Religion and Reconciliation in Bosnia

The archbishop of Sarajevo says Bosnia's religious groups are looking for common ground to assist in national reconciliation.

hile the Dayton peace accords have ended the fighting in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the goal of reconciliation remains elusive, says Cardinal Vinco Puljic, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Sarajevo. The struggle to rebuild a multi-religious and multi-ethnic community in Bosnia can be accomplished, Puljic says, but the task requires substantial coordination to address a multiplicity of issues ranging from education and the economy to religious, cultural, and military concerns. To this end, the religious communities can play an important role.

Puljic discussed the situation in post-Dayton Bosnia at an Institute meeting February 20. David Little, senior scholar in religion, ethics, and human rights, and program officer Scott Hibbard organized the event, which was moderated by Institute executive vice president Harriet Hentges. A broad range of government officials and representatives of nongovernmental organizations attended the discussion.

Puljic, who has served as archbishop since 1991, was an outspoken advocate during the war for maintaining the multi-religious, multi-ethnic character of Bosnia. He has sought to counter the polarization of the region by encouraging greater collaboration between Croats, Muslims, and Serbs, and by opposing the partition of Bosnia along ethnic lines. He has also called attention to the threatened extinction of the Catholic community in central Bosnia.

While the military dimensions of the Dayton agreement have been largely implemented, many of the non-military provisions have not, Puljic said. These unresolved political issues, along with biased media coverage by all sides, fuel inter-communal antagonism. As a result, ethnic relations in the region remain tense. Under such circumstances, Puljic noted, it is difficult to promote reconciliation. "We all want peace," he said, "not just any kind of peace, but a just peace."

The Catholic, Muslim, Orthodox, and Jewish communities are working to find issues of common interest and agreement. These communities, for example, seek to establish a council of religious leaders that would institutionalize a forum for dialogue, Puljic said. He also noted two pastoral letters issued by the Catholic Bishops of Bosnia and Herzegovina urging reconciliation, and announced the visit of Pope John Paul II to Sarajevo in April.

All sides need to reach out to one another, and be brave enough to accept their own failings, Puljic said. In this way, confidence between the communities can be developed, for, ultimately, the basis of dialogue is trust.

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