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Let's make peace

This is not about relativization and forgetting, forgiveness or not, but about concrete possibilities to transform past conflicts into some of the more peaceful, stable and relaxed forms of human and social existence.

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Willi Brandt in front of the monument in Warsaw, 1970.
Willi Brandt in front of the monument in Warsaw, 1970.
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

Two models: Brant vs. Obama

One of the most impressive political gestures of the short but violent 20th century was the day Willy Brandt knelt in Warsaw and with that symbolic gesture asked for forgiveness for the horrors of the past. Words are sometimes insufficient and powerless, he will say later in his Memoirs, therefore the symbolic gesture of kneeling, in silence and dignity, seemed to him the only suitable one to express his grief and ask for forgiveness. In this way, he not only traced the future reconciliation between Germany and Poland, but also had a positive effect, especially with ostpolitik, on the much-needed relaxation of relations in bloc-divided Europe.

When, in 2016, Barack Obama, as the first American president, came to Hiroshima to commemorate such a tragic historical event, his speech, although ethically intoned, did not contain a direct apology. Real politics in war requires all kinds of decisions, Obama explained, but the speech was intoned in such a way that the current relationship between the two states, once hostile, is now an example of almost perfect cooperation, with friendly elements, if they exist at all in political relations. Also, Obama dreamed of a world without nuclear weapons in which there would be no possibility of similar moments of destruction at all. Ethical moments such as apology and asking for forgiveness are important, undeniably, but still more important, respecting the logic of political relations, is the social aspect of reconciliation that leads to calmer, more functional relations in which the conflicting past will not be an aggravating factor of cooperation. Like many things in society, this one is also partly paradoxical, namely that cooperation between, in a simplified view, the victim and the aggressor, the criminal and the innocent, is imposed almost imperatively. Although many people find such a thesis repulsive, perhaps even painful, it still seems that the creation of a political order in society requires such a relationship, perhaps less in terms of reconciliation, and more in terms of functional connection and social cohesion, which testifies to how former enemies are fundamentally directed at each other.

Humiliated and insulted

If even on the world stage it is rare and often almost impossible to find political excuses for dismal past events, it is not surprising in the least that political confrontation with the past does not, as a rule, exist in the areas of Southeast Europe. It would certainly be desirable, if not condemnation of all kinds of barbarism, then at least zero tolerance for any current political practice that has the potential to escalate into some form of socially negative behavior. We are not only referring to the inhumane crimes of the past, but also to the corruption and nepotism of the present, the exodus of young people and barren public policies, lack of perspective and apathy and everything that generates an unfavorable social climate. Dealing with the past, as it is popularly called, is not only related to further or closer events, but is most important in the context of our life here and now. The insistence on reconciliation preceded by an apology, many episodes from post-conflict societies speak in favor of it, turned out not to be part of the solution but part of the problem. Namely, if every relationship between individuals, collectives, and politicians begins with first elaborating on the past, then the present relationship will also be fundamentally determined by the legacy of war. In this sense, the insistence on rhetorical reconciliation becomes an aggravating element that constantly reminds of numerous traumatic experiences that are still painfully fresh for many. The most typical form of this is an over-intense reaction, which is unconscious for many, to even the most banal political stimulus. Like all overreactions, this one also prevents the functional and pragmatic relationships that mostly characterize social and political life.

Reconciled lives

Reconciliation is not a theoretical construct or a particularly dominant ethical category. It is more a way of life. Although the legacy of war entitles many to hate the other side, practical experiences show different tendencies, those of contact, in which ties between people, nations and states are re-established. Put simply, some spend their summers on the Adriatic, while others ski in Kopaonik, Jahorina and Vlašić. Some listen to Croatian music, while others enjoy Serbian music privately and sometimes publicly. Some enjoy lamb from Jablanica, while others prefer seafood. We also visit other people's media portals, sometimes motivated by the desire to confirm our stereotypes, and sometimes to expand our understanding. All these forms of exchange, including the economic one, are, as the principle of proximity between states dictates, at an enviable level. Tourist arrangements in all directions between neighboring countries are growing exponentially. And local communities that not so long ago looked at each other through the lens and which, in many cases, would have had the right to choose non-cooperation as a fundamental option, show positive trends of social cohesion. Namely, uniting around things that are important to people is perhaps one of the most persistent forms of joint building of society. Perhaps these are all banal examples, but in our opinion, they testify to how real life is the fastest and most creative when it comes to any form of reconciliation. This is not about relativization and forgetting, forgiveness or not, but about concrete opportunities to transform past conflicts into some of the more peaceful, stable and relaxed forms of human and social existence. And on an individual level, many who were most affected by past events found the most strength for authentic reconciliation through the fight against all negative social phenomena, which they had previously experienced dramatically on their own skin.

(oslobodjene.ba)

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