SANU Memorandum 2 is the problem, not the ban on denying genocide and crimes

By Ernad Metaj

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The diagnosis of friar Mirko Majdandžić that we are living in a time in BiH where people do not want to understand each other properly was unfortunately confirmed by the meeting of Quint ambassadors with state parliamentarians. What should not be controversial to any civilized person with a sound mind, namely the ban on denying genocide and all crimes in BiH, is being problematized again.

Instead of demanding that the BiH Prosecutor's Office prosecute those responsible for the unilateral annulment of the state law in RS, the focus is again on trading and digging into the wounds of all victims in BiH. Compromise in BiH is again being sought on genocide and crimes. The path to this is to “annul the law banning the denial of genocide and war crimes, which was imposed by former High Representative Valentin Inzko at the end of July, and to pass a new, but amended text in the state Parliament through compromise.”

The calculation of foreigners who believe this would appease SNSD President Milorad Dodik to unblock the work of state institutions is wrong again. It is naive to reduce the current situation in BiH to the problem of Inzko's law, because it is nothing more than one of the means to initiate and implement Dodik's secessionist policy.

Annulment of the amendments to the Criminal Code prohibiting the denial of genocide and all crimes would only be an additional wind in the sails of those who are destroying BiH. Such a move, especially before a new law is adopted in the BiH Parliament, would only further spread the virus of hatred, which Majdandžić believes has long been ingrained in people and still holds them. And it holds them because an atmosphere of fear is constantly generated, facilitated by ethnic cleansing of territories, resulting in fewer and fewer multi-ethnic neighborhoods.

Foreigners do not want to, or do not understand, that politicians who have sown hatred and divided people for 25 years cannot make a civilizational leap. They survive on hatred and conflict. Moreover, annulling Inzko's law without first adopting a new one would be an international recognition of the delegitimization of the High Representative in BiH, which is Dodik's goal.

If international representatives have good intentions towards BiH, and we want to believe that they do, they should read SANU 2. They would see that Dodik is acting on orders and that his statements are recitals from a memorized song. Then it would be clear to them that Dodik is not bluffing and that he will go all the way, because it is primarily in the interest of forces that do not wish the EU well.

It is time for Milorad Dodik, as well as all politicians in BiH who have built their prosperity on the destruction of the system and human values, to finally receive a slap from the EU and the rest of the civilized world. It is time for the international community to genuinely help bring people in BiH closer together, because as the good friar Majdandžić says:

“This time should be for us to re-examine our communications, our relations with other people. That is really important. I will not base my relations with people living in BiH, in Fojnica, near the monastery, on political opinions, I will never base them on some writing, not even a news report, but I will base them on what I experience with that person. In order to communicate with him, we do not need to be afraid of each other. We need to meet, we need to socialize together and not succumb to being infected.”

If the spread of the virus of hatred is not stopped in BiH, then we are all in trouble. A new conflict in BiH is not unrealistic, and the EU should also be concerned, because fire near its backyard can easily spread. Currently, there is no shortage of those in Europe who would welcome that.