Healing the wounds

A large number of buildings were reconstructed; some of them have been renovated. The city, the entire Country, have come back to new life and developments. However, 15 years after the Dayton agreements (November-December 1995), which put an end to three and a half years of civil war between the Serbs, the Bosnians and the Croatians, Sarajevo stands out as a symbol of what has been defined the most chaotic and bloody conflict in Europe since the end of World War II. Gunfire marks on buildings bear evidence of the tragedy that hit hundreds of thousands, and stands as the reminder of a past that must never be repeated. A European home is awaiting Bosnia today. SIR Europe discussed Bosnia’s future developments with Msgr. Pero Sudar, auxiliary bishop of Sarajevo and President of the Justice and Peace Commission of the bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Your Excellency, 20 years ago marked the fall of the Berlin War and the beginning of the wars that were bound to break up Tito’s Federal Yugoslavia. Will the wounds of this civil war ever be healed? “Tragically, the fall of a division wall in Europe, the wall of Berlin, was followed by the erection of other walls, notably in Bosnia, a Country where different cultures and faiths co-existed peacefully for centuries. This Country was divided and torn. Nonetheless I do believe that our populations could come to reconciliation and heal past wounds. But a fair social and political system ought to be envisaged. These are the facts and this is the perspective that is missing. European and American politicians must be brave enough so as to adjust what they did to stop the war and remove the obstacles to peace. Optimistic forces in Bosnia and in the Balkans yearn to cooperate, heal the wounds and achieve democracy, for EU membership and peaceful coexistence”.Concretely, what are these obstacles?“Bosnia’s division into two, as established with the Dayton agreements is the main obstacle. There are two entities: the Croatian-Muslim federation (BH) that controls 51% of the territory and the ‘Srpska Republika’, the Serbian Republic that controls 49% of the Country, organized like two States. This system doesn’t work, since joint agreements on everyday issues are hard to reach. Thus State performance is impossible. It’s an unfair division and a superimposed solution that acts as a burden over the Country’s development. Politicians ought to be brave enough as to admit that no result was achieved for the past 15 years. A change is needed in order to find better solutions and promote the common good, with the involvement of local politicians. Acknowledging one’s own mistakes is a sign of maturity and intelligence”.Despite the difficulties, Bosnia’s EU adhesion figures on top of the agenda. What is the Country still missing to achieve EU membership and thus complete its integration process? “As previously mentioned, a fair democratic political framework is needed. Unfortunately the Country’s structure was torn down during the war. The ensuing Dayton agreements imposed a political system that prevents us from undertaking the EU path at full speed. The international community, primarily the US, ought to realize that the Country’s division prevents State performance, while our politicians ought to be encouraged to implement the commitments required by the EU”.During the apostolic visit to the Czech Republic Benedict XVI spoke at length about Europe and its Christian roots, which ought to be valued. This message was addressed also to the other Countries in the region, primarily to Bosnia… “As Cardinal Vlk said, when the Pope visits a country, in this case the Czech Republic, he is sending a message of hope to all those Countries in this area of Europe that are still striving to obtain full integration in the European Union. This encourages us not to betray our peculiar values. Suffering the rule of a regime for 50 years compelled us to defend ourselves and uphold the values that perhaps today, especially in the West, seem to have lost some of their topical relevance. The Old Continent cannot live without life’s fundamental moral values, which are the very Christian values”.What are Christians’ living conditions and what contribution could they bring to this path leading to the EU? “I hope that Bosnia’s Catholics and Orthodox will give their contribution by bearing witness to their faith and to Christian values. A democratic and just social life can bear no positive fruits if spiritual values – the faith in God – are missing. The noxious wake of the war cannot be withstood without these Christian values. For this purpose, we ought to cooperate on the basis of our common values, which amount to 99.9%. Only with dialogue and cooperation can we progress. If dialogue between faiths and religions is missing, the Country’s future will be uncertain”.