Memories and Memorials

Through implementation of various projects, the RDC became aware a significant number of the memorials which glorify the terrifying events that took place on the Bosnia and Herzegovina`s territory from 1993 to 1995. These memorials constitute the material evidence of abuse of authority which, through the elevation of these memorials, creates memories and sends messages with distorted truth to the next generations. The most evident example of manipulation with the memory from the Second World War is the Jasenovac memorial. Even now, fifty years after that war the number of killed persons in this concentration camp is the subject of manipulation.

The RDC is aware of the place that memories have in the process of revising national history as well as the European one. The memorials represent the material embodiment of memories of past events, but their prospective vision must not been disregarded neither. They are the link between the past and the future. Memorials could carry strong messages to the next generations and in this sense they also play an educational role. Therefore, the RDC is willing to investigate and analyze symbolic messages of memorials and point out their role in post conflict society.

Considering the fact that in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the period 1992-1995 grave violations of the international humanitarian law and human rights occurred, memorials (their location, form, and semantic message) have a significant role in the process of dealing with the past in post communist and post conflict Bosnian society. Those are the locations where families grief and keep their memories of their loved ones. Therefore it is very important to consult broader public before deciding to build memorials in public places. Unfortunately, in Bosnia and Herzegovina there is neither legal regulation which will precisely define criterion and ways of financing building of memorials, nor there is a regulation on establishment of the program for building, preserving, protection and maintenance of the memorials. There is no law on delivery of solutions for removal of those memorials which in their shape and form sustain hate messages, affirm atrocities, promote the interests of one group on behalf of the other or are the product of political manipulations and in that manner cause the negative consequences in society in general. The lack of legal provisions in this area significantly slows down democratic processes, since numerous memorials which glorify war atrocities create reopening of old wounds, increase animosities, and deepen the separations within the society. With their form and symbolic messages, memorials serve as reminders and educate the society on past events, representing the generally accepted, common or questioned and disputed truth.
Bearing in mind mentioned issues, RDC through this project will explore memorials on the territory of entire Bosnia and Herzegovina which includes serious research in accordance with deontology. Considering the content of messages transferred through memorials, the sensitivity of the subject should be kept in mind. That requires unbiased research work on collection and analysis of information aimed at creation of relevant foundation of documents for the database, which will be available for broader public and serve as the basis for the public debate.
The project activities are focused on the dealing with the past process and initiation of the social dialogue through the public debates on role of memorials in the post conflict society. The goal is to prevent further deepening of the gap between different society groups, and contribute to the transitional justice process through the conflict prevention and reaching of the sustainable peace.
Through the research work, analysis and documenting the ways of building the memorials, it is intended to bring attention to the need for amendments to the existing, and designing of the new, legislative acts on building and elimination of the memorials. Especially those considered to be the source of animosities and support the creation of the environment with the social responsibility and justice for victims regardless of their national, ethnic, racial, religious or other background.

Recognize mythological, ideological and other symbolic messages from memorials
Influence enacting the law on criteria and the way of memorials building
Create documentation basis with the database of memorials, which incite hate and discord among ethical, religious or other groups with the messages they carry
Initiate critical thinking
Initiate dialogue within society through public debate on the role of memorials in creation of the culture of memories
Induce the initiatives for removal of these memorials, which through their form and content cause negative relations in society
Induce thinking over positive examples of memorials, and possible form and content of them that could be the carrier of the common memories and affirmation of new values.

Memory and Memorials project activities are focused on the fact finding, aimed at improving interpersonal relations and they will be performed in three phases.

First phase of the project
Establishing contacts with the representatives of local authorities, relevant state institutions, non-governmental organizations and victims’ associations, as well as the identification of other relevant sources of information regarding memorials in different regions.
Creation of a questionnaire on the perception of memorials for citizens.

Second phase of the project
Field work in duration of three months with the goal to analyze and document the way of building of memorials. This research will be conducted on the territory of entire Bosnia and Herzegovina including 100 towns.
Photographing memorials
Production of photographs
Analysis of photographs
Conducting the citizens poll: in each town 10 citizens
Quantitative and qualitative analyze of the data collected through the questionnaire

Third phase

Design of the presentation on the research results
Publication of research results on the RDC’s web site (data on location, identification, perception of the memorials and messages that they carry)
Exhibition of photographs
Organization of round tables about “The role of the memorials in the post conflict society” in Mostar, Bihać, Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Sarajevo and Tuzla. Research results will be presented during round tables and the dialogue with the representatives of the local authorities as well as the experts for the topic from the region in which the round table will be organized will be incited.

For the first time in BiH database on location and identification of the memorials related to the events in BiH from 1992-1995 will be formed and made available to the broader public. This way critical thinking of citizens will be incited and the consciousness about messages memorials contain elevated.
Results of the research will be announced on the RDC’s web site and made accessible not only to the BiH citizens but to all interested individuals outside the country.
Based on the data collected from 1000 questionnaires, filled out by the citizens of BiH, the perception of citizens on existing memorials will be estimated.
Through the photograph exhibition existences of memorials which transmit provocative messages and therefore are the sources of animosities will be pointed out. Visitors will have opportunity to write their observations and reactions into the book of impressions.
During the round tables BiH experts will, basing on the RDC’s research results, talk about the role of memorials in clarification of the past and their role in the contemporary society.
RDC expects that the research results and the conclusions made during round tables will enforce authorized state institutions to legally regulate building of memorials and procedures of removal of the memorials containing messages of hate in their form and content and obstruct the reconciliation process.

Research and Documentation Centre (RDC) is non-governmental, non-profit, and professional organization established in 2004. in Sarajevo. The founder of RDC is Mirsad Tokača who is also the president of the organization. The committee board consists of five members: Safet Hukara, Samir Mujkić, Adnan Efendić, Jadranko Kurbegović, Senada Gugić. RDC covers the territory of the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina and its team includes the employees who constantly increasing their knowledge and the number of external consultants constantly has an increasing trend. Head of the Memories and Memorials project is Mr. Mirsad Tokaca (his CV enclosed). For this project, RDC will employ a full-time sociologist, art historian, lawyer, and three more employees who will first work on the photographing of the memorials, entering the data collected during fieldwork into the database, storing of the documentation and similar. Numerous experts in this field of work, from the entire BiH and the region, will contribute to the implementation of this project through their participation in certain phases of the project and round tables.
RDC (www.idc.org.ba) is the first non-governmental organization in BiH focused on the direct and detailed social research, specialized in the research and collection of facts, documents and data on genocide, war crimes, and international humanitarian law violations regardless of the ethnical, political, religious, social or racial background of the victims. The RDC believes that the establishing of the truth based on facts is important precondition for the society development and long-lasting peace.
Critical precondition for the long-lasting peace in post communist, post conflict and transitional countries is dealing with the past. Therefore dealing with the past is the part of the RDC’s strategic plan realized through several of projects.
One of the main projects of RDC is Human Losses in Bosnia and Herzegovina 92-95. The main motive for launching of this project was the fact that the exact account of war victims, primarily those who were killed and missing, from the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992-1995, did not exist even after the decade past since the war was over. The project is now in the final phase and the results will be presented to the public in May 2007.
Through this and also other research projects, RDC developed database and one of the largest archives in the civil sector which contains not only documentation on all killed and missing persons during recent war but also the data on suspects of war crimes, and more than 7.500 witness testimonies, 60.000 photographs, 3500 hours of video recordings. The RDC registered more than 440 detention places and concentration camps, 320 mass graveyards, 900 cases of mass murders with predominant civilian victims, The database, as the spine of the entire RDC is one of the largest ones which exist in the civil sector regarding this area of work on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The expert for the application of the scientific measurement and the director of the Human Rights Program under UN, professor doctor Patrick Ball, rates this database as the one of the biggest ones in the world considering this area of research.
The RDC hopes that the research results will contribute to the conflict prevention, peace building and democratization of the BiH society. The entire documentation is available for the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY), to the Prosecutor’s Office and Courts in BiH that RDC closely cooperates with as well as to the governmental and non-governmental organizations, scientific institutions, and individual researchers and media.
At the same time the cooperation with the ICTY and Special Chamber for War Crimes by the BiH court developed, RDC cooperated with the regional partners, Humanitarian Law Center from Belgrade and Documenta-Center for dealing with the pase from Zagreb. This cooperation started with the signing of the Memorandum on regional cooperation on April 6, 2004. and it was aimed on the exchange of the experiences and realization of the joint projects. The successful cooperation of the three centers is realized through Information System development, Trial Monitoring, Oral History methodology, establishment of the regional Forum for Truth-telling, and development of the Transitional Justice mechanisms, realization of the Women’s Clinic pilot project, training and courses which those three centers organize for students, employees, and activists from the civil society. The main goal of the Information System development on the regional level is to ensure the information flow through all three regional centers. One of the largest projects that RDC is planning to implement during next period is the Oral History project. Each of three centers will independently implement certain parts of this project which will later on be combined and elevated on the regional level.
Among the most important goals of RDC is gathering of young, educated people and creation of the opportunity for employment, obtaining knowledge and gain new experiences. The RDC is providing services, support, and education for students, Human Rights activists, scientists and researchers. It organized numerous lectures for the educational institutions and NGOs from the entire BiH. RDC also provides detailed information on research and documentation, eradication of impunity, transitional justice, war crimes, truth-telling, reconciliation, trial monitoring and oral history to the all interested parties. The work on the Library establishment that contains more than a 500 books so far is in progress. The books are in the areas of conflict prevention, transitional, justice, oral history, memories, memorials, international humanitarian law, and library also contains significant number of magazines, publications, and over 6000 pieces of the daily newspapers printed during the war.