After the “loud silence”, Jelena Topić is back in the Prijedor town square, but this time she is not silent. For the past five Saturdays, she and her friends have been organizing loud protests against the destruction and pollution of the environment in which they live and work. “Prijedor Is Waking Up” is the name of an informal group that, as its name suggests, seeks to awaken the people of Prijedor and the surrounding areas to stand up for the protection of nature and bare life.
On Saturday, the fifth peaceful protest of citizens was held in Prijedor with a clear demand to close the lignite mine in Bukova Kosa. How did the protest go and how do you intend to further channel the dissatisfaction and demands of citizens?
Jelena Topić: We continue with the protests. I learned from a story when I did a “loud silence” in the square, things need time to heat up. I know that many expect us to come out with some ultimatums, but that is not our way. We are aware of who is responsible and who is to blame, but we simply do not want to give them any negative attention. We do not want our focus to be on the government or politics, because then that is a vicious circle that you fall into, and we do not want that. They are really irrelevant. We have established some communication with local and republican authorities, but only through the media. They promise certain things over media, but nothing concrete happens. When the President of the RS suddenly found out, you know, what is happening, he urgently ordered the inspection to come and close the mine. We sent letters to the inspection to see what happened, what they did about it, but they did not respond to us, we have no information, the wolf ate the donkey…
What has to be done?
Jelena Topić: What we are urgently asking for is to close the mine. That is our main priority. In addition, we are asking for the land to be recultivated and drinking water to be restored to the locals. There is chaos up there, as everything has been plowed over. Essentially, mining was carried out in a very arrogant and uncontrolled manner. That coal is of very poor quality. They left large lignite dumps in Bistrica, probably because they have nowhere to sell it. And in such large dumps, it ignites spontaneously; before the rain, after the rain, by accumulating temperature, by being in those large chambers. When sulfur ignites spontaneously, it does not burn with an open flame, but with smoke that smolders in the dumps. And there is everything in those fumes. It was known before that there was lignite here, but people did not touch it, because it takes another 30 years for the ore to mature and not contain that much sulfur. They showed 8% sulfur, but in fact it is between 9 and 13%. And when it evaporates, it is, you know that feeling like when you scrub the bathroom and you want to faint, you do not know how you poisoned yourself like that. It is not just the smell, your eyes burn, your saliva turns black, your skin tightens, just the feeling of being poisoned. Prijedor is about 6 kilometers away from the mine by road, and much less by air, so here in Prijedor we also feel that pollution.
Was there any pressure on you or people from the group to give up the protest?
Jelena Topić: There were some comments, but I looked at it as nonsense. Now, whether behind those comments are people who do not see a bigger picture, or bots… I do not know. When I first went to the police to ask about reporting the assembly, a man told me that I can, as an individual, go out into the square whenever I want and hold whatever I want in my hands, but I also have to be aware of the consequences. But those are just primitive men who like you to be afraid of them. However, there was no pressure, I guess we are protected by the public and presence in the media, but that is probably something that can be expected in the future. On the other hand, Miroslav Stakić, who lives there, had threats. Through some third parties, they told him to take care of the child, the wife. Your blood runs cold in your veins.
How do you explain the fact that women are at the forefront of various environmental protection initiatives throughout BiH?
Jelena Topić: Maybe it is time to implement female energy and a way of fighting that women lead, which is methodical, empathetic, assertive, and different from the violence and aggression and everything else we have seen in the last few decades in this region.
How much do citizens ask questions and how involved are they in making decisions about the exploitation or protection of the natural resources we have?
Jelena Topić: It has been reduced to a minimum, to zero. And that learned helplessness in these areas contributes a lot to that. That attitude that says: “nothing can be changed, so we won’t do anything,” makes us passivized to the maximum. Our world is collapsing! There were streams, meadows, hills, trees, and now there are huge black holes, polluted. Someone thought of robbing and stealing, someone took and distorted the appearance of your village, just for some of their own interests and money. This is a fight for bare life. For us, the only other option is to pack your things and move.
Interviewed by: Dragana DARDIĆ
Photo: courtesy photo/Jelena Topić
Antrfile: “Loud Silence”
In 2013, Jelena Topić, then a final year student at the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka, performed a 30-day performance entitled “Loud Silence” in the Prijedor town square, which involved standing motionless on a pedestal – an old wood box – for three hours, always within the same time frame.
The performance caused numerous reactions in BiH and the region, as well as various speculations about why the woman was standing motionless and saying nothing.
In a statement issued after the performance, the author stated that it was a “designed, socially engaged project whose idea is precisely social and personal reaction and reflection”.
“Journalists, sociologists, bloggers and intellectuals interpreted and explained the performance, speaking on behalf of the author, while clearly and unambiguously expressing their views. Questions and answers about protest or revolt, about art or madness, changed from day to day. The concept developed into what people wanted it to be, and Loud Silence became a social noise which basic idea was for the individual, but also society, to understand their thoughts and, through their interpretation, recognize themselves and their surroundings”, the statement said.
(Source: media)
