HRA, CGO and ANIMA: Protest over the revisionist naming of a street in Pljevlja

AUTHOR: M.J.
The non-governmental organizations Action for Human Rights (HRA), Center for Civic Education (CGO) and ANIMA Center for Women's and Peace Education express a strong protest against the renaming of Tivatska Street in Pljevlje to Branko Krvavac Street, a JNA soldier who died in the aggression against Dubrovnik-Herzegovina area in Croatia in October 1991.
They believe, as stated in the announcement, that this is a proceeding contrary to the Law on Monuments of Montenegro and an example of negative historical revisionism.
It was announced that Krvavac, as a member of the JNA, lost his life on the Dubrovnik-Herzegovina battlefield while helping a wounded commander. The aggressive attack of the JNA on Dubrovnik, in which mostly citizens of Montenegro participated, is the biggest shame of our country in recent history. The grief of family and friends is understandable due to the fact that the authorities of the time took many people into that war who, unfortunately, also died, like Krvavac. However, the basic fact is that all the victims (166) were members of the aggressor forces of the JNA, the Territorial Defense or the MUP of Montenegro, which shelled, robbed and killed civilians in the Dubrovnik area, and their deed does not represent a historical achievement worthy of any glorification. - emphasize three non-governmental organizations.
According to the Law on Memorials, as they specified, a memorial can also be the name of a public object such as a street, only if it symbolizes values prescribed by law.
And these are: to commemorate significant events, preserve the memories of prominent personalities, nurture human ideals and cultural-historical traditions and pay tribute to freedom fighters, civilian victims of war and mass human suffering. Furthermore, according to the Law, a prominent person is considered a person: 1) who is particularly deserving of the state, social, economic, scientific or cultural development of Montenegro or a certain area, that is, a place in Montenegro; 2) whose work has international historical, scientific, cultural, humanitarian or sports significance; 3) who was the organizer or prominent participant of the liberation war, uprising or movement; 4) who stood out in the fight against fascism - it was stated in the announcement.
In particular, they draw attention to the fact that the Law clearly stipulates that it is not allowed to erect a memorial, among other things, to a person who was an associate of the occupier, his ally or helper; to a person who advocated fascist, chauvinist or Nazi ideas or ideologies; or to a person who had a negative role in the history of Montenegro or in the history of mankind.
In June 1991, the Republic of Croatia declared its independence from the federal state of SFR Yugoslavia. In October 1991, the JNA, without attacking its forces in Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina from Croatian territory, carried out an aggressive attack on Dubrovnik and its hinterland and the Konavala area up to the border with Montenegro - said three non-governmental organizations.
By naming streets, squares and settlements, as they point out, we contribute to preserving the identity and values that characterize our country.
We strongly oppose this kind of glorification of aggressive warfare, because we do not want such horrors to be repeated neither for our children nor for the children of Dubrovnik, nor for any future generation. We demand that local self-governments and political parties act responsibly when making important decisions about naming streets and erecting memorials in local areas. Everyone should know that democracy does not just mean the mere rule of the majority, but that it requires consideration of the human rights of all - concluded the Action for Human Rights (HRA), the Center for Civic Education (CGO) and the Center for Peace and Women's Education ANIMA.