ANTIFA Mostar: Fascism in Mostar is Current Problem, Not a Thing of the Past

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After the latest neo-fascist attack on the Monument to the Victims of Fascist Terror, the symbol of Mostar and the common history of its citizens committed two nights ago, in the early morning hours of October 17, 2012, the Antifa Mostar anti-fascist organization repeated its questions to the local and national authorities, first asked one year ago, after a series of similar incidents.

Hate graffiti on the main-street monument to the victims of fascist terror in Mostar (Photo: Abrašmedia)

Antifa Mostar notes that it has warned repeatedly that neo-fascist excesses gain in intensity at politically sensitive moments, this time during the negotiations on implementation of decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH, and that intentions of such actions are clear - to incite to nationalist hatred, increase tensions, promote national homogenization, provoke reaction from the other side and, ultimately, divert the attention of the citizens from their real problems.

“The atmosphere of fear and hatred suits only those political options that promote ethno-nationalist views and ideology of “blood and land”, and there is no deficit of such people in Mostar and Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Antifa Mostar says in a public statement. Adding that the “Ustaša“ youth was not somehow imported or spontaneous.

Mostar neo-fascist thugs signed their hate graffiti (Photo: Abrašmedija)

“They, too, are local, Mostar kids who have had their heads brainwashed from early on, who were fed hatred by the institutions and the system of education, and who are used and directed by powers that be as need may dictate”, Antifa says.

Antifa Mostar repeats the questions it presented to the local authorities and administration one year ago: Who are the persons or entities that order, assist, direct, instruct and cover-up the actions of neo-fascist extremists? Who benefits from interethnic incidents and tensions? Who insists on segregated education? Who renamed the streets that now carry the names of war criminals?

With a warning that fascism in Mostar is not a thing of the past but very much alive and kicking, Antifa Mostar calls on the citizens to refuse the calls to violence, to denounce hatred and divisions, to choose the future over the past and life over death, if they want to avoid the fate of the citizens of other divided cities – Nicosia, Beirut or Belfast.

Two nights ago, unknown assailants – they signed their hate graffiti with “Ustaše Mostar“ – desecrated the Monument to the Victims of Fascist Terror in Mostars main boulevard with slogans „Balije pod nož“ (“Put Balije (derogatory term for Bosniak Muslims) under the Knife”) and „Smrt Turcima“ (Death to the Turks).