Ćulum skips work at SIPA after meeting with Dodik: Bosniaks are there, but should they wait to be arrested?

By: Amra Vrabac

Director of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) Darko Ćulum did not come to work at SIPA headquarters in Lukavica today. Although we were told that he is rarely seen on Mondays, after yesterday's meeting in Banja Luka between police and intelligence structures and Milorad Dodik, which Ćulum also attended, suspicions are now arising that a dark scenario is unfolding in the background.

SIPA headquarters is in Istočno Sarajevo. The number of Bosniaks and Serbs in this police agency is almost equal. Last week, a normal working atmosphere prevailed in SIPA until the adoption of the law in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska (NSRS) on February 27, which prohibits SIPA's work in the territory of RS, Dodik's threats that all officials with SIPA identification found in the territory of RS after the law comes into force will be arrested, and Ćulum's presence at the controversial meeting.

The entire sequence of events has caused unrest in this police agency, and an additional problem is that Ćulum issued an oral order to suspend activities in RS immediately after the adoption of the law in the NSRS. It is known that SIPA inspectors work on war crimes cases daily, and most of them are from cities and municipalities in RS. Now, the safety of SIPA employees performing field work in RS is at stake. Dodik has already caused unrest among employees with his statements about SIPA, first demanding the names of police officers who arrested two men who threatened judge Sena Uznunović on the eve of Dodik's verdict. The silence of Bosniak politicians or those structures that still form the government with Dodik is particularly concerning. This only shows that they have no answer to Dodik's moves or that they have already accepted his arbitrariness. And if they are waiting for a third party to resolve the new situation, that will not happen.

Dodik's sentence that he would send RS Ministry of Internal Affairs structures to Bosniaks in RS and convince them that not a hair on their head would be harmed sounded morbid. And that passed without any reaction.

There is no reaction to the events in SIPA and the security sector from the Joint Committee for Defense and Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is also responsible for parliamentary oversight of security institutions, including SIPA. Members of this Committee include representatives from both the government and the opposition.

The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Director of OSA, Risto Zarić. Given that the NSRS did not pass a law prohibiting OSA's activities in the RS, it can be reasonably suspected that Zarić provided OSA operational data at that meeting and perhaps even received a specific task. However, that is a matter for OSA Director Almir Džuvo to handle.

There is no reaction from the Joint Committee for Oversight of OSA's Work, headed by Ilija Cvitanović, to such political actions by Zarić.

At this moment, Bosniak employees in Istočno Sarajevo are left to fend for themselves. Today, they came to work in Lukavica without a single word of support for what they are going through and the anticipation of whether someone will put handcuffs on them or take their lives tomorrow because of their official identification.

The Bosniak leadership in SIPA has also failed in this case. While the Collegium was held in Banja Luka last week, none of these leaders asked Ćulum about further activities. Not then, and probably not now. And what is most disheartening is that they apparently dare not ask him anything. Ćulum has shown his allegiance. He showed it in 2023 at a gathering of "Serb cadres" in Istočno Sarajevo at the invitation of Staša Košarac. He has never been held accountable for this, nor has the Independent Board, which is anything but independent, initiated disciplinary proceedings or dismissal.

On the contrary, Ćulum was rated as the most successful candidate by that Independent Board in last year's competition for a second term as SIPA Director. Although that appointment never happened, there is no obstacle for Ćulum to continue serving as director. As for the Independent Board, it can calmly carry out Milorad Dodik's political order, because there will be no quorum for any decision against Ćulum.

And until then, Bosniaks in this institution should wait for Dodik's order on when they will be arrested because they are in the territory of RS.