|
|
Religion and the Future of Intercommunal Relations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Former Yugoslavia
Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
October 12-14, 1997
David Little and Paul Mojzes, Co-chairmen
On October 12-14, 1997, the Institute of Peace hosted an interfaith colloquium on the future of religion and intercommunal relations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia). The meeting brought together 40 scholars, clerics, journalists, and others to discuss the constructive contribution that religion can make to improve intergroup relations in Bosnia and the region. The meeting was held at the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary, with participants coming from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the United States and Canada. They represented the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Muslim and Jewish Communities, and other, Protestant churches.
Note: The following is a brief overview of the central issues discussed at the meeting. The Chairman's Report and other material from the conference is available on-line, and can be accessed below. It should be noted that these are not concensus documents, but, rather, summaries of the ideas and issues put forward in discussion.
Contents
Conference Objectives
- Encourage open dialogue among the religious communities;
- Identify opportunities for interreligious cooperation;
- Establish a network of relationships among the participants and others;
- Consider the place and role of international organizations in these efforts;
- Engage religious communities and journalists to examine the way in which other communities are portrayed in media and public discourse, and how insulting forms of communication can be avoided in the future.
[ Back to top ]
Conference Proposals
- That religious communities, on their own and in concert with one other, give sustained attention to the negative and pejorative language, images, and stereotypes that the different communities use to describe each other, both in public and in in private.
- That religious communities help each other speak honestly about the abuses and violations of the war.
- That journalists, in the interest of reducing ethnic and religious bias, undertake to raise professional standards. This should include improved training in objective reporting, and better education of the beliefs, practices, and policies of the different religious communities in the area.
- That religious communities, including the newly-formed Interreligious Council of Bosnia-Herzegovina, offer interreligious radio and television programming. Prospects for a new interreligious television station in Bosnia should be explored.
- That religious education in public schools be designed to promote interreligious and interethnic tolerance and understanding throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina and the former-Yugoslavia.
- Religious leaders from each of the communities should support the return of refugees. Committees of clergy should make extra efforts to welcome their counterparts from other communities as they relocate. This would help immeasurably to create a dramatically new climate of religious collaboration in regard to one of the most sensitive, and essential, provisions of the Dayton peace process.
- That religious leaders, in those areas where their communities are in the majority, publicly support the resettlement of minority populations, and demonstrate solidarity with minorities by frequent contact and public displays of support.
- That religious communities conjointly and systematically investigate the destroyed places of worship throughout Bosnia, drawing on existing studies, and develop a common, inclusive approach through continuing dialogue and publications.
- All religious communities should accept a moratorium on the construction of new places of worship in areas where the populations have been severely altered by the war. Priority should be given to the reconstruction of damaged or destroyed mosques and churches at their prewar locations, preferably in a cooperative manner with representatives of other faiths.
- Each religious community bears a special obligation to identify and condemn those of its members who have committed crimes and other serious violations during the recent war.
- International support for seminars and conferences devoted to interreligious dialogue be encouraged, and should be coordinated with local organizations such as the Interreligious Council in Sarejevo.
- Attempts to build cooperative networks among theologians, scholars of religion, clerics, and journalists throughout the Former Yugoslavia should be continued.
- Religious communities should work together, along with the Interreligious Council and other groups, to produce interreligious publications. The publications should advertise throughout the region efforts to promote interreligious cooperation, such as the formation and work of the Interreligious Council of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and events such as the Budapest Conference. Such publications would also provide the occasion for doctrinal and theological dialogue, such as an elaboration of the resources within the various traditions for reconciliation and healing.
[ Back to top ]
Concluding Observation
Participants proposed that communities address criticism and condemnation not against one another, but against individuals in their midst who have committed war crimes. Unless a community calls its own members to account, it will have only itself to blame if later it is held collectively responsible for evils done. The communal dilemma posed by this proposal is likely to constitute a subject for future interreligious exploration.
[ Back to top ]
Participant List
Mr. Vladimir Bilic, Vrhbosna (Sarajevo)
Mr. Landrum Bolling, Mercy Corps International (Sarajevo)
Mrs. Laurie MacDonald Brumberg, U.S. Institute of Peace
Dr. Amila Buturovic, York University (Ontario, Canada)
Mr. Neven Duvnjak, Centre of Religious Research (Split)
Ms. Amira Ferand, Hunt Initiatives (Sarajevo)
Mr. Jakob Finci, Jewish Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo)
Ms. Aisa Hafizovic, Preporod (Sarajevo)
Dr. Harriet Hentges, U.S. Institute of Peace (Washington)
Mr. Scott Hibbard, U.S. Institute of Peace (Washington)
Rev. Martin Hovan, Evangelical Methodist Church (Novi Sad, Serbia)
Mr. Emir Hrustanovic, Oslobodjenje (Sarajevo)
Amb. Swanee Hunt, U.S. Embassy Vienna (Vienna)
Mr. Niko Ikic, Roman Catholic Church (Sarajevo)
Dr. Branislav Koncarevic, The Orthodox Church (Sarajevo)
Dr. Dimitrije Kalezic, Theological Faculty, Orthodox Church (Belgrade)
Ms. Sandra Kasalo, Oslobodjenje (Sarajevo)
Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky, Orthodox Church of America (New York)
Ms. Jodi Koviach, U.S. Institute of Peace
Dr. Peter Kuzmic, Evangelical Theological School (Osijek, Croatia)
Dr. David Little, U.S. Institute of Peace (Washington)
Ms. Ljiljana Matkovic-Vlasic, Mirotovorni Izazov (Zagreb)
Ambassador John Menzies, U.S. Institute of Peace (Washington)
Dr. Paul Mojzes, Rosemont College (Philadelphia)
Dr. Sefko Omerbasic, Islamic Community of Croatia (Zagreb)
Fr. Marco Orsolic, Intl. Multireligious and Intercultural Center (Saravjevo)
Mr. Donald Ottenhoff, The Christian Century (Chicago)
Dr. Vladan Perisic, Orthodox Theological School (Belgrade)
Ms. Rada Radovanovic, Radio/TV Sarajevo (Sarajevo)
Mr. Vjekoslav Saje, Mercy Corps International (Sarajevo)
Mufti Sayeed Smajkic, Mostar (Mostar)
Dr. David Steele, Center for Strategic and International Studies (Washington)
Ms. Renata Steubner, U.S. Institute of Peace (Washington)
Rev. Mato Zovkic, Roman Catholic Church (Sarajevo)
Mr. Dragoljub Zarkovic, Vreme (Belgrade)
Translators
Ms. Amira Sadikovic (Sarajevo)
Prof. Zvonimir Radelkovic (Sarajevo)
Ms. Senada Kreso (Sarajevo)
Ms. Spomenka Beus (Sarajevo)
For More Information
Please contact the Religion and Peacemaking Initiative by e-mail at religion@usip.org. Written inquiries may also be sent to the address listed below.
|
