time to put an end to this deception. To expose this game of colonial masters and domestic lackeys.