Bosnia
1992-1995: Bosnia
In 1980, the population of Bosnia consisted of Bosnian Serbs, Bosniaks (Sunni Muslim), and Bosnian Croats. In the turmoil following the disintegration of Yugoslavia, Bosnia declared independence (1992). This was resisted by the Bosnian Serb population who saw their future as part of “Greater Serbia”. Bosnia became the victim of the Bosnian Serbs’ determined wish for political domination, which it was prepared to achieve by isolating ethnic groups and, if necessary, exterminating them. In July 1995 Bosnian Serb troops and paramilitaries led by Ratko Mladic descended on Srebrenica and began shelling it. Despite being declared a safe zone by the United Nations, Bosnian Serb forces prevailed. Women and children were forced onto trucks and buses, men and boys remained. The deportation of Srebrenica’s population took 4 days.
At least 7,500 men, and boys over 13 years old, were killed. Up to 3,000, many in the act of trying to escape, were shot or decapitated in the fields. Mladic had sent out his written order to ‘block, crush and destroy the straggling parts of the Muslim group’ – it was carried out. 1,500 were locked in a warehouse and sprayed with machine gun fire and grenades. Others died in their thousands on farms, football fields and school playgrounds. The whole action was carried out with military efficiency.
