Autor: B.net

Filip Vujanovic, President of the Republic of Montenegro
Igor Luksic, Prime Minister
Ranko Krivokapic, President of the Parliament
Orhan Sahmanovic, Mayor of Plav Municipality
Srdjan Darmanovic, Ambassador of Montenegro in the U.S.
Selim Lika, Consul of Montenegro in New York


New York, 13 October 2012th

Dear Sirs,
Committee to commemorate the victims of genocide in Plav and Gusinje, Islamic Center of Monticello (NY), Bosnian Islamic Cultural Center (NY), The Bosniak-American Community Center of New Jerssey, Bosniak Cultural Community in the United States, The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada, Bosnjaci.Net, Bosniaks Association, Representative of Bosniaks from Sandzak in New York, Bosniak Associations "Minber", and everybody else who gathered at a memorial service for one hundred years since the genocide commited by Montenegrians towards Bosniaks and Albenians in the muncipialities of Plav and Gusinje. Commemoration had taken place in New York, headquarters of the United Nations, where descendants of genocide survivors made the covenant for remembering and collective memory in the name of truth and justice on genocide for those victims, sending a message to the world in the form of adopted declaration.

DECLARATION
First: The State of Montenegro has historically and during different periods committed crimes against Bosniaks and Albanians, and therefore violated the international humanitarian law which protects ethnic or religious group, as such;

Second: There are historical, scientific, irrefutable proof of existence of clearly identifiable elements of the crime of genocide, as it is defined and established by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and executed with the intent to fully or partially eliminate the Bosniaks and Albanians in Montenegro;

Third: In addition to subjective elements of genocide, there is convincing evidence of scientific research on the implementation of the objective elements of genocide against innocent Bosniaks and Albanians, because of their national, ethnic and religious differences from others in Montenegro ;

Fourth: This is a clear crime of the state of Montenegro with the aim of intimidating and deleting historic memory of the existence of Bosniaks and Albanians dustry backed by the government of Montenegro with it’s state apparatus;

Fifth: Unfortunately, the government of Montenegro, still did not eliminate all injustices against Bosniaks during the agression on Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rulers in Montenegro are guilty of crimes against Bosniaks, such as crimes of deportation of refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the arrests of reputable people in Sandzak area and especially for direct participation in the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina and genocide against Bosnians. For this, finally someone has to be brought to justice and the law of lustration has to be implemented;

Sixth: We demand from the institutions of the Republic of Montenegro, especially from it’s Parliament, to adopt a resolution that would recognize the crimes of genocide against Bosniaks and Albanians in the muncipalities of Plav and Gusinje; repudiating the state and military authorities, led by King Nichola as the initiator of genocide against Bosniaks and Albanians in 1912 - 1913, and repudiating all the priests of the Orthodox Church who participated in the crime of forced mass conversions of Muslims to Orthodox Christanity. At the same time we are seeking public apology for commited crime of genocide and compensation for the descendants of the victims of the alleged crimes;

Seventh: Our demand to the government of the Republic of Montenegro is that it’s parliament decides to set aside part of the state budget and with the help of the descendants of the victims of genocide and mutual cooperation, provides nessesary funds for Memorial Center to be build, where the victimes would finally after hundrad years find the peace the tribute to all the innocent civilian victims of the genocide. We also demand from local authorities in the municipality of Plav to provide space for the construction of Memorial Center;

Eighth: The current state symbols offend the victims of genocide in Plav and Gusinje because under these symbols Bosniaks and Albanians were killed and forcibly converted to Orthodox Christianity in 1912 - 1913. These state symbols are an affront to descendants of victims of the genocide who have been waiting for the day when the authorities will make sure that all of the citizens of Montenegro are equaly represented with it’s symbols, therefore we are demanding for urgent initiative for procedures in state institutions for change of the existing state symbols;

Ninth: We ask that the Montenegrin authorities finally stop looking for suitable staff in the Bosniaks and Albanian diaspora. Only an open dialogue with the honorable and respectable immigrants Bosniaks and Albanians can contribute to mutual cooperation, but only after meeting the requirements of this declaration and a resolution in the Parliament of Montenegro;

Tenth: We are also demanding from the state and local governments to create new jobs in the communities where Bosniaks and Albanians live to prevent further migration;

Eleventh: We urge the Montenegrian authorities to transparently open the question of cultural and autonomous region of Sandzak. We believe that this important issue should be addressed in the institutions of the country. That they are bound by the referendum document signed between the ruling coalition partners and DPS BS. If the Montenegrin authorities have not and do not open this question we will ask the UN, the EU, the U.S. and Canada to jointly launch this important issue as an integral part of human rights and freedom of Bosniaks and Albanians.

Please indicate in the next 90 days of acceptance of the declaration and respond to an e-mail genocid.plavgusinje@yahoo.com, what action have you taken in meeting the requirements set out in the declaration.


The signatories of the declaration:


Ago Redzic, the Committee for the Commemoration

Ismet Pjetrovic, BKZ NY;

Esad Krcic, Bosniaks.Net;

Ago Kolenovic, the Islamic Center Monticello (NY);

Emir Ramic, director of the Institute for Research of Genocide – Canada

Dr. Mersim Ziljkić, coordinator of the Committee for the construction of “Sehidska mosque”;

Zenel Haxhaj, an Albenian representative;

Avdo Metjahić, Association of Bosniaks of Albany

Smajlije Srdanović, Representative of Sandzak region in New York

Ifet Seferovic, Bosniaks Islamic Cultural Center in astoria NY;

Nevzad Kurtagić, the Bosniak-American Center of New Jerssey

Nevzet Purišić, Chairman of the Board, "Behar" Netherlands

Esmir Bektešević, Bosniak Associations 'Minber';

Šefkija Radoncic, Dipl. mas. engineer.

Shpand Haxhay, MP

Muharem Purišić

Muzafer Radoncic