Bosnia 2 Essay, Research Paper

Bosnia

The war in Bosnia-Herzegovina began in 1992. It has left at least a quarter of a million people dead or missing and made refugees of more than half the nation s population. A Treaty was signed on December 14, 1995 in Paris to formally end Bosnian War. It was signed by the presidents of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia as well as other international heads of state. Bosnian Serb nationalists were absent because they would have been arrested of war crimes and genocide if they came to Paris. France signed the agreement two days after two of its pilots shot down over Bosnia during the summer were released by their Serb captors. France threatened unspecified consequences if the men were not released.

The three major ethnic groups of Bosnia- Herzegovina are Muslim, Serb, and Croat. Serbs make up 32% of the population, Muslim 44%, and Croat 17%, and the other percent is other inhabitants.

Serbs, in 1992 dominated 55% of the territory and mostly lived in the countryside. Serbs dominate in politics and army in former Yugoslavia. Serbs were and are still most into ethnic cleansing of people who are not also Serb. They are Orthodox Christian which makes Serbs allies of Russia.

Croats believe in ethnic cleansing also. They live closer to the West than Serbs and are exposed to Western influences and the Adriatic coast. Croats are of Roman Catholic Religion.

Muslims inhabit more urban areas. Many live in ethnically mixed towns but also believe in ethnic cleansing.

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

U.N.: United Nations

Genocide: The crime of destroying, or planning to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religous group.