ANTI-SEMITISM IS NOTHING NEW IN SERBIA

Belgrade, December 20, 2009

The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia strongly condemns all manifestations of anti-Semitism and demands governmental authorities to act by the law prohibiting spread of racial, national and religious hatred. Governmental authorities are also duty-bound to have courses on Holocaust incorporated into Serbia's educational system so as to clarify anti-Semitic phenomena to younger generations. Representatives of the political elite have been denying presence of anti-Semitism in Serbia for years and calling it just marginal.

Anti-Semitism is nothing new in Serbia. Only since October 5, 2000, it has been surging through news stories, graffiti, assaults against all alternative groups and, above all, reprints of old, anti-Semitic books.

At the time Serbia is making a historical decision to become a part of Europe, the books that should be banned for advocating hatred and violence are offered to readers at the Christmas Book Fair in downtown Belgrade. The list of anti-Semitic titles is a long one - the Helsinki Committee and the Federation of Jewish Communities have been alerting about it for years. Unfortunately, no authority has bothered to put an end to such practice yet.

Latest translations of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," Judeo Bankers and Bolshevik Revolution," "Einstein and Freud: Two Prophets without Honor," etc. are just some of the titles displayed at the Christmas Book Fair the organizer of which is allegedly unknown.

Along with rehabilitation of persons such as Dimitrije Ljotic, Milan Nedic and Draza Mihajlovic, anti-Semitism indicates Serbia's ambivalence about anti-fascism and the fascist past, which sidetracks the very notion of anti-fascism.

The Helsinki Committee demands governmental authorities to take all available measures against everyone propagating violence and hatred. Serbia must respect its own laws and insist on their full implementation. By promptly responding to any anti-Semitic demonstration the state would show that it does not approve it and would not want to have it hushed up.