Bosnian Genocide

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Where it Occurred This genocide took place in Yugoslavia, specifically, present day Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Srebrenica. The region of Yugoslavia is located southeastern Europe. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a total area of 19,741 square miles, or approximately a little smaller than the state of West Virginia (“ Bosnia and Herzegovina”). The terrain of Bosnia and Herzegovina includes hills, mountains, and valleys.

Where it Occurred “Approximately 50% of the land is forested” (“ Bosnia and Herzegovina”). Iron and coal include some of the many natural resources that are in Bosnia and Herzegovina (“ Bosnia and Herzegovina”). The climates in these countries feature hot summers and cold winters (“Bosnia and Herzegovina”). “In higher elevations of the country, summers tend to be short and cold while winters tend to be long and severe” (“ Bosnia and Herzegovina”).

When it Occurred The Bosnian Genocide took place from 1992 to 1995. One of the events that led up to this genocide was on January 9 ,1992, when Bosnia and Herzegovina declared their independence (Bennett). This action angered the Serbs because they wanted to become a dominant force in this region of the world.

When it Occurred Another event that led up to this genocide was in April 1992, when the Serbs swept into Bosnia and Herzegovina, and brutalized any non-Serbs (Bennett). These were the first actions that showed the stakes the Serbs would go to to attempt to take down the Muslims and become a dominant force in the region of Yugoslavia.

World Events During 1992

Who Was Being Persecuted The Bosnian Muslims of Yugoslavia were being persecuted. Their cities were being invaded and they were getting sent to concentration camps where they were often starved to death. The leader of the Bosnian Muslims was Alija Izetbegovic.

Who Was Being Persecuted Specifically, men were a priority to be killed so a Bosnian revolution was less likely. The Serbians thought that this would prevent them to return to their old homes (Honing). In all, about 2 million Bosnian Muslims were forced to evacuate Yugoslavia and they went to the middle east, where they were helped by Arab residents (“Bosnian Genocide”).

Who Was Persecuting Serbian Government-Led Forces were the people who were persecuting the Bosnian Muslims.

Who Was Persecuting Serbian leaders included President Radovan Karadzic, who gave the commands to the Serbian military, and Commander Ratko Mladic, who led the army in action during the crimes. They were murdering all Bosnian Muslims, including civilians.

What Happened The Serbians attempted to completely eradicate the Bosnian Muslim culture. Serbians had about 500 concentration camps, where prisoners were starved and tortured, in place for ethnic cleansing (Bennett).

What Happened About 200,000 people were killed, about 10,000 more raped and tortured, and 2 million people had to evacuate their homeland (Bennett). Bosnian Genocide victim Irma Hadzimuratovic lost the ability to walk and breathe normally due to a mortar strike (Irma).

What Happened Bosnian victim Dzemal Paratusic was beaten,forced to spit an and Islamic flag, and his wife was raped (Victim of Bosnia’s War). Bosnians were badly starved during the genocide. Paratusic states, “Sometimes we were given a little soup, sometimes a little bread” (Victim of Bosnia’s War).

Why they were persecuted The Bosnian-Muslims were mainly persecuted because they declared independence. “On March 3, 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina declared independence and soon after was recognized as such by both the European Union Nations. Bosnian-Serbs were not happy with the secession for they considered themselves to be a part of Milosevic's Serbian nation and in due course, rebelled against Bosnian-Muslims to wrest control of the territory”(Sarajilic). If Serbians were to be ok with the secession the massacre wouldn't have happened.

Why did others allow this to happen? Others, such as Dutch, had a responsibility but had failed, “the Dutch peacekeepers who had the responsibility to protect around 30,000 refugees in the area failed to prevent the mass slaughter”(“Remembering Srebrenica”).

Why did not the victims fight back? The victims did not fight back because at the beginning of the war cities were blockaded. “... all roads leading in and out of the city were blockaded. Approximately 400,000 residents became trapped during the siege, cut from food, water, medicine, and electricity”(Bennett). These blockades were weakening or killing the Bosnians, making them unable to fight back.

How the genocide affected the world short term “On July 1995 in Srebrenica, the Bosnian Serb forces committed Genocide, by killing 8000 Bosnian men and boys”(“Remembering Srebrenica”). This quote conveys the short term effects because these are the people who suffered the event.

Short Term effects Some of the crimes that occurred during the genocide are still on trial. “The two main master minds of the genocide are currently on trial at the Hague Court: The former president of Republika Srpska, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, war general of Army of Republika Srpska”(“Remembering Srebrenica”).

Short term effects After the genocide the Serbian people still believed they were superior. In the trial a former assistant commander, Luka Dragicevic made this remark about Serbians compared to Bosnian Muslims “Serbians are genetically stronger, better, more beautiful and smarter” (“Remembering Srebrenica”).

Long term effects United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said, “Srebrenica will haunt the international community for a long time”(Un secretary general says Srebrenica will forever haunt international community).The world is affected by this because it was at their fingertips and they failed to prevent it.

Long term effects “As far as the current leadership of Republika Srpska, the chain of perverted denial has continued for years now. President Milorad Dodik stated, ‘If a genocide happened, then it was committed against Serb people of this region, where women, children, and the elderly were killed in mass.’ ”(“Remembering Srebrenica”).

How we can prevent genocide Do not let previous acts of genocide disappear into the past. Instead discuss them whenever it's appropriate. If you believe that you're country is participating in acts of genocide, stand up and protest against what they are doing. Try and stop the people who are committing genocide.

Works Cited Page Bennett, Christopher. "Bosnia and Herzegovina." Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. Ed. Dinah Shelton. Vol. 1. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 125-129. Global Issues In Context. Web. 16 May 2016. "Bosnia and Herzegovina." Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations. Ed. Timothy L. Gall and Jeneen M. Hobby. 12th ed. Vol. 5: Europe. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 89-110. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 17 May 2016. “Bosnian genocide." Terrorism. Ed. Moataz Fattah. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. 77-78. Global Issues In Context. Web. 18 May 2016. Honig, Jan. "Srebrenica." Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. Ed. Dinah Shelton. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 988-989. Global Issues In Context. Web. 12 May 2016. “Irma brave despite sad news; Irma Hadzimuratovic." Sunday Times [London, England] 3 Oct. 1993: 3. Global Issues In Context. Web. 13 May 2016. Mills, Sharon. "Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity: Bosnia-Herzegovina." Encyclopedia of Race and Racism. Ed. Patrick Mason. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2013. 223-227. Global Issues In Context. Web. 18 May 2016. "Remembering Srebrenica." Al Jazeera America 11 July 2014. Global Issues In Context. Web. 13 May 2016. Sarajlic, Izet. "'Former Yugoslavs' and 'The Jewish Cemetery'." Terrorism: Essential Primary Sources. Ed. K. Lerner and Brenda Lerner. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 248-250. Global Issues In Context. Web. 14 May 2016. “Victim of Bosnia's war recalls brutality of razor-wire camps." Times [London, England] 25 June 1994: 15. Global Issues In Context. Web. 1 May 17 2016.