The multiethnic coexistence on the Balkans

The present perception of dialectic discourse of “conflict” and “permanent peace building” is creating a vision of two opposite, not just as dialectic but and by their content, and it presuppose that they cannot, or they should not exist together in the same time, on the same place. The post conflict stage aim is to erase every aspect of the conflict (the reasons, differences, and the consequences). But does the permanent, sustainable peace building mean to forget, neglect, or suppress the factors of conflict? And further more: Can, or should the concepts of conflict and peace exist together? The case of SFR Yugoslavia had shown that the attempt to create permanent peace, after World War two, through brotherhood and unity (bratstvo i jedinstvo) by forgetting and suppressing the conflict reasons, in times of increase political exploitation, like in 1990-ties, the “forgotten” conflict can escalate. From the other side in multicultural communities on the Balkan countries were developed mechanisms of permanent negotiating and conflict solution. The origin of semi-institutional, or non-institutional collective bodies created on local level1 comes from the multicultural pre-national heritage of this region. The methods of conflict solution don’t mean to forget, but to forgive. So, to have sustainable peace, there is no need to suppress the conflict rather to negotiate and to solve the problematic issues. On the Balkan having permanent conflict creates condition of being aware of differences in existing communities. This awareness helps to make a compromise, to create mutual respect and to create permanent and sustainable peace. Key words: Balkan, Western Balkan, ex-Yugoslavia, nationalism, conflict, multiethnic coexistence, building substantial peac