Foto: Ron Haviv
It is already crystal clear for everyone that veterans and former detainees have never been granted the status they deserve and that acknowledges their fight and suffering. However, the intention to turn a location in which persons suffered and were tortured into a museum dedicated to the armed forces that committed these atrocities is certainly an insult bordering on morbidity. To make it even worse, the Government of the Republic of Croatia sees nothing problematic in the construction of such a museum and it allocated funds from the state budget for this purpose. Although the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina have not covered this topic over the previous period, according to unofficial information, the construction is still ongoing in the planned location. At the moment, only certain NGOs, the Association of Detainees of Mostar and the Union of Associations of Detainees of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton are actively focusing on this issue. Former detainees strongly oppose the construction of the museum in this location and have voiced two new requests that have to be taken into account.
”We recently had a meeting at the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On this occasion, we insisted that an alternative location be found for the construction of this building. The representatives of the Ministry stated that such decisions had been taken before their term of office and that it was difficult for them to stop such works. We, however, insist that the construction works related to the museum must be stopped, because this is a fundamental right of the victims”, stated the president of the Association of Detainees of Mostar, Emir Hajdarević. Hajdarević further explained that, if it was not possible to change the location of the building, it was also necessary to build a museum of victims of the Croatian Defence Council next to the museum dedicated to the Croatian Defence Council itself:
”The option is there, if they are truly so dedicated to implementing the law. We as victims request to be able to tell the truth about that very same armed forces by displaying exhibits at the same building. Every visitor would then be able not only to learn about the positive aspects, but also about the other side of the coin, when it comes to the armed forces whose members were convicted before the Hague Tribunal.”
According to a former detainee, Edin Batlak, the construction of a museum dedicated to the Croatian Defence Council is not an issue in itself. It is rather the planned construction location. An alternative option is a location in Livno.
”We researched the barracks in Livno. As far as we know, no war crimes were committed there. There are no rulings mentioning any crimes committed there. Our proposal was to build the museum in Livno, instead of the concentration camp Heliodrom, where heinous crimes were committed.”
The key motive of detainees is fighting lies and historical revisionism. It cannot be said that the current employees of the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, headed by Zukan Helez, have the same goal. Although the whole idea about the construction of the museum started during the term of office of Sifet Podžić, who approved this project together with Marina Pendeš, it is impossible not to condemn the lack of interest of the current administration of the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The construction of a museum dedicated to the Croatian Defence Council in the location of the former concentration camp Heliodrom is obviously no issue even for parties that allegedly love this country, as long as they are in power.
Former detainees are planning to visit the concentration camp Heliodrom this year as well and they are inviting all journalists to attend the ceremony dedicated to paying a tribute to all persons killed. Although the Rectorate of the University of Mostar stated in an e-mail that it was unable to allow the requested visit due to classes, the teaching process and construction works, a visit to the concentration camp was nevertheless scheduled for March 19 at 12:05.
E-mail screenshot
Taking all of the above (including the e-mail) into account, the question arises as to how it is possible to introduce a culture of remembrance based on facts that would be acceptable for everyone, since the exact opposite applies in case of the concentration camp Heliodrom!?
Those advocating the construction of a museum dedicated to the armed forces in a location in which its members committed crimes certainly also includes those that were directly involved in the violence that took place during the 1990s, so that the answer to the issue of culture of remembrance seems further and further away, but one should not give up.
The article was written in cooperation with Pro Peace BiH
