1	The Making of Ethnic Insecurity: A Case Study of the Krajina Serbs Edith Marko-Stockl
2	Theories of ethnic conflict Local conflicts result of “Primitive Balkinism” (“ancient hatreds”) – aberrations, deviant actions Local conflicts rooted in clan vendettas, local faction fighting (Bax) Orchestrated from above for political ends “political entrepreneurs”
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6	Milan Martic Former “president” of the Serb ministate of the Republic of Serb Krajina (RSK_, at the War Crimes Tribunal May 21, 2002, The Hague. Guilty, 13 years imprisonment
7	Milan Babic Mayor of Knin Convicted of War Crimes
8	Croatian Serbs 12% of Croatian population Stronghold for Tito’s Communists Recall WWII Croatian Ustasha Locales where concentrated Capital city of Zagreb Knin Kordun Banija Western & Eastern Slavonia – 20-30%
9	Republic of Serbian Krajina Included only 61% of all Serbs in Croatia Cetnik (Serb paramilitary) strongholds Knin Obrovac Benkovac Strong Serb partisan elements Lika Kordun Banija
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12	Democratization of Yugoslavia - 1990 First multi-party elections Serbs – Communists (Serb dominated) Tudjman’s HDZ won in Croatia (Croation nationalist party) 2/3 seats in Croatian Parliament Moves for Croatian independence Achieved 25 June 1991 Serbs constituted as a minority with minority rights Sought autonomy
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14	Spiral of Crisis Summer 1990 – national mobilization around Knin Serb police refused to wear Croatian uniforms October 1990 – declaration of Serb autonomy Serb Republic Krajina – RSK Serb Autonomist Districts joined
15	Spiral of crisis Spring 1991 – fighting between Serb militias and Croat police forces May 1991 – Croatian policemen and Serbs killed September 1991 – open war between armed forces of Croatia and Croatian Serbs Serbs actively supported by Yugoslav army Serbs expanded, Croats forced to flee 330,000 Croats fled 6,651 deaths officially counted 13,700 missing 210,000 houses destroyed
16	Aftermath January 1992 – cease-fire negotiated 1995 – Bosnian war ends 1995 – Croatian army reconquers region 300,000 Serbs fled
17	Why? Stuart J. Kaufman – symbolic politics The existence of myths justifying ethnic hostility The presence of ethnic fears about the survival of a group The opportunity for the ethnic group to mobilise and fight. Roger D. Peterson - fear
18	Fear No tradition of law in Yugoslavia Collapse of Yugoslav state à bi-identified Croation Serbs losing power of the Yugoslav state.
19	Myths justifying hostilities Tudjman’s resurrection of desire for independent state New Croat Constitution drafted on Vidovan Defeat of Serbs by Turks in Kosovo (1989 – 600^th anniversary celebration – Milosovic) Memories of WWII Croatian flag = Nazis Debate over number killed History suppressed Partisan liberation struggle
20	Role of elites Feared loss of power “Resentment”
21	Why the conflict? Serbs – 12% of Croatia Knin (recall Bette Denich study – Pigeon Cave) Kordun Banija Cetnic strongholds Serbs in other regions Partisan tradition
22	Croat independence - 1991 Spiral of insecurity and fear
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24	Historic background of war 400 years of warfare between Ottoman and Habsburg Empires
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28	Ottoman Empire at Greatest Extent 15^th century
29	Historic background of war 400 years of warfare between Ottoman and Habsburg Empires WWII – Axis and Allies tore it apart
30	Historic background of war 400 years of warfare between Ottoman and Habsburg Empires WWII – Axis and Allies tore it apart Cold War – West and East
31	Historic background of war 400 years of warfare between Ottoman and Habsburg Empires WWII – Axis and Allies tore it apart Cold War – West and East Ethnic patchwork: Serbs from south, Croats from Dalmation coast, Muslim converts
32	Historic background of war Tradition of small-scale resistance to Ottomans – continued as resistance to Serbs & Croats, variously, after 1918 1912 & 1918 – fall of Ottoman and Habsburg Empires Kingdoms of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes founded in 1918 (renamed Kingdom of Yugoslavia – 1929)
33	Origin of “Serbs” & “Croats” Perhaps Middle Ages – two kingdoms Serbian Orthodox Church Roman Catholicism – Croats After 1918 – Kingdom dominated by Serbs Interethnic tensions, esp. in Bosnia. Croat resistance (ustasa) Intensified Serb repression, using Cetnici
34	"Serb nationalist map http://..." Serb nationalist map http://www.srpska-mreza.com/library/facts/map-Britannica-1986.html
35	WWII Axis powers supported Croats – Independent State of Croatia, incl. Bosnia-Herzogovina and Croatia– attempt to purge region of Serbs Medjugorje was an Ustasi (Croat) stronghold Lost almost half its population, other destruction Tito – Communist – incorporated Serb Cetnici in his partisan force. 1943 – Yugoslavia founded, Tito as head (neg. with Allies – incl. USSR)
36	Post-WWII Medjugorje area: Former Ustasi not allowed in gov’t, CP – Serbs dominated Official discourse of “Brotherhood and Unity” masked existence of Croats and Serbs in Bosnia-Herzegovina “Croats” become “criminals”, “subversive elements”, “reactionary forces” Serbs control government
37	1970s Ustasi (Croat) began to gather in Bosnia and Herzogovina – included Medjugorje Cetnici (Serb) formed in response 1981 – Visions of Mary, focused on peace Major pilgrimage site Peaceful behavior necessary Infused lots of money
38	Effects in Medjugorje Ostojici Clan – formerly marginal with many emigrating, now prosperous due to proximity to site – émigrés come home. Jerkovici and Sivrici Clans humiliated Their prosperity, based on good lands – grapes & tobacco – no longer secure basis for status Scorned Ostojici reliance on good relations with government bureaucrats, etc.
39	1990 Escalating violence – Serb and Montenegro Drove pilgrims away. Ostojici got most of what business was left 1991 – Ostojici guests prevented from visiting pilgrimage site. Ostojici called police – Called “little Serbs” by the Jerkovici and Sivrici Abt. 40 men of the two clans disappear
40	"Escalating violence in region" Escalating violence in region. Serb communities receive arms from Serbia for defense against “fascist aggression” Croats break into arms depots Yugoslav army breaks up into warring factions Ostojici perceived as allying with Cetnici = enemy Ostojici graves blown up, other alarms associated with ethnic cleansing Stepanovici created – Croat partisans Nov. 1991 blew up 30 of 170 cisterns, shot Ostojici cattle Ostojici brought in reinforcements. Destroyed 12 Sivrici cisterns
41	Christmas 1991 - crisis Old Jerkovic clan elder hit by Ostojici bullet à blood being spilled Cycle of revenge Ostojici women and children left Escalating violence against property 80 people killed – atrocities May – Passing Croation militia attacked, completely “cleansing” the Ostojici hamlet. 100 people shot and killed
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43	Theories of ethnic conflict Orchestrated from above for political ends Local conflicts result of “Primitive Balkinism” – aberrations, deviant actions Bax – local conflicts rooted in clan vendettas, local faction fdighting Crumbling state monopoly on organized violence “War” has different meanings – and causes – in different locales and times “Identities” fluid and malleable
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