Bosnia Overcomes Ancient Ethnic and Religious Divisions to Unite in Anger Against Gay Festival
Friday 29th August 2008
The former Yugoslavia has not been the most peaceful or united place since the fall of communism.
Following the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991, the Balkans were frequently torn apart by ethnic warfare as Serbs, Bosnians, Croats and other groups fought each other in various combinations throughout the next decade.
Now, however, it seems that something has finally and truly united the various ethnicities of the Balkans. Too bad it’s hatred of gays.
The event that has united the groups is Bosnia’s first ever gay festival, the Queer Sarajevo festival scheduled to open on September 24. That also happens to be during Ramadan, the holy month of the Muslim calendar.
Most ethnic Bosnians are Muslim, and the timing of the festival has caused an uproar among the population.
Dnevni Avaz, a leading Bosnian newspaper, ran a quote from Amir Zukic, of the main Bosnian Muslim party the Party of Democratic action. Zukic said: "We respect freedom and tolerance, but the festival is a kind of provocation since it is taking place during Ramadan. Bosnia is a conservative society, and I doubt that such an event would be accepted."
The sentiment was echoed by Bosnia’s religious minorities. Serbs and Croats make up approximately 31% and 17% of the population respectively. The Orthodox Serbs and Roman Catholic Croats have also denounced the festival. It’s a far cry from the 1992-1995 Bosnian war that saw the groups tear each other apart and the term “ethnic cleansing” come into modern English.
Serbian politician Rajko Vasic said, according to the Herald Sun:"It is unnatural, sick and deviant behaviour." Croat leader Ivo Tomasevic echoed the sentiments in the same paper, saying the festival was the result of “a small group of people promoting ideas which do not represent basic values."
Festival organizers plan to move ahead with the event, and denied they deliberately placed the festival during the month of Ramadan. Svetlana Djurkovic of gay rights group the Q Association said in the Times of Malta: "This is the festival of arts and culture and there are many believers in our population as well. It coincided with Ramadan unintentionally."
She added that she believed the result would not differ if the festival was held outside Ramadan, saying: "This is a traditional society in which most people still do not accept the existence of different sexualities or identities."
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Do you want to join Pinke's team of paid writers? We're looking for writers all over the world to write about the gay issues that matter all over the globe. We're particularly looking for travel writers and writers in Asia/Africa/the Middle East, but we'll consider anyone with great writing skills and an interest in the subject. Email Pinke editor Robert Knox with a writing sample for more information.
Following the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991, the Balkans were frequently torn apart by ethnic warfare as Serbs, Bosnians, Croats and other groups fought each other in various combinations throughout the next decade.
Now, however, it seems that something has finally and truly united the various ethnicities of the Balkans. Too bad it’s hatred of gays.
The event that has united the groups is Bosnia’s first ever gay festival, the Queer Sarajevo festival scheduled to open on September 24. That also happens to be during Ramadan, the holy month of the Muslim calendar.
Most ethnic Bosnians are Muslim, and the timing of the festival has caused an uproar among the population.
Dnevni Avaz, a leading Bosnian newspaper, ran a quote from Amir Zukic, of the main Bosnian Muslim party the Party of Democratic action. Zukic said: "We respect freedom and tolerance, but the festival is a kind of provocation since it is taking place during Ramadan. Bosnia is a conservative society, and I doubt that such an event would be accepted."
The sentiment was echoed by Bosnia’s religious minorities. Serbs and Croats make up approximately 31% and 17% of the population respectively. The Orthodox Serbs and Roman Catholic Croats have also denounced the festival. It’s a far cry from the 1992-1995 Bosnian war that saw the groups tear each other apart and the term “ethnic cleansing” come into modern English.
Serbian politician Rajko Vasic said, according to the Herald Sun:"It is unnatural, sick and deviant behaviour." Croat leader Ivo Tomasevic echoed the sentiments in the same paper, saying the festival was the result of “a small group of people promoting ideas which do not represent basic values."
Festival organizers plan to move ahead with the event, and denied they deliberately placed the festival during the month of Ramadan. Svetlana Djurkovic of gay rights group the Q Association said in the Times of Malta: "This is the festival of arts and culture and there are many believers in our population as well. It coincided with Ramadan unintentionally."
She added that she believed the result would not differ if the festival was held outside Ramadan, saying: "This is a traditional society in which most people still do not accept the existence of different sexualities or identities."
Related Stories:
Florida Town Rallies to Support Anti-Gay Principal
Do you want to join Pinke's team of paid writers? We're looking for writers all over the world to write about the gay issues that matter all over the globe. We're particularly looking for travel writers and writers in Asia/Africa/the Middle East, but we'll consider anyone with great writing skills and an interest in the subject. Email Pinke editor Robert Knox with a writing sample for more information.
BTW most bosnians are not religious.