Thus far, the response of the international community to the Bosnian uprisings has been muted, confused and inept. The current High Representative, Valentin Inzko, noted in an interview for the Austrian daily Kurier that “if the situation escalates, we might have to think about EU-troops” (“Wenn die Lage eskaliert, werden wir eventuell an EU-Truppen denken müssen.”). While he retracted the statement later on, unfortunate parallels with the Hapsburg occupation of Bosnia (1878-1914) had already been made and the damage done. Demands for Inzko’s resignation have been added to the list of protestors’ requests. EU politicians – from Catherine Ashton to Carl Bildt,- have issued vague statements defending the rights of citizens to assemble, calling for transparent negotiations between protestors and government representatives, and condemning violence. Given the non-committal statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, it is likely that the U.S. will let Europeans handle the protests and any possible political fallout from them. This, however, is not the moment to either disengage or intervene bluntly. This is the time to reflect and act upon the years of accumulated economic injustices and neglected inequalities, acknowledging at last that they are not all based on ethnicity. Thus, as academics and scholars of the region, we call upon the representatives of the international community to say their good-byes to the kleptocratic ethno-nationalist elites and the institutions they have helped create. Neighboring countries – who were key instigators of the war – must also be advised to refrain from interfering in Bosnia and Herzegovina at a time when the ethnocracies they sustain are facing major challenges from below. We ask of the international community to recognize the civic plenums and assemblies as legitimate expressions of Bosnian citizens’ political will, which do not seek to replace but to enhance democracy. Elections are not the only democratic mode of political practice. After repeatedly calling on Bosnians to take the fate of their country into their own hands, the international community should now extend their support to protestors and seriously consider their demands.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 21:16:27 +0000
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