20/10/2010
Is the condemnation of war crimes becoming a way for the opposition and the government to send messages to their voters?
Analysis by Bojana Milovanovic for Southeast European Times in Belgrade -- 20/10/10
Since the adoption of two declarations condemning war crimes this year, the Serbian public has been discussing the need for such documents and whether one or the other shows favouritism. Lawmakers adopted a declaration Thursday (October 14th) condemning crimes committed against Serbs during the conflicts of the 1990s. Approved by 133 members of the 250-seat parliament, it got no backing from the opposition.
The resolution condemns crimes against Serbs during the armed conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Kosovo and calls on the parliaments of other countries, especially former Yugoslav republics, to condemn crimes and express respect for Serb victims.
The declaration follows a similar document that was passed at the end of March condemning crimes committed against Bosniaks in Srebrenica in July 1995.
Some say two documents were not necessary, and should have been bundled together, while others feel the Srebrenica declaration shows favouritism towards Bosniaks.
United Serbia, a member of the ruling majority, threatened that it would refuse to support the government if a document condemning crimes against Serbs was not adopted immediately following the adoption of the declaration on Srebrenica.
The necessity to condemn what took place in Srebrenica was not disputed. The debate was focused on whether the deaths of several thousands of Bosniaks should be labelled genocide or a crime.
In the end, the document condemning the killings avoided the use of the word genocide.
The governing coalition said that the adoption of the declaration on Srebrenica was a historical obligation and that it would serve as a motivation for other parliaments in the countries of the former Yugoslavia to adopt similar documents and condemn the Serbian suffering.
The one parliament passed last week took months to frame.
It strongly condemns the crimes carried out during the armed conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and expresses sorrow and solidarity with the victims of the NATO bombardment.
The contrary stances of the ruling parties and opposition highlight the polarisation of the Serbian public. MPs in the ruling coalition said that the aim of the declaration was to ensure that the crimes were not forgotten and that those responsible were punished.
Democratic Party member Nada Kolundzija says that by adopting the declaration, parliament has called on neighbouring nations' governments to adopt the same attitude towards victims of the wars in the former Yugoslavia.
"The debate on the draft should not be a competition in patriotism. The point of the declaration is so that crimes against Serbs are not forgotten and that the policy which led to them is never repeated," she said.
Opposition parties criticised the text of the declaration for failing to clearly condemn NATO crimes in 1999 and those committed in Slovenia.
"We are waiting for NATO to express sorrow for the victims, and you, instead of NATO, shoulder the burden and express condolences. Why did you not express sorrow for the people who died in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Croatia?" asked Serbian Progressive Party President Tomislav Nikolic.
The resolution condemns crimes against Serbs during the armed conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Kosovo and calls on the parliaments of other countries, especially former Yugoslav republics, to condemn crimes and express respect for Serb victims.
The declaration follows a similar document that was passed at the end of March condemning crimes committed against Bosniaks in Srebrenica in July 1995.
Some say two documents were not necessary, and should have been bundled together, while others feel the Srebrenica declaration shows favouritism towards Bosniaks.
United Serbia, a member of the ruling majority, threatened that it would refuse to support the government if a document condemning crimes against Serbs was not adopted immediately following the adoption of the declaration on Srebrenica.
The necessity to condemn what took place in Srebrenica was not disputed. The debate was focused on whether the deaths of several thousands of Bosniaks should be labelled genocide or a crime.
In the end, the document condemning the killings avoided the use of the word genocide.
The governing coalition said that the adoption of the declaration on Srebrenica was a historical obligation and that it would serve as a motivation for other parliaments in the countries of the former Yugoslavia to adopt similar documents and condemn the Serbian suffering.
The one parliament passed last week took months to frame.
It strongly condemns the crimes carried out during the armed conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and expresses sorrow and solidarity with the victims of the NATO bombardment.
The contrary stances of the ruling parties and opposition highlight the polarisation of the Serbian public. MPs in the ruling coalition said that the aim of the declaration was to ensure that the crimes were not forgotten and that those responsible were punished.
Democratic Party member Nada Kolundzija says that by adopting the declaration, parliament has called on neighbouring nations' governments to adopt the same attitude towards victims of the wars in the former Yugoslavia.
"The debate on the draft should not be a competition in patriotism. The point of the declaration is so that crimes against Serbs are not forgotten and that the policy which led to them is never repeated," she said.
Opposition parties criticised the text of the declaration for failing to clearly condemn NATO crimes in 1999 and those committed in Slovenia.
"We are waiting for NATO to express sorrow for the victims, and you, instead of NATO, shoulder the burden and express condolences. Why did you not express sorrow for the people who died in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Croatia?" asked Serbian Progressive Party President Tomislav Nikolic.
New Serbia whip Velimir Ilic said that his party wanted to condemn all crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia in one declaration, adding his party also wanted NATO's actions condemned. "Is it not a crime to release cluster bombs on Nis in spite of an international ban, and is it not a crime to use depleted uranium in cities?" asked Ilic.
The public also has contrasting opinions.
"I think that Srebrenica is a great shame of ours and that crime should be condemned; we should remind ourselves and never forget," Mladen Jaksic, 31, told SETimes.
Milica Milicevic , 42, said that all victims are equal. "We did not need a separate declaration on Srebrenica, this way it looks like Serbian victims are less important."
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
The public also has contrasting opinions.
"I think that Srebrenica is a great shame of ours and that crime should be condemned; we should remind ourselves and never forget," Mladen Jaksic, 31, told SETimes.
Milica Milicevic , 42, said that all victims are equal. "We did not need a separate declaration on Srebrenica, this way it looks like Serbian victims are less important."
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου