Understanding the Causes of the Siege of Sarajevo

The siege of Sarajevo, one of the longest and most devastating sieges in modern history, began during the Bosnian War. This conflict arose from the disintegration of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) and was a result of complex political, military, and ethnic tensions.

Background and Context

As SFRY crumbled, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital, became a crucial target for the Bosnian Serb joint criminal enterprise. Their aim was to destroy Bosnia and Herzegovina as a state and achieve a #8220;Greater Serbia,#8221; where Serbs would be the dominant ethnic group.

Key Events Leading to the Siege

The siege began following a failed coup d'état on May 2, 1992, where the Presidency and Assembly of Sarajevo were not successfully captured. However, on the same day, the then-President of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Presidency, Alija Izetbegovi?, was captured while returning from Lisbon negotiations. The Bosnian Serb leadership, particularly Fikret Abdi?, envisioned a scenario where BiH would be subjugated to a version of Yugoslavia, with Bosnian Serbs no longer as a minority but a majority.

Local Perspectives and Dynamics

From the perspective of local residents in Sarajevo, the situation was dire. The local Serbian population, including a substantial number of obsolete Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) officers and soldiers, faced a "fight or flight" dilemma. Those who fought on the Serb side became the primary war criminals, while those who remained in Sarajevo became victims alongside the rest of the citizens. The others who escaped became traitors in the eyes of some.

It was a manifestation of the prevailing state of affairs, where Serbs were claiming their rights through military force, a trend that had been demonstrated in prior conflicts such as those in Kosovo, Slovenia, Croatia, and other parts of Bosnia.

The Serbian Elite's Ambitions

The Serbian elite sought to seize the disintegration of Yugoslavia as an opportunity to unite Serbs in one state. The borders of this state were to be determined by peace negotiations, but in any case, a significant part of Bosnia with a Serb majority was to be part of a Serb-dominated Yugoslavia. Sarajevo was expected to share the same fate, without exception.

Conclusion

The siege of Sarajevo was a tragic byproduct of the complex geopolitical situation that emerged from the dissolution of Yugoslavia. It was not merely a military strategy; it was an attempt to subjugate Bosnia and Herzegovina and establish dominance over the region's Serbs. Understanding the causes of this siege requires a deep dive into the historical, political, and social dynamics that shaped the Bosnian War.

References

[1] Compton, R. (2007). Black Hand Blues: The Mafia in the Balkans. Cambridge University Press.

[2] Gotovina, M., Hansen, H. (2003). The Siege of Sarajevo, 1992-96: The Tragedy of a City. Praeger Publishers.

[3] Vass, A. (2001). Implementation of International Peace Agreements: The Cases of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Sudan. Routledge.