Director of IGK Emir Ramić wrote to Rakuten CEO Mikitani: Apologize to the victims of genocide!

(Patria) - The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK) sent a letter to Mr. Hiroshi Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten Group, headquartered in Japan, regarding the scandalous song "Marš na Drini" during the Davis Cup, promoted with the help of Rakuten.

The letter requested an answer as to why Rakuten promotes lyrics associated with the genocide committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, asking Rakuten to respect the victims of genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to apologize and distance themselves from this nationalist propaganda plan.

IGK reminds that in 2013, Vuk Jeremić organized a concert at the United Nations when an orchestra played the infamous and violent Serbian nationalist song “Marš na Drini”.

Following the IGK's action, in which many organizations, communities, and individuals participated, the spokesperson for the then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon publicly apologized to the victims of genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Below is the full letter from IGK:

Dear Rakuten TV, Mr. Mikitani,

We are writing to express our strongest protest and deepest concern regarding the recent promotion of nationalist lyrics associated with the aggression and genocide in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We have noted that such anti-civilization lyrics were used in promotional materials for Novak Djokovic, which Rakuten covers. We seek clarification on your company's stance on this matter. The performance of the war-mongering anthem of Serbian extremist forces, "Mars na Drinu," is a scandalous insult to the victims of aggression and genocide in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This war-mongering song was used to incite ethnic and nationalist hatred towards non-Serbs, particularly Bosniaks, and was used as a means to inspire the murder, persecution, and rape of thousands of civilians, culminating in the genocide in Srebrenica and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A chilling example of the misuse of the aforementioned nationalist song comes from the Seventh Report of the US State Department on War Crimes in the former Yugoslavia:
"Day and night, soldiers entered houses, taking two or three women at a time. All the time, there were four or five guards, all local Foča Serbs. A woman knew that the rapes would begin when 'Mars na Drinu' was played over the loudspeakers of the main mosque. 'Mars na Drinu' is a Chetnik combat song that was banned during Tito's years. While 'Mars na Drinu' was playing, women were ordered to undress, and soldiers entered the houses, taking those they wanted. The ages of the women ranged from 12 to 60. Often, soldiers requested combinations of mother and daughter. Many of the women were severely beaten during the rapes."

It is regrettable that the aforementioned nationalist song was used in Novak Djokovic's promotional materials on Rakuten.

It is unbearable for the victims to see that Novak Djokovic's promotional materials, handled by Rakuten, are being used to perform a war-mongering song under which war crimes and genocide were committed in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mr. Mikitani, we call on you and Rakuten to issue a public apology to the victims of war crimes in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina committed in the name of extreme Serbian nationalism.

The use of lyrics that have a history associated with aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing, as determined by multiple rulings of the International Court of Justice, is deeply disturbing and offensive to many. It is crucial that organizations like Rakuten TV, which are influential and have a global reach, adopt a responsible approach to the content they promote.

Therefore, we call on Rakuten TV to publicly distance itself from such offensive material and to issue a clear statement regarding your commitment to ethical and responsible content promotion.

We look forward to your response on this important issue.

Dr. Emir Ramić
Director of the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada {IGK}".