Srebrenica genocide – Croatia, the War, and the Future

EU Parliament Delivers On Srebrenica Genocide

July 9, 2015 by inavukic 12 Comments

EU Parliament delivered where United Nations Security Council failed due to Russian Veto, even though 10 member nations of the UNSC voted Wednesday 8 July “yes” for the resolution to call Srebrenica genocide a genocide and 4 abstained from voting.

European Parliament has a couple of hours ago released these statements that follow:

European Parliament condemned in the strongest possible terms the genocide in Srebrenica of 11 July 1995 and said that “such horrendous crimes must never happen again”, in a vote on Thursday, 11 July. MEPs regret that the UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution commemorating the genocide and call for acceleration of war crimes prosecution at international and domestic level.
MEPs commemorated and honoured all the victims of the massacre and “all the atrocities during the wars in the former Yugoslavia” and expressed their solidarity with their families, many of which are still left without final confirmation of the fate of their relatives. Out of more than 8 000 Muslim men and boys executed by Bosnian Serb forces and paramilitary units, the bodies of nearly 1 200 have not yet been located and identified.

Overcome hatred and divisions

MEPs reject “any denial, relativisation or misinterpretation of the genocide” and say its 20th anniversary should be “a fresh reminder of the dangers of extreme forms of nationalism and intolerance in society, further exacerbated in the framework of war.” They also stress that regional cooperation and the European integration process “are the best way to promote conciliation and to overcome hatred and divisions.”

Failure of UNSC to pass resolution on Srebrenica genocide

The text also regrets that the UN Security Council, which has the primary responsibility for maintenance of international peace and security, failed to pass a resolution commemorating the Srebrenica genocide. This is especially regrettable, as the International Court of Justice, the UN’s primary judicial body, has determined that the crimes committed in Srebrenica were genocide, MEPs say.

End trials, promote understanding

MEPs invite the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to accelerate and bring to an end the trials and appeals without undue delay. More needs to be done do prosecute war crimes at domestic level, too, they stress. They also urge the development of education and cultural programmes promoting understanding the causes of atrocities and raise awareness about the need to nurture peace and to promote human rights and inter-religious tolerance.
MEPs urge the political representatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina to “acknowledge the past” and to “work successfully together towards a better future” and welcome the decision of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, taken unanimously, to proclaim the 11th of July as Day of Mourning in the country.
Note:
The massacre of Srebrenica was recognized as genocide both by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Court of Justice. The act of genocide and ethnic cleansing was the biggest war crime in Europe since the end of the Second World War.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: EU, European Parliament, Serb aggression, Srebrenica genocide, United Nations Security Council

Using Russia Serbia Pumps Up Its Denial Of Genocide

July 8, 2015 by inavukic 44 Comments

Worker tending to
Srebrenica memorial
graveyard
Photo: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

A United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution (drafted by Britain) to condemn the 1995 Srebrenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina) massacre as genocide, marking the 20th anniversary of the mass killing, has been delayed until today, Wednesday 8 July 2015, after Russia threatened to veto the measure.
Not without Serbia’s pressure, I dare say, Russia has deemed the resolution unbalanced and does not want the 1995 massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys described as genocide. Instead it proposed condemning “the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.”

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic sent a letter (made public on Monday 6 July) to Queen Elizabeth II concerning London’s initiative for the UN SC to adopt a resolution on Srebrenica, the Belgrade-based Danas daily writes.
“The draft resolution submitted by Great Britain to the UN SC might jeopardize efforts invested in the stability of the region,” Nikolic said in his letter and one cannot but feel the threatening tone coming from this ultra-nationalist Greater Serbia thug who heads Serbia these days. His letter to the Queen goes on to say:
“I ask you most kindly to dedicate your attention to a serious question that could ruin the efforts made by Serbia over many years in giving our humble contribution to the overall stability of South-East Europe.
That is, I am referring to the Resolution on Srebrenica, filed by Your country in the UN Security Council.
We are a nation that is fairly different to other countries of similar size and power. Whenever we were attacked throughout the history, we chose resistance and fight for freedom. In a large number of circumstances our conduct coincided with the formed international position, battle and goals of Your nation. We never wanted to give up, to withdraw or for others to decide what we will choose for ourselves. Such an attitude was very demanding, often dangerous, but in the end it carried relief and was healthy for our spirit…I believe you are aware that Serbs fought against Turks, against Austro-Hungarian Empire, against Germans and then against the Third Reich. We opposed many others, even NATO in 1999, in the belief that we must defend Kosovo and Metohija territory, which historically belongs to us… We have done all this convinced that the freedom and dignity of man are the supreme values, and there has never been cold calculation behind our role and intentions, but rather our feelings.”
Serbia’s pro-Russian President Tomislav Nikolic had also sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday 4 July, “pleading” for a Russian “no” in the UN Security Council when the resolution is tabled.

Nikolic’s move with Russia clearly reflects political divisions in Serbia among those who seek closer ties with the European Union and his pro-Russian faction that wants Serbia in the Kremlin orbit.

Srebrenica
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Graveyard of victims of genocide

Serbia’s Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, a former extreme nationalist who now declares himself as pro-EU, has said he is ready to attend memorial ceremonies marking the Srebrenica anniversary in Srebrenica — but also has refused to call it genocide and is becoming increasingly hostile against anyone branding the crimes in Srebrenica and Croatia as genocide, even though those crimes were, in the face of irrefutable evidence, found as genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague. According to Vucic, “lately, some have decided to use various resolutions to once again place the brand of those who should be ashamed of the past…We Serbs show our greatness also by being able to bow before the victims of others as we do before our own, before the hundreds of thousands of who died in all the fatherland wars. But don’t make us feel humiliated because we are Serbs and because we fought valiantly for our freedom,” Vucic told those gathered in Blaznava, central Serbia, on Tuesday 7 July, and added that Serbia will be defending itself “with knowledge and smarts, with diligence.”
“And those who think it’s enough to threaten us and say that we Serbs are, I guess, the only ones to blame for what was happening in the former Yugoslavia, and that we should forget Jasenovac, and Jadovno, and all other places of Serb suffering – essentially they are only saying and showing who caused many things (that happened) in that region,” Vucic said.

What utter sadness: the Serb leaders keep hiding and justifying their brutal and genocidal crimes of 1990’s behind those others committed in the 1940’s, of course completely omitting the fact that the Holocaust happened also in Serbia, with the help of Serb Nazi-collaborating government.

Well then – even at this approaching 20th anniversary of Serb-led genocide at Srebrenica, even at this approaching 20th anniversary of Croatia’s victory over Serb aggression and occupation, mass-murder, ethnic cleansing and destruction, Serbia does not want to own up to its heinous acts against other sovereign nations. It keeps painting history with lies and it keeps threatening – still.

To crown these pathetic attempts of covering up and minimising the severity of the brutality in crimes Serbs had committed during 1990’s in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has just released a statement that he “would be watching who will attend the Victory Parade in Zagreb, Croatia” – to be held on 5 August marking 20th anniversary of Operation Storm that liberated Croatia from Serb murderous occupation – because their attendance will signify their “anti-Serbia stand!”
Serbia will interpret the participation in the event that will mark the 20th anniversary of the operation Storm as an anti-Serb stand, Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday, 7 July.
He said that Serbia was criticized for sending soldiers to Moscow on May 9, when 70 years of the victory over fascism was celebrated – while Croatia is now organising a parade to mark the anniversary of Operation Storm that claimed the lives of several thousand Serbs, while several hundred thousand others were expelled. Oh dear, once again, another Serbia leader, refuses to accept decision from the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague, which found that there was no forceful deportation of Serbs from Croatia – Serbs left of their own accord more likely than not, in fear of their own horrible deeds prior and with evil intent to keep saying that Croatia deported them forcefully!

Croatia has invited armed forces of other countries to take part in the parade of 5 August.

“The participation of their troops in the parade will sent a very negative message to Serbia. We will take that as an anti-Serb stand,” the Serbian foreign minister said.

So, according to Serbia: Serbia can attack, can occupy, can murder, can defend itself…and hold this as glorious for its nation, but no other country can! And to boot, the country that defended itself from Serbia’s brutal aggression (Croatia) is not supposed to celebrate its victory because there were casualties on the aggressor’s side! Serbia’s foreign minister and the Serbia that subscribes such a view need to crawl under a rock, where they belong, and stay there for at least a hundred years, until all who committed crimes own and bear responsibility for them.

Vukovar, Croatia
Cemetery for victims of Serb aggression and genocide

So, taking aim at what it terms genocide denial, the British draft UN resolution on Srebrenica genocide stresses that “acceptance of the tragic events at Srebrenica as genocide is a prerequisite for reconciliation.”

Hallelujah!

Many Croats have been saying that for decades! I have been saying that over and over again, in my articles responding to some unwise moves made by various Croatian politicians on the path to reconciliation with Serbia or Serb aggressor. I wish Croatia had more politicians of the calibre of those standing behind this draft of UN resolution on Srebrenica genocide and who defend the content of this resolution.
“Genocide is a crime and those who committed it are criminals who should be punished as such …To say so is not ‘anti-Serbian,’ as some have alleged,” British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft wrote in a letter to Mladen Ivanic, the Serb chairman of the Bosnia And Herzegovina presidency, after Milorad Dodik, president of Serbian Republic, called the Srebrenica genocide “a lie” and accused Britain of “trying to register at the UN, on the basis of false declarations and reports, that a genocide was committed against Muslims.”

Another showdown between Russia and Britain (between East and West as the new Cold War surrounds would have it) at the UN Security Council on the matter of calling Srebrenica genocide by its real name – genocide – will occur on Wednesday 8 May (today). Of course, most of us would agree: there should be no showdown because to call Srebrenica genocide a genocide would be the overdue justice the victims deserve, which should not be poisoned with the cold concept of ‘showdown’. Wouldn’t that be a most fitting gift the UN could bring to the Srebrenica 20th Anniversary commemoration on Saturday 11 July 2015 that will see dignitaries attend from all over the world. Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)

Heartbreaking update – 9 July 2015:
Russia has vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have described the Srebrenica massacre as “genocide”. Four other members of the council abstained while the remainder voted in favour. The US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, said: “Russia’s veto is heart-breaking for those families and it is a further stain on this council’s record.” A UN tribunal at The Hague has already convicted numerous people of genocide in relation to the Srebrenica killings, but a formal recognition by the UN could compel individual states to pursue prosecutions. Russia says the resolution would have caused greater instability in the region while the British-drafted resolution says it was essential to achieve reconciliation. What a terrible shame veto in the UN SC has such enormous power – even to reject or veto the finding of its own court! What a waste of taxpayers money! .

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serb aggression, Serbian denial of genocide, Srebrenica, Srebrenica genocide, UN resolution on Srebrenica genocide, Vukovar genocide

Croatia: Renewed Aggression And Hatred From Serbia – Alarms

April 12, 2015 by inavukic 67 Comments

Vicious and Indicted Serb War Criminal
Vojislav Seselj
Burns the Croatian Flag in Belgrade

It’s difficult to conclude that the renewed aggression against Croatia coming out of Serbia since the indicted war criminal Vojislav Seselj burned the Croatian flag last week is not politically connected to the announcement by Milorad Dodik, the president of the Serbian Republic (entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina/B&H, which has the 1995 massacre and genocide of Srebrenica as its cornerstone) regarding his plan to bring about at the end of April 2015 the declaration of the independence (from B&H) of the Serbian Republic. All this tells me, and I’m sure, many, that the Greater Serbia plan has not been shelved and sovereign nations affected by it (e.g. Croatia, B&H) must continue vigilance, as possibilities of renewed armed Serb-aggression, such as the one in early 1990’s, do seem to pose a risk.
Serbia did not succeed in its aggressive bid to try and stop secession from communist Yugoslavia of Croatia and B&H into independent states. However, in B&H, Serbs managed to hive off a part of that sovereign country as their enclave with their own local government. In Croatia, they lost completely – Croatian forces in 1995 “Operation Storm” liberated most of the Serb occupied and ethnically cleansed region (Krajina), and the rest was peacefully reintegrated into Croatia by the end of 1998. And everything they do politically points to the conclusion that Serbs cannot accept that; they cannot accept being a minority where they are a minority within a country.
Even though the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) appellate judges had just over a week ago, 30 March 2015, ruled that the indicted war criminal Vojislav Seselj had violated the terms of his release and ordered him to return to ICTY custody, Vojislav Seselj and Serbia’s leaders (Seselj’s political mates during the 1990’s aggression against Croatia and B&H, Serbian ultranatiolists) seem unperturbed and have raised their hate speech and aggressive disposition to almost the levels that existed during the 1990’s war of Serb-aggression against Croatia and B&H .
While the sinister Milorad Dodik is announcing a declaration of Serbian Republic independence in B&H (in defiance of the 1995 Dayton Agreement, which had as its foundation a goal to keep B&H in one piece as a sovereign and independent state) Vojislav Seselj is burning the Croatian flag in Serbia’s capital Belgrade, in front of Serbia’s government house, and threatening that he will only come to Croatia in a tank, and armed! Meanwhile, Serbia’s minister for work Aleksandar Vulin has obviously in the name of Serbia’s government intensified his anti-Croat hate speech, calling Croatia’s 1990’s war hero and general, Ante Gotovina, an Ustashe General and promoting still the lie that some 200,000 Serbs were deported forcefully from Croatia in 1995, ignoring the ICTY Appeals court ruling that there was no forceful deportation of Serbs from Croatia. (Ustashe were members of the Croatian Revolutionary movement in the period 1929-1945 and are considered an ultra-nationalist and fascist formation.A similar group in Serbia, during the same historic period, was the Chetniks.)

As one might expect, Milorad Pupovac, a member of Croatian parliament representing the Croatian Serb National Council support this Greater Serbia “warrior” and continues equating the 1990’s Croatian War of Independence with the WWII efforts towards Croatian independence. Serbia’s president Tomislav Nikolic had said that stringent measures under the law would be taken out against the person burning Croatia’s flag in Belgrade – but guess what – it’s been over a week and Vojislav Seselj still walks the streets of Serbia instead of being rounded up by Serbia’s authorities to prevent any further criminal actions while the burning of the flag is processed, and, to ensure Seselj returns to the ICTY to face judgment on charges of war crimes perpetrated against Croats and Bosniaks in Croatia, Vojvodina and B&H. Tomislav Nikolic sees the ICTY order to have Seselj returned to Hague as pressure against Serbia! The fact that Seselj stands accused of most heinous crimes against humanity does not seem to factor one iota in Nikolic’s thinking on due justice!
Furthermore, Serbia’s foreign minister and another of Seselj’s political “mates”, Ivica Dacic, said that the ICTY decision to seek Seselj’s return was “perfidious and scandalous” and jeopardised the stability of Serbia and the entire region. Never mind the fact that victims of Seselj’s war crimes spree deserve justice!

The ICTY Trial Chamber has last week ordered the ICTY Secretariat to contact the medical team of Vojislav Seselj (in Serbia) as soon as possible and furnish the Chamber with the latest information about the health condition of the accused. Meanwhile, Serbia’s Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic states that his government has no proof that Seselj is well again! I would have thought that organising public hate speeches, threatening Croatia, burning Croatia’s flag was proof enough that Seselj was quite well physically to be treated at medical facilities in the Hague for any physical ailment he may have and when it comes to his mental state – there’s ample proof that he needs to be behind bars as he is a danger to many innocent people!

To throw another element into the factor where Serbia will try everything and anything to avoid acceptance of its guilt for the horrible wars that ensued during the breakup of communist Yugoslavia, Serbia’s president Tomislav Nikolic has a few days ago announced that Serbia’s military forces would be marching in Moscow at the May celebrations of WWII victory! One may indeed raise ones eyebrows and ask: Why? This are the times when Serbia says it wants to join the EU and the EU is not in good terms with Russia, over Ukraine! Is Serbia giving up its plan to join the EU (its leaders’ political idol war criminal Vojislav Seslj says Serbia should not join the EU) or is Serbia, once again, intimidating the international community (EU) in order to, somewhat surreptitiously, “bag” new acreage for Serbia – Serbian Republic in B&H – and get away with its denial of war crimes perpetrated during 1990’s?

As to Serbian plans to march in Moscow, Serbia’s political scientist Aleksander Pavic said that he believes that Serbia’s participation in the parade has a tremendous symbolic significance. “We are definitely part of the coalition [of victors], considering how many Serbs were killed in the Second World War. We had not one, but two anti-fascist projects, and we have the right to say that we were the first to rebel in a Europe enslaved by Nazism.” Pavic, like all Serbia’s leaders, have conveniently forgotten that Serbia’s WWII “rebellion” against Nazi enslavement came after Serbia under Milan Nedic exterminated, by May 1942, 94% of its Jews and became one of the first European countries to declare itself “Judenfrei” (Jew-free)! Serbia was like Russia during WWII: shouting to be anti-Nazi while murdering multitudes of innocent people! What a disgrace for humanity!

Although, last week Croatia had, after Seselj’s burning of the Croatian flag, called its Ambassador to Serbia back to Croatia for consultations it is of utmost importance that, within Croatia, some serious measures are put in place to protect the Croatian people and Croatia’s war veterans from Serb nationalist lies and the undermining of the sovereignty of Croatian state. Pressure might be on from the EU (and other parts of the world) to see neighbourly relations between Croatia and Serbia become more normal and moving towards reconciliation but this latest outpouring of hatred and lies against Croatia and the 1990’s War of Independence coming out of Serbia vividly demonstrate that Serbian and Serbs still do not see themselves as Croatia’s neighbours nor do they want to be neighbours – they still want a piece of Croatia for Serbia just as they want the same in Bosnia and Herzegovina! That is the ugly bottom line and the sooner the Croatian leadership acknowledge this truth publicly the better it will be for Croatia and its people; for democracy and freedom far and wide. Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A. Ps. (Syd)