Dear Prijedorcani all over the world, dear organisers of the Vijeće bosanske zajednice NJV, dear participants of the online commemoration,

Dear Prijedorcani all over the world, dear organisers of the Vijeće bosanske zajednice NJV, dear participants of the online commemoration,

 

I am sending you my regards from Prijedor today. Unfortunately, I cannot join you for the online commemoration today, but I thank you for the invitation and wish you a good conversation on this important day, when we remember the victims of genocide in Prijedor since 1992.

As you all know, today is an important date.

30 years ago, the genocidal campaign already was in full operation.

10 years ago, local protests took place against the local authorities’ ban of public commemorations of the non-Serb victims. Why? Because, for the first time in 20 years, local activists publicly called the crimes by their name – genocide.

The result of the protests against the bans was the emergence of White Armband Day. It has since been commemorated locally as well as in the diaspora communities and virtually. The establishment of this new commemoration day in the past 10 years is a huge achievement.

The current situation in Prijedor – while obviously deteriorating, unfortunately – also points at the success of this protest for an equal right to remember.

As you know, yesterday, the police informed the local organisers, the initiative Jer me se tice, that the annual protest march that took place since 2013 will be forbidden this year. Instead, only a gathering can be hold for one hour on the main square. 

Besides from being a provocation, this is a great breach of the rights of the survivors, returnees and anyone who wants to show on this day that they remember what happened and demand the right to remember for the local non-Serb population. It is an attempt to make this commemoration invisible. This demonstrates that White Armband Day became too important to be ignored by local powerholders.

By contrast, yesterday, Serb nationalists were allowed to walk through the streets of Prijedor who aim to spread the claim that the White Armband was a lie and the numbers of the victims overexaggerated. 

Again, 10 years ago, WAD emerged in the context of protests in Prijedor. Today, in 2022, we might discuss what kind of protest should follow now.

Unity and determination against Serb and any other nationalism and inhumane ideologies should guide activism in relation to the White Armband Day and the demand for a memorial for the 102 children today. 

 

I wish you a dignified commemoration and fruitful discussion

Johanna