Professor Pettigrew: Recognition of Republika Srpska in Dayton was legitimisation of crimes

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The recognition of Republika Srpska in Dayton was a legitimisation of the crimes through which it was created, and a reward for the genocide committed, said the introductory speaker of today's session of Krug 99 David Pettigrew, professor of philosophy and Holocaust and genocide studies at Southern Connecticut State University. 

"The failure of the international community began during the genocide, with the failure to prevent persecution, hunger and killings of civilians in villages and towns of BiH. By denying the genocide and glorifying war criminals in the RS, the goal is sought - ethnic homogenisation through psychological intimidation," says Pettigrew.

Speaking on the topic "The Problem in the Balkans: Republika Srpska and the Failure of the International Community," Pettigrew emphasised that with the suspension of the Bonn Powers in 2006, the inaction of the High Representative worsened the country's instability. 

"There was no effective response to the denial of genocide," Pettigrew pointed out.

He said that the Hague Tribunal failed to convincingly establish that there was state aggression from Serbia and Croatia, which contributed to the establishment of the mistaken understanding that the aggression was a "civil war" between three equally conflicting sides. 

He explained that the name Republika Srpska was from the very beginning "linguistic violence," because it implied that the previously multi-ethnic territory would be only for Serbs.

Referring to the annual formation of members of the Ravna Gora Chetnik movement in Višegrad, Professor Pettigrew said that this must be banned.