ULOGA VETERANA RATOVA 90-IH U POMIRENJU NACIJA U REGIONU – POGLED 25 GODINA NAKON RATOVA
THE ROLE OF VETERANS FROM THE 90’S WARS IN THE RECONCILIATION OF THE REGION’S NATIONS – AN OVERVIEW 25 YEARS AFTER THE WARS

Author(s): Danilo Kartalović
Subject(s): Civil Society, Politics of History/Memory, Wars in Jugoslavia
Published by: Građanske inicijative
Keywords: The region of former Yugoslavia; Yugoslav Wars; international reconciliation; war veterans; peacebuilding activities
Summary/Abstract: This article begins with the overview of the significance of peace activism done by the veterans of the Yugoslav Wars in respect to the international reconciliation in the region after those wars. Next, a short survey of the peace activities of war veterans during the public discussions “From the past, how I ended up in the war, to the future, how to reach lasting peace, four views” which were held between the years 2002 and 2004 is given Finally, a report on three interviews conducted for the purpose of this article with war veterans, current peace activists, from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, Army of the Republika Srpska and the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is presented. The responses from these interviews were then analyzed through several topics which are crucial to understanding the role of war veterans in peacebuilding activities and their interaction with the wider community during the quarter-century since the end of the Yugoslav Wars. This analysis makes up the bulk of the article, whose focus is on the veterans’ own views on the social climate and the attitude of their states towards reconciliation activities. I have concluded that international reconciliation has been well recieved in local communities, but that it is far from implementation on state and regional levels. The peace activist veterans have a large impact on reconciliation in most communities and put special emphasis on helping people overcome stereotypes about the “other side” and recognize all veterans as humans, first and foremost. The activists dedicate great attention to assisting young people in developing their understanding and respect of those who are different. According to all three interviewed veterans, assistance from official state authorities is minimal and it varies depending on the ruling party and current political affairs. All veterans have noticed surges in nationalist rhetoric around elections, while this rhetoric dies down in the short periods between elections. Still, the existing interconnection of the ex-Yugoslavian region, through economic and other relations, the veterans find reassuring. However, for that interconnection to blossom into true reconciliation, it is vital for all nations to accept their share of responsibility for the hardships of the Yugoslav Wars, without any attempts at avoidance or blaming the “other side”. It is possible that the only hope of that happening is a near-universal acceptance of the verdicts reached by the International Court of Justice. Unfortunately, this turn of events does not appear likely in the near future.

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