Sarajevo - Capital City of "Others"

A sane individual cannot but be astounded by the news that the Sarajevo canton, which contributes 14 representatives to the Federation Chamber of Nations, is supposed to select 4 Bosniaks, three Croats and 7 representatives from the ranks of others. It turns out that Sarajevo is the capital city of "others"

by Tarik SADOVIC

Ljiljan, Sarajevo, Federation Bosnia-Hercegovina, B-H, December 25, 2000

Until now the international community has been the strongest alliance in Bosnia-Hercegovina. Its political institutions, such as the Office of High Representative (OHR), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the U.N. mission and many others, satellite organizations, appeared convincing and coordinated from outside. That is understandable, as the firmness and united front are necessary for the untangling of the "Bosnian Gordian knot". The international community's peace related activities in Bosnia-Hercegovina, nevertheless, betrayed on several occasions cracks that could be spotted on the polished surface. Naturally, this applies on the view from within, from Bosnia-Hercegovina, and not from abroad. That is not unexpected, having in mind the complex nature of its organization, decision-making process, and variety of individual interests and goals, financial, political, military and other differences in support of "own policies"... Besides, the sensitivity of the solution of the Bosnian question mercilessly reveals the smallest mistakes in approach, let alone in realization.

Can Powerful Do It?

It is very interesting that the local media have hardly addressed these topics. Why has this been a taboo topic for them? Is the problem in fear or perhaps tacit agreement not to disturb or bother powerful individuals whose decisions are crucial in all matters. "Anonymous power-brokers" are controlling the media in Bosnia-Hercegovina by issuing all sorts of codices, frequencies, registrations, suitability requirements, penalties, etc. That would be bearable if that would be a way to secure a well-balanced and neutral environment, rather than privileged status for their favorites and isolation for those who displease them, which was especially obvious during the election campaign this fall. An instructive example is that of TV OBN, which did everything it was supposed to do and was in the end liquidated.

It is undeniable that without international political and military action the fragile Bosnian state would fall apart. If it weren't for their generous assistance, our life would be miserable. We still desperately need financial assistance for the continuation of the started reforms. Assistance for the democratization of Bosnia-Hercegovina and establishment of standards of modern and successful states of the West is precious. To ignore this would be ungrateful and highly insolent. But Bosnia-Hercegovina is in Europe, even though Europe may view it as a poor cousin that is a source of embarrassment. The civilized "old lady" cannot renounce her cousin despite everything.

Changes that have taken place, first in Croatia and then in Serbia, where they were crucially assisted by the American money, sent the signal that it was time to create a similar scenario and try to do something similar in Bosnia-Hercegovina. In the neighborhood, political parties and leaders who were deeply involved in the bloody Bosnian drama have been ousted from power. They were replaced by moderate national[ist] leaders, both according to their own declarations and the opinion of the West. Unfortunately, that method cannot be applied in Bosnia-Hercegovina, because, among other, she is a multi-national state with unfinished (and impossible) state organization. Due to the lack of readiness to determine what is the true measure of national interests and what should be mechanisms for their protection, in the time of still present painful memories of wartime suffering and persecution on the ethnic and religious basis, the international representatives have decided to give open and exaggerated advantage to the Bosnian social-democrats. Our social-democracy is still far from the European social-democracy and unlike it, it has to resolve sensitive ethnic issues within.

Symmetry of Guilt

It goes without saying that German or Austrian social-democrats do not have to think about the protection of national, while all-Bosnian social-democrats will have to do that a lot. It is very likely that some influential international "factors", frustrated by the slowness of progress in Bosnia-Hercegovina, were tempted into a trap and without sufficient planning entered the "social-democratic wasps' nest". That is why many of them will suffer from hiccups after secret dinners in Sarajevo for a while.

Results of the November elections openly brought into questions international policy with respect to Bosnia-Hercegovina. Only the Bosniak nation distributed its votes between national and "anational" parties, unlike the Serb and Croat nations, which did not have similar doubts. In their case everyone is national: socialists, and social-democrats, radicals and liberals, populists and civics, left, right and center. According to some, the Bosniaks have demonstrated their political maturity, and according to others, their naivete. The realization that exactly they are the victims and guinea pigs for experiments of local and international political scientists is now speedily taking hold among Bosniak politicians and voters. The Bosniak man already says "enough!" But he says that inwardly, because he is ashamed to say it openly. That is why it is good to remind him of a political slogan displayed on posters all over Sarajevo. Double standards of the international community towards leading political parties have become indecently obvious and irritating, even for the ordinary people. The established communist practice in resolving ethnic problems was to each time punish all three ethnic groups, even if only one deserved punishment. If a Serb was to be punished, a similar punishment had to be meted out to a Croat and a Bosniak as well, for the sake of symmetry and ethnic balance, even if the guilt of the latter two had to be fabricated. The HDZ referendum was a total humiliation for the international community, but Barry's "death sentence" never made it to the defiant leaders. Instead, the punishment affected lower ranking politicians. It was confirmed that he found it easier to banish one of the most prominent SDA candidates, a distinguished surgeon and reputable individual such as Abdulah Nakas, than for example the image of St. Sava from numerous city halls in the Republic of Srpska, even though his rules require secular atmosphere at the meetings. A sane individual cannot but be astounded by the news that the Sarajevo canton, which contributes 14 representatives to the Federation Chamber of Nations, is supposed to select 4 Bosniaks, three Croats and 7 representatives from the ranks of others. It turns out that Sarajevo is the capital city of "others".

Barry compensates for the impotence of his organization and his bad policy by meting out punishments where he can, in the parts where Bosniaks are in majority. Historically, exactly Bosniaks have a lot of experience with the democratic principle "follow the orders". Who could have thought that that was how they were going to demonstrate western democracy and even try to force us to believe in their demonstration.

International Group Crisis

Mutual disagreements and accusations between highest officials of the international community during the time after the elections could not be given a positive spin or hidden anymore. That is obvious from contradictory statements and open criticism, contrary to former diplomatic allusions and metaphors. The American ambassador recently dismissed an agreement of the High Representative with the SDS leaders. When his boss Holbrooke, realized from the pre-election polls that the SDS was likely to win, he urgently demanded that the SDS be banned, but neither Petritsch nor Barry could fulfill his demand without totally discrediting themselves. Therefore, someone activated the International Crisis Group to release a trial balloon. The SDS, as if to spite them, did not publicly do anything at all that would give an excuse to destroy them, and now they intend to "charge" for their good behavior. "We shall assist whomever we want with our money," say representatives of the most powerful state in the world. Europeans think that the election results must be accepted and that the process that would essentially consist of the implementation of numerous old agreements and imposition of the new ones should be continued. On the other hand, they are exposed to strong pressure to side with the Americans. Who will follow whom, depends on the new American administration. The way out from the Bosnian maze is still far away.

"The time for changes" really comes at a bad time.

Translated on August 13, 2001