Ethnic Composition

of Bosnia

43% Bosnian Muslims

33% Bosnian Serbs

17% Bosnian Croats

7% Other

Background

The Srebrenica

Massacre took place

during the Bosnian War

(1992-1995) a conflict

that started over

Bosnia’s seccesion from

Yugoslavia

Background

Bosnian Serbs boycotted the referendum for

independence supported by both the Croatian and

Bosnian populations

Bosnian Serbs with the aid of the Yugoslav People’s

Army (JNA) declared their own republic and began a

campaign of terror against ethnic Muslims

Bosnian Croats likewise declared their own

breakaway republic creating a three sided war

Srebrenica

1993

Located in the western part of Bosnia near the

Serbian border

Was declared a ―safe zone‖ for refugees on April 18th

1993

Srebrenica itself was demilitarized on April 21st –this

meant that Bosnian Muslims had surrendered all

―weapons, mines, ammunition and military

equipment‖ to U.N. soldiers

Srebrenica

1993-1994

From 1993 until the Srebrenica offensive in 1995

Bosnian Serbs severely restricted the passage of

vital humanitarian aid

Serbian soldiers taxed the aid convoys and limited

the amount of food, medicine and fuel available to

the population

Srebrenica

1995

By July it was clear that an offensive was coming as

Bosnian Serbs had surrounded Srebrenica with

some 50 pieces of artillery and some 15-20 combat

vehicles

Replacement troops for the U.N. mission where

denied entry to the enclave

The Massacre

Between the 6th and 11th Bosnian Serb forces

overran Srebrenica taking over 30 U.N. soldiers

hostage and advanced to the main U.N. base in

Potocari

Bosnian Serb soldiers disarmed the U.N.

peacekeepers, stole their vehicles and clothes and

took control of the U.N. encampment completely

The Massacre

With U.N. troops completely pacified the Bosnian Serbs

proceeded to commit atrocities against the civilian’s

population. Serb soldiers raped women, murdered

children and began to separate men of fighting age from

the rest of the refugees. The men of fighting age from

Srebrenica and Potocari where taken away to various

areas and executed in large numbers and buried in mass

graves

Some 8,000 men where killed in the largest slaughter of

unarmed civilians since World War II

Ethical Analysis:

Seven Core Army Values

The definition of duty put forth by the U.S. is:Fulfilling all of your professional, legal, and moral obligations and accomplishing all tasks to the fullest of your ability. Duty means accepting responsibility for your actions and those of your subordinates. Doing your duty prohibits engaging in illegal and immoral actions. Duty also requires your disobedience of unlawful orders— those that run counter to the Army’s doctrine, standard practices, and values (United States Army, 2011)

When UNPROFOR forces confiscated weapons in Srebrenica they created a duty to care for the civilians that gave up their means of self-defense. Surrender and retreat in the face of the enemy constituted a breach of duty from both the civil and military perspective

Ethical Analysis:

Seven Core Army Values

Selfless service according to the U.S. Army is ―placing Army priorities before your own. You consider the welfare of the nation, your mission, and your fellow Soldiers and subordinates before your personal safety‖ (United States Army, 2011)

by following a policy of surrender and displaying cowardice in the face of the enemy U.N. soldiers demonstrated a serious lack of resolve. Surrender to the enemy was not just an isolated incident in and around Srebrenica; U.N. soldiers when faced with armed resistance capitulated and turned their uniforms, vehicles and weapons over to Serb forces

Ethical Analysis:

Deontology

Deontological ethics are a good method of

evaluating the behavior of the U.N. Security Council,

as it was the body that established the rules of

engagement. The U.N. Security Council failed to

meet deontological standards by failing to meet an

absolute moral value, preventing genocide.

Ethical Analysis:

Utilitarianism

According to utilitarianism it would be ok for

peacekeepers to fight and die as long as their

deaths secured safety or escape for the larger

population. By opting to save themselves and not

fight the U.N. soldiers did not do the best for the

greatest number of people of people. The United

Nations Security Council likewise did not meet the

utilitarian standard of ethical behavior as the policies

it pursued did not produce the greatest good for the

greatest number of people.