Srebrenica Genocide Memorial
In the early 1990s, the collapse of Yugoslavia led to many tensions in the region. Slovenia and Croatia declared independence, setting off a war between Serbia and the breakaway republics. The situation escalated further when Bosnia-Herzegovina attempted to secede from Yugoslavia, leading to a Serbian invasion under the pretense of “freeing” Orthodox Christians living in Bosnia. This invasion marked the beginning of a horrifying chapter in human history, known as the Bosnia Genocide, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 100,000 people.
Map of Former Yugoslavia in 1993
Below is a timeline of key events from 1992-1995.
April 1992: Bosnia-Herzegovina declared its independence from Yugoslavia, setting off a chain of violent confrontations.
May 1992: Ethnic Serbs, aiming to establish control over Bosnia, invaded Sarajevo, the capital, and attacked Bosniak-dominated towns in Eastern Bosnia. This invasion led to the forcible expulsion of Bosniaks from these regions.
End of 1993: By the end of 1993, Bosnian Serb forces had seized control of 75% of Bosnia. Humanitarian aid was provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to mitigate the suffering of the displaced populations.
Summer 1995: As the conflict neared its end, three towns in Eastern Bosnia—Srebrenica, Zepa, and Gorazde—remained under Bosnian government control and were declared “safe havens” by the UN.
July 1995: The most infamous atrocity occurred when Bosnian Serb forces advanced on Srebrenica. The town’s women and girls were forcibly transported to Bosnian-held territories, while men were systematically executed. Between 7,000 and 8,000 Bosniak men were killed in what is now known as the Srebrenica massacre.
August 1995: The Serb forces' defiance of a UN ultimatum led to NATO’s intervention. NATO, in coordination with Bosnian and Croatian forces, launched bombing campaigns against the Serbs.
November 1995: The Dayton Accords were signed, leading to the establishment of a federalized Bosnia divided between a Croat-Bosniak federation and a Serb republic. This agreement aimed to bring peace and stability to the region.
The war's effects on children were particularly severe. A cross-sectional survey of 364 internally displaced children aged 6-12 and their parents living in central Bosnian collectives revealed distressing findings. Most children experienced separation from their families and witnessed extreme violence and poverty. An alarming 94% of children met the criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition. In addition, a staggering 90.6% and 95.5% of children reported significant sadness and anxiety, respectively.
The international community took significant steps toward accountability and justice for the crimes committed during the genocide. Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and military commander Ratko Mladic were indicted at The Hague for crimes against humanity. In 2002, former President Slobodan Milosevic was convicted of 66 counts of crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes. By the end of the trials, 161 individuals had been indicted, and in November 2017, Ratko Mladic, known as the “Butcher of Bosnia,” was found guilty of genocide.
Many Bosnians continue to grapple with the aftermath of the genocide. There remains a significant number of migrants and refugees who need support. You can help by supporting an organization called CARE International. CARE operates in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in neighboring countries including Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Albania. Its mission focuses on ensuring that the social, economic, and political rights of vulnerable groups are recognized and fulfilled, offering peacebuilding programs, emergency aid, and working toward gender equality.
Works Cited
Bosnian Genocide ‑ Timeline, Cause & Herzegovina | HISTORY, https://www.history.com/topics/1990s/bosnian-genocide. Accessed 19 August 2024.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, https://www.ushmm.org/genocide-prevention/countries/bosnia-herzegovina. Accessed 19 August 2024.
“CARE's Humanitarian Work in Bosnia and Herzegovina - CARE.” Care.org, https://www.care.org/our-work/where-we-work/bosnia-and-herzegovina/. Accessed 19 August 2024.
“Genocide In Bosnia.” Holocaust Museum Houston, https://hmh.org/library/research/genocide-in-bosnia-guide/. Accessed 19 August 2024.
Wise, PH. “War experiences and distress symptoms of Bosnian children.” PubMed, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9346989/. Accessed 19 August 2024.
Kommentare