Ethnic Segregation Instead of Civic Integration as an Obstacle to a Transitional Justice in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Ethnic Segregation Instead of Civic Integration as an Obstacle to a Transitional Justice in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Summary/Abstract: Transitional justice that represents a response to massive and systematic violations of human rights with the goal to promote reconciliation, peace and democracy, is today considered as an international norm that has so far been applied in many postconflict societies. However, it seems that the process never achieved its goals in Bosnia-Herzegovina. On the contrary, a political system based on ethno-territorial divisions, ethnically determined political participation and excessive prevalence of collective rights over individual rights, was created. The article states that such political framework is preserving a situation that is exactly the opposite of what the transitional justice is seeking to achieve – it reinforces ethnic segregation, distrust among people and it institutionalises human rights violations. In this respect, the recent JMBG protests are analysed. The author argues that the protests show that the political mobilisation across ethnic boundaries in Bosnia-Herzegovina is possible. Moreover, it shows that citizens first of all want to be understood as individuals that have human rights and fundamental liberties, which exist regardless of their membership in a specific ethnic community.

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