Bosnia: Serb leader criticized for spreading “hate against Muslims”

Sarajevo, 20 Dec. (AKI) - Spiritual leader of Bosnian Muslims Reiss Ul-Ulema Mustafa Ceric on Tuesday accused Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik of “spreading intolerance and hate against Muslims and Islamic values”.

In a letter to the ambassador of several Islamic countries to Sarajevo, Ceric demanded that Dodik “and his protectors and mentors in Belgrade” be proclaimed “persona non grata” in their countries.

Dodik, president of Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska, has criticized in his recent statements Bosnian Muslim leaders for allegedly trying to subjugate the other two ethnic groups, Serbs and Croats.

Dodik said Bosnia was a “political monster” which will sooner or later fall apart. He also called for abolition of federal television public service, accusing it of serving only interests of majority Muslims and politicians in Sarajevo.

Ceric said Dodik’s inflammatory statements may “result in new genocide”, referring to crimes committed during Bosnia’s 1992-1005 war. The International Court of Justice has ruled that Bosnian Serb forces committed genocide against Muslims in the war that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.

Ceric said Islamic countries had the obligation to “protect Islam and Islamic values” in Bosnia from insults and clearly state that the perpetrators are not “welcome as their partners”.

In a related development, an international journalists’ organization, based in Vienna, said it was “extremely worried” about Dodik’s statements. The Southeast Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) said in a statement Dodik’s call for abolition of federal public service was a “direct attack on media freedoms”.

SEEMO said “Bosnia-Herzegovina needs public service for the whole country”. But Dodik said it was a “monster that lives in Sarajevo” and citizens of Republika Srpska shouldn’t pay for it.