The paradox of Bosnia

By Stjepan Balog, 6 June 1997

There is this prevalent notion in the “West” that a national election can cure “whatever ails a country.” A sort of a chicken soup of politics. Not necessarily. If a state has a well developed democracy and a more or less either a very homogeneous population, or as is the case of U.S., where a solid majority of the population is integrated, with a well developed sense of unity and national identity, then an election can bring positive results. However, in some situations an election could be a prelude to the disintegration of a country.

Bosnia is actually a perfect example where an election will not only signify the disintegration of the country, but it will actually confirm and legalize that disintegration (because of the rules imposed in Dayton). Yet in the eyes of the Western leaders, the election is a godsend cure-all. Since the goal of the Serbs is to annex their ethnically cleansed half of Bosnia to their Serbian “fatherland,” and Croatia would then feel justified to do the same with their portion of Bosnia, the coming elections, scheduled for this fall will in fact confirm the worst fears that Bosnias, especially the Muslims could possibly have. It will be the birth of a divided, segregated state, created on religious lines, with the American government serving as the “midwife.”

The voting in Bosnia now, without some major changes, will actual have just the opposite result from what is perceived in the “West.” The point is that the largest of the Bosnian ethnic and religious groups, the Muslims will be restricted to an area less that 25% of Bosnia where they can vote.

The Serbs will never allow the Muslims to return to their own villages and cast their ballots, which means that after this elections, who ever “won” in a particular area will stay in permanent control of it.

The Serbs have in fact introduced their version of the “Jim Crow” laws, but with a twist. Instead of just denying the Muslims their right to vote, the Serbs simply killed and drove out of Bosnia all those Bosnians that might pose a threat at the ballot box. As badly though out and ambiguous as the Dayton agreement was, if at least it was enforced, then the Bosnians (Muslims) could have returned to their homes and with their vote confirm their existence on all the parts and territories of Bosnia. As it stands now, every vote cast will only further confirm that ethnic crime and crime against humanity does pay.

It will also confirm that the “world” does have a short memory (never again ????), because it first stood by and did nothing while the Genocide went on, and now this same “world” is ready to legalize the crimes committed. The Serbs have in fact won, actually, they have reached their goals, but only thanks to the stupidity and / or naivet=82 of the U.N..

Westerners don’t know (or care) that today's Serbia controls more territory than ever before in their history, simply due to the ethnic cleansing and genocide that they committed (which will now be confirmed with the upcoming vote).

To those who have trouble understanding the concept of an election (such as the upcoming Bosnian) being harmful, actually doing much more evil than good, picture the U.S. “ethnically cleansing” (driving out of the country or killing) all of the democrats (or Republicans), and then the winning side holding an election while the other party is out of the country or dead. Just how fair could those elections be.

Unfortunately, it is not just the “West” that favors the Bosnian elections as a way of legalizing its division, it is also the Bosnian government that has shown very poor judgment in allowing the situation to get this far.

First the Bosnian leadership was caught off guard when the Serbs started committing their version of Genocide and “ethnic cleansing” against the Muslims and Catholics. They (the Bosnian Government) didn’t, or couldn’t react properly, which in itself speaks of incompetence, or maybe even treason.

The Bosnian leadership's quick agreement with whatever proposal furthered the Serbian cause of dividing Bosnia, including the Dayton agreement, (which should have never been signed) could be interpreted as suspicious to say the least, or even treasonous, as stated by some Bosnian patriotic groups. The point is, in addition to what the West has done over the last five years to secure for the Serbs a large portion of Bosnia and in fact contributing to its disintegration, the Bosnian Government has done nothing to help and save its own country and people either.

Their (Bosnian Government) reluctance to call off the elections confirms that the end of even a dream of a unified Bosnian state is near, and that President Izetbegovic has either accepted the division of Bosnia, or is actually encouraging it. Muslims of Bosnia will become another nation of homeless people, sort of like the Kurds. After these elections, the very most that the Bosnian people can expect is a small enclave, surrounded by those wanting to totally and permanently destroy it, while its existence will be tied to, and permanently dependent on international help (Welfare).