Bosnia and Herzegovina--Christian Persecution in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Europe: Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Report Last Updated: April 2002 Code: A-2, 3, B-2 (Click here for a code description.)
	(Click here for a list of ICC articles on Bosnia and Herzegovina.) List of Articles Last Updated: October 25, 1999

Religious Atmosphere: Approximately 46% of the population is Muslim (Bosniak), 31% is Orthodox (Serbian), and 14% is Roman Catholic (Croatian). Jews and Protestants make up a small portion of the population. Religion and ethnicity are inextricably linked and as such it is difficult to discern whether persecution is religious in nature or based on ethnic/political affiliation.

• There are violent movements within all of the three major ethnic groups, but no major religiously motivated group has been identified.

• The country is split into two entities, the Federation and the Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation is occupied mainly by the Bosniaks and Croats while the RS is occupied mainly by the Serbians.
      
• The constitution provides for the freedom of religion but in reality it is the religion of the ethnic majority that enjoys unrestricted freedom. Whichever group is in the minority in a given area is likely to be persecuted.

• Ongoing - In the Republika Srpska, the Croat Catholic minority is been harassed with the government's consent. Priests and nuns have been attacked and religious property has been desecrated.
     
• June 3, 2001 - Muslim youths harassed Catholic seminary students in front of a cathedral in Sarajevo.
  
• May 28, 2001 - A Catholic nun was physically and verbally attacked by a Muslim woman in Sarajevo.
      
• May 9, 2001 - An Orthodox cemetery in Tuzla was desecrated and the cemetery chapel was vandalized. Three Bosniak youth were arrested and charged for the crime, likely another retaliation for a Serb attack against Muslims wishing to re-build a mosque.
      
• May 8, 2001 - Two Muslims threw a hand grenade at a Serbian Orthodox Church in the town of Sanski Most. This was in retaliation for a riot in which Serbs attacked Muslims attending a ceremony to re-build a mosque in Banja Luka on May 7. 
    
• June 25, 2000 – A Catholic chapel in Zivinice was destroyed by an explosive device.
    
• March 2000 – A Catholic school in Bosniak-dominated Zenica was forced to close after it received a bomb threat. It was later reopened.
    
• December 1999 – In the Republika Srpska Catholic priests led by Archbishop Vinko Cardinal Puljic were attacked by a group of young men in an attempt to stop them from attending Mass. One man in the party was injured but the Mass took place as scheduled.
     
• July 1996--A Roman Catholic Church in the Muslim-controlled town of Bugojno was firebombed. It is believed this act was done in retaliation for the burning of a mosque in Croat-controlled Prozor.

Prisoners: There is no evidence that prisoners are being held for their Christian beliefs at this time.

• Pray for all denominations of Christians of Bosnia that they may be protected from harm and that the Christian message may be heard and received by all.
     
• Write a respectful letter to one or more of the government officials listed below. Express your continuing concern for the safety and well being of the minority Christian communities in Bosnia. Request information about what steps the government is taking to ensure their protection and freedom to practice their faith as laid out in the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights documents.
     
• Contact the elected national officials (Senators, Congressman etc.) for your area as well as the U.S. State Department and express concern for the well being of the Christians in Bosnia asking them to make an inquiry into their status.
     
• Please keep us informed of any replies or results you may receive! Contact ICC by email at ICC@persecution.org.

*We make every attempt to keep up with and reflect changes in the national government of and the current human rights situation. We appreciate your feedback if you find any discrepancies in this information. You can contact us by e-mail at: icc@persecution.org. Thanks.

POSTED:  April 4, 2002

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