Showing posts with label Bosnia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bosnia. Show all posts
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The Hubris of Dr. Dubic
It ended not with a bang, but with a whimper. On a bus to be precise, there were no SWAT team like raids and thankfully no casualties; as one of the world's most wanted war criminals ended his thirteen year run from the law.
And for thirteen years there have been conflicting rumors on Radovan Karadzic's whereabouts. The oft reported rumor was that he disguised himself as a Serbian Orthodox monk, sheltered in monasteries along the Bosnian/Serbian border. It made sense, after all, the Serbian Orthodox Church, as an institution, was one of the key supporters and instruments in the rise of Serbian nationalism in the late 1980s. For the past few years there have been raids, "near misses" and growing rumors over whether or not a deal was made with Karadzic to allow him to escape arrest.
But in the end Karadzic was arrested not in countryside and not disguised as a monk, but in Belgrade and as a New Age doctor.
Reporters, Balkan experts and a host of people much more knowledgeable than I am about Karadzic have stressed his vanity and narcissism. But, few would probably wager a bet that Karadzic would not only hide in plain sight, but revel in his identity as a New Age healer-write articles, attend symposiums, even create his own website. Even his e-mail address (healingwound@dragandabic.com) smacks of incredible degree of narcissism and hubris.
The manner of his arrest, low key and almost anti-climatic is fitting. With Karadzic's own sense of grandeur, from declaring his poetry among the best ever written in the history of Serbian poetry, to declaring himself a self-styled "President"; most people would assume that if Karadzic was ever apprehended, it would be a scene out of a blockbuster movie.
In the end, the arrest turned out to be as banal as Karadzic himself.
And for thirteen years there have been conflicting rumors on Radovan Karadzic's whereabouts. The oft reported rumor was that he disguised himself as a Serbian Orthodox monk, sheltered in monasteries along the Bosnian/Serbian border. It made sense, after all, the Serbian Orthodox Church, as an institution, was one of the key supporters and instruments in the rise of Serbian nationalism in the late 1980s. For the past few years there have been raids, "near misses" and growing rumors over whether or not a deal was made with Karadzic to allow him to escape arrest.
But in the end Karadzic was arrested not in countryside and not disguised as a monk, but in Belgrade and as a New Age doctor.
Reporters, Balkan experts and a host of people much more knowledgeable than I am about Karadzic have stressed his vanity and narcissism. But, few would probably wager a bet that Karadzic would not only hide in plain sight, but revel in his identity as a New Age healer-write articles, attend symposiums, even create his own website. Even his e-mail address (healingwound@dragandabic.com) smacks of incredible degree of narcissism and hubris.
The manner of his arrest, low key and almost anti-climatic is fitting. With Karadzic's own sense of grandeur, from declaring his poetry among the best ever written in the history of Serbian poetry, to declaring himself a self-styled "President"; most people would assume that if Karadzic was ever apprehended, it would be a scene out of a blockbuster movie.
In the end, the arrest turned out to be as banal as Karadzic himself.
Monday, July 21, 2008
KARADZIC ARRESTED
I think the all caps title is warranted in this case. I must say I'm very pleasantly
surprised, and I did not see it coming at all.
Karadzic arrested in Serbia
MAJOR h/t to Owen for informing me of the news.
surprised, and I did not see it coming at all.
Karadzic arrested in Serbia
MAJOR h/t to Owen for informing me of the news.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Weekend Articles
There are some interesting Bosnia-centric articles this weekend.
In Sarajevo headscarves uncover generation gap
Bridge of Hope
Croatian Premier says Bosnia's main problem is status of Croats
Perfect Villans, Flawed Tribunal
In Sarajevo headscarves uncover generation gap
Bridge of Hope
Croatian Premier says Bosnia's main problem is status of Croats
Perfect Villans, Flawed Tribunal
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
This Man's Land
A profile of director Danis Tanovic and his new political party, "Our Party."
Excerpts:
Excerpts:
“For me, the international community is nonsense; it’s something that doesn’t really exist. What do exist are French, English, American interests …,” he said at a recent meeting of Our Party. Bosnia’s government has been under international supervision since the Dayton accords ended the war in 1995. “I can't see why would they do a single thing contrary to their interests – everybody works in their own best interest. So that's why we need to start working in our own interest, for our country. I don't think anybody in Bosnia has the right to just wait for things to get better.”
If we want to create a better future for ourselves, we have to stop dealing with the same old issues that aren’t the real issues that must be dealt with,” he said. Chief among them, the ethnic divisions that retard the country’s progress. “I always liked diversity. I'm glad to be from a country full of diversity and I have to admit that countries without it are quite boring.”
Marjanovic said the party would focus on social justice. “The situation in Bosnia is such that we’ve taken the worst of capitalism and find it in such a way that it’s exploitation. So we’re going to keep talking about the fact that there are so many unemployed people in this country, that people’s vital interest … is to be able to work in proper conditions and have a good and dignified life that you support with the fruits of that labor -- a proper salary. Your vital national interest is to have a proper health care system, to be able to send your kids to good schools in this country, to buy them books, to feed and clothe them, and to secure them a future. We’re talking about your everyday problems and we’re able to identify at that level with the public in this country.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Srebrenica
A Dutch court rules that the U.N. has immunity from a lawsuit filed on behalf of the "Mothers of Srebrenica."
Meanwhile, 307 victims will be buried during the 13th anniversary memorial.
Meanwhile, 307 victims will be buried during the 13th anniversary memorial.
Friday, July 20, 2007
The Spirit of Bosnia
The Spirit of Bosnia Journal offers essays, articles, narratives, poems and humor reflecting Bosnia's multi-ethnic culture vibrant cultural and literary heritage.
Center For Balkan Development Blog
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Halilovic Appeal
The OTP is appealing the acquittal of the former Chief of the BH Army Main Staff, Sefer Halilovic for failing to prevent or punish the killing of civilians in Grabovica and Uzdol. Halilovic was also at the preceedings, and he has an opportunity, should he wish, to speak on his own behalf.
Srebrenica victims buried
Or actually "reburied" is the more correct term, because the victims were already buried in primary and secondary graves on the behalf of the VRS to hide the evidence of their murders.
Articles
I thought this excerpt was interesting:
For the first time since the 1995 atrocity, when Bosnian Serb forces
slaughtered 8,000 Muslims, the ceremony takes place in an atmosphere of raised
hopes that justice will be done and those responsible for the killings will
finally be prosecuted.
One can only hope.
Articles
I thought this excerpt was interesting:
For the first time since the 1995 atrocity, when Bosnian Serb forces
slaughtered 8,000 Muslims, the ceremony takes place in an atmosphere of raised
hopes that justice will be done and those responsible for the killings will
finally be prosecuted.
One can only hope.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Bosnia's Book of the Dead: Numbers and Memory
Last week, the Research and Documentation Centre of Sarajevo (RDC) released their findings regarding population loss in BiH as a direct result of the 1991 to 1995 war. The project, known as Bosnia’s Book of the Dead lists over 97,000 Bosnians who died as a direct result of the war.
The RDC’s approach:
The database is the result of years of research and acquisition of government and military records from all of the belligerents; as well as visits to grave sites; and other sources related to the war and the casualties. The database looks at patterns regarding the war, not only with regard to the overall casualties and casualties based on ethnicity, but also based on gender, war time status, age and geographic location. The RDC’s database has been highly praised by several experts who reviewed the methodology and the database; praising both the methodology and accuracy of the data and the non-bias, non-partisan stance of the RDC. However, as is not surprising with data projects like the Bosnia Book of the Dead; there still are some naunces and inconsistancies with the database.
While the database debunks the allegation of 200,000 casualties; it should also be understood that 97,000 is not the maximum number of people who died during the war. The RDC’s approach and methodology was a conservative and careful one; therefore; it is possible that someone may have died; but there is not enough information to confirm their death; such if the death was not reported in the first place. Even today; over 10 years since the end of the war; mass graves are still being found in parts of eastern Bosnia. Furthermore; the RDC's database as presented in June 2007 only looks at direct casualties of the war. Therefore; cases of starvation, death due to lack of medical equipment; and war related accidents etc, were not included on this list. The RDC's project is still ongoing, and family of the missing and deceased can still submit relative data on their loved one(s).
Beyond the number of victims; another issue is the war time status of the victims. The RDC’s database found that approximately 60% of the victims were military personnel (soldiers, police officers) and 40% were civilians. It is very important to note; that in this context soldiers is not in every single case synonymous with combatant. The soldier/civilian refers to the victim’s war time status at the time of their death. In other words; having a victim being listed as a soldier; does not necessarily mean that he or she died in combat; or that their death did not involve any violation of international humanitarian and military law. The number of civilian victims across the entire country is also underreported; as families sometimes in an effort to get basic necessities that were open only to families of fallen soldiers reported their loved ones as being soldiers rather than civilians. While analyses have acknowledged some margins of error (such as underreporting of civilian death tolls) with the final conclusions; they note the problems stem from the data the RDC was relying on; rather than the RDC’s methodology and approach.
The Politics of Death:
The database serves to not only to attempt to give a name to each victim of the war; but to also put to rest the political manipulation of death tolls and misconceptions of the war. In many ways, there is a new war that is taking place over memory and perceptions of the war. In this "new war"; casualty statistics have at times been manipulated or exaggerated to try prove a political point. As mentioned above, the RDC's data; already shows that the allegation of 200,000 casualties as a result of the war, is false. Another area where the RDC's data has countered previous allegations is regarding Bosnian Serb civilian casualties in Srebrenica and Bratunac. In 2005, the Serb Radical Party (SRS) published a list alledging that 3,000 Bosnian Serb civilians were killed in Bratunac and Srebrenica. The list recieved quite a bit of attention; and at times was reported on uncritically in the larger media. However, the RDC's data confirms the statement made by the ICTY that the allegation of 3,000 civilian casualties is a gross exaggeration of the facts.
In many ways, the misuse of casualties and the exaggeration of casualties to try to prove a political point is not new. Take for example, Jasenovac during WWII. Jasenovac was a death camp in Croatia, created by the Ustasha government that was allied with Nazi Germany. According to the US Holocasut Museum; between 56,000 and 97,000 people; primarily Serbs, Roma, Jews; but also a number of Bosniaks and some politically oppositional Croats were killed there. A horror by any standard. However, during the rise of nationalism in the 1980s; some nationalist Serb politicians exploited Jasenovac for their own political purposes. To that end the number of people killed at Jasenovac was exaggerated; and even more; the atrocities that were committed against Serbs at Jasenovac was used to either justify or at least mitgate the atrocities being organized and carried out by Serb paramilitary groups during the wars of the 1990s. It should also be noted that some nationalist Croat politicians played down the atrocities committed at Jasenovac for political purposes as well. An honest, and unbiased look at war time casualties; such as the one the RDC has been trying to provide; will allow for an honest look at the war; devoid of propoganda.
A War Story
Statistics cannot and do not tell the entire story of a war; and indeed, statistics taken out of context can be manipulated to fit a number of purposes. However, the high standard of research provided by the RDC in in conjuncture with reports, eyewitness testimony, and other forms of evidence can help provide a basic understanding of the war.
The pre-war population of Bosnia was 43% Bosniak, 31% Bosnian Serb and 17% Bosnian Croat. Of the 97,000 direct victims of the war; 65.88% were Bosniak, 25.62% were Bosnian Serb, 8.01% were Bosnian Croat and the remaining 0.49% were “others” primarily Roma and Jews. Of the Of the at least 30,684 civilian victims; 83.33% were Bosniak; 10.27% were Bosnian Serb and 5.4% were Bosnian Croat. To be sure, as the data shows, civilians from all ethnic groups were killed during the war. However; the RDC’s database shows the fallacy of portraying the war as a strict “civil war” where “all sides” bear equal responsibility for atrocities or suffered in the same proportions. In many ways, the RDC’s data merely confirms the reports of the extensive UN Commission of Experts report; that atrocities were committed by and against people of all ethnicities; but there was in no sense any equivalency between the belligerents. While the RDC’s published data does not contain information on perpetrators; the data can be used to help assert some basic facts about the war. Primarily, the RDC’s data shows the manifestations of the “ethnic cleansing” policy. Of the four years analyzed by the RDC; April, May, June, July 1992 and July 1995 were the only months in the entire study where civilian deaths out numbered military deaths. The spring and summer of 1992 was the period where the only military force of any significance was the JNA-VRS; and more significantly, it was the period where those forces as part of a systemetic policy organized by the Bosnian Serb leadership; carried out pogroms against primarily Bosniaks; but also Bosnian Croats. According to the RDC’s data; out of the total civilian casualties in the entire country between April and June 1992; 86% of the victims were Bosniaks. From August 1992 to June 1995; across the country as a whole; military deaths outnumber civilian deaths; and the number of casualties decreased across the country. Both the total death toll and the civilian death toll increases dramatically in July 1995; when the Srebrenica Massacre took place. The manifestations of ethnic cleansing is made even more apparent by looking at geographic locations as well. The country was divided into 6 geographic regions; the Podrinje region accounted for 30.61% of the total casualties during the war. The Podrinje region in eastern Bosnia alongside the Drina extends from Bijeljina to Foca and includes Zvornik, Vlasenica, Srebrenica, Bratunac, Gorazde, and Visegrad; on the border with Serbia; the Podrinje region was strategically targeted by Serb paramilitary groups. Towns that have become synomymous with some of the biggest atrocities of the entire war. The Pounje region in northern Bosnia; consisting of the Prijedor region; accounted for 14.88% of the total casualties. The numbers are even starker when it comes to civilian casualties, 45% of all civilian casualties occured in the Podrinje region; and 18.10% occured in the Pounje region. As it is for the entire country; the ethncitity of the victims; particularly civilian casualties, also shows the nature of the war. In the Podrinje region; 94% of all civilians killed were Bosniaks; in the Pouje region; 88% of the civilian victims were Bosniak. This should not in any way belittle the suffering of any victim. It does however show, that the portrayal of the war as a civil war where all sides were equally guilty and committing atrocities in the same proportion is absolutely false.
The Sarajevo Story:
After the Podrinje region; Sarajevo and outlying suburbs and towns, which were under siege by the VRS for the entire duration of the war, making it the longest siege in modern history, accounted for more deaths than any place else in the country. 15.36% of all deaths occured in the Sarajevo region; as did 14.12% of all civilian casualties. In Sarajevo, 20% of the civilian victims where Bosnian Serbs. Undoubtedly many of them were killed by VRS sniper fire and shellings; during which time the defense of Sarajevo was led by an ethnic Bosnian Serb. Some of the Serb civilian victims were killed by Bosnian paramilitary forces and gangs though. Exactly how many is unknown; but in order to prevent manipulations in any direction; and for the sake of the victims; there should be an effort to find out. This does not change the nature of the war; nor does it change the fact that the VRS besieged Sarajevo for 3 years, causing deaths to Bosnians of all backgrounds.
Other areas of study:
While the ethnic identity and geographic location of the victims has prompted the most reporting; other areas of the RDC's findings regarding demographic facts relating to the war are also worth further study.
One is the gender of the victims, in a war where the majority of the casualties have been reported as military, it is not surpising that most of the victims were males, (it should also be understood that there were female soldiers and casualties amongst female soldiers as well.) However, even amongst civilian victims; the vast majority, 76.40% were males. The only region where where male to female victims in more proportional is Sarajevo; where 37.01% of the civilian victims were female. During the ethnic cleansing campaign, civilians of all ages and both genders suffered; one only has to look at the organized rape campaign against Bosniak and Bosnian Croat women to see painful manifestations of that. However, adult males,particularly those between the ages of 18 to 45, were much more likely to be sent to a concentration camp or killed outright in a mass execution. Civilian males were much more vulnearable than females to be killed in a massacre. The targeting of civilian males in massacres is what Adam Jones has coined a gendercide. All over the world, including Darfur today, civilian males of battle age (18-45 year olds) are the most vulnearble to be murdered. The ethnic cleansing in Bosnia is one of the more pronounced showings of this specific targeting of men. Beyond looking at the research from a gender scenario, age is another one. 3,372 direct victims of the war were under the age of 18. 41% of all child victims were from the Podrinje region; many of the child victims from the Podrinje region were killed in Srebrenica between 1992 to 1995. 19% of all child victims were from Sarajevo. Beyond providing a name to the children killed during the war; the RDC's research also looks at the issue of child soldiers. 13.70% of all children killed in the war were listed as soldiers at the time of the deaths. The plight of children during the war; and in particularly of teenage soldiers, including survivors is another issue that should be addressed.
Hopefully, the RDC's database will help disprove some misconshrewed notions about the war; and will help show the hard data behind political manipulation. However, even if the RDC does not achieve any of this; and even if politicians continue to manipulate and use the death tolls for their own purposes; the RDC has already accomplished something. Behind all of the statistics and demographics is a human being. The RDC's list makes apparent the tremendous human toll and suffering caused by the war. We owe it to the victims to never forget.
* You will notice that I have not addressed other regions in this post; namely Mostar and Central Bosnia. This should NOT be interpreted that I find these areas unimportant; indeed I hope to re-edit this article and add information about regions I missed; in order to give a more complete overview of the RDC's data and the war itself.
* The RDC's research can be found at http://www.idc.org.ba/presentation/content.htm
The RDC’s approach:
The database is the result of years of research and acquisition of government and military records from all of the belligerents; as well as visits to grave sites; and other sources related to the war and the casualties. The database looks at patterns regarding the war, not only with regard to the overall casualties and casualties based on ethnicity, but also based on gender, war time status, age and geographic location. The RDC’s database has been highly praised by several experts who reviewed the methodology and the database; praising both the methodology and accuracy of the data and the non-bias, non-partisan stance of the RDC. However, as is not surprising with data projects like the Bosnia Book of the Dead; there still are some naunces and inconsistancies with the database.
While the database debunks the allegation of 200,000 casualties; it should also be understood that 97,000 is not the maximum number of people who died during the war. The RDC’s approach and methodology was a conservative and careful one; therefore; it is possible that someone may have died; but there is not enough information to confirm their death; such if the death was not reported in the first place. Even today; over 10 years since the end of the war; mass graves are still being found in parts of eastern Bosnia. Furthermore; the RDC's database as presented in June 2007 only looks at direct casualties of the war. Therefore; cases of starvation, death due to lack of medical equipment; and war related accidents etc, were not included on this list. The RDC's project is still ongoing, and family of the missing and deceased can still submit relative data on their loved one(s).
Beyond the number of victims; another issue is the war time status of the victims. The RDC’s database found that approximately 60% of the victims were military personnel (soldiers, police officers) and 40% were civilians. It is very important to note; that in this context soldiers is not in every single case synonymous with combatant. The soldier/civilian refers to the victim’s war time status at the time of their death. In other words; having a victim being listed as a soldier; does not necessarily mean that he or she died in combat; or that their death did not involve any violation of international humanitarian and military law. The number of civilian victims across the entire country is also underreported; as families sometimes in an effort to get basic necessities that were open only to families of fallen soldiers reported their loved ones as being soldiers rather than civilians. While analyses have acknowledged some margins of error (such as underreporting of civilian death tolls) with the final conclusions; they note the problems stem from the data the RDC was relying on; rather than the RDC’s methodology and approach.
The Politics of Death:
The database serves to not only to attempt to give a name to each victim of the war; but to also put to rest the political manipulation of death tolls and misconceptions of the war. In many ways, there is a new war that is taking place over memory and perceptions of the war. In this "new war"; casualty statistics have at times been manipulated or exaggerated to try prove a political point. As mentioned above, the RDC's data; already shows that the allegation of 200,000 casualties as a result of the war, is false. Another area where the RDC's data has countered previous allegations is regarding Bosnian Serb civilian casualties in Srebrenica and Bratunac. In 2005, the Serb Radical Party (SRS) published a list alledging that 3,000 Bosnian Serb civilians were killed in Bratunac and Srebrenica. The list recieved quite a bit of attention; and at times was reported on uncritically in the larger media. However, the RDC's data confirms the statement made by the ICTY that the allegation of 3,000 civilian casualties is a gross exaggeration of the facts.
In many ways, the misuse of casualties and the exaggeration of casualties to try to prove a political point is not new. Take for example, Jasenovac during WWII. Jasenovac was a death camp in Croatia, created by the Ustasha government that was allied with Nazi Germany. According to the US Holocasut Museum; between 56,000 and 97,000 people; primarily Serbs, Roma, Jews; but also a number of Bosniaks and some politically oppositional Croats were killed there. A horror by any standard. However, during the rise of nationalism in the 1980s; some nationalist Serb politicians exploited Jasenovac for their own political purposes. To that end the number of people killed at Jasenovac was exaggerated; and even more; the atrocities that were committed against Serbs at Jasenovac was used to either justify or at least mitgate the atrocities being organized and carried out by Serb paramilitary groups during the wars of the 1990s. It should also be noted that some nationalist Croat politicians played down the atrocities committed at Jasenovac for political purposes as well. An honest, and unbiased look at war time casualties; such as the one the RDC has been trying to provide; will allow for an honest look at the war; devoid of propoganda.
A War Story
Statistics cannot and do not tell the entire story of a war; and indeed, statistics taken out of context can be manipulated to fit a number of purposes. However, the high standard of research provided by the RDC in in conjuncture with reports, eyewitness testimony, and other forms of evidence can help provide a basic understanding of the war.
The pre-war population of Bosnia was 43% Bosniak, 31% Bosnian Serb and 17% Bosnian Croat. Of the 97,000 direct victims of the war; 65.88% were Bosniak, 25.62% were Bosnian Serb, 8.01% were Bosnian Croat and the remaining 0.49% were “others” primarily Roma and Jews. Of the Of the at least 30,684 civilian victims; 83.33% were Bosniak; 10.27% were Bosnian Serb and 5.4% were Bosnian Croat. To be sure, as the data shows, civilians from all ethnic groups were killed during the war. However; the RDC’s database shows the fallacy of portraying the war as a strict “civil war” where “all sides” bear equal responsibility for atrocities or suffered in the same proportions. In many ways, the RDC’s data merely confirms the reports of the extensive UN Commission of Experts report; that atrocities were committed by and against people of all ethnicities; but there was in no sense any equivalency between the belligerents. While the RDC’s published data does not contain information on perpetrators; the data can be used to help assert some basic facts about the war. Primarily, the RDC’s data shows the manifestations of the “ethnic cleansing” policy. Of the four years analyzed by the RDC; April, May, June, July 1992 and July 1995 were the only months in the entire study where civilian deaths out numbered military deaths. The spring and summer of 1992 was the period where the only military force of any significance was the JNA-VRS; and more significantly, it was the period where those forces as part of a systemetic policy organized by the Bosnian Serb leadership; carried out pogroms against primarily Bosniaks; but also Bosnian Croats. According to the RDC’s data; out of the total civilian casualties in the entire country between April and June 1992; 86% of the victims were Bosniaks. From August 1992 to June 1995; across the country as a whole; military deaths outnumber civilian deaths; and the number of casualties decreased across the country. Both the total death toll and the civilian death toll increases dramatically in July 1995; when the Srebrenica Massacre took place. The manifestations of ethnic cleansing is made even more apparent by looking at geographic locations as well. The country was divided into 6 geographic regions; the Podrinje region accounted for 30.61% of the total casualties during the war. The Podrinje region in eastern Bosnia alongside the Drina extends from Bijeljina to Foca and includes Zvornik, Vlasenica, Srebrenica, Bratunac, Gorazde, and Visegrad; on the border with Serbia; the Podrinje region was strategically targeted by Serb paramilitary groups. Towns that have become synomymous with some of the biggest atrocities of the entire war. The Pounje region in northern Bosnia; consisting of the Prijedor region; accounted for 14.88% of the total casualties. The numbers are even starker when it comes to civilian casualties, 45% of all civilian casualties occured in the Podrinje region; and 18.10% occured in the Pounje region. As it is for the entire country; the ethncitity of the victims; particularly civilian casualties, also shows the nature of the war. In the Podrinje region; 94% of all civilians killed were Bosniaks; in the Pouje region; 88% of the civilian victims were Bosniak. This should not in any way belittle the suffering of any victim. It does however show, that the portrayal of the war as a civil war where all sides were equally guilty and committing atrocities in the same proportion is absolutely false.
The Sarajevo Story:
After the Podrinje region; Sarajevo and outlying suburbs and towns, which were under siege by the VRS for the entire duration of the war, making it the longest siege in modern history, accounted for more deaths than any place else in the country. 15.36% of all deaths occured in the Sarajevo region; as did 14.12% of all civilian casualties. In Sarajevo, 20% of the civilian victims where Bosnian Serbs. Undoubtedly many of them were killed by VRS sniper fire and shellings; during which time the defense of Sarajevo was led by an ethnic Bosnian Serb. Some of the Serb civilian victims were killed by Bosnian paramilitary forces and gangs though. Exactly how many is unknown; but in order to prevent manipulations in any direction; and for the sake of the victims; there should be an effort to find out. This does not change the nature of the war; nor does it change the fact that the VRS besieged Sarajevo for 3 years, causing deaths to Bosnians of all backgrounds.
Other areas of study:
While the ethnic identity and geographic location of the victims has prompted the most reporting; other areas of the RDC's findings regarding demographic facts relating to the war are also worth further study.
One is the gender of the victims, in a war where the majority of the casualties have been reported as military, it is not surpising that most of the victims were males, (it should also be understood that there were female soldiers and casualties amongst female soldiers as well.) However, even amongst civilian victims; the vast majority, 76.40% were males. The only region where where male to female victims in more proportional is Sarajevo; where 37.01% of the civilian victims were female. During the ethnic cleansing campaign, civilians of all ages and both genders suffered; one only has to look at the organized rape campaign against Bosniak and Bosnian Croat women to see painful manifestations of that. However, adult males,particularly those between the ages of 18 to 45, were much more likely to be sent to a concentration camp or killed outright in a mass execution. Civilian males were much more vulnearable than females to be killed in a massacre. The targeting of civilian males in massacres is what Adam Jones has coined a gendercide. All over the world, including Darfur today, civilian males of battle age (18-45 year olds) are the most vulnearble to be murdered. The ethnic cleansing in Bosnia is one of the more pronounced showings of this specific targeting of men. Beyond looking at the research from a gender scenario, age is another one. 3,372 direct victims of the war were under the age of 18. 41% of all child victims were from the Podrinje region; many of the child victims from the Podrinje region were killed in Srebrenica between 1992 to 1995. 19% of all child victims were from Sarajevo. Beyond providing a name to the children killed during the war; the RDC's research also looks at the issue of child soldiers. 13.70% of all children killed in the war were listed as soldiers at the time of the deaths. The plight of children during the war; and in particularly of teenage soldiers, including survivors is another issue that should be addressed.
Hopefully, the RDC's database will help disprove some misconshrewed notions about the war; and will help show the hard data behind political manipulation. However, even if the RDC does not achieve any of this; and even if politicians continue to manipulate and use the death tolls for their own purposes; the RDC has already accomplished something. Behind all of the statistics and demographics is a human being. The RDC's list makes apparent the tremendous human toll and suffering caused by the war. We owe it to the victims to never forget.
* You will notice that I have not addressed other regions in this post; namely Mostar and Central Bosnia. This should NOT be interpreted that I find these areas unimportant; indeed I hope to re-edit this article and add information about regions I missed; in order to give a more complete overview of the RDC's data and the war itself.
* The RDC's research can be found at http://www.idc.org.ba/presentation/content.htm
Monday, June 11, 2007
Bosnia's Billie Holiday
Article about sevdah singer Amira Medunjanin.
Reviews have labelled Amira ‘Bosnia's Billie Holiday’, and the comparison holds a certain truth. Billie and Amira are both vocal revolutionaries - Holiday reinvented jazz singing, while Medunjanin is turning sevdah inside-out, enraging an older generation who contest her experimental jazz leanings.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Afternoon Reading
Puls Demokratije has added English translations to the May-June issue of their website.
In Jasmila Žbanić: Society With a Tumour ; the director of Grbavica is interviewed on the subject of BiH civil society and civil activism.
In De certified Police officers: A State Caught Between Human Rights and International Obligations ; Boris Topic discusses the issue of decertified police officers in the larger frame of post Dayton politics.
While in The Issue of Collective Responsibility, Sabina Čehajić writes about collective responsibility as being a necessary step for reconciliation.
And in (UN) creative Chaos: Legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valerija Galić, takes on legislative reform.
In Jasmila Žbanić: Society With a Tumour ; the director of Grbavica is interviewed on the subject of BiH civil society and civil activism.
In De certified Police officers: A State Caught Between Human Rights and International Obligations ; Boris Topic discusses the issue of decertified police officers in the larger frame of post Dayton politics.
While in The Issue of Collective Responsibility, Sabina Čehajić writes about collective responsibility as being a necessary step for reconciliation.
And in (UN) creative Chaos: Legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valerija Galić, takes on legislative reform.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Bosnia Elected to UN Human Rights Council
In a 112 to 72 vote, Bosnia defeated Belarus to join Slovenia on the UN Human Rights Council.
The news was welcomed by the US State Department, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and various human rights groups.
Speaking on the election, UN Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch Steve Crawshaw, noted that while Bosnia's human rights record is far from perfect; Belarus' human rights record is simply in a "league of it's own."
According to this article Bosnia's Ambassador to the UN, Milos Prica, has called Bosnia's election to the Council a "huge achievment" and hoped the country could share the lessons it has learned from its own war torn past.
Not, everyone was so impressed. Sudan's Ambassador Abdalmahmood Mohamad seemed upset that his personal trip to the UN to vote for Belarus was for naught.
The news was welcomed by the US State Department, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and various human rights groups.
Speaking on the election, UN Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch Steve Crawshaw, noted that while Bosnia's human rights record is far from perfect; Belarus' human rights record is simply in a "league of it's own."
According to this article Bosnia's Ambassador to the UN, Milos Prica, has called Bosnia's election to the Council a "huge achievment" and hoped the country could share the lessons it has learned from its own war torn past.
Not, everyone was so impressed. Sudan's Ambassador Abdalmahmood Mohamad seemed upset that his personal trip to the UN to vote for Belarus was for naught.
The Power of Friendship
The story of Stanojka Avramovic and the late Zejneba Sarajlic whose "Women of Podrinje" NGO works to unite and help women and families across the ethnic divide in the Podrinje region in Bosnia.
Lara Online
Promoting itself as the "first woman's portal in BiH" Lara Online offers newsbriefs, articles and interviews on a variety of topics.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Divides and Reforms
As we no longer get a home subscription, I haven't read the Chicago Tribune in a long time. What would you know, there just happened to be extra copies of yesterday's Tribune in the lobby, and there was a front page article on Bosnia, titled "Old Divides Plauge Bosnia." The article focused on the "dangerous backsliding" as nationalist politicians and leaders have "allowed ethnic and bureaucratic divisions to again undercut the nation's prospects."
Meanwhile, the WSJ recently published this article about some Bosniak entrepreneurs moving to the RS part of Bosnia for better business opportunities. And while I don't agree with Dodik on political matters, or with his lack of cooperation with the international community and the Federation when it comes to unifying the Bosnian police force; this isn't the first article I've read about how his economic reforms are leading to more investments and business opportunities in the RS.
Both of these articles (particularly the WSJ article) made mention of what they portrayed as being a major issue when it came to the lack of economic and other reforms: the large amount of bureaucracies, particularly in the Federation.
According the Chicago Tribune article, there are 170 different ministries in the Federation. There seems to be almost just as many problems with having too many bureaucracies and organizations as with having to few. Case in point, according to the Tribune article two years ago, travel was very difficult in Sarajevo due to heavy snow. The problem wasn't a lack of road crews to plow the streets; but rather so many road crews no one really knew who should plow. The WSJ article also made mention of the issues of a large number of bureaucracies in the Federation; according to Hazim Stikovac, who moved to Zepa along with his father to set up a plant, "is too complicated. All the different governments --canton, Federation, municipalities. It's too much." Of course, it wouldn't be fair when discussing the high number of bureacratic organizations in the Federation without also making mention of how the Federation's struction that was created at the Washington Agreement lends itself by its very nature to more levels of government; as opposed to a more centralized structure.
Meanwhile, the WSJ recently published this article about some Bosniak entrepreneurs moving to the RS part of Bosnia for better business opportunities. And while I don't agree with Dodik on political matters, or with his lack of cooperation with the international community and the Federation when it comes to unifying the Bosnian police force; this isn't the first article I've read about how his economic reforms are leading to more investments and business opportunities in the RS.
Both of these articles (particularly the WSJ article) made mention of what they portrayed as being a major issue when it came to the lack of economic and other reforms: the large amount of bureaucracies, particularly in the Federation.
According the Chicago Tribune article, there are 170 different ministries in the Federation. There seems to be almost just as many problems with having too many bureaucracies and organizations as with having to few. Case in point, according to the Tribune article two years ago, travel was very difficult in Sarajevo due to heavy snow. The problem wasn't a lack of road crews to plow the streets; but rather so many road crews no one really knew who should plow. The WSJ article also made mention of the issues of a large number of bureaucracies in the Federation; according to Hazim Stikovac, who moved to Zepa along with his father to set up a plant, "is too complicated. All the different governments --canton, Federation, municipalities. It's too much." Of course, it wouldn't be fair when discussing the high number of bureacratic organizations in the Federation without also making mention of how the Federation's struction that was created at the Washington Agreement lends itself by its very nature to more levels of government; as opposed to a more centralized structure.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Great Article
Most of the mainstream articles on the Balkans tends to focus exclusively on the negative stuff; so imagine my (happy) surprise when I found this article on the Yakima Gulag blog. The article is about a Bosnian mother traveling to the US to see her daughter's graduate from college.
By the way, the daughter's husband sounds pretty wonderful as well.
Thanks Katja for posting the article!
By the way, the daughter's husband sounds pretty wonderful as well.
Thanks Katja for posting the article!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Rock The Vote
According to the Independent, Serbia's democracy was saved at the 11th hour, although some bloggers were less than 100% convinced. Included in the prize package however, is the possible reopening of the SAA talks.
Not to be left out, the ousted Toma Nikolic shared some of his thoughts and predictions with the press.
Meanwhile, onto a less important, but no less controverstrial election; the Eurovision contest.
Bosnia's entry is one of the youngest participants: Maria Sestic. Her song, despite containing lyrics such as:
: "You are my pain, You are my sorrow, Just once more I want, To be with you, And let my heart ache, Forever for you, With it I DIE."(cap. for dramatic effect) ; we are told is really is not a sad song, but a love song. And speaking of sad songs, Spinner Magazine just came out with their list of the 25 Most Exquisitely Sad Songs in the Whole World (English language songs only though).
Before attending the Eurovision comp. Maria visited Serbia where she was a guest of Serbia's very popular entry, Marija Serifovic.
Rounding out some of the regional finalists include: Alenka Gotar-Slovenia, Korolina-Macedonia, Sarbel-Greece Kenan Dogolu-Turkey, among others.
But alas, no singing competition can be complete without some slight ethnopolitical controversy.
And as a way of uniting these two seemingly disjointed topics (the ousting of Nikolic and the Eurovision competition) together, here is a link to the very entertaining Music for Maniacs Blog.
Not to be left out, the ousted Toma Nikolic shared some of his thoughts and predictions with the press.
Meanwhile, onto a less important, but no less controverstrial election; the Eurovision contest.
Bosnia's entry is one of the youngest participants: Maria Sestic. Her song, despite containing lyrics such as:
: "You are my pain, You are my sorrow, Just once more I want, To be with you, And let my heart ache, Forever for you, With it I DIE."(cap. for dramatic effect) ; we are told is really is not a sad song, but a love song. And speaking of sad songs, Spinner Magazine just came out with their list of the 25 Most Exquisitely Sad Songs in the Whole World (English language songs only though).
Before attending the Eurovision comp. Maria visited Serbia where she was a guest of Serbia's very popular entry, Marija Serifovic.
Rounding out some of the regional finalists include: Alenka Gotar-Slovenia, Korolina-Macedonia, Sarbel-Greece Kenan Dogolu-Turkey, among others.
But alas, no singing competition can be complete without some slight ethnopolitical controversy.
And as a way of uniting these two seemingly disjointed topics (the ousting of Nikolic and the Eurovision competition) together, here is a link to the very entertaining Music for Maniacs Blog.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Street Lids
Pictures of Street Lids from Sarajevo, Ljubljana and Belgrade amongst others. Also, check out the cool t-shirts with the street lid patterns on them.
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