VUKOVAR '91 INTERNATIONAL ECHOES and SIGNIFICANCE Published: Privatization and Modernization Visible and Invisible Academy Bibliotheca ZBORNICI, Book 24

VUKOVAR '91 INTERNATIONAL ECHOES AND SIGNIFICANCE Published: Privatization and Modernization Visible and Invisible Academy Bibliotheca ZBORNICI, Book 24 The Future of the Emigrate Copyright © 2004 Croatia Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia The Long Shadow of the Periphery Religion and Integration Middle Towns in Croatian Urbanization Privatization and the Public The Social Evaluation of Gentic Technology Sisak 2000+ Vukovar '91 Economic and Social Challenges in Countries with a Period of Transition Ruling Elites and Modernisation European Integration for the 21st Century Future at the Outskirts of a Marshland Entrepreneurship, Institutions and Socio-Cultural Capital Employment Policies and Welfare Reform The Space Behind Anthology to Mark 70 Years of Dragutin Pavli~evi}'s Life Developmental Perspectives of the Rural World of Slavonia and Baranya Immigrants and Homeland Croatian Society Today: Psycho-Social Processes Living in Zagreb INTERNATIONAL ECHOES AND SIGNIFICANCE Editors: Josip Jur~evi} Draèn @ivi} Bruna Esih Zagreb, 2004 Bibliotheca ZBORNICI, Book 24 VUKOVAR '91 INTERNATIONAL ECHOES AND SIGNIFICANCE Editors: Josip Jur~evi} Draèn @ivi} Bruna Esih Reviewers: Alica Wertheimer-Baleti} Dragutin Pavli~evi} Publisher: Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia Translation: Nina Feri} Language Editor: Vesna Hajni} Correctors: Ivana Feri} Dubravko Kralj Design: Zlatko Rebernjak Preparation for Print: TERCIJA, Zagreb Print: ITG, Zagreb Circulation: 800 copies A Word from the Editors Wars, marked by the extensive use of organized violence, have left the deepest, negative, imprints in the history of mankind. In contemporary warfare we have reached the point where the overall survival on Earth comes into question. Therefore, it is not surprising that various social and creative activities were initiated worldwide, focusing on finding the ways to stop armed conflicts, to diminish their destructive outcome, and primarily – to protect war victims. After the Second World War, based on a number of features, the European continent was seen as an international area distinct by the largest number of established security systems and standards, and by highly developed awareness. In accorrdance with this, a public belief that was created, considered Europe immune to international armed conflicts. Regrettably, Serbian armed aggression (1990–1995) had not only put an end to these misconceptions but raised a justifiable doubt about the concept and purpose of European and worldly protective and humanitarian systems, based on the very act of aggression as well as on the situation in which Serbian aggression was conceived and carried out. All international war rules and humanitarian conventions were drastically violated, and certain crimes committed by Serbian formations had not been antici- pated even by international law. In the course of Serbian armed aggression, the most extensive destruction and human suffering, almost an ulti- mate concentration of evil of its own kind, took place in Vukovar in 1991. This fact was early recognized in both Croatia and internationally, and the phenomen of Vukovar '91 was attributed its deserving symbolic values. However, due to various causes and motives, confrontation with the phenomenon of Vukovar '91 in terms of needed scientific researches was avoided at the level of Croatia as well as at the level of international structures. Furthermore, a con- 5 tinuous stigmatization of the Croatian Homeland War as the crucial element of the contemporary Croatian national identity is obvious. In this situation Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences initiated in 1998 a symposium entitled Vukovar '91 – seven years after which is afterwards held every year. Prominent scientists and public figures from Croatia and abroad had participated at the symposia with their presentations on different aspects of the events and significance involved in the meaning of Vukovar '91. This proceedings includes papers that were presented at international symposia Vukovar '91 – ten years after (in 2001) and Vukovar '91 – eleven years after (in 2002). The ti- tle of the first symposium was International Echoes af Vukovar '91 and of the second Human Rights and Concen- tration Camp Experiences. The papers in the proceedings do not follow their actual order of presentation but are classi- fied according to their topics in four different chapters making up a consistent and comprehensive book. The papers, provided in Croatian and English, opened up a question of international reverberations and significance of Vukovar '91 and as such, represent a valu- able contribution to a better understanding of these tragic events and their long-term consequences. We most ar- dently hope that this proceedings will have its share in the universal efforts to prevent tragic experiences like Vukovar '91 in the future. Editors 6 I. IN THE MIRROR OF INTERNATIONAL LAW I. AND SECURITY Josip Jur~evi} Vukovar '91 – International Law and European Security ..................................... 11 Paul Lemmens A Right to Life and Prohibition of Torture as Basic Values in Democratic Societies in Europe ..................................................................................... 33 Josip Jur~evi}, Katica Ivanda Vukovar '91 – Geneva Conventions and Camp Experiences .................................. 45 II. INTERNATIONAL PERCEPTION Janusz Bugajski On the Front Line for Independence: Croatia and Washington .............................. 85 Martin Bell Reflections on Vukovar '91 .......................................................................................... 93 Ivan îzmi} Vukovar '91 in American, Canadian and British Press ......................................... 107 Draèn @ivi} Vukovar '91 in the Croatian Emigrant Press .......................................................... 119 III. CONTRIBUTION TO THE OBJECTIVE PICTURE Zlatko Kara~ The Tragedy of the Urban Heritage of Vukovar Destruction of the Croatian and European Town Identity in 1991 ....................... 131 Ivan Rogi} Vukovar '91 and the Counter-Society Practice ........................................................... 153 Miroslav Tu|man Network Knowledge: In Between the Collective Oblivion and Historical Memory ......................................................................................................... 169 Luc Huyse Victims ............................................................................................................................. 195 Goran Milas, Vlado [aki} What are Detainees of Serbian Concentration Camps Testifying on? ..................... 217 IV. LIVING WITH EVIL Ante Vu~kovi}, Boè Vuleta Vukovar in the Light of Forgiveness ........................................................................... 235 ABOUT THE AUTHORS ............................................................................ 245 I. IN THE MIRROR OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND SECURITY Josip JURÊVI] Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia VUKOVAR '91 – INTERNATIONAL LAW AND EUROPEAN SECURITY During the Serbian military aggression on the Republic of Croatia (1990–1995), in Croatian and international public Vukovar was recognized as a particular phenomenon al- ready in the early stages of the defense of the town (Au- gust–November 1991). Vukovar '91 did not attain such ex- ceptional recognizability status as a result of the deliberate activity of organized structures in Croatia or in the international community, but has spontaneously become a phenomenon due to the overall distinctiveness of the event, as well as the significance of its direct and indirect consequences.1 Since the year 1991 an immense number of different media texts were written on the subject of the Vukovar '91 phenomenon, and electronic media have released a huge number of testimonies, evaluations, opinions etc. Further- more, Vukovar '91 has inspired a great number of artistic works – from the graffiti, sayings and songs to all forms of visual arts. Likewise, numerous authors, recognizing the significance of the phenomenon, initiated a large number of journalistic and literary works on the subject of Vukovar '91. However, despite all inside governing structures in social and state institutions in the Republic of Croatia, Vukovar '91 has continuously remained a strongly unpop- ular phenomenon at the actual and symbolic level. Evi- dence in support of this is the lack of systematic scientific researches on causes, course of action and consequences of Vukovar '91, as well as a prevailingly negative attitude to- wards the defenders and victims of Vukovar. For that reason, the status of Vukovar '91 at the level of its actual, symbolic, interpretative and identity value contin- ues to rely entirely on limited possibilities of the research and presentational work as a result of self-initiated individ- ual efforts. In such circumstances it is easy to understand that many aspects of the phenomenon are still completely unknown or inadequately scientifically investigated. 13 Josip Jur~evi} Vukovar '91 – International One of those aspects that have not yet been scientifi- Law and European Security cally opened and investigated is most certainly the relation between the phenomenon of Vukovar '91 and the international law and European security. Vukovar '91 has directly opened a chain of principle-related and global issues, espe- cially regarding the international war and humanitarian law and the system of European security, which makes the need for a detailed

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