Croatia: Vicariously Reliving 1990’s Nightmares Through Ukraine’s Suffering of Today

With the brutal Russian attack against Ukraine many Croatians are reliving their own nightmares from early 1990’s. Serb and Yugoslav Army brutal attacks and senseless destruction against Croatia followed a similar pattern as is occurring now in Ukraine. God save the Ukrainian people from such bestial cruelty.

So, in Croatia it was in simple words like this: rebel Serbs living in Croatia who did not want Croatian independence from communist Yugoslavia decided to take over around 25% of Croatian territory known as Krajina, declaring it Serbian Republic of Krajina. The so-called Log revolution on that territory of Croatia is probably one of the most consistent events in contemporary Croatian history. This common colloquial name implies the beginning of the armed uprising of a part of Croatian Serbs, which took place on August 17, 1990, by blocking a part of the roads around Knin and Benkovac. Just as Russia has come to “aid” the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist republics in Ukraine, Serbia and Communist Yugoslavia Army forced their way into Croatia’s territory in their intent to preserve communist Yugoslavia and/or the creation of Greater Serbia state that would include areas of Croatia (and Bosnia and Herzegovina).

The war in Croatia was brutal but it was victorious for Croatia that fought as David in the proverbial David and Goliath War, as what Ukraine is fighting at this moment. But the European Union and the rest of the free world had punished Croatia for wanting to secede from communist Yugoslavia and imposed arms embargo! Ukraine appears to be receiving more aid than what it may need, and God bless today’s world for standing up for Ukraine and its sovereignty. It suited, I guess, the EU and the free world for whatever political agenda to label the attack against Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina as a civil war even though it was not. Such political treachery somehow justified in their own eyes the arms embargo against Croatia, to disable it from successful defence of its people’s lives. And then, when Croatia together with the massive financial and material help from its diaspora managed to defend itself and secure a magnificent victory over its attackers, suddenly as far as EU and the rest of the free world decided there was no civil war in Croatia or Bosnia and Herzegovina; they now decided it was an international conflict between member states of former Yugoslavia. This political treachery was manoeuvred so that the EU and the Western powers wagging their self-important tails through the United Nations corridors could indict people for war crimes! In the case of Croatian generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac the indictments were false and it took years for them to prove their innocence at the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague.

It is good to see that Ukrainians have such a strong backing for their fight to stay independent and free and this help could shorten the nightmare they are currently experiencing.

The Croatian Parliament, by a majority of 133 votes in favour and one abstention, accepted on Friday 25 February 2022 the Declaration on Ukraine, which strongly condemns Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. During the debate, the ruling and the opposition showed a rarely seen harmony, with a message to Ukraine: “Croatia is firmly with you.”

The Declaration states that the Croatian Parliament strongly condemns the unprovoked aggression against Ukraine and its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence, and calls on Russia to immediately stop the military attack and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory.

The Croatian Parliament condemns the Russian recognition of the self-proclaimed regions of Donetsk and Luhansk because this act represents a gross violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and undermines the foundations of the international order.

It is also stated that the Croatian Parliament gives full support to the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, which is a fundamental determinant in relations and cooperation between the Republic of Croatia and Ukraine.

The Croatian Parliament expresses its full solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people and calls on the Government of the Republic of Croatia to provide humanitarian and technical assistance to Ukraine in this difficult time for them and for the whole peaceful world.

Among other things, the Declaration emphasises that in the context of the security situation in Eastern Europe, maintaining dialogue between all relevant international actors, calming tensions and aggressive rhetoric while respecting the international legal order and inviolability of international borders are key to preserving peace and stability in the region.

In ten points of the Declaration, the Croatian Parliament concludes that it is a secure, stable, and prosperous Ukraine in the strategic interest of all citizens of Ukraine, the European Union, the entire European continent, world peace and the international order.

Few people expected a war on the European continent in the 21st century, the war could have unforeseeable consequences for security and the economy, the world order has been called into question, what is happening is not just Ukraine, but all of us, said MP’s debate on the Declaration.

They strongly supported the sending of humanitarian and technical assistance to Ukraine and the expressed readiness to accept refugees from that country.

It was during the Serb attacks and aggression against Croatia that the world had become bitterly and sadly familiar with the term “ethnic cleansing”. Croats and other non-Serbs were driven from their homes in the Serb-occupied regions in Croatia; many forcefully taken to concentration camps for torture and death within Serbia itself and many murdered on their home doorstep. It is this dark reality from thirty years ago in particular that would seem to encourage Serbia of today and those Serbs in Croatia who sided with the 1990’s aggression to stand on Russia’s side and support Russia in what it is doing in Ukraine. Russia is doing to Ukraine today what Serbia did to Croatia in 1990’s and so it would be “handy” for Serbs if Russia wins in Ukraine and her victory acknowledged.

Evidence provides that Serbia has for several years been drifting away from the West, including the European Union which evidently it wants to join, and expanding its political, economic, and security ties with Russia as well as with China; both made up of strong and repulsive communist flavour. On Ukraine, Serbia has strayed even more dramatically from the European consensus, which is increasingly embracing a harder line against the Kremlin.  It is time that the West and the EU take a hard look at their accommodating approach toward Belgrade and show it that there are serious consequences for continuing this path, including potential sanctions. It is time for Croatia to take a hard look at its accommodating within its government the part of Serb ethnic minority that was directly and indirectly associated with the 1990’s aggression against Croatia and dissolve that association while maintaining the rights and needs of minorities in their daily living.  Ina Vukic

Croatia: Reconciliation Cannot Be Achieved With Denial Of Truth And Lacking Love For Nation Of People

Ina Vukic, August 2020

 

Many people are asking me these days what is the reaction of the Croatian diaspora to the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of victory in Knin on August 5.

The celebration of the 25th anniversary of Operation Storm, was neither visually nor morally nor truthfully a celebration of the great and deeply sacrificial victory over the brutal and obscene Serbian or Yugoslav aggressor! What that celebration was is a false picture of the truth and reality of that time and now!

During the Homeland War, Croats and anti-Croatian Serbs did not sit together in any rows, let alone in the front row of the battlefield, but on opposite sides. On one side, aggressive brutally murderous Serbs, and on the other side, Croats whose lives were endangered in the middle of that Serbian aggression.

Then in Knin on August 5, we saw and heard General Ante Gotovina who, without a shred, without a shred of shame or embarrassment, dishes out some lesson that discipline is needed in war and in peace! Of course, this mention of discipline certainly referred to the HOS (volunteer Croatian Defence Forces), whose defenders of the Homeland War and Operation Storm  were standing at that time on the streets of Knin during the celebration of Operation Storm with police threats directed at them. Because, you see, their slogan For Homeland Ready (Za Dom Spremni), which infused courage and determination for an independent Croatia, bothers the current government of the Republic of Croatia. This slogan was decisive in the defence of the Republic of Croatia, i.e. in the establishment of independence.

Then, General Gotovina, straight-faced, gave himself the right to speak about discipline, which in this case should surely keep HOS defenders, under police pressure and threats behind the lines, the police lines, while others, undeserving others, celebrated part if not the whole victory to which they contributed, to which HOS contributed and deserve to be a part of its celebrations.

So, I have never seen such perversion anywhere in the world. That something like this should happen, that the celebration of victory should be denied to those who contributed to that victory, in national defense or in national victory.

Perversion itself!

It is not just about discriminating against HOS defenders in this case, it is about perversion against the Homeland War, perversion against victory.

HOS Veterans denied access to celebrations
of Victory/ Operation Storm
in Knin, Croatia, 5 August 2020
Photo: Screenshot

And then so that this discrimination and perversion could become even stronger or better – worse! – at almost the same time not far from Knin in Grubori, the Croatian government, that is, Serbian politics in Croatia, organised a commemoration for victims of a crime against six Serb civilians that took place some three weeks after Operation Storm. The crime was committed by individuals who, in fact, with that act of crime violated the policy of the Croatian defence, the policy of Franjo Tuđman, the policy of Gojko Šušak, also now deceased. So, this commemoration in addition to the victory celebration in Knin was simply planned in order to diminish the value and the validity of the victory of Operation Storm. That’s why they sent Tomo Medved (Deputy Prime Minister) there. The appearance of Tomo Medved in Grubori at the commemoration for the victims of a crime committed by disobedient individuals who violated the policies and orders of the Croatian defence. This appearance by Tomo Medved there undoubtedly symbolises also that the top of Croatia wants to attribute this crime committed by individuals to the overall Croatian defence in the Homeland War. And that is nothing else but an another step in equalising the victim and aggressor in the Homeland War.

So, a perversion, perversion which I and I believe many others have not experienced before.

What courage against the Croatian people!

But, all this said, Croatian diaspora was before the Homeland War, during the Homeland War and after the Homeland War “For Homeland Ready” and for God and Croatia,  democratic Croatia, ready!

Some will say that by organising the celebration of 25th Anniversary of the magnificent victory over the brutal Serb aggressor in Knin at almost the same time they organised the commemoration for the victims of crime against six Serb civilians that occurred in the nearby village of Grubore, three weeks after the victorious Operation Storm, is good for reconciliation! Well, my professional opinion derived from my substantial training and experience as a Psychologist, tell me that nothing can be further from the truth. Firstly, the killing of the six Serb civilians occurred on 25 August 1995, twenty days after this Serb-occupied Croatian territory was liberated by Operation Storm, and the commemoration should have been planned for that date! Secondly, the ICTY Appeals Tribunal (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia) in the Hague had, in its Judgment in the Gotovina & Markac case, in November 2012, stated that “the state and military leadership had no role in their planning and creation” of this crime. So, why join the commemoration for these victims with the glorious victory of Operation Storm!? Utter perversion and political manipulation in the lame efforts to achieve reconciliation between the Serb aggressor and Croatians whom they attacked, perhaps? But here is the reality: one cannot achieve reconciliation through the denial of truth nor through lacking love for one’s people! And the current government with its Serb minority elected coalition clearly possess both of these characteristics that are not reconciliation-friendly: denial of truth and lacking love for the Croatian nation. Ina Vukic

Below is the video in the Croatian language with English subtitles that I have made with the above record of distressing happenings in Croatia around the celebrations of the 25th Anniversary of Operation Storm. Please visit!

 

Croatian Operation Storm 1995 and the Serb Self-imposed Exodus From Croatia

 

In honour of the 25th Anniversary of the Croatian August 1995 Operation Storm that within a matter of days liberated much of its Serb occupied territory I would like to share with the public and my readers the documentary film in the English language that clearly, verifiably and with absolute and irrefutable truth demonstrates the magnificent courage of the Croatian Defence Forces in bringing to the people a free and independent Croatia. This video focuses on some of the crucial military tactics employed by the Croatian Defence Forces, ensuring that there were no victims of the shelling of Knin, which was usurped by rebel Serbs as the capital city of the area they occupied via ethnic cleansing of Croats, via murder and destruction and gave it the name of Serbian Republic of Krajina. The video demonstrates with historic evidence that Croatia did not forcibly expel Serbs from Croatia in August of 1995 and is in itself a document of truth. Very worthwhile watching, and I trust you will watch this video and share it. It begins with:

“Hello and welcome to my Youtube presentation entitled “What caused the Serb exodus from Croatia during Operation Storm”. My name is Luka Misetic, I am an attorney in New York, I spent seven years before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia as defence counsel in the case of General Ante Gotovina which dealt extensively with Operation Storm. So, I have spent many years looking at the evidence in the case. At the end of this presentation hopefully you will learn three important things about Operation Storm. The first is what caused the Serb exodus from Croatia during Operation Storm. The second important thing is that you will learn the critical role that General Ante Gotovina played in Croatia’s victory in Operation Storm and the third thing that you will hopefully learn is the importance of a little village in the Southern part of Croatia known as Otric and the importance that that village played in Croatia’s victory in Operation Storm and in the departure of Krajina Serb civilians and military from Croatia during Operation Storm.

As I record this in August of 2020 and we are approaching the 25th Anniversary of Operation Storm, which took place between 4 August and 8 August 1995. Every year around this time tensions rise between Croatia and Serbia over the anniversary of Operation Storm. There are competing narratives between the two countries about the Operation. Operation Storm is celebrated in Croatia because it liberated 10,400 square kilometres or 4,000 square miles of Croatia’s territory that had been occupied by rebel Serbs for more than 4 years. The territory liberated by Operation Storm accounted for more that 1/5 of Croatia’s overall territory. Croatia celebrates Operation Storm every year on the 5th of August as a national holiday. In Croatia it is known as Victory Day and Day of Homeland Thanksgiving.

In Serbia the anniversary of Operation Storm is a Day of National Mourning. The Serbians view Operation Storm is that it is the biggest ethnic cleansing in modern Europe with the claim that hundreds of thousands of Serbs were expelled by Croatian authorities in 1995.

It is true that many Serbs left Croatia during Operation Storm… many civilians packed up and left and exited Croatia in long columns that took several days, leaving for the Serb occupied territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina known as Republika Srpska (Serbian Republic) or going on to Serbia itself. But the key question that has to be asked is why did the Serbs leave during Operation Storm? The issues or questions are were they forcibly expelled by Croatia or were they encouraged to leave by their own Serb leadership which caused a panic among the civilian population and a mass exodus.

The fundamentally contradictory historical narratives are at the centre of the dispute between Serbia and Croatia which arises every year in August during the anniversary of Operation Storm. In this video I will explain the true reasons that caused the Serb population to leave Croatia in 1995….”

 

Thank you Luka Misetic for this detailed video of Croatia’s victory in its harsh path to independence, corroborated by facts, that stands tall in the line of magnificent Croatian truths. Happy Victory Day to all Croats around the world! Ina Vukic

 

 

HERE ARE SOME SCREENSHOTS FROM LUKA MISETIC’S VIDEO. PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE:

 

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