Genocide on the Drina River

Abstract

This book examines the genocide committed by Serb forces against Bosnian Muslims during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, drawing on the case studies of seven municipalities in Eastern Bosnia to illustrate a pattern of broader Serb genocidal designs. This work is based on extensive primary research, including the analysis of trial transcripts from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and military archives, as well as interviews with witnesses. A significant portion of this book is also rooted in perpetrator-based research; and the examination of recorded parliamentary transcripts, taped conversations, and numerous other authentic documents demonstrates that genocide against Bosnian Muslims was not only planned and implemented under the careful watch of Slobodan Milošević, Radovan Karadžić, and Ratko Mladić, but also with the full knowledge and participation of a wide circle of Serbian political, security sector, and military actors who remain unaccountable. And so, the book ends with an in-depth discussion of genocide denial and its broader social effects. This book is meant to raise awareness about genocide and the mechanisms of its denial in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the hope that future leaders and citizens will better understand how to build social environments in which genocides are unthinkable. By fluidly linking general theories of genocide with detailed local and regional perspectives, but also managing to illustrate the devastating and dehumanizing effects of genocide on the destinies of everyday people, this book speaks to readers about how the legacy of genocide impacts both the collective and the individual.