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TO THE MEDIA
Bishop's letter to the Banja Luka public media
(Prot. no: 44/92 dated 18 September 1992)
PUBLIC CONDEMNATION OF THE CRIMES
AGAINST THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF SERB NATIONALITY
I have
just heard, via the public media, of the murder of a civilian, this
time a Serb nationalist, in the hamlet of Serdari in Kotor Varoš.
It is with deep shock that I most decisively condemn this crime
as any other similar crime, no matter who the perpetrator or who
the victim, and not only in the Kotor Varoš region but wherever
such a crime is committed!
The "people" who could have committed such a wild act
have themselves shown that they are inhuman!
Anyone who commits such an atrocity, no matter who they are, cannot
hope for anything good! Sooner or later, man's justice or God's
will catch up with them!
I express my sympathies to all those mourning this death. I pray
to the Lord our God, the lover of all life, to shorten the days
of evil which have befallen us and may he show us all mercy!
I once again appeal to all those who are carrying arms, as well
as all those in positions of responsibility in Kotor Varoš, to stop
the bloodshed and constant oppression of innocent lives and to finally
begin to think that we are all losers in this unfortunate war. Only
a just and lasting peace can ensure a coexistence for us all. There
is no alternative either in Kotor Varoš or anywhere else!
TO THOSE
IN POWER, STOP THE WAR! WE ALL HEED A JUST AND LASTING PEACE!
Dr
FRANJO KOMARICA, Bishop of Banja Luka
c.c.
-TV Banja Luka
- Radio Banja Luka
-"Glas srpski" (Serbian Voice) - Banja Luka
- Secretarial of the BC B-H - Sarajevo
- Secretariat of the CBC - Zagreb
- Papal Nunciature – Belgrade
Protest
to TV Banja Luka
(Prot. no: 1032/92 dated 12 November 1992)
"WE DENOUNCE YOUR ALLEGATIONS AS JUST MALICIOUS DECEPTION"
Dear
Sirs!
It is with great surprise and regret that we heard yesterday's (11
November 1992) allegations on TV of the misuse by the Banja Luka
Diocese and its Bishop of the recent visit by journalists to our
town, namely, that we issued incorrect information regarding the
death of the parish priest from Ravska, the late Father Ivan Grgić.
We decisively denounce the said allegations as yet another evil
lie intended against the Banja Luka Diocese and its Bishop at the
head.
Claims such as these make our efforts towards peace all the more
difficult, especially in these times of calamity and suffering of
innocent people in these regions. Furthermore, it just increases
the uncertainty and evil around us.
All our well meaning fellow citizens and I ask - why are you behaving
this way and how long will it last?
We nurture the hope that your institution will come to its senses
soon and liberate itself from the fatal propaganda so that you will
finally be able to objectively relay the truth about the Catholic
Church in these regions and generally speaking in the world.
Dr
FRANJO KOMARICA, Bishop of Banja Luka
c.c.
- Radio Banja Luka
- Editorial staff of "Glas srpski" - Banja Luka
- President of the Banja Luka Town Council, P. Radić
- Ministry of Information of the RS - Pale
Denouncement
by the Bishop's Ordinaryin Banja Luka of the Current Affairs Programme
of Radio Banja Luka (Prot. no: 947/93 dated 2 April 1993)
THE INFORMATION YOU GAVE ON THE BANJA
LUKA BISHOP & PRIESTS IS QUITE FALSE!
In response
to the latest (repeated) misinformation and deception regarding
the Banja Luka Bishop and his priests, that they, allegedly, arranged
a meeting after Sunday mass with the intention of calling all the
men "to leave at the same time and depart the Krajina towards
Croatia" and in this way to create "pressure on the loyal
Croats to prepare themselves for this action", which was relayed
by some media outlets on 1 April this year, we ask, is this just
an April fool's joke?! On behalf of objectivity and truth, please
emit the following press release:
THE ABOVE
INFORMATION IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THE TRUTH!
Based
on the most reliable sources of the Catholic Church in these regions,
i.e. the Bishop's Ordinary of Banja Luka, you may and must know
that this completely inhuman and uncivilised scenario of exodus
or expulsion of the Catholic Croats and others from our home town
of Banja Luka and this entire region cannot be and never was something
which we in the Catholic Church prepared or planned, although the
same cannot be said for other ill-intentioned persons!
Our duty, however, is to value and implement the values of God's
Law regarding the worth and dignity of every human being and to
help him in the best possible way both materially and spiritually,
and treat each man as our brother "both in goodness and evil"
(2 Tim 4:2) and with that to support the respect of everyone's fundamental
human and civil rights and liberties as well as the inviolable right
to one's home and homeland!
We take the liberty, in this context, to ask you the following:
Why are the Bishop and his priests or generally members of the Catholic
Church, such a bother to some of our valued neighbours and fellow
citizens? What evil have we brought upon anyone? Who have we oppressed
and from whom have we taken away human rights and dignity? Where
have we endangered peace, coexistence and a secure future? Why and
according to whose directions and orders, are we constantly being
disgraced, blasphemed? What is it that has tainted and filled your
hearts?
If you sincerely wish lo know the truth about the Catholics and
their Church here and elsewhere, why do you not ask how we are and
what we need and then go about your "urbi et orbi"?
As Christian-faithful you must be aware of the truth of God's origins
which are contained in the Holy Gospel and by which we all should
live, "The retribution of God from heaven is being revealed
against the ungodliness and injustice of human beings who in their
injustice hold back the truth", (Rom 1:18). -"Whoever
sows injustice reaps disaster", (Prov22:8). And "the tortuous
of heart Ends no happiness" (Prov 17:20)!
BISHOP'S
ORDINARY BAN/A LUKA
c.c.
- Mr P. Radić, President of the Banja Luka Town Council
- Commander 1st Krajina Corps - Banja Luka
- Ministry of Information of the RS - Sarajevo
- Papal Nunciature - Belgrade
- Secretariat of the BC B-H - Sarajevo
- Secretariat of the CBC - Zagreb
Denouncement
by the Bishop's Ordinary forwarded to the daily newspaper of the
RS "Glas srpski" (The Serbian Voice)
Banja Luka (Prot. no: 948/93 dated 3 April 1993)
HOW LONG WILL YOU CONTINUE PUBLISHING
YOUR UNDERHAND DECEPTIONS ABOUT OUR BISHOP?
In your
edition numbered 6938 dated 2 April 1993, the pen of our well known
MM. has written further false information and underhand lies regarding
the Bishop of Banja Luka and his priests. Apparently they organised
a meeting after Sunday mass "with the men and agreed to all
leave at once and depart the Krajina and head towards Croatia"
creating "their own form of pressure on the loyal Croats to
prepare themselves for this action".
The climax of incorrectness and self intention to deceive our public
is the claim, that (!) "even at the main mass in Banja Luka,
which was attended by (sic!) Mr Komarica" there was apparently
"discussions with the men in regard to realising the said plan".
This is apparently information gathered from "reliable sources".
It is the right of everyone to point out someone's ignorance about
something or someone (in this case the presentation of our mass
in Catholic Churches).
However, to be able to spread such obvious lies to the public about
our holy services, and which every Catholic Croat recognises as
lies, is beyond the comprehension of any decent human being and
deserves the sharpest punishment in any just state!
With regard to the said claims by your correspondent, I ask that
you inform the public of the truth of this entire matter and publish
the following:
These claims, like many before them, are entirely the opposite of
the truth! There were no meetings held regarding the re-settlement
of Catholics, not now nor ever and especially not in the Catholic
churches in this diocese!
Based on the most reliable sources of the Catholic Church in these
regions, i.e. the Bishop's Ordinary of Banja Luka, you may and must
know that this completely inhuman and uncivilised scenario of exodus
or expulsion of the Catholic Croats and others from our home town
of Banja Luka and this entire region cannot be and never was something
which we in the Catholic Church prepared or planned, although the
same cannot be said for other ill-intentioned persons!
Our duty, however, is to value and implement the values of God's
Law regarding the worth and dignity of every human being and to
help him in the best possible way both materially and spiritually,
and treat each man as our brother "both in goodness and evil"
(2 Tim 4:2) and with that to support the respect of everyone's fundamental
human and civil rights and liberties as well as the inviolable right
to one's home and homeland!
We take
the liberty, in this context, to ask you the following:
Why are the Bishop and his priests or generally members of the Catholic
Church, such a bother to some of our valued neighbours and fellow
citizens? What evil have we brought upon anyone? Who have we oppressed
and from whom have we taken away human rights and dignity? Where
have we endangered peace, coexistence and a secure future? Why and
according to whose directions and orders, are we constantly being
disgraced, blasphemed? What is it that has tainted and filled your
hearts?
If you sincerely wish to know the truth about the Catholics and
their Church here and elsewhere, why do you not ask how we are and
what we need and then go about your "urbi et orbi"?
As Christian-faithful you must be aware of the truth of God's origins
which are contained in the Holy Gospel and by which we all should
live, "The retribution of God from heaven is being revealed
against the ungodliness and injustice of human beings who in their
injustice hold back the truth", (Rom 1:18). - "Whoever
sows injustice reaps disaster", (Prov 22:8).
With respects,
BISHOP'S
ORDINARY BANJA LUKA
c.c.
- Mr P. Radić, President of the Banja Luka Town Council
- Commander 1st Krajina Corps - Banja Luka
- Ministry of Information of the RS - Sarajevo (Pale)
- Papal Nunciature - Belgrade
- Secretariat of the EC B-H - Sarajevo
- Secretariat of the CBC - Zagreb
Denouncement
by the Bishop's Ordinary to "Glas srpski" of Banja Luka
(Prot. no: 306/95 dated 6 May 1995)
NEWS AGENCY SRNA OF THE RS RINGING WITH FALSITIES!
In today's
issue of your newspaper "Glas Srpski" (Serbian Voice)
- (no: 7639 dated 6 & 7 May 1995), there are two SRNA news stories
published which, to put it mildly, are infested with false information
and fabrications which we wish to denounce for the sake of objective
information. We ask that you publish this denouncement in your next
issue. Let us start from the beginning:
I The news item printed on page 2 under the title "Ministry
of Religion in the Government of the Serbian Republic - Bishop not
arrested":
1. In
the letter by the Banja Luka Bishop, Msgr Franjo Komarica to the
Ministry of Religion, ref. no: 303/95 dated 5 May this year, it
does not ask anywhere for "an explanation of the disappearance
of 16 nuns from Nova Topola". In the letter it is noted that
the nuns from these two ancient convents were forcefully abducted.
The number of nuns is not mentioned anywhere!
2. Later
in the story it is stated that "in the same message, Bishop
Komarica cites that he "personally, constantly and most recently,
has undertaken all measures available to him to protect the unprotected
Serbian-Orthodox population in the region of western Slavonia..."
the issue is not of the same message but one of a number of appeals
by the Banja Luka Diocese which I have made most recently, namely
correspondence numbered: 299/95 and dated 4 May 1995, sent to the
international humanitarian organisations UNHCR and the 1CRC, as
well as other sources of the media in which, amongst other things,
I stated and requested "protection for every oppressed person
regardless of which religious or national grouping he belonged to!"
3. SRNA
notes the following statement issued by Minister Davidović: "We
informed the Bishop that the nuns were transported to the Republic
of Croatia at their own request. News agencies have advised that
upon their arrival in Zagreb, the nuns stated that Bishop Komarica
had been arrested, which is not true, and they could not have had
knowledge of any such information".
This Bishop's Ordinary has not even to this date received any information
from the Ministry of Religion that the nuns had submitted such a
request, i.e. to be transported to Croatia, neither verbally nor
in writing. Nor were we advised that such a thing would happen to
them.
As far as we are aware, news of the arrest of Bishop Komarica was
first released on the air by the Serbian Republic of Krajina news
agency ISKRA, long before the nuns could have arrived in Zagreb.
4. "I
expect that Bishop Komarica will continue to appeal to the Croatian
government to prevent the genocide against Serbs in western Slavonia"
said Minister of Religion, D. Davidović according to SRNA and he
"confirmed that the government of the RS will, as it has till
now, do everything to ensure full protection for the Roman-Catholic
priests and faithful".
During this war on a countless number of occasions, Bishop Franjo
raised his voice for the protection of "every oppressed man,
regardless of which religious or national group he belonged to".
However, his pleas were most often "a voice lost in the desert".
Despite that he continued, based on his obligation to Christ's Gospel
which he is compelled to preach, to raise his voice in protection
of "every human life, regardless of whom it may be". Attached
are the latest replies sent by Zagreb's Archbishop Cardinal Franjo
Kuharić and Croatia's President Franjo Tuđman forwarded to Bishop
Komarica and his appeals for the protection of the Serbian populace
in Croatia.
We justly expect the RS government to do everything to protect the
Roman Catholic priests and faithful in the territory of the RS.
The domestic and world public is aware and so should the SRNA agency
be, that the majority of the Roman Catholic Banja Luka Diocese during
this entire unfortunate war have behaved exceptionally peacefully,
prepared to suffer evil rather than to inflict it upon anyone! Unfortunately,
the undeniably violent abduction of our nuns from their ancient
convents in Bosanski Aleksandrovac and Nova Topola indicate something
totally opposite to Minister Davidović's claims.
5. SRNA
cites "also in a SRNA story that the head of the Office of
the Bishop's Ordinary in Banja Luka denounced news of Bishop Komarica's
kidnapping..."
SRNA journalists have to date not contacted the Office of the Bishop's
Ordinary, so the head could not possible have given such a statement!
They who have sent false information into the world should be responsible
for denouncing it and not the "head of the Office of the Bishop's
Ordinary"!
II A
news item also printed on page 2 and titled -."Denouncements
from the Bishop's Ordinary -Komarica is alive, well and secure ".
1. As
said above, the head of the Office of the Bishop's Ordinary has
not denounced anything as yet, as he was not asked anything by the
SRNA agency.
2. In
the same story it is noted that the President of the Town Council
for Banja Luka, Predrag Radić stated that the "civil and military
authorities will not allow anyone to disturb the legal system, and
certainly not to take as hostages any religious officials no matter
which confession."
While I am grateful to the president for these clearly defined words,
I expect the appropriate local government representatives in other
regions as well to take such a clear stance and follow through in
reality!
Respectfully yours!
BISHOP'S
ORDINARY BANJA LUKA
Mr. IVICA BOZINOVIĆ, Chancellor Bishop's Ordinary
Enclosures
(2)
Public
statement by the Bishop's Ordinary Banja Luka in reply to a "STATEMENT"
issued by the Serbian Refugee Assoc. from the former Yugoslav republic
of Croatia, issued in Banja Luka 25 May 1995
(Prot no: 374/95 dated 26 May 1995)
DESPITE OUR CONSISTENT EFFORTS TO AID ALL THOSE OPPRESSED AND
RIGHTLESS PEOPLE, WE ARE CONSTANTLY FACED WITH INJUSTICE AND NEW
ATROCITIES
Dear
Sir/Madam!
You received (and published) a "Statement" by the Serbian
Refugee Association from the former Yugoslav republic of Croatia
dated 25 May 1993, which was signed by the Association's president,
Dr Milan Vujinović in "answer to the latest appeal by the Bishop
of Banja Luka to the president of the Republic of Croatia to protect
the Croats in Banja Luka with all the necessary measures".
Would you please note (and publish) this "Statement" by
the Bishop's Ordinary in Banja Luka in reply to the above-mentioned
statement.
1. The
Bishop's Ordinary in Banja Luka considers it its duty, now and in
the future, to contribute to spreading the truth and to bringing
about a just peace for every man, every religion and ethnic community.
2. Assertions
noted in the "Statement" by the Serbian Refugee Association
from the former republic of Croatia are founded on false presumptions
and evident ignorance of the truth regarding the situation faced
by Catholics in the Banja Luka Diocese, not to mention the behaviour
to date of the Bishop, regarding the protection of basic human and
civil rights and liberties for the Serbs both in B-H and Croatia.
3. Based
on the many discussions, written statements and interventions which
the Bishop of Banja Luka, Msgr Franjo Komarica had or issued to
representatives of both the Serbian and Croatian peoples in the
RS and Croatia also, to all the competent people in politics and
the heads of state and representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church
headed by His Holiness, the Serbian Patriarch Mr Pavle, it is evident
that the Bishop's position was one of peace and tireless efforts
to protect all those oppressed people stripped of their rights,
regardless of their religious, national and ideological differences.
4. We
regret that the numerous appeals Bishop Komarica and the Bishop's
Ordinary have made to date to protect the Serbs, wherever they were
faced with oppression, were boycotted by the media of both sides.
They all exist in the archives of this Ordinary.
5. We
also regret that our new neighbours, i.e. members of the "Serbian
Refugee Association" from the former Yugoslav republic of Croatia,
even though they themselves have experienced the injustice and misfortunes
of war, have taken it upon themselves to issue this "Statement"
with all its negative repercussions to us indigenous citizens of
Banja Luka. As such this has caused us injustice and has laid the
way for new injustices to occur, even though we have done nothing
to deserve this.
6. As
believers in God, the Father of all people, Bishop Komarica and
all the members of the Banja Luka Diocese will in the future both
in word and action do everything to contribute to reconciliation
and peace in truth, justice and love. We will rejoice if we find
ourselves on the same side in this more than valuable task with
the members of the "Serbian Refugee Association", as well
as with all other people of good will in our region and town.
BISHOP'S
ORDINARY, BANJA LUKA
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