The Kaluđerski laz case represents a paradigmatic example of institutional weaknesses in the processing of war crimes and shows how incomplete transitional justice is in Montenegro, as assessed at an educational webinar organized by the Center for Civic Education (CCE).
CCE announced that the lecturer at the educational webinar was a lawyer and executive director of the Montenegrin Committee of Lawyers for the Protection of Human Rights, Velija Murić.
He said that it is important to talk about the crime of "Kaluđerski laz" today, because facing the past is the foundation of building a democratic and just society.
Explaining that the crime was committed in 1999 in the Rožaje area, he stated that it symbolizes the suffering of civilians during the war in Kosovo and raises the question of the responsibility of state structures from that period.
"Civilians who were trying to escape the war suffered, which gives this case additional weight," said Murić.
He said that the court proceedings ended without final convictions, which deepened the sense of injustice and impunity.
"In that sense, this case represents a paradigmatic example of institutional weaknesses in the processing of war crimes and shows how incomplete transitional justice is in Montenegro," said Murić.
The statement states that the specificity of the crime "Kaluđerski laz" is reflected in the fact that it was committed on the territory of Montenegro, at a time when Montenegro was not formally a direct war zone.
"This is a reminder that no society can build a stable future without truth, recognition and justice for the victims. Talking about the "Monk's Lie" means affirming the culture of remembrance, respect for the victims and the state's obligation to unequivocally condemn war crimes," said Murić.
It was emphasized that the judiciary has a key role in determining individual criminal responsibility and ensuring a fair trial, free from political influence and selectivity.
Institutions, as emphasized, are obliged to ensure access to archives, witness protection and transparency of proceedings, while the public has a responsibility to preserve the memory of victims and respond to attempts to deny or relativize crimes, in order to prevent crimes and revisionism.
Responding to a participant's question about the possibility of justice in repeated proceedings, Murić stated that it is not possible to initiate proceedings against those who have already been tried, but that the prosecution must seek other legal solutions.
CCE announced that he nevertheless expressed optimism, emphasizing the importance of a culture of remembrance and documenting facts.
"If judicial justice is not achieved, another kind of justice will be achieved. Aware of this, I have long since begun writing the book "Crime without Punishment - from the Balkan Wars to the Monk's Lair", which will be a mirror of the truth, based on facts. I felt an obligation to do this so that a trace remains, as some form of this other, human justice," said Murić.
CCE announced that the participants also addressed the issue of memorialization and the initiative to erect a monument to the victims of that crime, which was submitted to the municipality of Rožaje three years ago.
Murić said that he renewed that request and submitted it to the Ministry of Culture.
"After the legal deadlines were not met, the local administration brought the matter up for consideration and approved the initiative. Now it is the Ministry's turn again to give the green light for the installation of a monument at Kaluđerski laz, on the road that leads through the village to Peć," said Murić.
He added that the monument will feature the names of the victims and a message that the crime will never be repeated.
CCE said that the webinar, which brought together 20 participants, represents a practical upgrade of the NGO's manual "War Crimes of the 90s in the Judgments of the Montenegrin Judiciary", enabling a deeper analysis and discussion of court judgments available in the publication The Process of Dealing with the Past in Montenegro - the "Kaluđerski Laz" case.
They announced that the next webinar will be held on February 23rd, on the case of "Deportation", and the lecturer will be activist Tamara Milaš.
The webinar series is being implemented within the CCE project "Understanding the Past to Build Trust and Transitional Justice", through the regional program "EU Support to Trust-Building in the Western Balkans", which is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The content of this webinar is the sole responsibility of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of CCE, the EU or UNDP.
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