The letter of bishop Peric related to the attacks of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO) and Croatian police officers on Catholic priests and Caritas volunteers in June, 1993 as published in the book by Ante Luburic: For Just Peace, Mostar Bishop's Diocese during the war drama 1990-1994 (Mostar, 1995)

The letter of bishop Peric related to the attacks of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO) and Croatian police officers on Catholic priests and Caritas volunteers in June, 1993 as published in the book by Ante Luburic: For Just Peace, Mostar Bishop's Diocese during the war drama 1990-1994 (Mostar, 1995).

The letter addressed by the Bishop Ratko Perić to Mate Boban, President of the Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia (HZHB), general Milivoj Petković, commander of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO) and Bruno Stojić, president of the Department of Defense of HZHB on June 24, 1993:

"Your Excellencies,

Upon request of the Bishop Pavao Žanić, I would like to address you as the most responsible political and military leaders at the area of responsibility of our dioceses in Herzegovina, I am doing this on my own behalf and on behalf of Caritas and insist in this letter to take measures in order to prevent and solve specific problems.

1) On Wednesday, June 16, 1993, one HVO soldier shot reverend don Jozo (Joko) Blažević from a fire weapon, while he was distributing caritas at the Parish of St Matthew at Rudnik in Mostar, where don Joko is a pastor. Unfortunately, this soldier heavily wounded the priest, so don Joko had immediately undergone a surgery and he is still at the hospital in Mostar. It is for sure that don Joko would forgive him this crime, but that does not mean that a man like this should continue walking with weapons around Mostar and Herzegovina.

2) While don Joko is still fighting for his life, today - Thursday, June 24 1993, we have witnessed a similar case at the parish of St John Evangelist at the premises of "Razvitak", Splitska 21, where don Ivan Vukšić is a priest. Several Croatian police officers attacked and beat inflicting severe injuries, several workers of our Caritas: Mr Jure Primorac, Mr Ivica Bošnjak, Ms Anka Đenero and her son Antonio.

3) We have also heard that one soldier pointed his weapon at fra Dane Karačić, a pastor of the parish of St Peter and Paul in Mostar and that also in relation to the distribution of caritas. We do not want to take up your time with some other less serious cases. (...)

The letter by Bishop Peric addressed to Jadranko Prlic (January 27, 1994) requesting the clarification of the procedure of change of names by civilian authorities on the basis of the baptism certificate (published in the book by Ante Luburic: For Just Peace, Mostar Bishop's Diocese during the war drama 1990-1994 (Mostar, 1995)

The letter by Bishop Peric addressed to Jadranko Prlic, the President of the Government of the Croatian Republic Herzeg-Bosnia on January 27, 1994 requesting the clarification of the procedure of change of names (under the times of conflict) by civilian authorities on the basis of the baptism certificate serving allegedly as a proof of ethnicity. Bishop Peric has expressed his serious disagreement with this practice, asking the President if that is "a sign of terror against the individuals who do not have Catholic or Croat names" and requested "most decisively for this practice to cease at once, as not to harm the diversity of religion, ethnicity, political belief and the variety of people's names present in this city and this Republic, and to ensure the protection of the freedom of religion and freedom of changing one's name according to individual preference and desire."
Your Excellency Mr. President,
In the past few days, this Ordinariate has been visited by a number of individuals residing in several municipalities in the area of responsibility of our Diocese, especially from Mostar, and requesting the permission to change their personal names. Their requests were verbally denied in these municipalities and there they were requested to produce a "baptism certificate".
1) We are concerned that such requests were addressed by these individuals. Is that a sign of terror against the individuals who do not have Catholic or Croat names?
2) We do not understand how a person, regardless of religion, ethnicity or political belief, who wants such change, cannot be approved this change by a competent civilian office without having been baptized.
3) We can understand that a Catholic baptism certificate may serve as a valid document also in civilian law, but not as a proof of ethnicity, as the Catholic Church has never included one's ethnicity on the baptism certificates.
4) But truly we cannot understand that the civilian authorities have been requesting unbaptized individuals to produce a baptism certificate as the only condition under which their name may be changed. If, as stated literally by these individuals, this is true, we consider such interference by civilian authorities into the strictly religious and church matters - as morally and legally unacceptable.In this case the baptizing of an individual is strictly the matter of church and religion. If anyone. either explicitly or indirectly, is requested a baptism certificate for the above reasons, then he or she is explicitly forced to be baptized for civilian purposes.
5) If anyone in civilian authorities thought to suggest such a practice, or such an attitude originates from Your Government, which we find truly incredible, we request most decisively for this practice to cease at once, as not to harm the diversity of religion, ethnicity, political belief and the variety of people's names present in this city and this Republic, and to ensure the protection of the freedom of religion and freedom of changing one's name according to individual preference and desire.
Your Excellency Mr President, we request from you in this official memo to clarify these matters in our direct relations. To this end we have enclosed two official documents regulating the procedure of joining the Catholic Church.
In faith that both church and civilian authorities are in favor of helping each individual in these perilous times of war,
Please receive the expressions of our deepest respect,
Ratko Peric
The letter was published in the book by Ante Luburic: For Just Peace, Mostar Bishop's Diocese during the war drama 1990-1994 (Mostar, 1995).