Bosnian bishop said truth and conversion needed in wake of capture of Karadzic

Aug 1, 2008 / 18:07 pm

Bishop Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka said Bosnia needs truth and conversion in order for there to be a real future for the country after the war in the former Yugoslavia between 1992 and 1995.

He made his statements to Aid to the Church in Need in response to the capture of Radovan Karadzic, the former Bosnian leader accused of massacring almost eight thousand Muslims in Srebrenica and of the 43 month-long siege of Sarajevo, during which 10,000 people died.

Bishop Komarica said it was important that those responsible for the massacre be held accountable, but he also called for prayers “for all those whose hands are bloody with the cruel atrocities committed during the last war in Bosnia.” He recalled that the Church prays for these people because “they need personal conversion.”

He went on to denounce local politicians for lacking the will to hold accountable those responsible for the crimes.  “Passivity and calm cement acts,” he said, noting that “the Gospel teaches us to call acts and person who commit them by their names.”

Bishop Komarica added that the task of the Church is to serve the truth which, together with justice, can alone give people the chance to return to their country.

According to ACN, during the Balkan war more than 243,000 people died, and more than two million were displaced as a result of the redistribution of land.