01. 04. 2016.

Urgent letter from the International Team of Experts of the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada {IGC}

To: The Office of the High Representative; the Special Representative of the European Union for B&H; the Members of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council in B&H; the Presidency of B&H; the Parliament of BiH; the Council of Ministers of BiH; the Government of the Federation of BiH; the Parliament of Federation of BiH.

It is shameful that in an era of democracy, with human rights protections and freedoms, at the center of a united Europe, Republika Srpska will celebrate the day of its creation on January 9. For all friends of truth and justice in the world, January 9 in Republika Srpska recalls nothing other than the horror of the war as well as the attempted destruction of the sovereign state of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The entity of "Republika Srpska" in Bosnia and Herzegovina was literally founded on the mass graves of Bosniaks and Croats murdered during the genocide and on the most monstrous of crimes that today's civilized human beings can only barely comprehend. Today, the representatives of the entity of "Republika Srpska," continue the idea of creating a " greater Serbia" at the expense of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Those representatives draw on the ideology of criminals who are on trial, or who have already been convicted of "war crimes" and genocide. Republika Srpska operates now as an apartheid entity within Europe, an entity in which the basic human rights and freedoms of many citizens, especially Bosniaks, are violated.

The political establishment of the entity of Republika Srpska negates the statehood of Bosnia and Herzegovina, its history, culture, tradition and language, as well its unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. We urge you to begin a process of reviewing the legality of the existence of the entity of Republika Srpska. This process can begin with reference to the ruling of the International Court of Justice, according to which the institutions of Republika Srpska, namely, the army and police, committed genocide.

The judgment of the International Court of Justice from 2007 provides one of the strongest arguments for the recognition of the aggression and genocide committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as one of the best instruments for restoring the dignity of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a European state and member of the United Nations. In this way it affirms the dignity of all its citizens as well as of the victims of aggression and genocide.

Starting from the fact that the celebration of the founding of Republika of Srpska marks, in reality, the beginning of a systematic and planned joint criminal enterprise against the government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its most numerous peoples, the Bosniaks, we would like to stress that with the continuous denial of crimes of aggression and genocide, the violation of basic human rights and freedoms of returnees, and the prohibition of memorials for the victims of aggression and genocide, the celebration of Republika of Srpska and its attendant legitimation, continues the aggression and genocide by new means, but with exactly the same purpose.

The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina ruled that the January 9 - Republika Srpska day holiday celebration is unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court found that the Law on Holidays of the Republika Srpska is not in accordance with the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is in violation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

The announcement that the government of Republika Srpska will mark "Republika Srpska day" with the prominent participation of the Prime Minister of Serbia, is a case of direct interference in the internal affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an interference that threatens the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Prime Minister's presence will be a maximally destabilizing turning point in international relations in the region and Europe. As Prime Minister of a neighboring state, Mr. Aleksandar Vučić is bound to respect the decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina according to which Republika Srpska day on January 9 is contrary to the constitutional principles of equality and of the human rights of other people (nonSerbs) who are living in Republika Srpska. Republika Srpska's lavish celebration planned for January 9, with the official participation of the Serbian government will not benefit Serbia, Republika Srpska, or the Serbian people as a whole. The Serbian Prime Minister's participation in the celebration on January 9 symbolizes the legitimization of the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The International Team of Experts from the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada urges you to immediately advise the leadership of the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska to respect the decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina according to which Republika Srpska day has been declared unconstitutional. Please inform them clearly that the entity of Republika Srpska will never be an independent Serbian state or become a part of greater Serbia on the soil of the internationally recognized state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Please inform Aleksandar Vučić of the dishonorable nature of his official presence in Banja Luka on January 9, especially after he spoke only recently of reconciliation between Bosnia and Serbia. His participation in Banja Luka on January 9 disqualifies him as a serious political leader as he seems to seek to move Republika Srpska away from Europe and to destabilize the region.

The rulings of the international courts (ICJ and ICTY) have supported Bosnia and Herzegovina with judgments of genocide and convictions of war criminals who perpetrated atrocities against the citizens of Bosnian and Herzegovina. In the name of justice we seek your support, and the support of the international community so as to insure the stability of not only Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also the region.

Sincerely,

Dr. Emir Ramić

Rob Oliphant

Prof. dr. Francis A. Boyle

Lawyer, Omar Shabbir Khan

Prof. dr. David Pettigrew

Prof. dr. Marko Attila Hoare

Prof. dr. Keith Doubt

Prof. dr. Keith Miles

Prof. dr. Steven Leonard Jacobs

Prof. dr. Matteo Bastianelli

Prof. dr. Judith Armatta

Prof. dr. John L Esposito

Tanya L. Domi

Prof. dr. Ivica Đurok

Prof. dr. Safia Soliman

Jehanne van Woerkom

Katrin Bornmüller

Robert Leonard Rope

Chris Mathieu

Carlos Robert Steiner

Abdulah Sidran

Šemsudin Mehmedović

Senad Šepić

Jusuf Pušina

Prof. dr. Milan Popović

Academic Esad Duraković

Academic Omer Ibrahimagić

Prof. dr. Sead Berberović

Prof. dr. Rasim Muratović

Prof. dr. Senadin Lavić

Prof. dr. Hariz Halilović

Prof. dr. Tarik Zaimović

Prof. dr. Salim A. Hadzic

Prof. dr. Ismet Dizdarević

Prof. dr. Ervin Sendijarevic

Prof. dr. Smail Čekić

Prof. dr. Džemal Najetović

Prof. dr. Fahira Fejzić-Čengić

Prof. dr. Fahrudin Novalić

Prof. dr. Sijana Džinić

Prof. dr. Sakib Softić

Prof. dr. Nijaz Ibrulj

Prof. dr. Selma Rizvić

Prof. dr. Bisera Suljić-Boškailo

Prof. dr. Muris Osmanagić

Prof. dr. Suad Kurtčehajić

Prof. dr. Kasim Trnka

Prof, dr. Ferid Muhić

Prof. dr. Šemso Tucaković

Prof. dr. Eli Tauber

Prof. dr. Nisveta Alispahić

Prof. dr. Haris Alibašić

Prof. dr. Ibrahim Kajan

Prof. dr. Fikret Bečirović

Prof. dr. Fahrudin Novalić

Prof. dr. Zemir Sinanović

Prof. dr. Džemaludin Latić

Prof. dr. Amir Karić,

Dr. Ahmed Pašić

Dr. Admir Mulaosmanović

Dr. Adamir Jerković

Dr. Mustafa Cerić

Dr. Ferid Kugić

Dr. Mirza Trokić

Dr. Mersim Ziljkić

Avdo Huseinović

Mr. Fatmir Alispahic

Mr. Hamdija Čustović

Mr. Osman Softić

Mr. Marjan Hajnal

Mr. Selmo Cikotić

Mr. Sanja Seferović Drnovšek

Mr. Selena Seferović

Mr. Ajša Purak

Mr. Muamer Džananović

Mr. Ante Milinović

Mr. Saliha Đuderija

Sead Omeragić

Satko Mujagić

Hako Duljević

Muhamed Fazlagić – Fazla

Prof. Semir Đulić

Eldin Elezović

Aziz Alili

Senada Softić – Telalović

Edit Agović

Prof. Suada A. Džogović

Prof. Alen Zečević

Prof. Hamdo Čamo

Prof. Meša Pargan

Nikolina Balaban

Sejfudin Tokić

Amir Ahmić

Muhamed Velić

Rezak Hukanović

Ibrahim Čikić

Mirsad Duratović

Muhamed Gafić

Anes Džunuzović

Šukrija Meholjić

Muhidin Šarić

Emledina Muftić

Armin Čusto

Safet Kadić

Bakira Hasečić

Zijad Bečirević

Sanela Fejzić

Jusuf Trbić

Salih Brkić

Fahra Salihović

Mirveta Mrkalj-Durben

Azra Durić

Džebrail Bajramović

Džafer Kulenović

Suzana Vukić

Muhamed Mahmutović

Nihad Aličković

Mugdim Galijašević

Almir Mehonić

Ibrahim Osmanbašić

Kenan Trebinčević

Cvrk Pargan Senada

Ivana Ina Mostarac

Ćerim Bajrami

Dženana Karup Druško

Mirza Šabić