Do not forget

Series 16

This series is based on scientifically verified knowledge and the essential results of scientific research, of the many eminent researcher institutions of genocide and other crimes against humanity and international law in Europe and the world.

Genocide in Vitez

Vitez, as an urban settlement appeared only after the Second World War and it is one of the youngest towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Vitez today is an economic, cultural, educational, and administrative center and municipality situated in the valley of the Lašva river, some ten kilometers from the mouth to the river Bosna. Vitez has administrative boundaries with the municipalities: Novi Travnik, Travnik, Zenica, Busovača, and Fojnica. The Vitez municipality covers the space of 159 km2, and according to 1991 census, it had 27,859 residents of which Muslims (Bosniacs) were 11,514; Croats 12,675; Serbs 1,501; Yugoslavs 1,377; and Others 792.

Units of the Croatia Army and its collaborating HVO committed numerous crimes as of late 1992 and especially during April and May 1993 in the valley of Lašva river. They committed numerous crimes against Bosniac civilian population such as: massive and individual slaughters, forcible transfer and unlawful detention of civilians, attack against towns, destruction of villages and religious facilities, etc. it was well designed and systematic campaign of genocide, which the Croatian Army along with HVO pursued in this area.

Crimes in Ahmići, 16 April 1993, were planned and they were executed systematically and in organized manner. They are among the worst crimes committed against Bosniacs during the aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the case of Ahmići, ICTY established that the Republic of Croatia committed an act of aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which credited this armed conflict the character of international armed conflict “due to the direct involvement of the Croatia Army (HV) and the general control of Croatia over the forces and authorities of the Bosnian Croats”.

Eight persons have been held responsible for the crimes in Ahmići, of which only two for their direct participation in the crimes, and six on the grounds of command responsibility.

In total, 4,611 or 40.04% Bosniacs were expelled from their homes in the territory of Vitez municipality. During this persecution, many were in the camps and they experienced humiliation inappropriate for the civilized world. After the persecution, some of them found temporary shelter within the Vitez municipality, not under the control of HVO, while others moved to– Zenica and Travnik, whereas the third and the smallest category of the expelled Bosniacs went to the territories of other municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or further the third countries.

In addition to the fact that a significant number of Bosniacs were expelled from their homes, it is important to point out that a large number of them were killed during the aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The example of Vitez suggests that the aggressors equally attacked and killed both the members of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the civilians. In Vitez only, they killed 140 Bosniac civilians. Almost all the civil Bosniac victims got killed in the course of the aggression of the Republic of Croatia against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to these civil victims, 374 Bosniac members of the ARBiH gave their lives for the defense of this municipality and the state.

According to the uncompleted research, during the aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 514 or 4.46% Bosniacs from the territory of the Vitez municipality were killed.

Sources of scientific knowledge:
1.Institute for Research of Crimes against Humanity and International Law, University of Sarajevo
2.Institute for Research of Genocide, Canada
3.The International Criminal Tribunal for areas of the former Yugoslavia
4. The International Court of Justice