Investigating Srebrenica: Institutions, Facts, Responsibilities (Contemporary European History Book 12)

In July 1995, the Bosnian Serb Army commanded by General Ratko Mladic attacked the enclave of Srebrenica, a UN "safe area" since 1993, and massacred about 8,000 Bosniac men... In July 1995, the Bosnian Serb Army commanded by General Ratko Mladic attacked the enclave of Srebrenica, a UN "safe area" since 1993, and massacred about 8,000 Bosniac men. While the responsibility for the massacre itself lays clearly with the Serb political and military leadership, the question of the responsibility of various international organizations and national authorities for the fall of the enclave is still passionately discussed, and has given rise to various rumors and conspiracy theories. Follow-up investigations by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and by several commissions have dissipated most of these rumors and contributed to a better knowledge of the Srebrenica events and the part played by the main local and international actors. This volume represents the first systematic, comparative analysis of those investigations. It brings together analyses from both the external standpoint of academics and the inside perspective of various professionals who participated directly in the inquiries, including police officers, members of parliament, high-ranking civil servants, and other experts. Evaluating how institutions establish facts and ascribe responsibilities, this volume presents a historiographical and epistemological reflection on the very possibility of writing a history of the present time In July 1995, the Bosnian Serb Army commanded by General Ratko Mladic attacked the enclave of Srebrenica, a UN "safe area" since 1993, and massacred about 8,000 Bosniac men. While the responsibility for the massacre itself lays clearly with the Serb political and military leadership, the question of the responsibility of various international organizations and national authorities for the fall of the enclave is still passionately discussed, and has given rise to various rumors and conspiracy theories. Follow-up investigations by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and by several commissions have dissipated most of these rumors and contributed to a better knowledge of the Srebrenica events and the part played by the main local and international actors. This volume represents the first systematic, comparative analysis of those investigations. It brings together analyses from both the external standpoint of academics and the inside perspective of various professionals who participated directly in the enquiries, including police officers, members of parliament, high-ranking civil servants, and other experts. Evaluating how institutions establish facts and ascribe responsibilities, this volume presents a historiographical and epistemological reflection on the very possibility of writing a history of the present time Introduction : the judge, the historian, and the legislator / Isabelle Delpla, Xavier Bougarel and Jean-Louis Fournel The ICTY investigations / Jean-Rene Ruez Introduction to the "report-form" : characteristics and temporalities of a production of public truth / Jean-Louis Fournel Reassessing the French parliamentary fact-finding mission on Srebrenica / Pierre Brana A tale of two commissions : Dutch parliamentary inquiries during the Srebrenica aftermath / Christ Klep Reflecting on the Dutch NIOD report : academic logic and the culture of consensus / Pieter Lagrou Reopening the wounds? : the parliament of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the question of Bosniak responsibilities / Xavier Bougarel The long way to admission : the report of the government of the Republika Srpska / Michåle Picard and Asta Zinbo Facts, responsibility, intelligibility : comparing the investigations and reports / Isabelle Delpla. CONTENTS MAPS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS SREBRENICA REPORTS AND WEBSITES CHRONOLOGY MAP 1. The former Yugoslavia MAP 2. Bosnia-Herzegovina Introduction: THE JUDGE, THE HISTORIAN, THE LEGISLATOR Chapter 1. THE ICTY INVESTIGATIONS Chapter 2. INTRODUCTION TO THE “REPORT-FORM” Chapter 3. REASSESSING THE FRENCH PARLIAMENTARY FACT-FINDING MISSION ON SREBRENICA (2001) Chapter 4. A TALE OF TWO COMMISSIONS Chapter 5. REFLECTIONS ON THE DUTCH NIOD REPORT Chapter 6. REOPENING THE WOUNDS? Chapter 7 THE LONG ROAD TO ADMISSION Chapter 8. FACTS, RESPONSIBILITY, INTELLIGIBILITY BIBLIOGRAPHY NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS NAME INDEX SUBJECT INDEX