Bosnia

• Bosnia was another province of Yugoslavia until 1992

  Mixed population of Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Serbs, Croats.

  • Held a referendum on independence from Yugoslavia in 1992.

  (large majority of Bosniaks + Croats voted in favour)
• Bosnia immediately attacked by Bosnian-Serb units of Yugoslav army.

  • 6 weeks: Large areas under control of Serbian commander Ratko Mladic
  • End of 1992, Serbs controlled about 70% of Bosnia.
• Ethnic cleansing of Bosnia began under the influence of the 70% of Serbs which occupied it.

  Non-Serbs were sent to prison camps where atrocities took place on a large scale

  • murder
  • torture
  • rape
  • castration
  • mass execution

  (bodies of those killed were usually dumped in common graves)

  These were all crimes against Humanity elsewhere, but the treatment of Bosnian Muslims by Serbs was by far the worst.