Damir ef. Peštalić: Attack on the cemetery shows the erosion of society, a message of hatred and intolerance

(Patria) - The head imam of the Islamic Community Council (MIZ) Srebrenica, Damir-ef. Peštalić, stated today that the Bosniak population in this town is disturbed by an extremist, vandalistic act directed at the martyr cemetery in the settlement of Kragljivoda.

He led today's Friday prayer in the Osat congregation, to which the locality of Kragljivoda also belongs, and the prayer was attended by locals, Bosniak representatives of the local community, the Municipality of Srebrenica, and the entity of Republika Srpska.

"When a sacred place of a community is desecrated, it is not only an attack on that community, but also on the essence of humanity, on the idea of shared peace and security that we all share," said Efendi Peštalić.

He added that the competent institutions have been called upon to sanction this act, and the public to reject any form of intolerance and disrespect.

"Our faith teaches us peace and unity, but it also teaches us the obligation to protect what is sacred, both our own and that of others. I will remind you that Bosniaks in Srebrenica protected the sacred sites of others even during the aggression, when they were being brutally killed, and their own sacred sites were being burned and destroyed throughout the Drina Valley," Peštalić stated.

He emphasized that everyone must stand together against all forms of hatred and division, and that therefore he expects not only the strict sanctioning of the perpetrators of this violence, but also a more serious approach to preventing such and similar acts in the future, more decisively and clearly than before.

"The attack on the cemetery is not just an isolated problem of our community, a problem of Kragljivoda, Srebrenica, or the Islamic Community, but a sick, serious social phenomenon that requires the attention and reaction of all segments of society," said Peštalić.

According to his words, the cemetery symbolizes a shared human destiny and reminds us of the inevitable connection between people.

"Its desecration indicates not only serious psychological disorders in those who commit or approve of it, but also a disorder in social relations, the erosion of faith, moral norms, as well as the weakening of institutions that should protect universal values. This extremism undermines the basic principles of coexistence for which we fight, and for which others claim to fight, and sends a dangerous message of hatred and intolerance," emphasized the head imam of Srebrenica.

Therefore, he added, he expects everyone, from other religious communities and institutions to individuals, to clearly stand against such acts, because indifference in such situations is not only tacit consent, but also complicity in creating a society that forgets the basic principles of justice, tolerance, and mutual respect.

"Our reactions to such events represent not only an immediate response but also long-term shape the values by which we are guided as a community and society. The protection of sacred places, symbols, and values is not only a religious obligation but a civilizational duty that equally obliges us all. We expect this especially, and those who plan to come to Potočari this year, when we will mark the thirtieth anniversary of the genocide against Bosniaks, should know this," said Efendi Peštalić.

He assessed that a society that does not protect its sacred values, its symbols, and traditions faces a serious crisis of moral norms and values, but also calls into question its moral compass.

"Let this event serve as a warning, but also as a wake-up call – that we do not give up on building a healthy society in which both the living and the dead will be respected and protected. That is our sublime faith and our dignity, that is the honor and integrity of a people who survived genocide but remained upright and proud," Efendi Peštalić stated at the end of his sermon.

Along with the faithful, today's Friday prayer was also attended by the Vice President of Republika Srpska, Ćamil Duraković, the President of the Bosniak Club in the Council of Peoples of Republika Srpska, Alija Tabaković, the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Srebrenica, Hamdija Fejzić, and the President of the Municipal Assembly of Srebrenica, Almir Dudić.

Also present at the prayer was the Executive Director of the Media Center of the Islamic Community, Nedim Hrbat.