Cardinal Puljic: Dayton has failed
http://sunday.niedziela.pl/artykul.php?nr=200409&dz=swiat&id_art=00040
About Catholics and Muslims in the Balkans
The Peace Treaty of Dayton has failed
Wlodzimierz Redzioch talks to Cardinal Vinko Puljic, Archbishop
of Vrhbosna (Sarajevo), about the difficult situation of Catholics in
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Wlodzimierz Redzioch: - Your Eminence, what were the stages of the
crisis in the Balkans after the fall of Yugoslavia?
Cardinal VINKO PULJIC: - In 1991 Slovenia and Croatia declared their
independence. After the referendum of 3 March 1992 the Republic of
Bosnia and Herzegovina was also proclaimed. Then we hoped that after
years of communism we would have democracy, which would bring
freedom, equality and better life. But the war began because the
Serbian rulers wanted to have power in all republics. One should
openly say that the international community did not want Yugoslavia's
division and therefore, it supported Serbs and Miloševic and the n
almost
everything, commencing with the army, was in the Serb hands. - We
still remember the dramatic siege of Sarajevo by the Serbs... - The
siege lasted four years. During that period 12,000 people were killed
in Sarajevo (in the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina the number was
200,000 although the data are uncertain). I was there all the time
and saw many
killed and much bloodshed. - Finally, the international community forced
the parties of the conflict to make a peace treaty. This year marks
the 10th anniversary of the treaty in the small town of Dayton in
Ohio (USA), the treaty was signed in Paris. Why have those treaties
not solved the
problems of Bosnia and Herzegovina? - Thanks to the treaties of Dayton
the war ended and it was a positive aspect. Unfortunately, after the
war military actions ceased there was unjust peace because Bosnia and
Herzegovina were split in two parts: the Serb Republic occupied by
the Serbs and the Federation where Muslim s and Catholics (Bosnians
and Croats) live together. The problem is that it was the Muslims
that are domineering in the federation and there is no
equality. - In the post-war period numerous Arab countries financed the
activities of the Islam politicians and the construction of mosques,
Koranic schools and charity centres. They did not hide that their aim
was to make Bosnia and Herzegovina the first Muslim state in Europe.
Muslim fundamentalists from all over the world began arriving in the
Balkans (it is not a secret that there were training camps for
Islamic fighters). Has the situation changed in the recent years,
years of the war against
terrorism? - The enormous help, which the Muslim countries offered
during the war and after the war, was only for the believers of
Islam. All people knew that but nobody reacted. That was the case
until 11 September 2001 when after the terrorists' attacks against the
United States the alarm was raised. Earlier there ha d been no
reaction when Islamic fundamentalists came to our country from all
over the world, when they were given our citizenship and were allowed
to marry
local Muslim women. That's why, there is no equality in our state. -
Because the Muslims, richer and stronger than the Catholics, are
domineering... - Exactly. the problem is that earlier our Muslims were
tolerant and now, being influenced by the Islamic countries that
financed them (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait and others) they became
extremists. For example, the Iranians published many books in which
they portray Christ and Christianity in a false light. The attitude
of the international community towards the Muslims in Bosnia and
Herzegovina is ambiguous. Americans support them in order to get
their sympathy, especially after the intervention in Iraq. On the
other hand, we are criticised that we are building churches with
crosses (we get good advice not to provoke the
Muslims by exposing crosses). -
Before the war there were about 820,000 Catholics in Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Today there remain about 460,000. Can we speak about
persecutions of
Catholics, which makes them leave the country? - In my diocese there
were 520,000 Catholics, today there are only 216,000. What is worse,
people are leaving because their rights are not guaranteed, they
cannot find jobs
and they have lost hope. - It seemed that the treaty of Dayton would let
you to build a really democratic country. Has it happened? - To tell
you the truth, Bosnia and Herzegovina are under the international
community's high representative. Two entities were created, with one
big and very expensive bureaucratic organ but without real power. The
ultimate authority is in the hands of the UN High Representative. How
can we speak about a democratic country if our refugees cannot return
to their homes that are in the Serb Republic? (Nothing can be done
about this since France and Great Britain suppor t the
Serbs).
- Bishop Pero Sudar, your auxiliary bishop, often criticises
the international forces, which are stationed in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, since they give bias support for the Muslim community.
How can you explain
such activities of the international troops? - The international troops
and the EU High Representative have practically all authority in the
country. The problem is that they treat all people in the same way:
they are diplomatic with the strong and tough with the weak. They are
especially tough with us, Croatian Catholics. They do not let us have
media and schools and they do not let us speak our mother tongue.
Additionally, the EU officers often care for their interests and act
in accordance with their
political line.
- What can be done to protect the right interests of the Catholics in
Bosnia and Herzegovina? - One should put pressure on
the United Nations in order to make Bosnia and Herzegovina a normal
state (the present divis ion of the country into two entities made
on the ethnic basis has failed). One could for example split the
territory into four multi-ethnic regions with capitals in Banja Luce,
Sarajevo, Tuzla and Mostar. Such a multi-ethic and multi-religious
state would have to respect the identity of all people.
- Who does not want Bosnia and Herzegovina become a normal state? -
Both the Serbs and the Muslims do not want that. It seems that the
international community does not want it, either. - Who can do it then?
- The same countries that organised the conference in Dayton. The treaty of
Dayton has failed and a new treaty should be concluded. - Thank you
very much for the conversation. "Niedziela" 50/2005
Serbian News Network - SNN
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