ENGLISH BELOW
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Nakon raspada bivše Jugoslavije, ratovi koji su se vodili u periodu od 1991. do 2001. godine ostavli su za sobom preko 130 000 žrtava, više od 10 000 nestalih osoba, uništene gradove, veliki broj raseljenih ljudi i društva koja se međusobom ne razumeju i ne priznaju. Svaka država ima svoju verziju dešavanja koja se od države do države u potpunosti razlikuje. Ljudski odnosi su trajno narušeni a nacionalizam je ostao glavna ideologija svih državnih politika.
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Incijativa mladih za ljudska prava osnovana je 2003.godine sa ciljem uspostavljanja odnosa između mladih ljudi koji žive u zemljama bivše Jugoslavije. Kroz programe razmene koji su uključivali edukaciju o prošlosti baziranu na utvrđenim činjenicama i učenje o ljudskim pravima izgrađene su trajne veze među mladima u regionu a njihovo upoznavanje sa “drugim i drugačijim” je većini zauvek promenilo živote.
Jedan od sastavnih delova u radu organizacije (Inicijative mladih za ljudska prava) čini aktivistička mreža mladih, koji svoju potrebu da budu aktivni građani izražavaju kroz najrazličitije aktivističke akcije. Svi aktivistički poduhvati, kako u zemlji tako i u regionu, bili su usmereni ka izgradnji društva u kome će svaki građanin osećati zadovoljno, bez obzira na poreklo, nacionalnost, religiju, seksualno opredeljenje.
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Aktivizmom smo tražili poštovanje prava nacionalnih manjina, ukazivali smo na potrebu da ljudi pamte ljude i njihove priča bez obzira njihovu nacionalnost, kritikovali smo sve političare koji nisu poštovali činjenice utvrđene o sukobima i koji su se služili ratnohuškačkom retorikom i govorom mržnje, tražili smo osudu politike koja je dovela a do ratova, pozivali smo na mir i bili smo solidarni sa drugim ugroženim pojedincima i grupama.
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Osmoro aktivista i aktivistkinja Inicijative mladih za ljudska prava osuđeno je na kazne od po 50.000,00 din jer su na javnom skupu u Domu kulture u Beški (17. januara 2017. godine) na kome je govorio osuđeni ratni zločinac, Veselin Šljivančanin, organizovanom od strane vladajuće stranke, duvali u pištaljke i izneli transparent sa natpisom “Ratni zločinci da zaćute da bi se progovorilo o žrtvama”. Ovaj čin aktivista je, presudom prekršajnog suda, okarakterisan kao drsko i bezobzirno ponašanje, pa tako i kao narušavanje javnog reda i mira.
Aktivisti i aktivistkinje Inicijative mladih nikada neće pristati na političku stvarnost u kojoj su mirovni aktivisti i branitelji ljudskih prava ućutkani, a ratni zločinci zaštićeni ili slavljeni od strane celokupnog državnog aparata – predsednika, Vlade, tužilaštva, sudova i lokalnih samouprava.
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U Beški smo, 2017. godine, pokušali da ukažemo na nedopustivu podršku koja se od strane vladajuće stranke pruža osuđenom ratnom zločincu Veselinu Šljivančaninu, koji je osuđen za pomaganje i podržavanje mučenja kao kršenja zakona i običaja ratovanja, te da je propustio da zaštiti zarobljenike od zlostavljanja 20. novembra 1991, godine, pre povlačenja vojnika JNA sa poljoprivrednog dobra Ovčara blizu Vukovara.
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Na tribinu u Beški došli smo sa jednim transparentom, nekoliko pištaljki i jednim fotoaparatom. Kada je došao red da se Veselin Šljivančanin obrati prisutnima, deo aktivista je dunuo u pištaljke a dve aktivistkinje su razvile transparent na kome je pisalo: Ratni zločinci da zaćute da bi se progovorilo o žrtvama. Tokom ove akcije naši aktivisti su fizički napadnuti i nasilno izbačeni iz sale, dvoje aktivista završilo je u Urgentnom centru sa povredama glave, ruke i noge a njihov automobil je bio uništen.
Nekoliko dana nakon ove akcije na vrata kancelarije Inicijative došla je grupica pripadnika ekstremno desne organizacije “Alternativa”, tom prilikom su ulazna vrata kancelarije bila oblepljena uvredljivim nalepnicama i porukama.
Više informacija o napadu na aktiviste Inicijative mladih za ljudska prava na tribini Srpske napredne stranke u Beški i svim događajima koji se posledično dešavaju, možete pronaći ovde.
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I danas nakon presude, koja je doneta u najkraćem mogućem roku, naša poruka ostaje ista, naša misija nepromenja a potreba da kreiramo društvo koje vrednuje mir za buduće generacije sve veća.
Uprkos svemu nismo ostali nemi na predavanja ratnih zločinaca na Vojnoj akademiji, od momenta izricanja drugostepene presude Vojislavu Šešelju tražimo od skupštine da konstatuje prestanak mandata jer je njegov boravak u Skupštini postao nezakonit. Nismo ćutali na prisustvo osuđenih ratnih zločinaca u parlamentarnim poltičkim strankama a glasno smo se usprotivili i štampanju knjiga osuđenih ratnih zločinaca od strane Ministarstva odbrane. Koliko god se trudili da nas ućutkaju mi nećemo odustati jer obavezu da ovome govorimo shvatamo kao ličnu i građansku dužnost.
*Pogledajte naš izveštaj o učešću ratnih zločinaca u političkom životu iz 2017.godine
Neretko, delovanje aktivista Inicijative mladih za ljudska prava, u zemljama u kojima deluju, nailazi na otpor određenih grupa, pre svega ekstremnih desičara i nacionalista. Međutim, znamo koliko našim susedima u regionu, prvenstveno žrtvama, znači da se oni koji su odgovorni za najteža nedela ne promovišu kao uzori. Znamo da su pravi heroji oni koji svakoga dana biraju da ljude posmatraju kao ljude i koji svojim delovanje doprinose prevazilaženju predrasuda i mržnje. Znamo i da se o pravim herojima ne priča dovoljno jer njihov prostor uz podršku države zauzimaju zločinci. Zbog svega ovoga, ne odustajemo!
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Kaznu u visini od 450.000 dinara (sa uračunatim sudskim troškovima) moramo da platimo kako bismo nastavili sa svojim daljim radom, i tu nam je neophodna pomoć svih koji veruju da sa prošlošću moramo da se suočimo kako bismo mladim ostavili prostor za izgradnju budućnosti bez konflikata.
Važno nam je da nastavimo sa svojim radom jer verujemo da doprinosi prevazilaženju prepreka koje postoje među državama i ljudima koji žive u regionu. Verujemo da samo ako napravimo jasan otklon od politike koja je zločine podsticala i od onih koji su ih činili, možemo da se bavimo regionalnom saradnjom na svim drugim poljima, jer će ona tada biti rasterećena svega onoga što danas onemogućava dijalog.
Želimo da nastavimo da zajedno sa našim kolegama svakoga dana radimo na izgradnji održivog mira. Ne želimo nove ratove i ne želimo da nam oružje diktira odnose jer posledice toga žive svi ljudi na prostoru bivše Jugoslavije.
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After the disintegration of Yugoslavia, the conflicts that occurred between 1991 and 2001 left in their wake over 130 000 victims, more than 10 000 missing persons, demolished cities, many displaced persons and societies that fail to understand and recognize one another. Each state has its own version of events, all which differ vastly from each other. Human relations have been permanently corroded, and nationalism has emerged as the leading ideology of all state politics.
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The Youth Initiative for Human Rights was founded in 2003 with the aim of establishing relationships between youth who live in ex-Yugoslavian states. Through exchange programmes, which included teaching about a fact-based past and about human rights, permanent bonds were formed between youth in the region. Getting to know the “other” and the “different” has left a positive and lasting mark in their lives.
One of the pivotal elements in the work of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights is its activist network, made of activists who express their need to be active citizens through various protests and actions. All activist endeavors, both in Serbia and within the region, have aimed at building a society where every citizen would be content, no matter their origins, nationality, religion or sexual orientation.
With our activism we have demanded the respect of minority rights; raised awareness about the need for keeping the memory of people’s stories regardless of their nationalities; criticized politicians who disregarded facts about the conflicts and who used war mongering rhetorics and hate speech; asked for an end to the type of politics that led to the war; called for peace and stood in solidarity with individuals and groups who were at risk.
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Eight Youth Initiative for Human Rights activists have been sentenced to a fine of 50 000 Serbian dinars per person for protesting at a public event in Beška organized by the ruling party (on January 17 2017) where convicted war criminal Veselin Šljivančanin was giving a speech.
Activists were blowing into whistles and holding a banner stating “War criminals should be silent so that the victims could be heard”. The Court deemed the activists’ behavior as insolent, disorderly, and convicted them of disturbing the peace.
Youth Initiative for Human Rights activists will never accept a political reality where peace activists and human rights defenders are silenced, while war criminals are glorified and protected by the entire state apparatus – the President, government, public attorney’s office, courts and local self-government.
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In 2017 in Beška we attempted to call out the unacceptable support the ruling party gave convicted war criminal Veselin Šljivančanin, who was convicted of accessory in torture, as well as of neglecting his duty to protect prisoners of war from torture on November 20 1991, prior to the retreat of the Yugoslav People’s Army soldiers from Ovčara near Vukovar.
We came to the event in Beška with one banner, several whistles and one camera. When Veselin Šljivančanin was about to address the audience, some of the activists began blowing into their whistles, while two others revealed a banner stating : “War criminals should be silent so the victims could be heard”. The activists were then physically assaulted and violently removed from the auditorium. Two activists ended up in the ER with head trauma, as well as arm and leg injuries. Their car had been destroyed.
A few days after the protest, members of the extreme right-wing organization “Alternativa” came to the Youth Initiative for Human Rights office and plastered the front door with insulting messages and stickers.
More information about the attack on activists of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights at the public event of the Serbian Progressive Party in Beška and the events that are happening consequently can be found here.
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Today, after the verdict (which had been brought in a very short time span), our message remains the same, as does our mission, and our need to create a society for future generations, one where peace is valued, grows ever stronger.
Despite everything, we remained vocal about the lectures given by war criminals at the Military Academy in Belgrade. We have also called for an immediate ending of Vojislav Šešelj’s mandate in the National Assembly, as his presence there became illegal the moment he was convicted. We weren’t silent about the presence of convicted war criminals in parliamentary political parties, nor when the Ministry of Defense published books written by convicted war criminals. No matter how hard they try to silence us, we will not back down - it is our personal and civic duty to never stop talking about this.
Youth Initiative for Human Rights activists have often faced a lot of opposition, primarily that of extreme right-wing and nationalist groups. We know how important it is for our neighbors in the region, and especially for the victims, to not have those who are guilty of heinous crimes be portrayed as role models.
We know that the true heroes are the ones who choose to view each person as a human being and who contribute to the erasure of prejudice and hatred with their actions. We know that true heroes are rarely spoken of, because they are being overshadowed by state supported war criminals.
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We are required to pay the 4400 $ fine in order to continue our work. To achieve this, we need the help of all those who believe that we must face the past to allow youth to build a conflict-free future. We strive to continue working towards sustainable peace with all our fellow activists. We don’t want renewed wars and to be ruled over by guns because the consequences of conflicts are still the reality of all the people living in the former Yugoslavia territory.
It is important for us to continue our work, as we believe it greatly contributes to overcoming the barriers that still exist between the states and people in this region. We also believe that firmly stepping away from the politics that nurtured crimes and those who committed them is the only way to achieve regional collaboration in a manner that is now rendered impossible by what remains unsolved from the past.