The collapse of the Yugoslav Federal Socialist Republic became the main cause. The declaration of independence of the Bosnian Republic and Hezergovina was not recognized by the Serbian army and the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA). Both want to secure territory, but apparently also followed by cleansing of non-Serbs in the area they are trying to control.
Srebenica is located at the eastern end of Bosnia and Hezergovina. The city became the next target after Serbian and JNA troops were satisfied ransacking Bratunac, an area also located on the border of the two countries. The majority of the population is Bosnian Muslims. Villages in the area were taken, houses burned, citizens beaten or killed. 1,156 Bratunac residents were killed, while others were forced to flee (and eventually concentrate) to Srebrenica.
Similar is happening in many countries, genocide does not take place overnight and overnight. The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) noted campaigns as well as military attacks before ethnic cleansing had begun since 1992. Former Bosnian and Hezergovina military officials, Naser Oric, told ICTY that between April 1992-March 1993 Srebrenica residents were targeted by Srebrenica residents artillery attacks, fighter bombs, and snipers by Serbian troops.
"Potočari village is a daily target because it is a sensitive spot on the defensive line around Srebrenica. Other Bosnian Muslim settlements are also routinely attacked. All of this resulted in a large number of refugees and victims, "he said.
The Serbian army was exploited because it controlled the water supply and energy sources of the village community. Mass hunger occurs because assistance from humanitarian agencies is not permitted to enter. Even the elderly and children who are weak one by one fallen.
Mastermind of the cruel events in Srebrenica is Srpska (Serbian) Republican General nicknamed Bosnian Butcher, Ratko Mladic. He grew up to be a member of the Yugoslav Communist League, then a career in the Yugoslav People's Army. His position skyrocketed from a high-ranking officer, Chief of Staff of the Army, until finally being appointed as general when entering the Bosnian War in 1992-1995.
Military uniform makes Mladic reveal his savage nature. On April 5, 1992, on the same day as the proclamation of independence for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavian forces encircled the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo.
Mladic and his troops tried to occupy the city center and overthrow Bosnia's official government through a coup. The siege of Sarajevo, referring to the final UN report, lasted 1,425 days (5 April 1992-29 February 1996) and became the longest siege in the history of world war.
Mladic and his army did eventually retreat. But the death toll reached 13,952 people, 5,434 of whom came from civilians.
Entering 1995, the situation in Srebrenica was increasingly dangerous. The UN then formed UNPROFOR troops which were filled by around 400 Dutch troops. Since April 1993, the UN has also made Srebrenica a safe area. This means that the city must not be used as a battle ground by all parties who are at war.
The Serbian army ignored him. Strike after attack was carried out as the troops kept surging inside. On June 4 1995 the superior number of Serb forces finally gained control of Srebrenica.
On July 6, Serbian forces began storming Dutch army posts. Five days later they managed to enter the refugee camps. Most of the children, women and parents who began to move to seek refuge in Potocari were also arrested.
The ICTY report explained that on July 11, 1995 the massacre began by separating men aged 12-77 years. The reason is to be interrogated, but this is only an excuse so that the target can be separated from women, parents, or other relatives.
The first murder took place in a warehouse near the village of Kravica, then continued to other corners of the village. The group of victims was told to line up near the hole made into a mass grave, then shot one by one in the back of the head. The soldiers then targeted all types of gender and age. Old, young, old people, children, even babies, all became targets of the Mladic forces' cruelty. Not to mention the rape cases experienced by survivors and subsequently killed.
The Hague Court's Notes (PDF) on this case, compiled in December 2007, reveal many sad stories from witnesses or survivors. One of them was Zumra Šehomerovic, who witnessed the horror of the Srebrenica Massacre, right before his eyes.
Sehomerovic saw a girl about nine years old in the clutches of JNA soldiers. One soldier told the girl's younger brother to rape his brother. The younger brother clearly refused. The soldier was angry and then killed the boy.
"There is a mother with her baby who is only a few months old. A JNA soldier told him to calm the crying baby. The mother's attempt failed, then the soldier grabbed the baby and cut his neck. He laughed. There are Dutch soldiers (UNPROFOR) who only watch and do nothing, "he said.
History highlights the failure of UNPROFOR in this case as a very fatal action. Allowing evil to occur in their eyes is only a small fragment.
When the massacre was taking place, Dutch troops surrendered 5,000 refugees in exchange for 14 of their troops held by Mladic. Until now the decision has sparked criticism and regret from both the UN and the Dutch government.
Independent reported that the Dutch troops claimed at the time that they also had the potential to become victims of Mladic atrocities. But exchanging 70 percent of Bosnians who were in despair with 14 opposing troops was also accused of multiplying more wrongly.
The initial list of persons missing or killed in Srebrenica compiled by the Bosnian Federal Missing Persons Commission stated that the total number of victims was 8,373. In July 2012, 6,838 victims of genocide were identified through DNA analysis. Capital is a body part found from a mass grave. In July 2013, 6,066 victims were buried in the Potocari Warning Center.
In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Srebrenica Massacre, Kofi Annan stated that the main mistake was indeed in the perpetrators of genocide, those who supported it, and those who took care of the burial of the victims. But he also stressed that the UN had made a serious mistake, "rooted in the philosophy of impartiality." Srebrenica, he said, would be a tragedy that forever haunted the UN.
Mladic managed to escape after the end of the Bosnian War. For 14 years he was being chased by Serbian authorities. The initial price for information on the whereabouts of Mladic, which was clarified by the Serbian and United States Governments, was Rp90 billion. In 2010 the figure increased dramatically to Rp180 billion.
On May 26, 2011 plainclothes officers from the Serbian Interior Ministry special war crimes unit arrested Mladic in a village called Lazarevo. After being tried for 530 days, on November 22, 2017 he was found guilty as the mastermind of the Srebrenica genocide and sentenced to life imprisonment.
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