INTERVIEW
Nedžad Latić, editor in chief of one of the most influential
online magazines from Sarajevo that features high-quality analysis and articles
about politics, spoke to “Start” magazine in his own direct, brave and
relentlessly provocative manner!
Photo: Latić (TBT)
NS: The history has already made evident and insurmountable
difference between Alija Izetbegović and Tayyip Erdogan; Alija said that it is
better to let a hundred guilty people walk free than send one innocent person to
jail, and Erdogan has put hundreds of innocent people to jail because of only
one culprit – Fetullah Gulen.
Nedžad Latić, editor in chief of one of the most influential
online magazines from Sarajevo that features high-quality analysis and articles
about politics, spoke to “Start” magazine in his own direct, brave and relentlessly
provocative manner!
1. What’s going on
with the author who has published such a courageous political writing like your
book “Sarajevo Armageddon”?
Latić: Personally, nothing new. Lack of money is constant at
all writers so even if I’d like to celebrate my book’s success, and it really
deserves to be celebrated since it has achieved the bestseller status, with the
profit one can’t even take out good friends. I’m not sure yet if my fellow
journalists and writers flatter me when they acknowledge my “intellectual
bravery” I’ve demonstrated in the book, or they hide their own fearfulness or
cowardice. So, that’s why I’m not taking anything for granted although I feel
it’s much easier to breathe in the city.
2. Your online magazine
The Bosnia Times is no “softer“ writing than the book itself. You are very
sharp in criticizing the authority; you have even provoked discussions reminiscent
of the dramatic ones among journalists and intellectuals during times after war.
Latić: It's in my nature, in my vocation. But I'm nostalgic for
those after war times. I feel lonely because there aren’t more journalists of
the caliber and stamina. Everything’s so superficial so there’s no one to
discuss with.
3. Is that very
nostalgia the reason you might like to turn The Bosnia Times into national
magazine “Ljiljan”?
Latić: Maybe subconsciously, because I’ll never be over “Ljiljan”.
You can see it by the chapter in my book “Sarajevo Armageddon” which I titled
“Gone with Ljiljan”. But, I’m my own boss now and I definitely won’t allow
myself to deal with stupidities as I used to in “Ljiljan”.
4. Do you have in
mind discussions and texts of your brother Džemaludin like the one about mixed
marriages?
Latić: On the contrary, those discussions marked and honored
“Lijljan”. I thought of some primitive issues and finances. However, I regret
that many Džemo’s brilliant texts were left in the shade by discussions of that
kind. I even think that Džemo owes an apology to the children from mixed
marriages, and they are many in Sarajevo because he never intended to offend
anyone. His opponents twisted and spun many of his sentiments that are
completely in accordance with Islamic principles and solely refer to believers
who accept to live as such in accordance to Islamic principles and codes.
Anyway, no one has the right in an amateur and secular state, and B&H is of
a kind, to deprive someone of the right to choose the spouse.
5. Why didn't you
think like that at the time?
Latić: It was time of vampiric post-communism and we, as
anticommunists, wanted to respond. That’s why it is more ideological-political
discussion rather than religious one. Today, at the time of “white plague”
(population decline), and hundreds of illegal polygamous “sharia” marriages,
this discussion is nonsense. God, wish
we had any normal marriages!
6. You've always had
reputation of a controversial figure, and today you are perceived as a
political convert since you had glorified Alija Izetbegović in “Ljiljan” as an
unquestionable leader, and today you are definitely the severest critic of
Bakir. Who or what has changed?
Latić: Situations are contradictory and paradoxical. During the time of Alija, whom I
wholeheartedly supported because I appreciated and loved him, there was more
freedom. That was the time of intense discussions. I can’t remember that anyone
missed anything. Unpleasant Mafiosi of Sarajevo were alive at the time. Today,
under Bakir, people are afraid. In my opinion, SDA election campaign 2014 was
creepy. I was “thrown into a bonfire” made on social networks by bigoted
xenophobic Bosniak groups. And the most dangerous thing about it is the fact
that it was all set up in SDA HQ. I got direct death threats only for writing
in “the treacherous newspaper” Avaz!
PHOTO: Latić (TBT)
7. Is there a problem
between you, who have always been affirmed believer and Wahabis who only insist
upon religion?
Latić: When it comes to religious choice and the way of
manifesting one’s religion, as far as I’m concerned, the rights belong to
everybody. However, regarding ideological-political sense I’m antisalafi as
much as I’m anticommunist! I don’t care even when someone is an atheist! But if
someone uses violence, as communists used to do, as Salafis are using
oppression for indoctrination of their own teachings and trying to suppress any
other opinion, as well as belief different from their own perception of the
world, I’m observed as an opponent.
8. There's one more
controversy related to you; you’ve switched your political views from right to
left?
Latić: Our left is dead!
9. When did it die?
Latić: Let’s say it died on those famous plenums and
demonstrations when the Presidency building was set on fire.
10. Why do the
opposition parties in Sarajevo call themselves the leftists?
Latić: In accordance
with current political activity, they describe and call themselves the
leftists. Otherwise, our so-called leftists only believe that humans evolved from
primates, but they don’t believe that ideas and political processes perish and die
out or evolve.
11. So you’ve
remained loyal to the right?
Latić: Unfortunately, everything that “compliments” the
right-wing in Europe, and the Balkans, can be find at the Bosnian right as
well. Namely, it is populism of Bakir Izetbegović, as well as xenophobia manifested
by some Bosniak media and religious radicalism manifested by prosalafi media,
i.e. imams. As you can see in my texts and public appearances, I’m not there
and I’ve never been!
12. Isn’t the pan-Bosniakism,
you used to promote with Zukorlić and Cerić when you established Bosniak
Congress, notorious populism and nationalism?
Latić: Yes, you are right; it all came down to that. There
aren’t many places to read and see as primitive and nationalist proclamations
as on web portals that support the aforementioned duo. That’s why I’ve given up
on that.
13. You don't fancy
Tayyip Erdogan anymore, right?
Latić: It’s not about my preferences to personas but in
strong emotions I feel towards Turkey in general. It’s the same case with you,
isn’t it?
14. Honestly, I’ve
never felt better as a tourist as in Turkey. I’m sorry I didn’t make it to
explore it fully. However, I’d like to get back to politics…
Latić: I’ll say then that I love Turkey, but I don’t support
Erdogan’s politics, on the contrary!
15. You are a rare
Bosnian intellectual who’s raised voice against oppression in Turkey and I refer
to an open letter to Erdogan. Is that enough?
Latić: I’ve done something that public knows nothing about,
and it’s related to that case.
16. What?
Latić: I wrote a letter to Bakir Izetbegović where I asked
him to ask Erdogan to set free an acclaimed intellectual Ali Bulac.
17. He didn't
accede?!
Latić: He obviously didn't.
18. Why do you keep
insisting on Bulac precisely?
Latić: Because he is an outstanding intellectual who
supported Bosnia, and he had a particularly high opinion of Alija Izetbegović
as an intellectual. He considered him “Iqbal of the West”. He used to visit my
family in Sarajevo and I introduced him to Alija.
19. In your letter to
Erdogan you declare: “To you your Turkey and to us our Bosnia”. It’s not really
in the spirit of legacy left to Erdogan by Alija.
Latić: It isn’t, not at all. I think that Erdogan and Bakir
have taken that legacy literally; that Alija gave Bosnia to Erdogan with Bakir
as the patron. It’s unacceptable and therefore, in addition to numerous salaams
(greetings), money and visits, that kind of policy isn’t productive.
20. Aren’t Erdogan’s
AKP and SDA fraternal parties, and isn’t Erdogan affirmed follower of Alija in terms
of ideology?
Latić: It’s not so important what you and I think about
that. The history has already made evident and insurmountable difference
between Alija Izetbegović and Tayyip Erdogan; Alija said that it is better to
let a hundred guilty people walk free than send one innocent person to jail,
and Erdogan has put hundreds of innocent people to jail because of only one
culprit – Fetullah Gulen. A couple of other claims could be added here.
21. Name at least two
or three.
Latić: First, I simply have to believe that Erdogan will
improve his politics when it comes to all these purges. Till then, we have to “keep
an eye on” Bakir not to reach out for something stupid like persecution of
people in Sarajevo. I’m afraid that Erdogan is leading a revolution similar to
the one of imam Homeini in Iran and that time in Turkey is measured before and
after him.
22. You paid the
price because of the Iranian Revolution; I refer to 1983 arrests?
Latić: That could be an example of how big changes in Muslim
countries almost always have to reflect badly on Bosnian Muslims and therefore
we have to carefully observe events in Turkey. If we compare Erdogan and
Homeini, treated by one-time media as the biggest “boogeyman“, the number of
people he put in prison during his revolution is much smaller.
23. Why do you
criticize the Islamic community that much? Isn’t it a sort of revenge because
your brother wasn’t elected dean of Faculty of Islamic Studies?
Latić: There’s a little bit of revenge! I particularly take
revenge on Hilmo Neimarlija who “blessed” all those fabrications in order to
prevent Džemo’s election as the best candidate. But rascals who have occupied
management positions in the Riyasat of the Islamic community are former
editorial board of “Lijiljan” which is taking entire IC into the abyss! First,
the IC is going to go bankrupt with them. Later on, it will lead to turmoil during
which all their dirty linen will be aired and cause shame of a great majority
of good and really hard-working imams!
24. How are you
perceived today by congregation members?
Latić: Nowadays more people greet me in the tram than in the
mosque!
25. What does it
mean?
Latić: The congregational structure has changed so I go to
the mosques reluctantly. I even avoid some of them. There aren’t any of old
pious men. I meet different braggarts, dervishes, Wahabis, SDA zealots… None of
them is flattered by my critical thinking so they want to “discuss” with me how
can I, as an “absolute” believer, be against SDA.
26. Aren't mosques
the place of peace for pious people?
Latić: Mosques as buildings or institutions really are of
the kind. But people are no longer humble in their piety. They’ve become obtrusive
and aggressive. I got used that people of that kind weren’t allowed to pray
next to me being afraid that a State Security Service officer might take a
picture of us.
27. You are actually
a Sufi?
Latić: Yes, in the context where I insist upon spirituality.
I’ve read Sufi classics, principally Rumi and Shirazi, and I’ve written a
couple of prosufi books like “The Golden Beit”, biography of hafiz Halid ef.
Hadžimulić. However, I don’t formally belong to any Tariqat order.
28. Among many of
your escapades and controversies there’s a claim that Leo N. Tolstoy was a
Muslim. You’ve even visited his grave.
Latić: I was instructed to do it by Hafiz Hadžimulić who was
a great admirer of Tolstoy. He presented the facts which indicated that Tolstoy
had died as a Muslim. I travelled to Yasnaya Polyana at his pleasure and
visited the estate where Tolstoy’s grave is located.
29. It's a bit of
an exaggeration to claim that, isn't it?
Latić: I don't claim it but I have the right to think of
Tolstoy in that manner. His grave, for example, completely meets Islamic
requirements. As you know, the body of a Muslim is placed in a grave lying on
its right side and facing the Qibla. Tolstoy's grave is of the kind.
30. Any plans for
your next book?
Latić: I don’t believe that I will write many books.
Actually, I want to write only one more.
31. What are you going
to write about?
Latić: Through literature I’ve met three characters, in my
opinion unmatched in the entire world of art. They are: Shams Tabrizi from
Masnawi by Jalaludin Rumi, Hafiz Shirazi as the author of unprecedented
collection of poems “Divan” and Pierre Bezukhov from Tolstoy’s novel “War and
Peace”. Hafiz Hadžimulić introduced me to them during long soirees in his home.
32. What are you up
to with these characters?
Latić: I want to bring them to my Sarajevo.
33. How?
Latić: I want to write an autobiographical novel in which
these great characters would be my guests. Although it isn’t recommended to disclose
plans in advance, I dare to do it in order to draw attention to necessity of
spiritual renewal of Sarajevo. Without it Sarajevo is no longer Sarajevo!
PHOTO: Latić (TBT)
(TBT)