The Wheels of International Justice Move Slowly, But They Move.

On vacation or not, this story is too important to not acknowledge:

Serb cousins guilty of burning Muslims alive (from CNN)

Bosnia is no longer a sexy story for the broadcast media. Cynics and appeasers and ersatz "progressives" all wish to rewrite history, or devalue the historical record, or simply to convince the general public that "it's time to move on."

Fortunately, some people out there are still paying attention.

Briefly on Vacation

I will be away from my PC and busy traveling the next few weeks, so this blog will be even less active than it has been lately. I realize that I haven't been as active recently--new job, another writing interest, and just busy in general. But after this vacation I fully expect to be recharged and eager to tackle some new topics. I'm itching to sink my teeth into another in-depth book review.

Also, several months ago I planned to work on a bibliography of English-language books on Bosnia and the Yugoslav wars, and after a good start that project stalled. It's time to bring it back and to fruition; I may turn to my readers to ask for suggestions, input, and so forth--I'd like to be an annotated bibliography, if not a bibliographic essay. Expect some activity on that front in a month or so.

I hope all of you are having a wonderful summer so far. I hope to come back to this blog in two or three weeks refreshed and ready to get back to work.

Exclusion of Bosnia and Herzegovina from EU Visa Regime

[Press release from Bosniak American Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina]

The Bosniak-American Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BAACBH) is astounded by the announcement by Javier Solana, the European Union's Foreign Policy High Representative, about the abolishment of visa travel requirements for citizens of Serbia and Montenegro, a new regime that excludes Bosnia and Herzegovina (B-H). The decision emphasizes that the European Union (EU) is not taking into consideration the implications this decision will have on B-H. The decision will consequently leave Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) as the only citizens of B-H without the possibility of visa-free travel to the EU. It will fuel ethnic divisions as the majority of Bosnian Croats hold dual Bosnian and Croatian citizenship and Bosnian Serbs hold both Bosnian and Serbian citizenship. Furthermore, it will undermine the democratic process of regional stability and reconciliation as both Serbia and Montenegro have been perpetrators of aggression against B-H.

The decision comes only three days after the 14th anniversary of the fall of Srebrenica, a declared United Nations (UN) safe haven, during which the lives of over 8,000 innocent Bosniak victims were brutally taken. BAACBH, a non-profit, non-governmental and non-partisan organization advocating on behalf of Bosnian-Americans, commemorated Srebrenica and the genocide that occurred in B-H, a tragic episode of human history that many said would never happen again. Today, sadly, we see those victims being forgotten, as the exclusion of B-H from the new visa regime means Bosniaks who have survived ethnic cleansing and genocide are persona non grata in the EU.

BAACBH urges the EU and the international community to examine the grave consequences of the exclusion of B-H from the new visa regime and act to rectify the situation.

The 14th Srebrenica Genocide Commemoration

The Bosniak-American Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BAACBH) shares the grief and sorrow of families' victims of the Bosnian genocide as it commemorates the 14th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).


On July 11, 1995, the Bosnian town of Srebrenica, a declared United Nations safe haven, fell to Serb paramilitary forces led by General Ratko Mladic, an indicted war criminal who is still at large. The fall of Srebrenica marks the final act of brutal ethnic cleansing and genocide in BiH, when more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men and boys were slaughtered within a five day period. The systematic killings were not only part of the vicious campaign to eliminate the Bosniak population in the name of radical Serb nationalism, but also to eliminate the historical pattern of tolerance and shared experiences that characterized life in BiH.

[Press release from the Bosniak American Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina; released yestereday.]

Today, 14 years after the Srebrenica Genocide, the worst atrocity committed in Europe since the end of the Second World War, we are reminded that we are the voice for the countless victims and advocates for genocide prevention around the world. As the surviving relatives, neighbors and hundreds of diplomats and members of the international community gather to commemorate the Srebrenica Genocide, let us not forget that justice must prevail. Furthermore, let us be reminded that justice is the only path towards a democratic, prosperous and stable BiH, as well as Southeast Europe.


The 14th commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide is a dark reminder that the world failed to protect innocent civilians. BAACBH, as an independent non-governmental organization advocating on behalf of Bosnian-Americans, is committed to preserving the memory of those who suffered and to disseminating knowledge about BiH and the tragedy that took place as the world watched.

JUDGE CONSIDERS DROPPING SOME CHARGES AGAINST KARADZIC

Please see this post at the Srebrenica Genocide Blog for details, explanation, and a list of contacts so you can take action.

EDIT: Please see the comment from Owen below; it appears that initial reports might have been too alarmist. Which is good news.