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Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia
The Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia (Croatian: Hrvatska Republika Herceg-Bosna) was an unrecognised entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina that existed between 1991 and 1994. ICTY has concluded that the weight of the evidence and all the circumstances point to the conclusion that the Herzeg-Bosnia was founded with the intention that it should secede from Bosnia and Herzegovina and with a view to unification with Croatia.[1] during the Bosnian war. The capital city of Herzeg-Bosnia was Western Mostar. Herzeg-Bosnia ceased to exist in 1994 when it was joined to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina upon the signing the Washington Agreement by the authorities of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of the cantons of the Federation used the name "Herzeg-Bosnia Canton", but this name was deemed unconstitutional by the Federation Constitutional Court, and it is neutrally referred to as Canton 10.[2]
History
The ruling party in the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), organized and controlled a branch of the party in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZBiH). By the latter part of 1991, more extreme elements of the HDZBiH, under the leadership of Mate Boban, Dario Kordić, and others, with the support of Franjo Tuđman and Gojko Šušak, took effective control of the party.
On 18 November 1991, the extreme elements of the HDZBiH, led by Boban and Kordić (who was later convicted by ICTY of war crimes), proclaimed the existence of the Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia, as a separate "political, cultural, economic and territorial whole," on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through the use of ethnic cleansing against non-Croat population and crimes against humanity as well as war crimes committed by the Croatian authorities on Bosniak civilians, HDZ had much of influence in municipalities claimed by Herzeg-Bosnia.[citation needed] Following Herzeg-Bosnia's establishment in November 1991, and especially from May 1992 forward, the Herzeg-Bosnia leadership engaged in continuing and coordinated efforts to dominate and "Croatise" (or ethnically cleanse) the municipalities which they claimed were part of Herzeg-Bosnia, with increasing persecution and discrimination directed against the Bosniak population.[3] The Croatian Defence Council (HVO), the military formation of Croats, took control of many municipal governments and services, removing or marginalising local Bosniak leaders.[4] Herzeg-Bosnia authorities and Croat military forces took control of the media and imposed Croatian ideas and propaganda.[5] Croatian symbols and currency were introduced, and Croatian curricula and the Croatian language were introduced in schools. Many Bosniaks were removed from positions in government and private business; humanitarian aid was managed and distributed to the Bosniaks' disadvantage; and Bosniaks in general were increasingly harassed.[6][7] Many of them were deported to concentration camps: Heliodrom, Dretelj, Gabela, Vojno, and Šunje.
The local HDZ leadership was also included in Geneva peace talks which intended to divide Bosnia and Herzegovina into three ethnic republics; this was not accepted by Bosnian side, and on 28 August 1993, the Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia declared itself the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia. (This entity, whether as the "Community" or "Republic," is referenced hereafter as 'Herceg-Bosna') Neither the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina nor the international community ever recognised Herzeg-Bosnia. The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared Herzeg-Bosnia illegal, first on 14 September 1992, and again on 20 January 1994.
The 'Herceg-Bosna' leadership (Jadranko Prlić, Bruno Stojić, Slobodan Praljak, Milivoj Petković, Valentin Ćorić, and Berislav Pušić) are on trial at the ICTY on charges including Crimes Against Humanity, Grave Breaches of the Geneva Conventions and Violations of the Laws or Customs of War.[8]
According to IWPR, transcripts from secret conversations between Franjo Tuđman and Herceg-Bosna leadership show that there was a clear intention to completely break up Bosnia-Herzegovina, and divide the territory with Serbia.
Current situation
Starting in 2005 there has been an initiative to restore Herzeg-Bosnia by creating a new third entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This was started under the leadership of Ivo Miro Jovic, as he said "I don't mean to reproach Bosnian Serbs, but if they have a Serb republic, then we should also create a Croat republic and Bosniak (Muslim) republic".[10] The current representative of the Croats on the federal Bosnian Presidency (Zeljko Komsic) is not promoting this, but nonetheless there are some Croat politicians who advocate the establishment of a third (Croatian) entity.[11]
Dragan Čović, president of one of the main Croatian parties in Bosnia, Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that "all Croatian parties will propose that Bosnia be divided into three ethnic entities, with Sarajevo as a separate district. Croatian politicians must be the initiators of a new constitution which would guarantee Croats the same rights as to other constituent peoples. Every federal unit would have its legislative, executive and judiciary organs”. He also argued that the two-entities system is untenable and that Croats have been subject to assimilation and deprived of basic rights in the federation with Bosniaks.[12]
Petar Matanović, president of the Croatian National Council, opposed creating a third entity, also claiming that the division of Bosnia into four federal units would lead to a new war. He further said that "we have to establish the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina in accordance with European standards and then regulate entities. It seems to me that this agreement entails an intention to strengthen entities and weaken the country."[13]
Stjepan Mesić, president of Croatia, has opposed the creation of a third entity, stating that: “if the current division of Bosnia Herzegovina into two entities does not function, it will not function with divisions into three entities”.[14]
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