How did the breakup of Yugoslavia lead to ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
1 Answer
Rising Nationalist sentiment after the break up of the USSR created an expectation that Serbs would dominate a new Yugoslavia at the expense of other ethnic groups.
Explanation:
The breakup of the USSR created rising expectation of new freedom in government across Eastern Europe. Serbians became to expect that there would be a Serbian dominated Yugoslav Government with real advantages for Serbs throughout Yugoslavia. The different ethnic groups were spread throughout Yugoslavia but the component states were often dominated by an ethnic group: Slovens in Slovenia, Croats in Croatia, etc. Some states were hopelessly split between rival ethnic groups. Emotions were high and long dormant hatreds simmered to the surface.
The Yugoslav Constitution provided a process for the constituent states to become independent.
An incident between ethnic Serbs and Park Police in a Croatian State National Park detonated the conflict. States began to invoke the separation clause starting in the North. Although the Serb dominated Yugoslav National Army was involved in trying to hold the country together by force, there was real problems with extremist led ethnic militias, often fueled by alcohol, on a rampage.
The likelihood of being raped, murdered and one's house being burned or blown up by an armed mob of one's neighbors became high. Young men were expected to join in the alcohol and testosterone soaked militias.
