Protiv istorijskog revizionizma

Piše: doc. dr. Ajla Škrbić, urednica zbornika “Nikome se ne ponovilo – Genocid u Srebrenici i borba protiv zaborava”

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„Težina genocida ogleda se u strogim zahtjevima koji se moraju zadovoljiti prije no što se donese osuđujuća presuda za to krivično djelo. Ti zahtjevi – uslov postojanja dokaza posebne namjere i pokazatelja da je cijela grupa, ili njen znatan dio, bila određena za uništenje – čuvaju od opasnosti da se osuda za to krivično djelo izrekne olako. Kada se, međutim, zadovolje ovi uslovi, pravda se ne smije skanjivati da počinjeni zločin nazove njegovim pravim imenom.”

(Tužilac protiv Radislava Krstića, Međunarodni krivični sud za bivšu Jugoslaviju, Presuda Žalbenog vijeća, 4. 2004, IT-98-33-A, ¶ 37)

U julu 1995. godine u Srebrenici su snage bosanskih Srba počinile genocid. Ova je činjenica potvrđena hiljadama stranica sudskih i vansudskih svjedočenja i dokumentacije. Potvrđena je presudama međunarodnih i nacionalnih sudova. Srebrenički genocid je od međunarodne zajednice proglašen najgorim zločinom počinjenim na evropskom tlu nakon Drugog svjetskog rata. Istovremeno, ipak, postoje akteri i u Bosni i Hercegovini i u međunarodnoj zajednici koji ovu činjenicu negiraju, opravdavaju, odbacuju, relativizuju, osporavaju broj i identitet žrtava, preispituju legitimnost i presude sudova te rade na historijskom revizionizmu. Među njima su i osobe visoko pozicionirane u državama nastalim raspadom SFRJ, koje ne samo da ne obeshrabruju negatorske narative nego ih često i same kreiraju. Takva situacija je posebno prisutna u Bosni i Hercegovini i Srbiji, gdje je prekrajanje historije postalo otvorena državna politika.

Ovaj zbornik nastao je kao odgovor na svakodnevne primjere ozbiljnih i sistemskih pokušaja historijskog revizionizma. Strukturisan je u četiri dijela, koji sa različitih aspekata analiziraju genocid u Srebrenici.

Prvi dio podrazumijeva pravnu analizu, odnosno razmatra sličnosti i razlike između pravnih sistema koji jesu ili nisu kriminalizovali negiranje genocida, te daje osvrt na uporedne prakse u borbi protiv negiranja i poricanja genocida. Čitanjem radova iz ovog dijela zbornika mogu se, između ostalog, dobiti odgovori na pitanja kao što su: Kakvi su trendovi u ovoj oblasti u različitim jurisdikcijama? i: Postoje li neke prakse koje Bosni i Hercegovini, ali i drugim državama u okruženju, mogu biti uzor u kriminalizaciji negiranja genocida?

U drugom dijelu zbornika objašnjava se i analizira politički kontekst u Bosni i Hercegovini i Srbiji kako danas tako i u posljednjih 25 godina. Ovdje autori i autorice traže uzroke problema koji dovode do nemogućnosti da se (u BiH, ali prvenstveno u Srbiji) zvanično prizna genocid u Srebrenici. Pored toga, autori i autorice u ovom dijelu zbornika pokušavaju, iz perspektive politike i društva u različitim državama regiona, dati rješenja za ovu oblast za naredni period.

Treći dio zbornika pokriva aktivnosti civilnog društva: od udruženja žrtava, preko različitih nevladinih organizacija – sve do istaknutih pojedinaca. Oni/e kroz svoje radove objašnjavaju komemorativne prakse i memorijalizaciju, te ukazuju na to koliko kultura sjećanja utiče na odnos prema prošlosti i na stvaranje kolektivnog identiteta.

U posljednjem, četvrtom dijelu, doprinos su dali angažovane umjetnice i umjetnici, koji kroz vlastita iskustva objašnjavaju postignuća u borbi protiv historijskog revizionizma i svoj odnos prema toj borbi.

Iz gore objašnjene strukture zbornika jasno su vidljive novine koje zbornik donosi. Kao prvo, četiri različite oblasti (pravo, politika, civilni sektor i umjetnost), koje su, svaka na svoj specifičan način, nezamjenjive u zaštiti činjenica i koje do sada nisu na ovaj način povezivane – u ovom zborniku čine jednu cjelinu. Dakle, zbornik ukazuje na širok spektar pristupa koji su mogući i koji postoje na tu temu te, na sistematičan i uporedan način, analizira višestruke susrete između ovih različitih oblasti. Pored toga, pristup ovog zbornika je pluralistički te uključuje različite jurisdikcije, perspektive i stavove. Autori i autorice radova dolaze iz različitih država, što omogućava uporednu analizu pravnih, društvenih i političkih svjetova u borbi za zaštitu od historijskog revizionizma. Nadalje, štampanje zbornika ne samo na bosanskom/crnogorskom/hrvatskom/srpskom nego i na engleskom jeziku omogućava da poruke autora/ica dopru do šire međunarodne publike. Također, većina autora i autorica u zborniku ukazuje na značaj i potrebu za još većom podrškom pojedincima i civilnom društvu u radu na suočavanju s prošlošću. S obzirom na njihov poziv na preispitivanje načina u borbi protiv iskrivljenih narativa, moguće implikacije ovog zbornika su velike. On je posebno važan s obzirom na praksu raširenog (u pogledu broja) i sve više podmuklog i “iznijansiranog” (u pogledu sadržaja) negiranja i poricanja genocida u Srebrenici te neograničene mogućnosti širenja teorija zavjera u doba interneta.

Najveća odgovornost u širenju činjeničnog pristupa srebreničkom genocidu, ipak, leži na institucijama Bosne i Hercegovine i Srbije. No, sve dok zbornike poput ovog ne budu izdavale institucije ovih dviju država, na nama – akademskim radnicima/ama, pravnicima/ama, historičarima/kama, političarima/kama, umjetnicima/ama, aktivistima/cama i civilnom društvu – leži obaveza da se borimo protiv historijskog revizionizma. Najbolje sredstvo u ovoj borbi jesu činjenice. Negiranje genocida ne samo da vrijeđa žrtve i onemogućava pomirenje nego i omogućava manipulacije, kao i ponavljanje zločina predaka. Stoga je nakon svakog sukoba od neizmjernog značaja svaki razgovor o počinjenim zločinima zasnivati na činjenicama, obrazovati o prošlosti i raskrinkavati mitove. Tek tada će suočavanje sa prošlošću i pomirenje između naroda biti moguće i biti iskreno.

Inicijativa mladih za ljudska prava Srbija, Forum Civilna mirovna služba (forum ZFD) Srbija i Nezavisno društvo novinara Vojvodine nadaju se da će ovaj zbornik poslužiti razvoju konstruktivnog dijaloga o neophodnosti ne samo donošenja zakona o zabrani negiranja srebreničkog genocida nego i o neophodnosti reforme u pristupu tranzicionoj pravdi u državama nastalim raspadom SFRJ. I jedno i drugo je moguće, ali je za to potreban samokritički napor. Svjesni smo da je mnogo više potrebno za suočavanje s prošlošću, ali ovaj zbornik zasigurno predstavlja doprinos na tom putu.

“The gravity of genocide is reflected in the stringent requirements which must be satisfied before this conviction is imposed. These requirements – the demanding proof of specific intent and the showing that the group was targeted for destruction in its entirety or in substantial part – guard against a danger that convictions for this crime will be imposed lightly. Where these requirements are satisfied, however, the law must not shy away from referring to the crime committed by its proper name.”

(Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstić,
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia,
Appeals Chamber Judgment,
19 April 2004, IT-98-33-A, ¶ 37)

In July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces committed genocide. This fact has been confirmed by thousands of pages of testimonies and documentation presented both in court and out of court. It was confirmed by judgments of international and national courts. The Srebrenica genocide was described by the international community as the worst crime committed on European soil since World War II. At the same time, there are still actors in both Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the international community negating, justifying, rejecting, and relativising this fact, disputing victims’ number and identities, questioning the court legitimacy and court judgments, and engaging in historical revisionism. Among them are also high-ranking persons from the states formed after the dissolution of the SFRY who not only fail to discourage the narratives of negationism, but often create them themselves. Such situation is present particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia, where distorting history has become an open state policy.

This Edited Collection was developed in response to emerging accounts of serious and systematic attempts of historical revisionism. It is structured into four parts that analyse different aspects of the Srebrenica genocide.

The first part focuses on legal analysis, i.e. it discusses similarities and differences between the legal systems which do or do not criminalise genocide denial, and presents comparative practices in the fight against genocide negation and denial. The articles in this part of the publication, address questions such as: What are the trends in this area in different jurisdictions, and Are there good practices that could serve as an example of the criminalisation of genocide denial to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as other countries in the region?

In Part Two, the political context of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia is explained and analysed, both as it is today and in the last 25 years. Here, the authors search for the causes of the problems that make it impossible to officially recognise the Srebrenica genocide (in BiH, but primarily in Serbia). Furthermore, the authors attempt, from the perspective of policy and society in different countries in the region, to offer solutions in this area for the upcoming period.

Part Three addresses the activities of civil society, ranging from victims’ associations, and various non-governmental organisations, to prominent individuals. Here, the authors explain the commemorative practices and memorialisation, emphasising how much memory culture affects attitudes towards the past and creation of collective identity.

In the last, fourth part, the socially engaged artists gave their contributions, explaining through their own experiences the achievements in fighting historical revisionism and their attitude towards such struggle.

The above-described structure of the Edited Collection clearly demonstrates the novelties it brings. First, in this publication, four different fields (law, policy, civil society and art), which are, each in their own way, indispensable in protecting the facts, and never before connected in this way, make a whole. The Collection reflects a variety of possible and existing approaches to this topic and systematically and comparatively analyses multifaceted encounters among these different fields. In addition, the approach of this collection is pluralistic and includes various jurisdictions, perspectives and positions. The authors come from different countries, which allows for comparative analysis of legal, social and political worlds in the fight for protection from historical revisionism. Further, the publication being printed not only in Bosnian / Montenegrin / Croatian / Serbian language, but also in English, makes it possible for the authors’ messages to reach broader international audiences. Moreover, the majority of authors highlights the importance and need for greater support to individuals and civil society in their work on dealing with the past. In view of their call on reconsidering the manner of fighting distorted narratives, possible implications of this publication are substantial. This is particularly important having in mind the widespread (numerically) and increasingly perfidious and ‘nuanced’ (content-wise) negation and denial of the Srebrenica genocide, and the unlimited possibilities of spreading conspiracy theories in the Internet era.

Still, the greatest responsibility for spreading the factual approach to the Srebrenica genocide, rests with the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. However, as long as the publications like these are not published by the institutions of the two states, it is on us – scholars, legal specialists, historians, politicians, artists, activists, and civil society – to fight against historical revisionism. Facts are the best means in this fight. Genocide denial is not only offensive for victims and prevents reconciliation, but it also enables manipulations, as well as the repetition of the ancestors’ crimes. For this reason, after any conflict, it is of utmost importance to base any debate on the crimes committed on facts, as well as to educate about the past and bust the myths. Only then could dealing with the past and reconciliation between nations be possible and honest.

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights Serbia, forumZFD Serbia and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina hope that this publication will contribute to the development of a constructive dialogue on the necessity of not only passing legislation to ban the denial of the Srebrenica genocide, but also on the necessity of reforming the approach to transitional justice in the countries formed after the dissolution of the SFRY. Both are possible, but require self-critical effort. We are aware that much more is needed in dealing with the past, but this publication is certainly a contribution to that end.

Doc. dr. Ajla Škrbić, Editor