State's reaction to incidents in Priboj is non-existent, Bosniaks are being sent a message that they are unwelcome

(Patria) - "The state's reaction to the incidents in Priboj is mild or more often non-existent, especially to those committed by police officers," said the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia.

"Due to a series of new incidents where songs and graffiti glorify genocide and war criminals, and Bosniaks are threatened with a new massacre, tension and fear are growing in Priboj and among Bosniaks in Sandžak. Even on Christmas Eve, dozens of young men with torches in front of the mosque chanted disturbing threats 'It's Christmas, it's Christmas, shoot the mosques'. An intensive campaign, which has been ongoing for months, with threatening slogans: 'From Priboj to The Hague, everyone is with General Ratko, 'Ratko Mladić is a hero', murals with the image of Ratko Mladić, and messages of hate on social networks, has created an atmosphere of intolerance and unwelcomeness of Bosniaks in that region and in Serbia," the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia stated in their release.

Various theories that stigmatize Sandžak are circulating in the media controlled by the authorities, they further point out, as it is perceived as a problematic territory that could cause new instabilities.

"Sandžak is considered an important point on the so-called green transversal and as a route for terrorists, which was the backbone of propaganda for preparing war and crimes against Bosniaks. Incidents have become more frequent precisely in Sandžak, as it is treated as the last offensive against the 'green transversal' and represents an attempt to complete ethnic cleansing. The escalation of Serbian nationalism, both in Serbia and in Republika Srpska, revives the fears of Bosniaks and uncertainty regarding their future. The rise of Islamophobia and the constant fixation on Islamic extremism serve to justify the demands for the secession of Republika Srpska and increased pressure on Bosniaks and their marginalization in Sandžak," they emphasize.

They further state that despite the state's obvious neglect of this region, Bosniaks have invested a lot of goodwill in preserving good neighborly relations between Serbs and Bosniaks in recent decades.

The Helsinki and Sandžak Committees for Human Rights believe that the state is obliged to take concrete steps to ensure the security of all citizens equally, and that it is its obligation to engage in establishing trust of Bosniaks towards competent state bodies.

Also, they expect international factors to pay attention to the events in Sandžak before it is too late. Because, as they say, the intensive implementation of the 'Serbian world' project is underway.