International conference

Truth and reconciliation in the former Yugoslavia: Where are we

now and where to go?

- Hotel Metropol, Belgrade, 15-17 October, 2004 –

I Truth and reconciliation initiatives in the former Yugoslavia – general overviews

Alma MašićInternational Commission for Missing Persons – Sarajevo (BH)

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

The International Commission for Missing Persons (ICMP) is contributing to the process of confrontation with the past, through its mandate and activities. It is an international organization that was founded in 1996 in order to deal with the resolution of problems of missing persons in the period 1991-1995 in the area of the former Yugoslavia. After the Kosovo conflict in 1999 and the crisis in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 2001, ICMP has extended its range of activities so as to include cases of the missing persons from those areas in its activities.

ICMP has been trying to ensure the cooperation between the governments and the competent institutions in the process of identification of persons who are missing due to armed conflicts, animosities or breach of human rights and to assist in the realization of the set objectives. There are departments within the ICMP with particular objectives, conducting specific activities, such as the forensic department and the department for civic initiatives.

Within the scope of its activities, ICMP has launched the implementation of the project “Paths to reconciliation”, which is intended for the associations of the families of missing persons in the area of the former Yugoslavia. This project enables the missing families’ associations to confront themselves within their national environments through a series of workshops, before tackling the difficult and painful issues that burden every ethnic community. This project also opens the possibility to explore various options that will ensure the implementation of justice and open space for a dialog between victim groups on the regional and international level and to encourage the exchange of experiences in searching for the truth and building trust.

In the future, better coordination of all activities and initiatives concerning the confrontation with the past ought to be established. Such initiatives should provide a place and space for war victims groups, other NGO-s and other segments of the civic society to give their recommendations for the resolution of their common problems and for further activities in this process.

In this way, we can enhance the truth-finding process and the acknowledgement of what happened. The most painful part for the victims is complete denial of everything that happened. Therefore, the need to properly mark all the places of torture and execution – as a token of respect for all the victims, and also as a warning to remember those events so that such things would never recur.

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Goran BožićevićQuaker Peace & Social WitnessMiramida Center - Grožnjan (Croatia)

POSITIVE STEPS TURNING INTO A PROCESS

The conclusion of the research that I conducted in Croatia for QPSW last year is: there is no systematic, accountable and structural confrontation with the past in Croatia, but there is growing concern within the civil society about the problems incurred by the lack of such a confrontation. Two different approaches can be discerned: individual work with particular persons or target groups and advocacy that could influence the alteration of the public opinion and decision-making. Both levels are necessary and they should unfold simultaneously.1

While a part of the civil society lamented about the existing situation, unexpectedly, an important change arrived from the top. An illustrative and provocative thesis is that within less than a year since the return of the Croatian Democtratic Alliance (HDZ) to power, more has been done concerning the issue of confrontation with the past, than during the preceding six years. During the preparations for joining EU, “the accounts” have to be settled and this government has begun paying its share. During this period, the civil society began confronting the past in a more systematic way. The media and the artists more so than many NGO-s that were expected to do it. Nevertheless, some NGO-s are shifting from the phase of confrontation with the present to the phase of open confrontation with the events from the 1990’s.

The systematization and regional cooperation of documentation centers, cooperation between victim organizations and peace initiatives, the inclusion of former warriors into peace building processes, the cooperation of artists and activists – represent some of the new and promising steps on the civilian scene in Croatia. The constant strengthening of the independent media and the judiciary, coupled with constant efforts on both levels – the personal and the public – raises hopes that the confrontation with the past in Croatia is a process and not a trend.

“Croatia is transforming into a boring, regulated and conservative country, where nothing interesting is happening”, I heard recently. Although this can sound as an attractive description of the future, it also harbors a great danger of silencing the dark side of the wars of the 1990’s.

Radomir RadevićYouth center Postpesimisti of Montenegro - Podgorica

INITIATIVES RELATED TO TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN MONTENEGRO – A GENERAL OVERVIEW

1 According to the Report on the QPSW in Croatia, by Vesna Kesić

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Trying to give a brief historical overview of relevant events related to truth and reconciliation in Montenegro, I would like to set aside three terms which could characterize endeavours of, primarily, at that time official Montenegro, for uncovering of truth and starting the process of reconciliation: "regret, ignorance, and apology".

Besides Djukanovic's regret, Marovic's ignorance followed by the apology "for all crimes that citizens of my country have done to anyone in Republic of Croatia", Jokic's "I am guilty" before the Hague tribunal, apology was only offered by Danilo Popovic, president of SSSCG, and metropolitan of the montenegrian orthodox church Mihailo who is the only orthodox superior who has bown down to victims of war. And everything stops on that.

Nobody in Montenegro has been responsible for bombing of Dubrovnik yet, for inhuman treatment of Croatian prisoners in the war camp in Morinje, there are no guilty persons for warmongering propaganda, as well as for deportation of Bosnian refugees from Montenegro, etc.

Concerning the current iniciatives for truth and reconciliation, there are no either state nor any other formal institutions (such as commissions or council for truth and reconciliaton) which would deal with this problem in Montenegro in more strategical, fundamental and long-lasting way. There are also not indications that such institutions will be established in the near future. It is completely evident that there is a lack of, at first place, political will in Montenegro for starting these processes.

One could ask a question what does recent coming out of montenegrian representatives from the council for cooperation with the Hague tribunal acctually means. Is that just another attempt of throwing over responsibility to dictatorial and still "Milosevic's Belgrade" or a real wish to exit one extremely improdactive and needless body and to uncover the truth?

Current iniciatives for truth and reconciliation in Montenegro are either projects of individuals or certain NGOs, which are most often reflection of personal need or wish for the truth to be found out or announced and processes finally started, or parts of some other projects or programs.

At the end, I would pay attantion to some of, in my opinion, the most important examples of realized or announced iniciatives in Montenegro:

1. Activities of the youth center of Pospesimist of Montenegro

2. Activities of Nansen dialogue center of Montenegro

3. Procedure in the case of deportation of Bosnian refugees from Montenegro announced by Vesna Medenica, the state prosecutor

4. National conference for prevention of armed conflicts and peace building in Montenegro and recommendations that were brought on it

5. Project of other NGOs and individuals in Montenegro

Bella MuratiKosova Action Network – Pristina

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AN OVERVIEW FROM KOSOVO REGARDING RECONCILIATION PROCESS

I am personally not aware of any segment in our society promoting reconciliation. I never heard a single voice rose in Kosovo regarding this issue. An explanation to such a silence might be sought at the existence of “a set of unsolved issues arising from the past” which are waiting for a solution. The issues are of such serious nature that they discourage everyone even at the point of the mere thought of starting such an initiative. Following the conflict, there is an obligation upon society to build up a foundation to peacefully handle the issues arising from the past. It requires each society to establish institutions and fair procedures for dealing with such matters. It is so called healing process.The first and most important thing that this process requires is a proper approach to the crimes that have exceeded the normal parameters of the rules of the law of armed conflict. It means that before society starts to build a reconciliation scheme, it should first establish a fair justice system and prosecute all those responsible for war crimes. The population must be prepared to trust the system. The reconciliation is a deep process and it involves time, changes in attitudes, beliefs, emotions and feelings, requires forgiveness none of which can be reached in such short period of time.

About Kosova Action Network (KAN)

Since 1997, the Kosova Action Network (KAN) has been active in promoting human rights efforts initiated by the people of Kosova themselves. Its first effort was to support the actions of the Independent Union of University of Prishtina students in their struggle for an open education. After the war, for nearly three years, the A-PAL International campaign was created ( The Albanian Prisoner Advocacy League which work with Kosovar NGO friends of prisoners) to obtain the release of the 2,500 hostages illegally detained in Serbia.

In July 2003, KAN turned focus to promoting a vibrant civil society in Kosova. Again through creation of an advocacy group of interested citizens both in and out of Kosova. The aim is to directly empower citizens, regardless of gender, political affiliation, or ethnic origin. Empowering citizens is our test for truth.

Mission

KAN’s mission is to create an active citizenship in Kosova, dedicated to promoting universal values in the areas of human rights and freedoms, equality and social justice. KAN is not politically affiliated. The focus is multicultural, to open the society of Kosova towards the West. The integration of all communities in Kosova is important and necessary. Tolerance must increase by building bridges between Albanians, Serbs, Roma, Turks, Bosnians, Egyptians and Ashkalis.

Platform

Transformative peacemaking empowers individuals and induces mutuality and community. Mutuality and community can be seen as the movement from “I cannot” to "I can".

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Dr Vesna Nikolić-RistanovićVictimology Society of Serbia - Belgrade

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN SERBIA

The paper will provide a general review of the current situation concerning the truth and reconciliation in Serbia. The existing attitude toward the past in Serbia will be examined through an analysis of relations toward it on the macro, mezo and micro level, i.e., through the analyses of bottom-up and top-down initiatives. In this respect, the paper will focus on the following: the media, non-governmental organizations, the individual citizen, state organs, primarily the authorities and criminal justice system and the international community.

Firstly, an attempt will be made to make a general assessment of the public discourse concerning the truth and reconciliation in Serbia. Then, the activities of the NGO-s that are involved in various projects concerning the truth and reconciliation, their public (in)visibility and effects will be considered, as well as the problems related to the coordination of their activities and lobbying of the state organs. Also, the citizens' opinions that were brought out in the panel discussions organized by the Victimology Society of Serbia, within the project From remembering the past towards a positive future, and that refer to the need for a process of truth and reconciliation and the obstacles and difficulties related to that, will be pointed out.

Finally, particular attention will be devoted to the obstacles and difficulties related to the absence of a clear position of the autorities, to the counter-productive decisions of the international community and the still negative role of the media that fail to deal broadly with the issues of truth and reconciliation. Related to this, the regional specificities relevant for the truth and reconciliation process will be pointed out (Kosovo, South Serbia, Sandžak, Vojvodina, Central Serbia).

II Truth and reconciliation projects/initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia

Adnan HasanbegovićCenter for Non-Violent Action – Sarajevo (BH)

FACING THE PAST AND PEACE BUILDING

The Center for Non-Violent Action was founded in 1997 in Sarajevo, since when we have been working and conducting our activities in the area of the former Yugoslavia, with the basic mission to build peace by organizing programs for the education for peace. As of 2001, the Belgrade office has also been active.

Our basic activity is organizing and conducting trainings in peace building and non-violent conflict resolution, which consists of several kinds of trainings and programs that have been adapted to the local needs and groups. Our target groups are the

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NGO activists, journalists, educators and members of political parties, as well as war veterans. Other kinds of parallel activities CNA is working on are within the framework of Facing the past. Since 2002, we have organized 11 public panel discussions, where the participants of the wars in the area of Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were given the floor. The panels had good media coverage and they provided an opportunity for public debate and exchange among the speakers, the journalists and the audience about delicate issues related to war events in this area. So far, panel discussions have taken place in Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina and we are planning to have another series in Bosnia and Herzegovina toward the end of 2004.

The purpose of our activities with the former soldiers, in addition to demystifying “the enemy” is the great need for their direct engagement in the peace process because of the high level of credibility that those people enjoy in their communities, among other things. Our intention is to give more space to the former soldiers and to engage a concerted effort on the overcoming of the obviously present gap between the peace organizations and the veterans’ and war invalids’ associations in these three countries.

Involving the veterans into peace activities could bring about crucial changes in the relations with the local communities; for example, peace organizations and their activities have often been ignored, or even treated with open animosity, especially in isolated communities with deep-rooted nationalistic feelings. It seems that the population of former warriors has all too easily been considered as “obstructionists” of the peace process, because they were left to themselves or to the existing veterans’ organizations that are often taken advantage of by the national or nationalistic parties and movements. Besides former soldiers, it would also be important to take into consideration other groups, such as forming associations of victims, refugees, families of the missing persons, etc.

As a result of our yearlong experience, we have arrived at the conclusion that one of the most important; perhaps even the principal foundation for building sustainable peace in this region is facing the past. This primarily entails raising the awareness of people about the crimes and atrocities that were committed during the war and also a whole range of ideological perceptions of the recent and distant past in these regions and the great potentials for present and future violent act they harbor. In the process of facing the past, the key elements seem to be the creation of space for mutual empathy, understanding and solidarity both on the collective (national and similar levels) and on the individual level; also, as actors and witnesses (active or passive) of the violence that was happening to us and is, unfortunately, still present, we have to assume the responsibility and cope with the issue of accountability.

Nada GolubovićAssociated Women – Banja Luka (BH)

EXPERIENCES IN THE RECONCILIATION PROCESSPeriod 1996–2004

The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina has left behind uninhabited, destroyed, burnt down and devastated villages. The cities’ demographic picture has been changed, as well as the ethnic and social structure. That is why we have been conducting our activities in the community

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reconciliation process in rural and urban areas, applying different methods of work. Our activities were aimed at all national and social groups. Our association’s target group is women.

Urban environments are the dwelling place of women of different nationalities who have not changed their domicile, of returnees, women who have been displaced from other urban and rural parts of BH, as well as refugee women from the countries that were formed after the fall of the former Yugoslavia. Women’s war experiences vary.

In the rural area, immediately after the war, we worked in the border regions of the entity (BH consists of two entities: The BH Federation and Republika Srpska, and also the Brčko District). We are now also working in those border regions that were not directly affected by war operations. After the war, returnees inhabited the border regions. Women were among the civilian casualties of the war. Most of them have been bereaved of a close relative – their husbands, brothers or sons.

Working with the women, we understood that the traumas from the past had returned. The majority of the women with whom we worked were aware of their suffering and of the fact that they should “beware of the others”. The feature that all those women have in common is that they are unemployed and marginalized.

With our activities, we are trying to raise public awareness about the women’s issues and to find solutions to those problems. We have worked on key problems that arose as a consequence of war experiences, which were brought forward by the women. We are trying to achieve an insight into the problems that are common to the women from different social and ethnic groups and, by attempting to solve them; we work on conflict resolution and transformation.

We have used various methods in our activities so far: Work in small groups Work in public panels and round table discussions Awareness raising through electronic and printed media The process of public advocacy for marginal groups

Also, we have been working on dispersing prejudices that lead to conflicting situations. We believe that we have made a contribution to the decrease of trans-generational transfer of traumas.

Vera KelavaThe Youth Communication Center – Banjaluka (BH)

THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE YOUTH COMMUNICATION CENTER TO THE PEACE BUILDING PROCESS IN THE AREA OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND IN THE

REGION

Ever since its formation, the YCC has been working intensely on the reconciliation process and peace building. Over the past few years, we have implemented programs and conducted activities aimed at different categories of the population (refugees and displaced persons, ethnic minorities, returnees, discharged soldiers, representatives of political parties, representatives of local NGO-s, etc.) in more than 40 communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and broader. The focus of our activities has always been and will remain the building of peace and of a culture of dialogue and reconciliation. Although the various

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program areas have been divided within the YCC, every area contributes to the realization of this goal in its own specific way.

The program of peace building and development of democracy is entirely directed at reconciliation and at the development of the democratic patterns on the personal, group and social level. In our work, we use different methods, but the strongest emphasis is, nevertheless, placed on education. During our activities, we have developed a methodology of education on reconciliation and peace building by adapting the experiences of the good practice from other countries to the needs of the local environment we work in. Summarizing the results we have achieved so far, we can say that, over the past period, our program involved over 20,000 beneficiaries, out of whom 1,000 persons have been trained for conducting education / trainings on peace building. In view of the capacities of our organization and the impossibility to continually implement our programs in different organizations, we conduct a selection and education of the representatives of various groups of the population and we educate them about the processes of peace building. After the education, we give support and supervision to these groups in their further work, thus ensuring continuity.

In addition to educational activities, we also organize programs aiming at connecting the young people in the region, we conduct actions and campaigns of public advocacy aimed at bringing about democratic change on the local and on the state level, we organize counseling and psychotherapy for the vulnerable groups of citizens, we conduct continual media promotion of reconciliation over radio programs through our own and other radio stations, we organize education for local experts dealing with reconciliation issues, we give constant support to the development of other non-governmental organizations in the area of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we participate as full-fledged partners in the activities of global and regional peace networks, etc.

III Truth and reconciliation projects/initiatives in Serbia

Bojana KostadinovićThe Toplica Initiatives - Prokuplje

THE TOPLICA INITIATIVES PROJECTS

PROJECT: I HAVE SOME MEMORIES

The project I have some memories has been conceived to lend support to the young in the process of recovery, forming of genuine values and preparing for reconciliation in the region. Unlike the elder generations, the young are more ready to change and to find out about the others, to travel and to confront social taboos and prohibitions and also to criticize them.

At the forthcoming international conference “The Truth and Reconciliation in the former Yugoslavia”, The Initiatives will show a documentary film entitled “I have some memories”,

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by Valentina Delić, Jovana Krstanović and Milorad Karadžić. It was filmed during the Novi Sad EXIT Festival and at the concert of the Belgrade group The unexpected force that suddenly appears and resolves the matter, during their guest show in Rijeka, Croatia. The film accompanies the journey to EXIT of nineteen-year-old Marina Milić, a student from Belgrade and her encounters with the young from Croatia staying at the EXIT hostel. In the film, young people from Zagreb, Split, Opatija and Sarajevo talk about the crossing of borders, meeting the people and the music that make up EXIT, and also starring the frontmen of the groups Darko Rundek, the cultural art group The Idiots and The Unexpected force that suddenly appears and resolves the matter. In the second part, the film accompanies the journey of Marina Milić to the concert of the same group that takes place in Croatia, in Rijeka. The film was completed owing to the support of the Belgrade Open Society Fund, as a project of the “Documentation Center the 1991–1999 Wars”, a Belgrade NGO.

After the projection of the film I have some memories, the coverage of the panel discussion that was held in the organization of The Initiative at the EXIT 04 festival will also be presented. All the collocutors from the film participate in the panel and also some young people from Kosovo and other parts of the former Yugoslavia.

PROJECT: THE YOUNG FOR THE FUTURE

Another project that The Initiatives would like to present at the conference is the magazine The Young for the Future, (Published in three languages: Serbian, Albanian and English) that is the result of the work of the young from Serbia and Kosovo at the workshops that were held on Kopaonik in December 2003 and February 2004.

Boris PopovThe society for the protection of mental health of war veterans and victims of the 1991 –1999 wars – Novi Sad

PRESENTATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF MENTAL HEALTH OF WAR VETERANS AND VICTIMS OF THE 1991 – 1999 WARS

» The society for the protection of mental health of the war veterans and victims of the 1991 – 1999 wars« was founded in 1999, as a non-governmental, non-partite and non-profit association of citizens whose basic aim is the preservation of mental health of refugees and displaced persons, war veterans (persons who have undergone the experience of war, usually against their will), members of their families and all persons who have been traumatized by the wars in the area of the former SFRY in the period between 1991 and 1999.

The presentation of the Society will include current and future projects. The current projects involve: 1. The Trauma Center in Novi Sad, which provides psychological and legal assistance to war veterans and all citizens who were endangered by war operations; 2. Councelling services for trauma in Leskovac, Vranje and Bujanovac, whose primary aims are resocialization and treatment of the traumatized participants and casualties of the wars, as well as the decrease of social, political and interethnic tensions; 3. Education of war

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veterans for the leaders of self-help peer groups and 4. Educational experience seminars for REBT psychotherapeutic work with psychological trauma with the aim to educate experts for more efficient work with traumatized clients. Other activities of the Society will also be mentioned: lectures, seminars, participation at different conferences, guest appearances in programs aiming at the promotion of the importance of work on the war trauma and other problems that arose as the consequence of war operations.

The planned future activities of the Society are the publishing of the book on war trauma, the preparation of a web presentation, seminars on the REBT approach to trauma at the Military Medical Academy, in Central Serbia and in Sadžak, seminars for experts in Macedonia, etc.

Drinka GojkovicDocumentation Center The 1991–1991 Wars - Belgrade

THE POLITICS OF THE PAST –THE POLICY OF THE FUTURE

The Documentation Center The 1991–1999 Wars is currently working on three projects related to truth and reconciliation:1. The oral history of the 1991–1999 wars;2. The cooperation of war camps prisoners from the region;3. Public debate on the war past and post-war present.

These projects will be presented at the Conference. Also, I will look into the effects of the strategies that have been used so far in working on the past in the GO and NGO sector.

Marija GajickiVojvođanka – Novi Sad

STILL AT THE BEGINNING

The Serbian society has moved forward from the initial positions from the beginning of 2000. There still exists open support in Serbia nowadays to individuals who have been indicted for war crimes. The attitude toward the institution of The Hague Tribunal still represents the symbol of the general attitude towards nationalistically colored crime. A particularly indicative element are the reasons that the transitional forces put forward as a justification of the cooperation with The Hague Tribunal. In the public discourse of the politicians of democratic and transitional Serbia, The Hague is “a noose around the neck of Serbia” or “ a dose of bitter medicine that has to be swallowed” rather than a genuine ideological breakaway and discontinuity with the individuals and the policy the accusations for war crimes refer to.

In ethnically mixed environments, such as Sandžak and Vojvodina, the expansion of nationalistic incidents and graffiti is apparent. The number of incidents is on the rise, with the actors of those violent actions being predominantly young people who are growing up in isolation, war environment and amid social uncertainty. The absence of

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the state organs’ adequate reaction is conspicuous, the bottom line question being how the public can have a bearing on the prevention of such incidents.

In spite of the fact that European integrations are the subject of public discourse in Serbia, with Europe being attributed a certain positive qualification – the real, fundamental acceptance of the values of tolerance and human rights is, practically, on the same level as at the very onset of war conflicts in the area of the former Yugoslavia.

The only ones, practically, who are tacking the issue of the change of the ideological paradigm in Serbia and are promoting such a discourse are NGO representatives. There is, practically, no serious political subject in sight that would raise the question of altering the leading ideological paradigm and system of values of the Serbian society, which actualizes the long-standing fears of “wars that have merely been interrupted and not ended”.

What has to be done?First of all, the NGO activities in the processes of trust building in the area of the former Yugoslavia have to be made visible. These activities should enhance an atmosphere in which NGO-s could have a more active role in the implementation of the process of stability and democratization in the area of the former Yugoslavia.

On the other hand, it is very important to continue with the processes that will help the strengthening of ties and foster a climate of better understanding between the majority and minority ethnic groups in the area of the former Yugoslavia. In the course of these activities, it is important to launch joint initiatives that will facilitate the overcoming of the problems that encumber the processes of confrontation with the truth about the wars and war atrocities in the area of the former Yugoslavia.

Nataša HanakVictimology Society of Serbia - Belgrade

PROJECT: FROM REMEMBERING THE PAST TOWARD A POSITIVE FUTURE: WHAT KIND OF MODEL OF TRUTH AND TRUST / RECONCILIATION DOES

SERBIA NEED?

The Victimology Society of Serbia, with the support of FES (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung) and the Ministry of Culture of Serbia, conducted a project entitled From remembering the past toward a positive future: what kind of model of truth and trust / reconciliation does Serbia need? The project was launched with the aim to secure a broad public discussion at the level of the local communities about the issues of truth and reconciliation and with the final objective to arrive at a model of truth and reconciliation for Serbia. The main part of the project consisted of a series of public discussions, organized in the form of debates in small groups. The debates were recorded and the transripts were analysed in detail later. Besides, an informative broshure on truth and reconciliation was printed and handed out, with an accompanying questionnaire, and two public appeals were issued to the citizens to send in their ideas and proposals.

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Within the period of one year (May 2003-June 2004), 12 public panel discussions were held altogether, in the following places: Subotica, Novi Sad, Belgrade, Barajevo, Kragujevac, Vrnjačka Banja, Leskovac, Velika Plana, Novi Pazar, Niš, Leskovac, Kuršumlija and Knjaževac.

The panel discussions were moderated in a way that enabled the participants to talk about their personal experiences and thoughts, both positive and negative, about topics such as truth, remembering the past, the possibility of restoring trust, models of reconciliation, problems that accompany that process, etc.

The participants saw the state organs, the media and NGO-s as the most important proponents of this process. Initially, the process ought to arrive at the whole truth about the victims, the criminals and the crimes, and also about the positive examples and initiatives concerning the truth and reconciliation. Afterwards, the established truth should be presented in a way that will make it available and unavoidable for the broad population. Simultaneously, the existing conflicts should be dealt with and the potential conflicts should be prevented.

In the presentation of this project, our focus will be on the proposed ways for establishing and presenting the truth and the ways of resolving conflicts and establishing relations of trust.

Nenad Đurđević OTPOR - Belgrade

STEPS TOWARD THE ESTABLISHING OF DIALOGUE IN KOSOVO – EXPERIENCES OF THE CENTER FOR NON-VIOLENT RESISTANCE

The beginning of the initiative of acquainting and rapprochement of the two sides – the Serbs and the Albanians – began by the end of 2001 in Vienna, at the initiative of the United States Peace Institute (USPI). The distinctive feature of the meeting was a high degree of mistrust and distance among the participants. The participants were the representatives of political parties from Serbia and Kosovo. There were no representatives of the local Serbs. Even the representatives of the parties of the so-called Democratic block were very suspicious about “the other side” and they defended the official position of their parties, i.e. of the Government. The problem lay in the fact that they acted on the behalf of “the collectivity”, “the people’s body”, “us” and “them”. In such an atmosphere, constructive discussion was not possible.

The cooperation continued through a series of meetings that were organized on the level of the civil society, because it was assumed that the civil society is more dynamic, unrestricted by the limitations of daily politics and that it is capable of bringing about a major breakthrough in the Serbian – Albanian relations. However, the representatives of the civil society are also exposed to great pressures of “their realities” and it was difficult for them to break away from the events dictated by day-to-day politics.

The importance of the role of “a third party”, as mediator, proved to be very important. Also, it is important to constantly maintain the process of talks by organizing joint activities. After a certain period of time and organized meetings, it is necessary to undertake concrete initiatives aiming at a better mutual knowledge of the respective ethnic communities. The civil sector can demonstrate, on concrete instances of cooperation, that communication is possible. In that case, we could move on from the phase of dialogue to the phase of

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cooperation. The dialogue is conducted concerning a concrete issue and it should lead to a certain aim, which would, ideally, be the rapprochement of the two sides and achieving of an agreement. If the dialogue itself represents the aim, saturation, a sense of a waste of time and renouncing to communication will ensue.

The initiatives that are imposed by the donors’ and / or political parties’ preferences represent an additional burden. On the other hand, the existence of communication between the civil society, on one side and the political parties and the Government on the other, can represent a positive example of cooperation on the rapprochement of confronted opinions and can lead to a better understanding of the “opposite” side. The role of the local organizations and establishing partnership with them in the field is crucial for the understanding of the situation and building up trust.

Nikola PerušićYouth Initiative – Subotica

SITUATION IN VOJVODINA

In Vojvodina, resentment has begun to affect everyday life and is threatening to acquire mild features of Belfast. The first wave of incidents against the minorities began towards the end of last year and in the beginning of this year. During last spring, graveyards, monuments, churches and tokens of the minorities’ identity were being desecrated and destroyed. Physical incidents followed, as well as confusing situations blurring the full scope of the situation.

The description of these events has been enriched by a new term – atrocities. Unlike incidents, this word does not depict something that randomly occurs here and there; rather, it conveys the idea of brutal contestation with the use of force. Atrocities are no longer the same as incidents, because incidents are exceptions to the rules, whereas atrocities confirm the rule – that the minorities are in for trouble.

There are several dimensions that I would like to point out in my analysis of atrocities. Firstly, the existence of an organization called The Movement of the Youth of 64 counties, whose source of inspiration are instances of atrocities and who invoke a Greater Hungary as the protection for minorities and an aim in itself. The youngsters who no longer believe that Serbia will ever be a democratic country have diverted from the course of cooperation with the Belgrade leaders, a course that Jožef Kasa was trying to build, while the leader of the Party of the Hungarians of Vojvodina (SVM) is seen in those circles as someone who has bent down and has played the role of a puppet whose task is to conceal the absence of implementation of justice that those youths are impatiently waiting for. The second dimension is the inefficiency of the police in clarifying the incidents / atrocities that are definitely present and thus prevent both forms of extremism: the Serbian extreemism aiming to intimidate and the Hungarian extremist that is hoping for the internationalization of this problem and a different approach to its resolution. The third dimension is the reaction of the domestic, Hungarian and foreign authorities and of certain political factors.

Finally, we have to face the fact that this topic is also weighing upon the civilian sector. The NGO Zenith has grappled witht the problem of inter-etnic school fights, but one swallow does not mean spring.

Dr Suzana Stojanović14

Human Rights and Freedoms Committee – Kuršumlija

ACTIVITIES OF THE HUMAN IGHTS AND FREEDOMS COMMITTEE

The Human Rights and Freedoms committee was set up in 2001. We work and conduct our activities in the area of the Toplica County, in he communities of Prokuplje, Kuršumlija and Blace, whose population is over 100,000 inhabitants. The Committe is the only organization of this type in that area. The organization's mission is the following: to uphold and protect human rights, to educate the citizens in the sphere of human rights and to promote the ideas of the civil society. It is our objective to pursue our mission by providing free legal assistance and advocacy in court, regardless of gender, race, religion or nationality, by helping the victims of discrimination, especially margin groups and communities, as well as by insisting on the implementation of legal procedures.

Together with the CHRIS network, we have been processing several cases of police torture over citizens in the area of Kuršumlija and Prokuplje and a large number of cases related to the protection of social and labor rights. We cooperate with the Trade Union of Kosovo and Metohija and with the Coordination Center, concerning the issues of privatization and the right of displaced persons to obtain shares in the Kosovo companies that are undergoing the process of privatization.

Based on our experience, we believe that the precondition for the process of truth and reconciliation is the awareness and understanding of all the causes of the conflict, i.e. of its causes, course and consequences. Some of the crucial obstacles on this way are: the absence of time distance from the conflict, unpreparedness for dialog with people who have different opinions, the internal frustration of individuals that resulted from controversial directions issued by the ruling elite who, not so long ago, was calling to war, whereas it is now calling for reconciliation and also due to constant pressures from abroad.

Vladimir PaunovićMillenniuM - Kragujevac

PRESENTATION OF NGO MILLENNIUM

When you live in Šumadija, where, more than 60 years after the Second World War, divisions regarding the truth and accountability issues are still present, it is quite complicated to work according to conventional methods. On one hand, the environment is too conservative, patriarchal and permeated with stereotypes, and on the other, there exist a deep-rooted autochthonous openness, which should be exploited as an advantage.

So far, the NGO MillenniuM has done both little and a lot in connection with the process of truth, accountability and reconcilliation. A lot – because, by vocation, we are not a typical organization for the promotion and protection of human rights; comparatively little – regarding the crucial role of this process in the further development of the country.

Within the framework of our educational programs for the young, over the past few years, we have organized a number of lectures with this topic, a dozen contact and presentation programs in the local media, several public pannels and meetings and also a campaign. It seems that we have worked more on reconcilliation (by organizing cultural manifestations

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such as REFRACT) than on accountability issues. However, one thing is certain – the decisive feature in our forthcoming activities will be a methodology that includes media promotion, reaching out to a much broader public, as opposed to panel discussions and public meetings.

When, in 2002, we organized the exhibition of documentary photography, as part of the campaign for the promotion of human rights “Know Your Rights”, the whole event was in the form of a “package of public importance” – it took place under the auspices of the City Hall and the local media and had the form of an anti-war manifestation that was witnessed by several thousand people within a couple of weeks. Although the snapshots were “hard”, they represented different angles and perspectives, the aim of which was that the citizens should arrive at their own conclusions. Ron Haviv’s exhibition was cancelled, although it was supposed to take place in the same place, and in some media, protests were present because of that exhibition. They looked at the “Know Your Rights” photos. Have they altered their opinion or pondered over them? Probably not just as yet, because it is a time-taking process, but, unlike the second example, they got the message.

Zdravko MarjanovićThe Society for Tolerance – Bačka Palanka

PRESENTATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR TOLERANCE

The society for tolerance was set up as a peace group in 1993, which means that it has been dealing with the issue of reconciliation ever since it came into being.

Our first activities were aimed at the public advocacy for peace and the interruption of war conflicts, as well as taking into consideration of all groups of people in general, and particularly in our area. That is how we devised our motto: Let us learn the beauty and abundance of living in diversity that has now evolved into Let us cultivate the abundance and beauty of living in diversity. All our activities have been, and still are, as well as they will be in the future, directed at reconciliation.

The two kinds of activities on the reconciliation plan have so far been the following:1. Fieldwork in Eastern Slavonia and Western Srem as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The activities were reflected in attempts to gather the citizens and get them organized and in the cooperation with the civilian sector in Croatia, reuniting of divided families and refugees in Serbia and displaced persons in Croatia (Peace Bridge, Mohač).

The activities in BH have been related to the return of the refugees from Serbia, where our standpoint has always been that both sides have to be dealt with – the preparation of the refugees for their repatriation and simultaneously, the preparation of the citizens in the refugees’ former habitations for the reception of returnees. A small project that we conducted in Travnik, with the assistance of OHR from Sarajevo, revealed how difficult, yet productive, the direct encounters of individuals who used to be on different sides in the war, can be.

2. Activities in the local communitiesPublic panel discussions that were directed at the problems brought on by the war; displaying our anti-war posters, promoting peace and cohabitation throughout the town. There is also our bulletin “Tolerance”, and above all, activities with children.

Current activities: 16

The implementation of the agreement on cross-border cooperation of the local authorities, entrepreneurs and the civil sector of four countries: Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro.

Plans for the future: As we believe that the problem is not only related to the truth (the precondition for reconciliation) during the latest wars, but that those roots are far deeper, our plans are to activate our long-standing project of the Social club, through the “House for multiculturalism and regional cooperation” that we formed by signing an agreement with some NGO-s in Croatia and Hungary. The project includes encounters of the citizens, primarily of the children and of the young, in order to openly discuss issues related to their everyday lives, one of the most important being reconciliation. In this process, we also perceive the process of rehabilitation through dispersing stereotypes that were created as a consequence of the long-existing absence of confrontation with the truth.

IV Presentations of truth and reconciliation projects in the world

Hugo van der MerweCentre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation-Cape Town (South Africa)

SOUTH AFRICAN RECONCILIATION INITIATIVES IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE TRUTH AND RECONSILIATION COMMISSION

This presentation will critically review the achievements of the South African TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Commission), specifically in relation to facilitating reconciliation. It will examine the achievements and shortcomings of the TRC in relation to reconciliation at interpersonal, community and national level. The paper will draw from a range of studies to assess the impact of the TRC and its various components and activities.

The paper will also provide an overview of a range of civil society initiatives that seek to address the gaps in the TRC process or which seek to deepen the process of reconciliation in South African society.

It will be argued that, while the TRC has not directly addressed the causes of the fundamental divisions in South African society, it has changed the shape and boundaries of debate about the past and presented a foundation for further civil society engagement with reconciliation. The nature of social divisions in South African society are however constantly changing, and while old divisions are transformed, there remains a struggle to undo old patterns of dealing with conflict.

Kris Vanspauwen

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Marta ValiñasStephan ParamentierElmar G.M. Weitekamp Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium), University of Tuebingen (Germany)

RESTORING JUSTICE AFTER STATE CONFLICTS.EXPLORATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE BALKAN

Dealing with post-conflict situations has become an emerging field of study in the last 2 decades. Amnesty/amnesia schemes on the one hand, and retributive/punishment schemes on the other have been the central approaches for many years, but neither of these approaches takes up the lead at the moment. The former scheme appears to be removed completely from the international agenda.

Establishing the International Criminal Court, however, shows clearly that the punishment path is still further explored. Among the promising attempts to alter the course were the various commissions of inquiry. With more than 20 being established so far, truth commissions are not merely considered to be second-best solutions. The value of truth commissions as legal mechanisms of transitional justice is that they have a double focus: a clear backward looking approach, with a view to ‘do justice’, and a forward looking approach with a view to preventing future conflict and a view to rebuild a nation state. This integrated approach – often referred to as the ‘justice and reconciliation approach’ – has more potential for a lasting and sustainable process of democracy building.

The punishment model (e.g. international tribunals) falls short of integrating a backward and a forward-looking approach. It deals only with the issue of justice. In more conceptual terms, it is concerned with the punishment of the perpetrators (attribution of pain, deterrence, just deserts), and the redress of victims (reparation, restitution). Leaving the structural/organizational capacities of transitional justice mechanisms aside (e.g. the potential to prosecute perpetrators of gross human rights violations), we can identify limits and shortcomings of the punishment model (that have operated in post-conflict situations) at two levels. Firstly at a normative level, and secondly at an empirical level. A normative problem of enhancing a strategy of punishment in the post-conflict situations is to determine the punishment that fits the crime. In state conflicts where crime is politicized and politics criminalized, it is more than ever inappropriate to apply a criminal law approach to deal with perpetrators. At an empirical level punishment didn’t show to be very successful in either deterring perpetrators, turning down the recidivism rate, or addressing the needs of victims.

Recent experiences of ICTY and ICTR are challenged to proof otherwise. The present research conducted at the Department of Criminology at the KULeuven aims at exploring the opportunities to develop a more integrative approach to deal with post-conflict situations. It hereby focuses on the promises of an evolving field of study, restorative justice. Restorative justice theory aims to restore justice with a view to future reintegration. It hereby brings together the two necessary components of governing a new democratic society: justice and reconciliation. The research comprises of two different but highly complementary research projects. The first project concerns an in-depth study of the transitional justice process in South Africa, with major emphasis on its Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The second project concerns an explorative study of two case studies, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia-Montenegro, where different attempts are made to go beyond the classic punishment model. In this study, the idea is to explore the options to develop restorative justice mechanisms that could enhance the process of justice and reconciliation in the Balkan.

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Brandon HamberIndependent consultant to the Healing Through Remembering Project – Belfast (Northern Ireland)

COMING TO TERMS WITH THE CONFLICT IN AND ABOUT NORTHERN IRELAND:LESSONS FROM THE HEALING THROUGH REMEMBERING PROJECT

Although the conflict in and about Northern Ireland has its own peculiar manifestations and is unique in many ways, the challenge facing the society about how it deals with its past is not wholly distinct. Most countries in conflict have had to face up to and deal with the hurts that have taken place. In Northern Ireland the debate about what strategies to use to deal with the conflict is gaining momentum. Questions about truth, justice, compensation and more recently of reconciliation are common place. Recently, there have been several calls for a South African-style truth commission. One danger, however, is that the strategies adopted to deal with the past, such as a truth commission, may flow directly from the political negotiation process with little civil society input.

This is one of the reasons why the Healing Through Remembering Project was launched in early October 2001. The Project, made up of a diverse group of people from all political backgrounds and from different communities, sought to identify and document possible mechanisms and realisable options for how remembering should occur so that healing could take place. The project undertook a consultation process posing the question: ‘How should we remember the events connected with the conflict in and about Northern Ireland’. The project received a wide range of submissions. It used these to develop a series of recommendations. These included the need for acknowledgement leading to truth recovery, storytelling, a Day of Reflection, a permanent living memorial museum and network of commemoration and remembering projects.

The paper will explore these recommendations and the beginnings of their implementation, the importance of civil society initiatives in dealing with past, and the ability of such initiatives to impact on the situation in societies in conflict. Key lessons from the project will be extracted.

Martin SnoddonConflict Trauma Resource Center – Belfast (Northern Ireland)

NORTHERN IRELAND EXPERIENCE : HEALING THE MEMORIES PROJECT

Each of us in Northern Ireland has some personal experience of hurt caused by 30 years of violent conflict and because of that it is important for us to be working towards a healing process. Some of us carry obvious wounds — others carry wounds that are less visible. Unresolved emotional issues cannot be ignored if our society is to function and move towards healing for all its members.

For healing to happen, we need to tell our truths, share our memories of hurt, tell our stories and be accepted, respected and listened to. We need to re-learn the art of listening to each other, to get the healing process started. Listening is a gift we can give to one and other. It

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is offering someone space in which they feel welcome, met, safe, free to be him/herself, to be listened to and heard.

There can be no real understanding between individuals from different backgrounds so long as neither has a clear picture of the other, what each really thinks and believes in, hopes for and feels. Good relationships and a healthy future cannot be founded on prejudice.

CTRC’s Healing the Memories Project invites you to share your emotional memories with others and through the process transform yourself.

Healing the Memories has origins in post conflict S. African society, Native American Indian culture, Aboriginal & Mori living experience and in western clinical therapeutic approaches. It is a combining of different elements of the above into a private story/truth telling process that in some way mirrors a Truth Commission but importantly it does so privately and without public scrutiny. As a model it can be related to the philosophy of Restorative Justice in the sense of providing an opportunity for healing damaged relationships.

It began its journey here in N. Ireland in 1999 through the work of the Kairos Project. In 2001 CTRC inherited this healing process and subsequently has managed and facilitated its practice and development in N. Ireland, Southern Ireland and Great Britain. There have been 20 residential weekends to date in Northern Ireland.

It provides a unique opportunity to examine and experience our individual journey’s, while sharing with others in theirs. It is not about proportioning blame. Time is given for individual reflection, creative exercises and opportunities to work in small groups. There is also some reflection on common themes that come up in our journeys and a discovery of the depths of the common humanity we share.

Healing the Memories does not mean we forget the past, but rather we try to find a way of no longer allowing our memories to paralyse or destroy us. We need to find ways of preventing history from being repeated, and of breaking the cycle of violence that we have lived with for so long.

V Workshop Picturing truth and reconciliation (application of art therapy on the conflict resolution)

Marian LiebmannArt therapist and mediator (UK)

PICTURING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

This workshop will be an opportunity to use simple art materials to express some of our thoughts and feelings about the past and our hopes for the future. No artistic ability needed, just a willingness to have a go.

The following are some of the advantages of using art materials to make pictures of events, thoughts and feelings around emotionally charged issues:

a) It can be used as a means of self-expression and self-exploration.

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b) Pictures can be used to depict experiences and feelings which are hard to put into words. It can sometimes be a more direct way of expressing things than pages of words.c) The process of doing art can sometimes help people become more aware of feelings

previously hidden from them, or of which they were only partly aware. It can help people become clearer about confused feelings.

d) Discussion of the products can lead to explorations of important issues. The concreteness of the products makes it easier to develop such discussion from them.

e) Using art can sometimes help people release feelings e.g. anger and aggression, and can provide a safe and acceptable way of dealing with unacceptable feelings.

f) It can be used as a means of non-verbal communication. This can be important for those who do not have a good mastery of verbal communication for whatever reason.

g) It can be used to help adults play and “let go”.h) It can help people look at their current situations and ways of making changes.i) It can provide a context to try out possible futures on paper, without the commitment

of reality. j) If there is a series of sessions, it is possible to look back over the pictures and note

themes and developments.k) It is important for the creator of the picture to find his or her own meanings, rather

than have someone else ‘interpret’ them. Other people can ask useful questions to help people elicit their own meanings.

l) Using art requires active participation, which can help to mobilize people. In a group setting, it is a good way of providing the opportunity for everyone to have a voice.

m) It can be enjoyable and this may lead to individuals developing a sense of their own creativity.

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