In Memoriam Dr. Slobodan Lang

Prof. dr. sc. Slobodan Lang 1945 - 2016

Prof. dr. sc. Slobodan Lang
1945 – 2016

 

 

“…Forgive my grief for one removed,
Thy creature, whom I found so fair.
I trust he lives in thee, and there
I find him worthier to be loved…

Alfred Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam A.H.H., 1849.

There are times in human life when writing In Memoriam about the life of a person who has just passed away seems like a task that can never be finished because there are so very many good things in that departed heart and mind yielding the task of writing them down almost inexhaustible. On 23 February 2016 Dr. Slobodan Lang passed away and his passing has left many almost paralysed with grief – I am one of those. Dr. Lang was one of Croatia’s shiniest sons in all respects of the good that humanity could ever muster. He was decorated several times with medals of honour for his bravery, humanitarian work and battles for freedom and democracy. Dr. Slobodan Lang was my friend and my rock for freedom and democracy for Croatia. I already miss and will miss our frequent talks and chats so deeply. I hold it so proudly to have had his contributions to this blog: “Croatia, the War, and the Future”.

Dr. Slobodan Lang 2013 launching book of records for "White Path"/Bijeli Put in Croatian humanitarian aid action in 1993

Dr. Slobodan Lang 2013
launching book of records
for “White Path”/Bijeli Put in Croatian
humanitarian aid action in 1993

Dr. Slobodan Lang was born to a prominent Croatian Jewish family in Zagreb in October 1945. He believed himself to be a Croat Jew and believed in Jesus Christ, saying often that Jesus Christ had appeared to him several times. His father was prominent Croatian university professor Rikard Lang and his mother was from the notable Sorkocevic family of Dubrovnik. Lang’s paternal grandfather Ignjat Lang was president of the Jewish community Vinkovci, Croatia, and his grandmother Terezija was a housewife. In 1941, Catholic priest Hijacint Boskovic, distinguished Dubrovnik and Croatian Dominican, was engaged in an extraordinary attempt to rescue the Langs from Nazi persecution. Boskovic traveled from Dubrovnik to Vinkovci with a special permit that allowed him to relocate the Langs to Dubrovnik. Langs grandfather refused to leave, saying that he “was the president of Jews in peace and he will stay one in the war“. Both of his grandparents were killed at the Jasenovac concentration camp in Croatia during the Holocaust.

Dr Slobodan Lang and his wife Nada 2006 Photo: blog.dnevnik.hr

Dr Slobodan Lang and his wife Nada
2006
Photo: blog.dnevnik.hr

Dr Slobodan Lang attended his schooling in post-WWII Zagreb and thereafter studied at and graduated Medicine from the University of Zagreb. In his professional lifetime Dr. Lang was one of the world’s outstanding specialists in Social Medicine. He was a fellow professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb, lectured as university professor at the School of National Health “Andrija Stampar” at the Faculty of Medicine in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and was a guest professor at the U.S. Harvard University (in 1993 the first professional collaborator at the Centre for Human Rights and public Health at Harvard) and visiting professor at School of Health in Boston U.S.A. (1985-1986). He was a member of the British Royal Society for Public Health. He was the co-author of more than 200 scientific articles and reviews as well as author and co-author of several books. He was on the Advisory Council of the Harvard Human Rights and Public Health Journal and member of editorial board for the Croatian Medical Journal and editor-in-chief of Croatian Public Health Medicine Journal.

Dr, Solobodan Lang at International Public Health Summer School held in Zagreb Croatia 2001

Dr, Solobodan Lang
at International Public Health
Summer School held in Zagreb Croatia 2001

Dr. Lang’s public life began while he was still attending secondary school and university in Zagreb and had successfully served the public in many high and responsible positions for more than 40 years after graduating medicine. Prof. dr. sc. Lang was a special adviser to Croatia’s first president Dr. Franjo Tudjman on humanitarian affairs between 1993 and 2000. He was a representative in the Croatian Parliament, he was an Ambassador with the Croatian foreign affairs, he was the leader of the Croatian delegation with the Inter-parliamentary union and member of European Council. During the wars in 1990’s on the former Yugoslavia territory he acted with special attention and determination in doing good for people who suffered from aggression. He placed his hard work, his reputation and above all his generous courage to the task of saving lives and helping those in greatest danger. The foundations of his actions were the spreading of knowledge, linking professionals on the ground to help and attempting to create “effective knowledge” everywhere.

Dr. Slobodan Lang (Left) and Dr. Franjo Tudjman President of Croatia, 1991

Dr. Slobodan Lang (Left) and
Dr. Franjo Tudjman
President of Croatia, 1991

Having decided to act for the good of those that suffered at any cost and in the most difficult of war circumstances Dr. Lang co-organised the so-called “Libertas” convoy to bring humanitarian aid to Dubrovnik during the ferocious 1991 siege of the city by Serb aggressor; he protected war prisoners in Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991-1995 by organizing care and protection of Bosnian refugees in their hundreds of thousands who fled Serb aggressor and came to war-torn Croatia. In late 1993 he organised and led one of the largest and boldest humanitarian aid operations in European history: the so-called “White Path” lives-saving action for Nova Bila and Silver Bosnia/Bosna Srebrena (Bosnia and Herzegovina) aimed at helping Croats (multitudes of whom had been massacred or ethnically cleansed from the area) and all other suffering peoples of Central Bosnia. He organised and carried out many other humanitarian aid actions during the war in Croatia.

 

 

Dr. Slobodan Lang's "White Path" humanitarian aid convoy to Nova Bila and Silver Bosnia makes its way through treacherous Bosnian terrain - 1993

Dr. Slobodan Lang’s
“White Path” humanitarian aid convoy
to Nova Bila and Silver Bosnia
makes its way through treacherous Bosnian terrain – 1993

 

 

In 2012, Lang criticised the statements of Croatian President Ivo Josipovic when the latter addressed the Israeli Knesset on February 2012 and apologized for the crimes committed against the Jews in Croatia during World War II. Lang accused Josipovic of left wing Antisemitism and of insulting Croats, Jews and Franjo Tuđman for not recognising the communist crimes of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia against the Croats and Jews. Lang stated: “Josipovic spoke in the Knesset without truth, justice, accountability and good for Croatia, Israel and the world. President Ivo Josipovic was supposed to deliver a speech in Israel about the two small nations who have shown that there are no small nations. Members of the Knesset should have heard about the pride of Croats from the man whom the Croatian people entrusted to speak about the truth and good, to present the Croatian experience of suffering, trials, persecutions and slander, with the aim of joint efforts for the good of our peoples and for the good of all mankind.”

Dr. Slobodan Land handed out roses in Zagreb to the women of Vukovar, victims of war crime of rape and their supporters. (With Dr. Lang - Marija Sliskovic Croatia’s tireless activist for the rights of women victims of rape by Serb aggressor in Croatia 1990’s) Photo: Screenshot Vecernji List 8.3.2012

Dr. Slobodan Land handed out roses
in Zagreb to the women of Vukovar,
victims of war crime of rape
and their supporters.
(With Dr. Lang – Marija Sliskovic
Croatia’s tireless activist for
the rights of women
victims of rape by Serb aggressor in Croatia 1990’s)
Photo: Screenshot Vecernji List 8.3.2012

There were many stations in the life of Dr. Slobodan Lang at which, because of his personal decision to make a difference in life, many human lives have been saved. The founding of the Croatian Network of Healthy Cities, the mine Old Square at Kosovo, Convoy Libertas to Dobrovnik, prisoner of war camps, convoys of love and peace, the building of Nova Bila hospital, action Save Lives After Military Operation Storm in Croatia, the return to Cazin area, founding of the Faculty of Medicine in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, advocating for the Hague prisoners, traveling exhibition Wounded Jesus, dedication to public health throughout his adult life, etc. Through all these and many more activities the power of the Good was mobilised and people who suffered terribly, who were humiliated and whose lives were at risk – were helped. Dr. Slobodan Lang made an unforgettable difference for the good of the human race. Rest in peace – great man! Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)

Convoy "Libertas" with humanitarian aid arrived in port of Dubrovnik 31st October 1991 returning hope for peace and the removal of the blockade by Serb aggressor to the exhausted, tortured and hungry people of Dubrovnik under enemy siege Photo: portaloko.hr

Convoy “Libertas” with humanitarian aid
arrived in port of Dubrovnik 31st October 1991
returning hope for peace
and the removal
of the blockade by Serb aggressor
to the exhausted, tortured and hungry people
of Dubrovnik under enemy siege
Photo: portaloko.hr

Croatia: Tears And Prayers As Bosnian Croat Dario Kordic Arrives Home From ICTY Prison

 

 

Welcome home Dario Kordic flag 6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Welcome home Dario Kordic flag
6 June 2014
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Former vice president and a member of the Presidency of the Croatian Community of Herceg-Bosna, and later Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna, and at one time the president of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZBiH), Dario Kordic, landed at Zagreb, Croatia, airport after serving 16.6 years of the 25-year prison sentence imposed by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for 1993 war crimes committed in Central Bosnia, Lasva Valley, against Muslim civilians.

Several hundred people gathered at the airport to welcome back home from prison the man they consider a hero, not a war criminal. Kordic’s ICTY sentence was not the one of a war criminal who committed crimes but that of a politician who was at the time of those crimes in a high position of Herceg-Bosna political leadership and responsibilities. Indeed, among the welcoming crowds were many most esteemed historians, public personalities who work tirelessly at justice for victims as well as some highly positioned political officials at the time of the 1990’s war. These include: dr Zvonimir Separovic, dr Slobodan Lang, dr Josip Pecaric, dr Zdravko Tomac, dr Ivic Pasalic, dr Ante Kovacevic, dr Josip Jurcevic – Bishop Vlado Kosic from Sisak was there to lead a prayer.

After tearfully embracing his wife and children, Kordic turned to the masses at the Zagreb airport with an emotional speech in which he thanked God, the Catholic faith and the whole of the Croatian nation.

Kordic is one member of the group of Bosnian Croats from central Bosnia, who voluntarily surrendered to the ICTY in The Hague in 1997 after U.S. authorities and the World Bank put Croatia’s Franjo Tudjman and his government under mounting economic pressure to have Kordic and other Bosnian Croats arrested. Kordic said that he gladly welcomed the opportunity to clear his name.

Kordic was sentenced for war crimes committed in Ahmici against Bosnian Muslims, for the perpetration of which he actually is not responsible. And, it’s necessary to point out here that on the same day the Ahmici crimes occurred, crimes perpetrated by the Muslims/ BH Army against Croats occurred in the village of Trusine where the entire Croatian village population was murdered and no one to this day has been made accountable for this, just as no one has been made accountable for similar war crimes in Doljani, Grabovica, Uzdol, Jurici, Bugojno … where, even today, the Croats are constantly threatened with death.

After the war ended in 1995 and the signing of the Dayton Agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina the failed Bosniak scenario to create an ethnically pure Muslim/Bosniak region within Bosnia and Herzegovina moved into the corridors of the ICTY. Bosnian Croats Dario Kordic and Tihomir Blaskic found themselves in the Hague where the prosecution’s politically charged and unfounded plan was to show that Croatia’s president Franjo Tudjman started ethnic cleansing against Muslims in Lasva Valley in order to create a Greater Croatia. Dario Kordic’s case was allocated to the British prosecutor Geoffrey Nice and the judge was Judge Richard May, also British; the witnesses for the prosecution were officers of a British battalion, whose testimonies omitted to address all BH Army (Muslim) offensive operations, all their crimes against Croats, and especially all the horrific crimes of the Mujahedeen units of the BH Army.

Looking down upon history we find that the British forces were instrumental in turning the hundreds of thousands of Croat refugees in May of 1945, in Bleiburg, Austria, back to communist Yugoslavia, knowing they would be massacred. The fact that these people sought the promised refuge/asylum in the West at the time made no difference. And in the ICTY case against Kordic the British again play an important role! One wonders why Britain, post- New York “9/11” terrorist attack, joins the war against terror when at about the same time the Kordic case was at the Hague, here in the corridors of ICTY members of it’s judicial echelons saw to the protection of Bosnian Muslims and their Mujahedeen terrorist units.

“In Broad Daylight” – documentary on Muslim/Bosniak crimes against Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina (partially in English):

 

One cannot change the ICTY’s judgment against Dario Kordic. He had pleaded innocent to the charges of war crimes and lost. He has served his time in prison and paid the dues to society imposed upon him by the court even if those dues are seen as having been based on highly questionable foundations. But one can change one thing in relation to Dario Kordic’s war crimes conviction: one can lobby the government corridors and insist on investigations into the ICTY judgment in order to demonstrate upon which falsification and political maneuvering it did arise! This is particularly important given that the “Herceg-Bosna 6 Croats” (Jadranko Prlic, Milivoj Petkovic, Bruno Stojic, Slobodan Praljak, Berislav Pusic, Valentin Coric) convicted in 2013 by the ICTY Trial Chamber for similar crimes and similar political constructs in 2013 still await Appeal.

One truth is among us: Dario Kordic has returned home on conditional release from prison for war crimes after serving two-thirds of his prison sentence. The other truth is yet to arrive: What political games saw him behind bars while the Bosnian Muslims/Bosniaks involved in a similar role as Kordic – political responsibility – are walking the streets freely!

In the meantime here are some photographs from Dario Kordic’s arrival at Zagreb airport, Croatia, on Friday 6 June 2014 from which place he will soon head to his hometown of Busovaca, Central Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Please click on photos to enlarge). Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)

Waiting for Dario Kordic at Zagreb Airport  6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Waiting for Dario Kordic at Zagreb Airport
6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Waiting for Dario Kordic at Zagreb Airport 6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Waiting for Dario Kordic at Zagreb Airport
6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

 

Dario Kordic kneels to Croatian ground Zagreb 6 June 2014 (Photo: PIXSELL)

Dario Kordic kneels to Croatian ground
Zagreb 6 June 2014
(Photo: PIXSELL)

Dario Kordic kisses Croatian ground 6 June 2014 (Photo: PIXSELL)

Dario Kordic kisses Croatian ground
6 June 2014
(Photo: PIXSELL)

Dario Kordic reunited with family Tears of joy overwhelm (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic reunited with family
Tears of joy overwhelm
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

 

Dario Kordic arrives in Zagreb 6 June 2014 First came tears of joy and a prayer followed (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic arrives in Zagreb 6 June 2014
First came tears of joy and a prayer followed
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dr Slobodan Lang at Zagreb Airport 6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dr Slobodan Lang at Zagreb Airport
6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic in Zagreb 6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic in Zagreb 6 June 2014
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic welcomed in Zagreb 6 June 2014 (Photo: Ranko Suvar/CROPIX)

Dario Kordic welcomed in Zagreb
6 June 2014
(Photo: Ranko Suvar/CROPIX)

Dario Kordic with dr Josip Pecaric, dr Zvonimir Separovic and Bishop Vlado Kosic Zagreb Airport 6 June 2014 (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic with dr Josip Pecaric,
dr Zvonimir Separovic and Bishop Vlado Kosic
Zagreb Airport 6 June 2014
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

Dario Kordic kisses Bishop Vlado Kosic's hand Zagreb Airport 6 June 2014 (Photo: Ranko Suvar/CROPIX)

Dario Kordic kisses Bishop Vlado Kosic’s hand
Zagreb Airport 6 June 2014
(Photo: Ranko Suvar/CROPIX)

A T-shirt worn by a well-wisher at  Dario Kordic's arrival in Zagreb 6 June 2014, writing on T-shirt "Often, Judas judge the righteous"  (Photo: Marija Tomislava)

A T-shirt worn by a well-wisher at
Dario Kordic’s arrival in Zagreb
6 June 2014, writing on T-shirt
“Often, Judas judge the righteous”
(Photo: Marija Tomislava)

 

Croatia Suffered Genocide And Prevented It In Bihac!

Vukovar, Croatia 1991 Serb Chetnik and Serb-led Yugoslav army march into Vukovar singing: "Slobo, Slobo (as in Slobodan Milosevic) send us some salad, there will be meat, we'll slaughter the Croats" (BBC newsreel screenshot)

Vukovar, Croatia 1991
Serb Chetnik and Serb-led Yugoslav army
march into Vukovar singing:
“Slobo, Slobo (as in Slobodan Milosevic) send
us some salad, there will be meat, we’ll slaughter
the Croats” (BBC newsreel screenshot)

 

Croatian Cultural Council, on its Croatian Weekly portal has published an article written by dr Slobodan Lang in relation to the Croatia Vs Serbia genocide lawsuit and case currently being heard in the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

I have translated that article into English and bring it to you with the hope that it will increase your understanding of and knowledge about what Croatia had to endure during the Serb aggression of 1990’s. This is important for the whole of the humanity, for the world simply needs to cease saying “Never again (genocide)” while real threats of new genocide loom before us – it must punish the states whose policy was to employ genocide in order to take over territory of another sovereign state.   Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb) B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)

By dr Slobodan Lang,
Hrvatski Tjednik (Croatian Weekly), 10 March 2014

In its defence from Serb aggression Croatia has achieved a greater success in the prevention of genocide than anyone else in history. Genocide is the gravest of crimes among people. Its intentions are to kill, or at least deport a certain population from a territory in which it has jointly lived be it through aggression or conquest. The Convention on the prevention and punishment of genocide was passed in the night before the Universal Declaration of Human rights was adopted.

However, that was after the Holocaust had already happened. The entire humanitarian activity in WWII was weak and the new rules for the future were brought about on the basis of the experience of failure rather than success. The problem of genocide was avoided for many years, usually with the words “Never again”. It was the 1990’s wars of Serb aggression that prompted the world to confront itself with crimes against humanity and genocide. Again because of punishment, and not prevention.

The world has not solved the question of genocide: intent, prevention, stopping, judgment and punishment. The truth about genocide is the question and responsibility of the world. It is necessary to punish that which is done, but the most important thing is to contribute to the prevention of future genocide, anywhere in the world, using the new knowledge and experiences. For this reason, the primary task of the trial of Croatia’s lawsuit against Serbia for genocide, which commenced at the beginning of March, is to contribute to a better future world, and not just convict the evil that has already occurred.

It is difficult for me to write this text, but I must and I want to pass onto you the ideas and the experiences I carry with me. In order to achieve something one needs to have ideas, one needs to mobilise a group to join in and, to personal danger or risk, one needs to organize and implement an action, for which one hopes will be accepted by the people, and the desired results will be achieved.

Only through such jointly utilised ideas, actions, courage, influence and change in the way of life results are achieved in any sphere: humanitarian, economic, political … and so too in the sphere of prevention of genocide.

It’s difficult for me to write because I carry the painful inheritance of the Holocaust in my own family.

I have turned it into the post-holocaust with the aim to turn the Jewish suffering from hatred, persecution, camps, theft, ignorance and killing into the future strengthening of the prevention from such crimes for any nations. It’s difficult because I do not feel the awareness of the whole depth and the whole suffering of the people in today’s leadership of Croatia. I do not know that they had participated as war veterans, or even in the civilian actions in the defence of Croatia.

I listen to them as they attempt to explain the suffering, genocide, and so the Holocaust at well, as the suffering of some other people from the past who don’t concern us and for whom too much money or emotion shouldn’t be spent. I do not feel the presence of a soul in the Croatian leadership.

Likewise, I think that today’s Serbia and Serbs have not at all confronted themselves with their responsibility and are attempting to escape into a concept of equal guilt, into the forgetfulness of the past and into the well known phrase “who, on earth, pushed us into a feud” (‘tko nas, bre, zavadi‘). I feel an inadequate wish and will from the Serbian leadership, intelligence, Church, and consequently in their people to stop being a nation of hate and inequality and to start being a nation of tolerance and good. Such conditions make it most difficult for the International community and court to come to the truth and bring about a just ruling.

Nevertheless, the truth that in its defense from Serbia’s aggression, Yugoslav People’s Army and the rebel Serbs, Croatia had successfully prevented, stopped and warned about the danger of genocide, is very important. Croatia is responsible towards the whole world and towards its own people, its future and towards all the suffering victims as well as all war veterans to demonstrate and show to the ICJ court in The Hague why and how it defended itself and why and how it prevented the crimes of genocide while defending itself from the aggression that had as its aim the conquering of parts of Croatia by use of excessive military destructive force and by causing the Croats to flee their homes (in order to save their bare lives) through perpetration of the worst imaginable crimes (murder, rape, torture, incarceration in concentration camps).

This is the first time that a world court considers a lawsuit of one state accusing another for having perpetrated an aggression with the aim of taking away the conquered territory through the perpetration of crimes against the nationally undesirable population, using hatred, destruction, ethnic persecution – in short, genocide. The International court in The Hague had in the genocide case of Bosnia and Herzegovina Vs Serbia avoided to deliver a clear decision on guilt in its judgment, but it had in an unambiguous manner condemned Serbia for not preventing the genocide in Srebrenica.

Sparked by this decision, I wrote an open letter (3 November 2012) to the president of Serbia asking him to seek the release of Croatian Generals Gotovina and Markac from the Hague, to state how the Operation Storm prevented genocide in Bihac and, as a state condemned for not having prevented genocide to call for a world summit on the prevention of genocide. But he did not reply to my letter. Does he understand at all that my letter was an offering of the hand of the future to him, to Serbia and to Serbs?

In the modern times, the idea of hatred, inequality and violence was set in motion in 1986 by only 15 SANU Academics (Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts). They wrote the following in their Memorandum: “The achievement of equality and independent development for the Serbian people have a deeper historical sense. For less than fifty years, in two consecutive generations, twice exposed to physical destruction, forced assimilation, religion change, cultural genocide, ideological indoctrination, devaluation and denial of own tradition under the imposed complex of guilt, intellectually and politically disarmed, the Serbian people have been exposed to most difficult of temptations, which have surely left traces in the spiritual state, which, at the end of this century of great technological advances in human intellect, should not be ignored. If the Serbian people count on its future in the family of cultured and civilised people of the world they must receive the opportunity to once again find themselves and become a historical subject, to renew their conscience of their historical and spiritual being ...”

Slobodan Milosevic became their entrepreneur. He firstly maimed Serbia and the Serbian people by turning them into a nation of hate. Just as Hitler did against the Jews, he started with initiating hatred and actions against Albanians within Serbia. After that he went forth with the aggression and rebellion in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The attacks always followed the same pattern: excessive military artillery shelling against all buildings regardless of what they were, which resulted in enormous destruction and numerous civil casualties.

Many survivors fled and found shelter in the surrounding areas. After conquering the areas, armed soldiers, volunteers from Serbia and the local Serbs looted, burned the houses, chased people away, killed and raped. Therefore, cleansing had been implemented. Unlike this pattern, Croatia’s defence had from its first day emphasised antifascism and rejected crimes and hatred.

The Serb aggression was based upon the attitude that hatred and genocide are worthwhile, that they are the path to the realisation of Greater Serbia. The people were to follow and accept such a leader and leadership. The Croatian defence leaned upon the good and upon tolerance as the path toward realising the freedom of Croatia and Croats. The people decided for responsibility of freedom at the referendum. The whole nation had linked itself into one so that it could defend the Homeland and the homes.

The civilian initiatives (Wall of Love, Convoy Libertas, emigrants …) were in 1991 the greatest force in the Croatian defence. The mere defence of Vukovar was, in fact, an attempt to prevent that which was to happen after the conquest: killing of patients, rape of women, torture, looting, taking to the concentration camps, persecution, only because they are Croats. There were more and more veterans every day. And so it was all until the victorious Operation Storm with which the Croatian army had prevented genocide in Bihac, in August of 1995.

I do not know how Croatia will present itself at the court in The Hague, I do not know how the politicians will trade among themselves either in secret or publicly nor do I know what the final court verdict will be. But I do know that the Serbian aggression was made up of the plan to conquer by employing hatred and crimes all the way to the full genocide. I know that the Croatian defence, despite all the sufferings, had prevented this in Croatia. The Homeland war, therefore, contains more experience in the prevention of genocide than any other war in the world. Judge Theodor Meron, with his origins, his experience and knowledge had recognised this, made a judgment and freed Gotovina and Markac.

How much of this do the Croatian political leadership and defence understand? When you read this you will know one more thing that is of worldly importance: how our Croatia was created and defended. Be justifiably proud of the past, but it needs to be passed onto the future of the world as well as into the success of today’s Croatia.
_________________

slobodan-langAbout dr. Slobodan Lang. Born to Jewish family 8 October 1945 in Zagreb, Croatia. Physician, author, writer, politician and former personal adviser to the first Croatian President dr. Franjo Tudjman. His paternal grandfather Ignjat was the president of the Jewish community in Vinkovci (Croatia) and his grandmother Terezija was a housewife. In 1941 Catholic priest Hijacint Bošković, distinguished Dubrovnik and Croatian Dominican, was engaged in an extraordinary attempt to rescue the Langs from Nazi persecution. Bošković traveled from Dubrovnik to Vinkovci with a special permit that allowed him to relocate the Langs to Dubrovnik. Langs grandfather refused to leave, saying that he “was the president of Jews in peace and he will stay one in the war”. Both of his grandparents were killed in the concentration camp during the Holocaust. He graduated at the University of Zagreb School of Medicine and is a specialist in social medicine. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slobodan_Lang)

 

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