“GENOCIDE AGAINST BOSNIACS OF THE UN SAFE HEAVEN
SREBRENICA IN JULY 1995 – LESSONS FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS”
Srebrenica - Sarajevo, 10 to 15th of July 2005
There were 120 scholars from Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad who participated in the Conference with their papers: Prof. Dr Smail Čekić (Sarajevo University); Academic Prof. Dr. Muhamed Filipović (Academy of Science and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina); Dr. Norman M. Naimark (Stanford University, USA); Prof. dr. Francis Boyle (University of Illinois, USA); Prof dr. Charles Ingrao (Purdue University, USA); Phon van den Biesen (attorney-at-law, The Netherlands), Dr. Paul Bartrop (Deakin University, Australia); Prof. dr. Haris Silajdžić (Sarajevo University); Dr. Dirk Mulder (Kamp Westerbork, The Netherlands); Dr. Nesrin Kenar (Kocaeli University, Turkey); Fikret Muslimović (General, Sarajevo); Dr. Diego E. Arria (former UN Ambassador, Venezuela); Prof. Dr. Nijaz Duraković (Sarajevo University); Prof. Dr. Samuel Totten (University of Arkansas, USA); Dr. Dior van den Berg (Project manager, Interchurch peace committee of the Netherlands); Prof. Dr. Omer Ibrahimagić (Sarajevo University); Prof. Dr. Janja Beč (Novi Sad University); Prof. Dr. Robert Donia (University of Michigan, USA); Dr. Sonja Biserko (the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Belgrade); Prof. Dr. Jusuf Žiga (Sarajevo University); Prof. Dr. Paul Miller (University McDaniel, USA); Prof. Dr. Kasim Trnka (Sarajevo University); Ljubo Babić (Retired Ambassador); Prof Dr. Oliver Leaman (University of Kentucky, USA); Dr. Agnes Kasero (attorney-at-law, France); Jovan Divjak (General, Sarajevo); Prof. Dr. Ćazim Sadiković (Sarajevo University); Prof. Dr. Mustafa Imamović (Sarajevo University); Prof. Dr. Mirko Pejanović (Sarajevo University); Dr. Samantha Power (Harvard University, USA); Prof. Muharem Kreso M.A. (Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law, Sarajevo); Dr. Mient Jan Faber (Free University, the Netherlands); Tilman Zülch (Society for the endangered peoples - International, Gottingen); Dr. Eric Stobaerts (Consultant for MSF, the United Kingdom); Dr. Alexandrina Iovita (Free International University of Moldova); Dr. Lisa Dicaprio (Washington and Lee University, USA); Prof. Dr. Srđan Vukadinović (Center for international research Tuzla - Podgorica); Dr. Jacques Semelin (Center for international research and studies, France); Amor Mašović (attorney-at-law, Chairman of the Federation Commission for Missing Persons, Sarajevo); Jasna Balorda M.A. (Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law, Sarajevo); Erna Rijsdijk (Military Academy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Breda); Franz-Josep Hutsh, Huub Jaspers and Gerard Legeberge (VPRO - Radio Netherlands); Dr. Sarah Wagner (Harvard University, USA); Prof. Dr. Eric Markusen and Rafiki Ubaldo (The Danish Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Study, Copenhagen); Dr. Elvira-Eva Klonowsky (ICMP); Dr. Tom Emmert (Purdue University, USA); Dr. Charli Carpenter (Pittsburgh University, USA); Denis Gratz M.A. (University in Hamburg, Germany); Dr. Kathleen Young (Western Washington University, USA); Prof. Dr. Katheryn Johnson (University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA); Jos de la Haye (Lueven University, Belgium); Aydin Babuna (Ataturk Institute of the University of Istanbul); Dr. Carole Hodge (University in Glasgow, United Kingdom); Dr. Marla Stone (Occidental College, USA); Dr. Jasmina Beširević-Regan (Yale University, USA); Prof. Dr. Ilijas Bošnjović (Institute for Economy, Sarajevo); Prof. Dr. Enes Pelidija (Sarajevo University), Dr. Janny Vlietstra (Mayor of Winschotena, the Netherlands); Edina Bećirović M.A. (Sarajevo University); Prof. Dr. Veselin Trninić (Academy of Science and Arts of BiH, Sarajevo); Dr. Karl F. Bahm (University of Wisconsin, USA); Dr. Noreen Herzfeld (University St. John's, USA); Dr. Khalil Dokhanchi (University of Wisconsin at Superior, USA); Prof. Dr. Keith Doubt (Wittenberg University, USA); Prof. Dr. Ron Adams (Victoria University, Melbourne); Fra Luka Markešić (Sarajevo University); Novak Anđelić (Association of WWII Veterans in BiH, Sarajevo); Dr. Selma Leydesdorff (University Amsterdam, the Netherlands); Prof. dr. Ismet Grbo (Sarajevo University); Dr. Gregory H. Stanton (President “Genocide Watch”, USA); Abe Thijs (student, the Netherlands); Prof. Dr. Azem Kožar (Tuzla University); Asta Zinbo (ICMP, Sarajevo); Dr. Hasan Balić (Sarajevo University); Zarije Seizović M.A. (Legal consultant, Breza); Marijana Senjak (Psychologist, MEDICA, Zenica); Fadila Memišević (professor, Society for the endangered peoples, Section for BiH, Sarajevo); Prof. Dr. Salih Jaliman (Zenica University); Prof. Dr. Sakib Softić (Sarajevo University); Hasan Nuhanović (Sarajevo); Džemal Najetović M.A. (Sarajevo); Hajriz Bećirović M.A. (Sarajevo); Miro Kebo and Semin Guzin (Law firm, Mostar); Dr. Fadil Ademović (journalist and publicist, Sarajevo), Prof. Dr. Nikola Kovač (Sarajevo University); Prof. Dr. Ismet Dizdarević (Sarajevo University); Prof. Dr. Esad Zgodić (Sarajevo University); Nijaz Mašić (professor, Secondary school, Sarajevo); Vahid Karavelić M.A. (General, Sarajevo); Salko Gušić (Brigadier, Sarajevo); Zijad Rujanac M.A. (Brigadier, Sarajevo); Vejiz Šabić (Major, Sarajevo); Ibrahim Bećirović (B.A. in Journalism, Sarajevo), Velid Šabić (professor, Sarajevo); Dževad Mahmutović (B.Sc. in Criminology, Tuzla); Dr. Rifat Kešetović (ICMP, Tuzla); Duško Tomić (attorney-at-law, Sarajevo); Prof. Dr. Muhamed Šestanović (Sarajevo University); Muharem Omerdić (Riyaset of Islamic community in BIH, Sarajevo); Dr. Roxana Andrei (University Brasov, Rumania); Mujo Kafedžić (Brigadier, Sarajevo), Dr. Safet Bandžović (Institute for History, Sarajevo); Prof. Dr. Šemso Tucaković (Sarajevo University); Cindy Christian (University of Minnesota, USA); Dr. Paolo Tripodi (University for Marines, Italy); Selmo Cikotić M.A. (Brigadier, Sarajevo); Azra Adžajlić-Dedović M.A. (Sarajevo University); Jasna Čaušević (Society for the endangered peoples - International, Gottingen); Fatma Unsal (doctoral candidate, University of Malaysia); Sabit Subašić M.A. (BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sarajevo); Dr. Bećir Macić (Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law, Sarajevo); Assisting Professor Dr. Senadin Lavić (Sarajevo University); Dr. Senija Milišić (Institute for History, Sarajevo) and Dr. Adib Đozić.
The Conference, in the opinion of prominent authorities, was very successful because, among other things, it “combined testimonies of the eyewitnesses and analysis by the Bosnian scholars and the papers presented by the leading genocide scholars“ (Prof. Dr. Gregory Stanton, First Vice president of IAGS, e-mail, 2 August 2005). According to Prof. Stanton, “it was successful, because, what is so important, you took us to Srebrenica. I was rarely so moved as I was at that gathering, with thousands of people worldwide, of various religions, gathered in remembrance to people who had been killed there. The psychological feeling of solidarity confirmed that we all belong to one race – human race“ (ibid).
Numerous scholars coming from 16 countries, five continents, represented various disciplines such as anthropology, philosophy, history, criminology, economy, psychology, political sciences, and sociology, in the presence of layers, engineers, journalists, human rights activists, as well as religious and political leaders. The representatives of the most prominent universities like Yale, Harvard, and Stanton attended this conference of leading intellectuals and activists, as well as Institutions like Genocide Watch, International Commission for Missing Persons, Center for Human rights and other. They considered this versatile and complex issue through 120 papers – from the UN responsibility for the occupation of Srebrenica, identification of genocide victims, that is, establishing the identity, number, composition, and structure of genocide victims, possibilities to acquire justice, and other.
The conference also raised the issue of whether 10 years is sufficient period to face genocide in an objective and scientific manner, and it was pointed out that the first conference of such nature on holocaust, event in relation to which the term genocide was established, was held only 30 years after the WWII and that no one paid attention to genocide for decades, not more than only a few sentences in history books. Some participants kept insisting on a profound need that the ICTY conclusion is constantly reaffirmed that crime of genocide was indeed committed in Srebrenica.
The unbiased scholars referred also to proposals to review the Dayton Accord and terminate Republika Srpska, for which it was firmly stated that it was founded on genocide.
A large degree of approval to the results of study on genocide conducted against Bosniacs in the UN Safe heaven Srebrenica in July 1995 is an indicator of seriousness and objectiveness in this scientific work conducted by various subjects – individuals, groups, scholarly institutions. The consistent and conclusive conclusions on genocide were reached through a discussion by application of case study – type of mosaic study case.
The theme of this exquisite conference was precisely defined and limited to the period of July 1995, which, unfortunately rather late, shook the world. The theme was genocide that did not happen in Europe since WWII. Its culmination occurred within only four days (13, 14, 15, and 16 July), during which the organized execution of 2,000 innocent people per day took place, who were killed just because they belonged to a nation which happened to be on the route of spreading Living space that was a part of one state project. The monstrous character of crimes and its relevance, and the fact that several day long massacre of fertile men was linked with a two-day deportation of women and children and the span of codified and non-codified crimes represented only the tip of iceberg of genocide against Bosniacs in the occupied territories of Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose victims are not even close to be counted or identified.
This conference worked three days in plenum that facilitated the versatile analysis of the dimension and aspect of specific crimes, its segments, and elementary factors. This made it possible for the participants to deal with this overall issue for three days, not only its fragments.
The discussion was organized in three thematic units:
Context of the event – event reconstruction and – consequences and lessons for future generations. The discussion of context of event allowed the participate to review the entire atmosphere and the constellation of forces surrounding this event, as well as review of numerous actions by the representatives of world politics and particularly the responsibility of some politicians and key UN functionaries, who by their doing or non-doing facilitated the emerging of conditions in which the genocide was committed.
It is very important that the character of definition and the term genocide remained clear and that the reconstruction of event showed a high degree of same results. All the participants agreed about this, and this problem was analyzed in various parts of the world, based on various sources and various relevant documentation, which analyzes this matter. The Conference also started new approaches to the issue of nature and character of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991 - 1995 and perspectives of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina in significantly changed conditions.
Even the conclusions on the consequences are similar, and la large number of participants tried to formulate messages for future generations. The visit to Potočari, one of many mass graves made it possible for scholars to experience the horrific conditions, in which the population of the first-proclaimed UN safe heaven in Bosnia and Herzegovina was, just before the aggression ended in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The visit to Mostar and its surrounding opened the perspectives of urbicide and culturcide, as a relevant for of applied genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina.