Returnees in Prijedor, in the month when, three decades after the war, they mark the Day of the White Ribbons, feel increasing fear and insecurity due to the glorification of war crimes and incidents, which, along with the bad political and economic situation, makes their lives even more difficult. Because of this, some are hesitant to return, and those who did that, are thinking about leaving again, leaving behind empty, renovated houses.
Valida Behlic could never return to the village of Zecovi because she has been searching for the remains of her mother Fatima Kahteran for 28 years since the end of the war, who was killed in July 1992, along with about 150 other Bosniak civilians.
She says that, even after all these years, she still feels her presence every second.
For eight years, the proceedings for the crimes in the village of Zecovi have been going on before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), but the return to the village on the left bank of the Sana was not possible for Vahida because of the tragedy and the burden of the past.
In addition to all that, the march on January 9th, marking the unconstitutional day of Republika Srpska (RS), the painting of murals in honor of war criminals, fan incidents, and the attempt to ban the celebration of White Ribbon Day in 2022, in which the “Princip” and ”Samopostovanje” organizations stood out the loudest with right-wing views”, brought the familiar fear and new harassment of the returnees.
A feeling of fear
Omer Redzic, imam of the Carsija mosque in Prijedor, says that the feeling of fear and insecurity is visible, and that it has intensified in the last four years. He sees the reason in the aggressiveness and installations of right-wing groups, whose goal is to revise events and deny crimes.
During the marking of the unconstitutional day of RS last year, fan groups in Prijedor, passing through the city and singing songs, glorified Ratko Mladic, who was convicted for crimes committed in Prijedor, but also in other cities in BiH, and the genocide in Srebrenica.
As the marking of another White Ribbon Day approaches, the local imam fears more incidents. Every time that happens, a family leaves the city because they don’t feel safe, he explained.
White Ribbon Day is marked on May 31st.
