Attitudes towards justice and social reconstruction in Vukovar and Mostar

Actitudes respecto a la justicia y la reconstrucción social en Vukovar y Mostar

As part of the study on Communities in Crisis: Justice, Accountability, and Social Reconstruction in Rwanda and former Yugoslavia, we interviewed sixty-five key informants in two cities that were fiercely contested during the 1991-95 war - Vukovar in Croatia and Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We created a semi-structured interview schedule that addressed several key areas that might influence attitudes towards social reconstruction or reconciliation. We asked about national background, profession, occupation, age, gender, impact of war, experience with other national groups before, during, and after the war, experience of discrimination based upon national origin, attitudes towards justice and accountability for war crimes, attitudes towards the international community and the ICTY, and stereotypes about other national groups. With regard to reconciliation, we explored how people use and understand the term, their beliefs in the possibility of national groups living together in one country, and their perceptions of the relationship of justice to reconciliation. Finally, we asked them about what measures were necessary for them to feel secure in their country.

We selected a sample that would be representative of critical and influential sectors of society - journalism (press and broadcast), professionals (lawyers, bankers, physicians, engineers), religious (Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox), non-governmental organizations, politicians from all parties, educators, artists, athletes, and agronomists. The sample was selected by chain or snowball sampling on referral from one interviewee to the next and by recommendations from NGO's that work in the area of supporting reconciliation. The sample consisted of members of each national group and represented a broad spectrum of political opinion.

Critical findings suggest that defeat brings resignation and commitment to the state, that those who see themselves as having been victims are most strongly supportive of the ICTY, that hardline nationalists do not easily change their views even in the context of disillusionment, and that there are people on all sides who desire stability and reconciliation.