The Appeal of the International Expert Team of the Institute for Research of Genocide, Canada regarding the Worldwide White Armband Day

{The appeal was sent to more than one hundred addresses, individual and collective, political, academic and legal authorities in the world}

I

We support the Worldwide White Armband Day to commemorate the genocide that took place in Prijedor when the self-proclaimed Republika Srpska applied the very same method used by the Nazis, who forced Jews to wear armbands and stars.

II

While joining and supporting this petition, which seeks the construction of a monument dedicated to the102 innocent boys and girls who were killed in the genocide of Prijedor –we demand that Prijedor’s local authority promptly considers and agrees to the construction of such a monument to all children killed in the Prijedor genocide – and which is an initiative instigated by parents of those very children. Specifically, we invite Bosniak members from the Assembly of the town of Prijedor to use their councilor's, but also human and moral right and request inclusion on the agenda for the construction of a monument dedicated to children killed in the genocide in Prijedor.

III

Surviving victims and witnesses of that aggressive genocide in Prijedor consider the need to plead for this right to be humiliating.

IV

Their humane requirement to publicly remember their suffering is a part of a gradual, but dignified process of reconciliation. The construction of a suitable monument will allow and assist the commemoration of the cruel deaths of their family members, friends, and fellow citizens.

V

During those years of aggression and genocide in Prijedor thousands of the city’s Bosniak and Croat inhabitants, including women and children, were murdered. Thousands more were tortured in concentration and death camps; several hundred women and girls were raped; tens of thousands of the lawful inhabitants of the city were forced from their homes; while the city’s cultural and sacral buildings and artifacts were purposely destroyed as yet another dimension of the extermination campaign against the region’s legitimate Bosniak and Croat inhabitants.

VI

On the 31st of May, friends of truth and justice, will again wear white armbands in memory of the brutal murder, torture and deportation of Bosniaks from Prijedor. A time when Prijedor’s Bosnian Serb authority issued orders via local radio broadcasts that all non-Serbian population were to identify their houses with white sheets or flags. They were also instructed that whenever they left their houses - for any reason - they were to prominently display (wear) a white armband. That was the beginning of a campaign of extermination that included mass executions, rape, the establishment of concentration camps and the commitment of a myriad other crimes. The final outcome of such bestial behaviour was the removal – by any means - of 94 percent of Bosniaks and Croats from the Municipality of Prijedor.

VII

That was the first time since the 1939 Nazi proclamations which demanded all Polish Jews wear yellow armbands, including a blue Star of David on their sleeves. That symbol – at that time - identified membership of a particular ethnic/religious group that was to be exterminated.

VIII

We would remind the international public that the genocide and other forms of crimes against humanity and international law, within the Prijedor Municipality, lasted continuously from 1992-1995 and killed 102 children, 256 women, a total of 3,173 civilians, 31,000 people were detained in the death camps, 53.000 people are victims of persecution and deportation. In just three months 94 percent of Bosniaks. In Prijedor, Bosniaks and Croats were eradicated via a mass genocide, culturicide, ecocide, ethnocide, urbicide, eliticide, deliberate, organized mass murders, deportation, and rape.

IX

We therefore call upon all friends of truth and justice in the world to mark the International Day of White Armbands in Prijedor, on May 31st 2015. The wearing of white armbands not only symbolises the remembrance of the persecution, but also recognises the ongoing struggle against fascism - not yet defeated in Prijedor and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

X

Twenty years after the horrific crimes referred to herein, discrimination and crude violations of human rights and basic freedoms continue to be perpetrated against the city’s remaining Bosniak and Croat inhabitants. Different methods are used to continue the policies of aggression and genocide. Bosniak and Croat communities are deliberately and systematically being prevented from returning to their homes and reviving their legitimate, lawful presence in the municipality. Returnees are prevented from attaining their pre-war careers, positions, and property. The Municipality invests minimally, when at all in renovating/replacing/reviving those parts of the municipality that were targeted and purposely destroyed.

XI

We call on all international political, academic, legal entities worldwide, who believe and function within systems of truth and justice; together with all who struggle for human rights and freedom - to help Prijedor’s parents to finally build a monument worthy of 102 innocent boys and girls who lost their lives to fascist genocide in Prijedor. Petition for construction of the monument was given last year, however, the city council in has not voted on the initiative of this monument. We protest against this uncivilized conduct of Prijedor political establishment, led by Mayor Marko Pavic, who continues to dehumanise the survivors of that genocide.

XII

We ask the world's leaders and the most important international political, academic and judicial organizations to assist in resolving this emergency, through additional efforts to seek the unconditional compliance with this just struggle of Prijedor’s surviving victims and witnesses of aggression and genocide; for memory; truth and justice - without which there will be no reconciliation or happier common future in Prijedor and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Signatories:

Prof. Emir Ramić, Chairman of the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada

Prof. dr. Francis Boyle, University of Illinois, General Agent for the Republic of BiH before the International Court of Justice

Prof. dr. David Pettigrew, Southern Connecticut State University

Prof. dr. Marko Attila Hoare, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Kingston University, London

Florence Hartman, French journalist and author, Former spokeswoman at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

Roger M. Richards, Filmmaker, Photographer, Author

Catrine Von Dinklage, Universal Peace Federation

Robert Leonard Rope, Independent Journalist

Prof. dr. Janja Beč Neumann, University Hamburg, Sarajevo, Dubrovnik, Bologna, Sociologist, Researcher of war crimes and genocide

Master Husein ef. Kavazović, The Grand Mufti of BiH

Academic Prof. dr. Smail Čekić, University of Sarajevo

Academic, Prof. dr. Ejup Ganić founder and chancellor of Sarajevo School of Science and Technology

Isnam Taljić, Writer

Avdo Huseinović, Author

Dr. Mustafa Cerić, former reis-ul-ulema of BiH and currently president of the World Bosniak Congress

Master Hamdija Čustović, President of CNAB

Professor Semir Djulic, Atlanta, USA

Muhamed Velić, Imam

Prof. dr. Rasim Muratović, University of Sarajevo, Director of the Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law

Prof. dr. Franjo Topić the Head of Sarajevo's (Catholic) Croatian Culltural Association "Napredak

Prof. dr. Sead Berberović, Universiy of Zagreb

Prof. dr. Kasim Trnka. University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Edina Bećirević, University of Sarajevo

Academic Prof. dr. Ferid Muhić, University of Skopje

Prof. dr. Tarik Zaimović, University of Sarajevo

Academic Prof. dr. Esad Duraković, University Sarajevo

Academic Prof. dr. Omer Ibrahimagić, University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Muris Osmanagić, University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Ismet Dizdarević, University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Fikret Bečirović, University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Muriz Spahić, University of Sarajevo, President of the Association of Geographers in BiH

Prof. dr. Senadin Lavić, University of Sarajevo, President of the Cultural Community of Bosniaks

Prof. dr. Suad Kurtčehajić, Univerity of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Ibrahim Kajan, University of Mostar

Ambassador, dr. Nedim Makarević

Ambassador, dr. Sabit Subasic

Prof. dr. Selma Rizvić, University of Tuzla

Prof. dr. Zemir Sinanović, University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Enver Halilović, University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Sakib Softić, University of Sarajevo, General Agent for of BiH before the International Court of Justice

Prof. dr. Džemal Najetović, University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Mujo Begić, University of Sarajevo

Prof. dr. Senada Delić, Ottawa University, Canada

Dr. Zijad Delić, Otawa, Canada

Dr. Emina Kujundzic, Sarajevo, BiH

Prof. dr. Hariz Halilović, Senior Lecturer in Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Office of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Monash University, Victoria, Australia

Dr. Haris Alibašić, Associate professor at universities in Grand Rapids

Dr. Nedzad Grabus, Mufti of Slovenia

Prof. dr. Aras Konhodzic, Temple University, USA

Master Hamdija Čustović, President of CNAB

Professor Semir Djulic, Atlanta, USA

Amir Ahmić, Bosnian liaison officer with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

Master Fatmir Alispahić, Writer, publicist, writer

Master Sanja Drnovšek Seferović, Chair of Bosnian American Genocide Institute and Education Center

Master Adamir Jerković, Director of the Archives of FbiH

Osman Softić, Political analyst

Master Haris Hromic, Haris Hromic is President Family Memorial Foundation, Trustee of Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs

Master Marjan Hajnel, Philosopher, author, humanist, Israel

Jusuf Trbić, Author

Mirela Kukan, Journalist

Kenan Trebinčević, Author

Senahid Trebinčević, Author

Eldin Trebinčević, Autor

Elvir Klempić, International Affairs Professional

Adil Kulenović, President of Krug99

Emir Zlatar, The Secretary General of the Council of Bosniak Intellectuals

Aziz Tafro, Author

Muhamed Fazlagić – Fazla, Author

Meša Pargan, Writer, publicist, writer

Mirsad Duratović, President of the Association of Detainees Prijedor92

Bakira Hasečić, President of the Association of Women Victims of War

Munira Subašić, President of the Movement of Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa

Hasan Šehović, President of the the World Diaspora Association of BiH

Senada Softić Telalović, Council of BiH Organizations of Australia

Murat Tahirović, President of the Association of victims and witnesses of genocide

Lawyer Amor Mašović, Institute for Missing Persons

Kemal Balihodžić, Author

Adnan Bajrić, Manager

Senada Tatarević Kararić

Hava Tatarević, Lost six sons and her husband

Šukrija Meholjić, Autor

Sejfudin Tokić, BosniaK movement for equality of nations

Nedim Seferović, Lawyer

Vehid Gunić, Writter

Aziz Tafro, Author

Sanela Fejzić

Satko Mujagić. „Guardians of Omarska“

Dženana Karup Druško, Journalist

Nihad Aličković, AntiDayton Group

Senad Alicehajic, Bosnian Community Windsor, Canada

Nasko Budimlić