BOSNIA - DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST VIOLENT CRIME

UNCLAS SARAJEVO 000290 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM KCRM BK SUBJECT: BOSNIA - DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST VIOLENT CRIME Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) The February 5 murder of a youth by other juveniles on a Sarajevo tram has focused popular attention on the perception of a growing problem with violent juvenile crime in Bosnia. The murder follows on the heels of other high profile crimes committed by minors including the deliberate immolation of an elderly Serb woman by Roma juveniles. An apparently spontaneous demonstration of Sarajevo residence took place on February 9, demanding that Canton authorities take action to address the problem of youth violence. Protests continued on February 13 demanding the resignations of the Sarajevo Mayor and Canton Prime Minister. This marks the first large scale civic action in Sarajevo recent memory and took place without organization by a political party. Some Serb and Croat political leaders have cynically attempted to characterize the attacks as ethnically based in order to demonstrate that minorities are still vulnerable in Sarajevo. To date these assertions have not resonated with the general public, which has instead focused on the rule of law and the inadequacies of the juvenile justice system. End Summary. Mrnjavac Murder -------------- ¶2. (U) On February 5 seventeen-year-old Sarajevo citizen Denis Mrnjavac was murdered on a full tram during the evening commute. In a seemingly unprovoked attack Mrnjavac was beaten and stabbed by three high school students. The third violent crime in Sarajevo over the past two months perpetrated by minors, Mrnjavac,s death has sparked widespread outrage and frustration over juvenile crime, lax juvenile criminal statutes and the lack of juvenile detention facilities. Cantonal and municipal authorities, as well as the judiciary, have faced harsh media criticism for their failure to adequately react to, and prevent, what the public perceives as a rise in juvenile crime. Sarajevo Protests -------------- ¶3. (U) On Saturday February 9, thousands of citizens gathered in downtown Sarajevo to protest the murder of Mrnjavac, and the inadequacies of the juvenile court system. The demonstration, which developed relatively spontaneously, came in response to calls by a radio station and several local NGOs, to sign a petition demanding that the Sarajevo Canton Government respond to juvenile delinquency. The petition evolved into a peaceful march, which press reports estimated at a few thousand participants, stopping traffic as it headed to the buildings of the Sarajevo Cantonal Prosecutor's Office, the Cantonal Court, the Cantonal Government building, and the Federation Presidency. ¶4. (U) The protest happened in conjunction with an extraordinary session of the Sarajevo Cantonal Assembly, during which the cantonal Ministry of Interior officials discussed recent high profile crimes involving the youth population. Additional protests took place February 13, in which demonstrators reportedly demanded the resignations of the Sarajevo Mayor and Sarajevo Canton Prime Minister, because of their lack of initiative regarding crime prevention. In an action that has generated widespread popular derision, state House of Representatives delegates voted for an early adjournment of the February 13 parliamentary session in order to join the protests against the Canton and municipal governments. ¶5. (U) The Federation Criminal Code currently contains no separate provisions for juvenile offenders, in effect exempting minors under sixteen from prosecution and imprisonment. There are also no entity and state juvenile detention facilities. Demonstrations emphasized these inadequacies and demanded the amendment of the criminal code, the establishment of a special prosecution system for minors, and the construction of a juvenile correction facility. Political Reactions -------------- ¶6. (U) Reactions to the protests by political leaders have been mixed. Federation Vice-President Mirsad Kebo (SDA), Presidency Chair Zeljko Komsic (SDP) and Sarajevo Cantonal Assembly Speaker Denis Zvizdic (SDA) took part in the rallies. Zvizdic stated that the Cantonal Assembly will initiate an amendment to current legislation demanding the establishment of a special department for juvenile crimes within the cantonal Prosecutor's Office. Federation House of Peoples Croat Caucus MP Lidija Bradara (HDZ) proposed that the Federation Parliament vote on a resolution that refers to the consequent actions in case of violence among hildren and youth, while also supporting the estblishment of a Prosecutor's Office for Juveniles nd other institutions that would aid in the re-scialization of convicted minors. Sarajevo Mayor Semiha Borovac claimed to have no legal authority over municipal security matters, and to be unable to address the protesters grievances. Ethnic Interests Attempt to Capitalize -------------- ¶7. (U) Certain media outlets have attempted to portray recent juvenile crimes in ethnic terms. Croat outlets such as Nova TV have suggested that Mrnjavac, who was the son of a Croat woman, was attacked because of his ethnicity. The January 22 murder of 72-year old Sarajevo Serb Ljubica Spasojevic by a group of Roma minors similarly elicited a statement by SNSD party headquarters that the attack demonstrates that Serbs are not safe in Sarajevo. To date, these unfortunate attempts to politicize the murders have not resonated with the general public, which has instead channeled its frustration towards government officials. The protests in Sarajevo have been multi-ethnic and pan-generational. Comment -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The protests are significant as an unusual manifestation of public demands for the accountability of government officials. The spontaneity of the demonstrations is also notable, as is the fact that they were not directed by, or used to advance, the agendas of political parties. These factors suggest that the protests are the expression of a groundswell of public frustration with law and order issues, and build upon a general perception of deterioration in basic services in Sarajevo. Similar popular frustration erupted earlier this year in relation to Sarajevo,s organized crime problems, which resulted in a large-scale roundup of mafia bosses. It is encouraging that most citizens, in the Federation at least, have rejected attempts to link the incidents to ethnic motives. We do not anticipate that the protests will grow significantly or spill over into other areas, but recent developments suggest that the Sarajevo electorate is growing less willing to accept substandard governance. End Comment. ENGLISH