Dear President of the Republic,
Dear Parliamentary Speaker,
Dear Prime Minister,
In Operation Storm, whose anniversary is celebrated today and tomorrow, hundreds of civilians were murdered, up to 200,000 of our fellow citizens were expelled, a large number of whom never returned, while thousands of people lost their property. Although active denial, minimization and manipulation with regard to these issues prevail in our society, it should be borne in mind that no society that aspires to be open and democratic is able to escape from facts.
This is the 20th anniversary of the Operation and the first one after the relevant judgment of the International Court of Justice was passed (on the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Croatia v. Serbia). It has been established in this judgment that Operation’s criminal outcomes (in particular mass expulsions) were not only something Croatian leadership was aware of, but also considered it desirable.
You as the holders of the highest-ranked positions in the Republic of Croatia and successors of that leadership have an obligation to admit to these crimes, condemn them, offer apology to victims and do everything in your powers to ensure conditions for them to exercise their right to truth and justice.
It is harmful and corrosive for the society to approach justice selectively. It is irresponsible and intolerable to build society on lies and crime.
Neither you nor our generation will be able to change the world. These crimes are a permanent stain on our collective conscience. However, be aware that every time you remain silent about these crimes, when you refuse to acknowledge victims’ suffering, when you fail to ensure preconditions for prosecuting those responsible, in a way, you participate in their continuation.
With this letter, we want to warn you that we do not give you the right to pass on the responsibility for these crimes to our generation. Thus, it is your multiple obligation to admit to these crimes, offer apology to victims and do everything you can to bring those responsible to justice.
As long as you fail to do that, every celebration of the ‘Storm’ is a celebration of the crime and an act of threatening, and every speech delivered is hate speech.
For this reason, we invite you to begin all speeches on the occasion of celebrating Operation Storm with an apology and minute of silence. You have an obligation to do it, if not in your, then in our name.
Youth Initiative for Human Rights
