This is not about folklore. This is not about culture. The Chetnik movement is historically associated with ethnic cleansing, mass killings and atrocities committed against Bosniaks, Croats and other civilians during World War II.
Its ideology also became a symbol embraced by many Serbian nationalist and paramilitary groups during the 1992–1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. That ideology ultimately culminated in the Srebrenica genocide, where more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were systematically murdered—the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II.
The name “Chetnik” is not a harmless cultural identity for the victims and survivors. It represents terror, ethnic hatred and crimes against humanity. It is also deeply disturbing that the terrorist responsible for the Christchurch mosque shootings played the Serbian nationalist song “Karadžiću, vodi Srbe svoje” during his attack—a song glorifying Radovan Karadžić.
This demonstrates how extremist nationalist propaganda continues to inspire hatred far beyond the Balkans.
How can an event glorifying a movement associated with documented war crimes and ethnic cleansing be openly promoted in one of Australia’s largest cities? Honouring extremist movements is not culture. It is an insult to the victims of war crimes, to the families of the victims of Srebrenica, and to everyone who believes in human rights, peace and historical truth. History must never be rewritten. The victims must never be forgotten.
