The "failure to fully deal" with wartime atrocities and the root causes of conflicts in the 1990s continues to have "devastating" consequences on respect for human rights, the rule of law and social cohesion" in the region of the former Yugoslavia, the Council of Europe said in a report on Thursday. Pročitaj više

“Time is pressing to achieve effective justice, reparations and truth for the victims,” Dunja Mijatovic, the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights, says in the report.

“The notable backsliding of the processes to deal with the past coincides with negative human rights trends,” she says, highlighting hate speech. That, she notes, “ultimately threatens hard-won peace.”

In her report, Mijatovic examines the unfinished trials and obligations toward dealing with the past. “War crimes prosecutions, the search for missing persons and the provision of reparations for victims have recently slowed down or stagnated mostly due to a lack of political will.”

Other crucial measures, such as the establishment of truth and reconciliation commissions, vetting of public officials, dealing with the root causes of the violent past and inclusive memorialisation have not taken place, she says.

Mijatovic also highlights the negative trends that have undermined attempts to deal with the past and gives recommendations on how to provide a new impetus to transitional justice processes to create a future in which conflict is less likely.

She stresses that the “ethnonationalist discourse” which “has regained strength” in the region, along with a rise in the denial of war crimes and glorification of war criminals, seriously impede efforts towards reconciliation and threaten peace.

Mijatović emphasises the role of media, religious leaders and public figures in spreading these “harmful narratives”, as well as their responsibility to reverse these negative trends. “Divisive and hateful narratives and actions have become a generalised political strategy, including around elections and dangerously undermine efforts to prevent the recurrence of violence.”

Underscoring the pivotal importance of regional cooperation in this context, Mijatovic urges the states in the region to revive efforts in dealing with the past towards justice and reconciliation through a victim-centred approach, and zero tolerance for the denial of genocide and the incitement of hatred against other ethnic groups.

The intergenerational dimension of dealing with the past is important and it includes youth engagement, integrated education, history teaching and human rights based memorialisation, she says.

It is crucially important to strengthen political and financial support for a strong and resilient civil society working on transitional justice, Mijatovic says. “Civil society is currently the best hope for a better future based on human rights and the rule of law.”