“MY HEART IS ROTTEN”
Natalie Youssef
The tragedies of genocide are great. There have been many accounts of mass murder throughout history, and it is important to support each traumatized society in order to deal with the lasting implications of such ethnic tension and tragedies.
Bosnia was a state within the Ottoman Empire from 1463 to 1863. “Bosnia,” referred to Bosnia and Herzegovina, two regions within the state, had no geographical border separating the regions. It was considered a symbol of interethnic cooperation, as the groups were able to coexist peacefully. Unfortunately, a critical divide erupted.
The Bosnian War involved four countries, Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro (formerly known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) and Croatia. Different factions from various ethnic groups fought over land title from 1992-1995. NATO forces joined UN troops and Dutch military in the summer of 1995. By then, Srebrenica, the site of the Bosnian genocide, had been a UN Stage Area for over two years. It had been under the control of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and its Muslim civilians. Dutch forces provided most of the protection in this region. However, the Dutch were only a few hundred soldiers and they were not heavily armed. So, when Bosnian Serb forces decided to advance in July of 1995, the Dutch and resident Bosnians were vulnerable and outmatched.
On July 11, 1995 the Bosnian Serbs took over Bosnia in an attempt to perform an ethnic cleansing campaign killing more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys, while driving another 25-30,000 Muslim civilians from their homes. It was labeled as one of the bloodiest massacres in history taking approximately 100,000 lives. According to the Red Cross, over two million people were displaced from their homes during the Bosnian War, and 200,000 people died, including 12,000 children. Fifty thousand women were raped, tortured, sold, or killed. Men were sent to concentration camps.
The leader of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic, was known for wanting to create a “Greater Serbia.” He played a huge role in the ethnic conflict between Serbs and Muslims. During the first attack Milosevic killed 250,000 innocent people, and half of the country’s surviving population (about 2 million) were displaced both internally and abroad. Muslims were rounded up and sent to concentration camps where they were tortured and raped by Serbs.
Ethnic conflict is often caused by the fears of what might happen in the future that could jeopardize people’s safety. During the Bosnian genocide, Milosevic and Serbian forces used fear as a weapon to start their process of “ethnic cleansing.”
National and International political actors stood by as inter-ethnic intolerance, competition for resources, and rights intensified. The situation escalated into violent conflict. These ethnic activists played a huge role in the escalation of the conflict and violence of the Bosnian Genocide. They created fears of insecurity with their celebrity status and they polarized the society. In addition, political memories of past history further created anxiety that drove groups further apart from one another.
After the Bosnian war was fought, people were affected and still suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders. Victims who survived want these times to be remembered and never forgotten or repeated. “They raped one woman whose children and parents were present,” testified Alija Lujinovic a survivor.” In another instance, “TUZLA, Bosnia, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Fika was 15 years old, and her sister 17, when they were captured and repeatedly raped by Bosnian Serb soldiers who swept through eastern Bosnia early in the country's 1992-95 war.” "We were forced to watch each other being raped, and I still feel my pain and the pain of my sister," she said. "They wanted us to admit we were spies, so they beat us till they knocked out our teeth."
These horrible acts of injustice will never be forgotten and in order to restore the Bosnian Society it is imperative for Bosnia to understand the events of the past and openly address what happened. This process of understanding is essential to create an environment of knowledge and awareness. Despite the pain and difficulty, Bosnia has to address these issues in order to avoid possible renewal of violence and establish justice.
In an effort to move Bosnia forward, the UN War Crimes Tribunal has established a truth commissions for the people in Bosnia. This Tribunal will work to hold individuals responsible for war crimes accountable for their actions. It will be a small consolation for Bosnia that these individuals responsible for the ethnic cleansing, mass killing, and systematic deterioration will be put on trial and punished, but it is a start. It is the first step in the process of learning to move beyond the past and restoring peace to a geographic region that has experienced such tragedy and pain.
Word Count: 812
Bibliography
"Background and Resources Bosnian Genocide, 1992-1995 Cumulative Civilian Death Toll: 200,000." Background and Resources Bosnian Genocide, 1992-1995 Cumulative Civilian Death Toll: 200,000. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Background and Resources Bosnian Genocide, 1992-1995 Cumulative Civilian Death Toll: 200,000." Background and Resources Bosnian Genocide, 1992-1995 Cumulative Civilian Death Toll: 200,000. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Basic, Sanela. "Bosnian Society on the Path to Justice, Truth and Reconciliation." Www.berghof-center.org. N.p., n.d. Web.
"Bosnian Genocide Survivors Seek State Remembrance Day." KING5.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"The Bosnian War." Untitled Document. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Case Study: Bosnia and Herzegovina." CAUSES OF ETHNIC CONFLICT: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK. N.p., n.d. Web.
"FEATURE-Bosnian War Rape Victims Suffer in Silence, Wait for Justice." - AlertNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Genocide in Bosnia." Genocide in Bosnia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Teen Ink." Teen Ink. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Want More World News? Join Us on Facebook | Follow Us on Twitter." Msnbc.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Want More World News? Join Us on Facebook | Follow Us on Twitter." Msnbc.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Bosnia was a state within the Ottoman Empire from 1463 to 1863. “Bosnia,” referred to Bosnia and Herzegovina, two regions within the state, had no geographical border separating the regions. It was considered a symbol of interethnic cooperation, as the groups were able to coexist peacefully. Unfortunately, a critical divide erupted.
The Bosnian War involved four countries, Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro (formerly known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) and Croatia. Different factions from various ethnic groups fought over land title from 1992-1995. NATO forces joined UN troops and Dutch military in the summer of 1995. By then, Srebrenica, the site of the Bosnian genocide, had been a UN Stage Area for over two years. It had been under the control of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and its Muslim civilians. Dutch forces provided most of the protection in this region. However, the Dutch were only a few hundred soldiers and they were not heavily armed. So, when Bosnian Serb forces decided to advance in July of 1995, the Dutch and resident Bosnians were vulnerable and outmatched.
On July 11, 1995 the Bosnian Serbs took over Bosnia in an attempt to perform an ethnic cleansing campaign killing more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys, while driving another 25-30,000 Muslim civilians from their homes. It was labeled as one of the bloodiest massacres in history taking approximately 100,000 lives. According to the Red Cross, over two million people were displaced from their homes during the Bosnian War, and 200,000 people died, including 12,000 children. Fifty thousand women were raped, tortured, sold, or killed. Men were sent to concentration camps.
The leader of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic, was known for wanting to create a “Greater Serbia.” He played a huge role in the ethnic conflict between Serbs and Muslims. During the first attack Milosevic killed 250,000 innocent people, and half of the country’s surviving population (about 2 million) were displaced both internally and abroad. Muslims were rounded up and sent to concentration camps where they were tortured and raped by Serbs.
Ethnic conflict is often caused by the fears of what might happen in the future that could jeopardize people’s safety. During the Bosnian genocide, Milosevic and Serbian forces used fear as a weapon to start their process of “ethnic cleansing.”
National and International political actors stood by as inter-ethnic intolerance, competition for resources, and rights intensified. The situation escalated into violent conflict. These ethnic activists played a huge role in the escalation of the conflict and violence of the Bosnian Genocide. They created fears of insecurity with their celebrity status and they polarized the society. In addition, political memories of past history further created anxiety that drove groups further apart from one another.
After the Bosnian war was fought, people were affected and still suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders. Victims who survived want these times to be remembered and never forgotten or repeated. “They raped one woman whose children and parents were present,” testified Alija Lujinovic a survivor.” In another instance, “TUZLA, Bosnia, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Fika was 15 years old, and her sister 17, when they were captured and repeatedly raped by Bosnian Serb soldiers who swept through eastern Bosnia early in the country's 1992-95 war.” "We were forced to watch each other being raped, and I still feel my pain and the pain of my sister," she said. "They wanted us to admit we were spies, so they beat us till they knocked out our teeth."
These horrible acts of injustice will never be forgotten and in order to restore the Bosnian Society it is imperative for Bosnia to understand the events of the past and openly address what happened. This process of understanding is essential to create an environment of knowledge and awareness. Despite the pain and difficulty, Bosnia has to address these issues in order to avoid possible renewal of violence and establish justice.
In an effort to move Bosnia forward, the UN War Crimes Tribunal has established a truth commissions for the people in Bosnia. This Tribunal will work to hold individuals responsible for war crimes accountable for their actions. It will be a small consolation for Bosnia that these individuals responsible for the ethnic cleansing, mass killing, and systematic deterioration will be put on trial and punished, but it is a start. It is the first step in the process of learning to move beyond the past and restoring peace to a geographic region that has experienced such tragedy and pain.
Word Count: 812
Bibliography
"Background and Resources Bosnian Genocide, 1992-1995 Cumulative Civilian Death Toll: 200,000." Background and Resources Bosnian Genocide, 1992-1995 Cumulative Civilian Death Toll: 200,000. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Background and Resources Bosnian Genocide, 1992-1995 Cumulative Civilian Death Toll: 200,000." Background and Resources Bosnian Genocide, 1992-1995 Cumulative Civilian Death Toll: 200,000. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Basic, Sanela. "Bosnian Society on the Path to Justice, Truth and Reconciliation." Www.berghof-center.org. N.p., n.d. Web.
"Bosnian Genocide Survivors Seek State Remembrance Day." KING5.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"The Bosnian War." Untitled Document. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Case Study: Bosnia and Herzegovina." CAUSES OF ETHNIC CONFLICT: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK. N.p., n.d. Web.
"FEATURE-Bosnian War Rape Victims Suffer in Silence, Wait for Justice." - AlertNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Genocide in Bosnia." Genocide in Bosnia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Teen Ink." Teen Ink. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Want More World News? Join Us on Facebook | Follow Us on Twitter." Msnbc.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
"Want More World News? Join Us on Facebook | Follow Us on Twitter." Msnbc.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.