
I remember start of Bosnian war in 1992. That time I was at Police training college. I remember well the Dayton agreement and end of war,I still have some newspaper cuttings of those events.That time I was not aware of being one day in that country.In 1998 Pakistan police contingent was selected by UNSAT to serve as UN Civpol in Bosnia,myself,Ali and Afzal were among the young officers selected to depart with first batch in March 1998.It was one of the great experience of our life.The time spent there will be remembered in our life.I left the country in 1999 for Kosovo and went again last year,something has changed but a lot has to be done to bring harmony and peace in between different ethnic groups of the country.Significant economic investment and development is needed to provide jobs to young people there.I will write more on that some time later. Just to add that all three presidents Izetbegovic,Millosevic and Tudjman has since died.
Here is what happened 11 years ago on same date, published on bbc website on 14 December 1995.
On 14th December1995: Bosnia peace accord ends three-year war
Leaders of Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia have signed the Dayton Accord in Paris to end three-and-a-half years of war in the Balkans.
Under the deal Bosnia is preserved as a single state but it is divided into two parts.
It will be made up of a Muslim-Croat federation representing 51% of the country's territory and a Serb republic holding the remaining 49%.
Sarajevo will become a unified city with Serbs giving up some suburbs which they currently control.
The so-called "safe-enclave" of Gorazde will remain under Muslim control but it will be linked by a land corridor to Sarajevo.
The three leaders signed the deal surrounded by European heads of state in a Parisian palace before 50 world leaders and international organisation chiefs.
'Closer ties'
Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic said the country had been an outcast for too long.
He said: "As to the implementation of the peace agreement and the role of the international peace force, the key of the success of its mission is even-handedness, just as partiality is the key of failure."
Croatia's Franjo Tudjman spoke of his aim for closer ties between his people and the European Union.
And Bosnia's Alija Izetbegovic, referring to his dream of a multi-ethnic Bosnia said he felt he was "drinking a bitter but useful medicine".
The deal was driven by President Clinton's team and Nato will move into protect the area - with overriding power - as a temporary measure.
The success of maintaining the deal will determine aid for the war-torn country where at least 200,000 people have died in the bloodiest conflict seen in Europe since World War II.
Several million people have been left homeless - some the result of so-called ethnic cleansing operations. Many other refugees fled the country rather than get caught up in the fighting.
The American president told the summit that it was up to the three leaders and their people to ensure peace.
"No one outside can guarantee that Muslims, Croats and Serbs in Bosnia can come together and stay together as free citizens in a united country sharing a common destiny," President Clinton said. "Only the Bosnian people can do that."
On 14th December1995: Bosnia peace accord ends three-year war
Leaders of Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia have signed the Dayton Accord in Paris to end three-and-a-half years of war in the Balkans.
Under the deal Bosnia is preserved as a single state but it is divided into two parts.
It will be made up of a Muslim-Croat federation representing 51% of the country's territory and a Serb republic holding the remaining 49%.
Sarajevo will become a unified city with Serbs giving up some suburbs which they currently control.
The so-called "safe-enclave" of Gorazde will remain under Muslim control but it will be linked by a land corridor to Sarajevo.
The three leaders signed the deal surrounded by European heads of state in a Parisian palace before 50 world leaders and international organisation chiefs.
'Closer ties'
Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic said the country had been an outcast for too long.
He said: "As to the implementation of the peace agreement and the role of the international peace force, the key of the success of its mission is even-handedness, just as partiality is the key of failure."
Croatia's Franjo Tudjman spoke of his aim for closer ties between his people and the European Union.
And Bosnia's Alija Izetbegovic, referring to his dream of a multi-ethnic Bosnia said he felt he was "drinking a bitter but useful medicine".
The deal was driven by President Clinton's team and Nato will move into protect the area - with overriding power - as a temporary measure.
The success of maintaining the deal will determine aid for the war-torn country where at least 200,000 people have died in the bloodiest conflict seen in Europe since World War II.
Several million people have been left homeless - some the result of so-called ethnic cleansing operations. Many other refugees fled the country rather than get caught up in the fighting.
The American president told the summit that it was up to the three leaders and their people to ensure peace.
"No one outside can guarantee that Muslims, Croats and Serbs in Bosnia can come together and stay together as free citizens in a united country sharing a common destiny," President Clinton said. "Only the Bosnian people can do that."
No comments:
Post a Comment