Canadian parliament unanimously adopts the Srebrenica genocide resolution

Institute for the Research of Genocide Canada

Research Projects

The Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law of the Sarajevo University, as a scientific institution of merits, which studies crimes of genocide and other grave violations of international law, has also conducted, based on scientific postulates and relevant scientific paradigm, the process of conceptualization and implementation of several scientific projects, whose results were publicized in several studies. These are scientific and operative documents, which start form the modern theoretical and methodological postulates, which articulate problems and subject of research through scientific idea, then objective of research, hypothetical framework, mode of research, and the scientific and social justification of the research.

The operative part contains the instruments, plans for sorting and analysis of data, as well as plans of research – deadlines, staff, technical and financial requirements. Already at the stage of design and later at the stage of execution, the projects determine the staffing needs and their profile, their roles and tasks during the research. At the stage of preparation and organization of a research, the pre-testing of project based on source of data is varied out, which during the process of conceptualization should be treated as re-conceptualization aimed at the verification of project, scientific and operative document which guides and directs the process of research.

Aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991-1995 is one of the key projects of the Institute. By the realization of its parts and segments in certain stages, the results were presented in several forms of the Institute documents: Dr. sc. Smail Cekic, AGGRESSION AGAINST BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND GENOCIDE AGAINST BOSNIACS 1991-1993, Sarajevo 1995 (the issues in Bosnia and English languages); Dr. Becir Macic, CRIMES AGAINST PEACE, Sarajevo 2001; Smail Cekic, AGGRESSION AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – Planning, preparation, execution (book 1 and 2), Sarajevo 2004 (issue in Bosnian and English language); Vahid Karavelic M.A., AGGRESSION AGAINST BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, (Northeastern Bosnia 1991-1992), Sarajevo 2004, and Faid Heco M.A., ROLE OF THE YUGOSLAV NATIONAL ARMY IN THE AGGRESSION AGAINST BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, Sarajevo 2005.

The project Aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991-1995 is a basis for the Institute longitudinal and panel study, and a basis for long-term research.

Genocide as the gravest form of crime against humanity and international law is a permanent subject of the Institute, and the achieved results have been published in: GENOCIDE IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 1991-1995, Conference proceedings from the International Congress for Documenting Genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bonn, 31 August - 4 September 1995, Sarajevo 1997, BRCKO – GENOCIDE AND TESTIMONIES by Jusuf Kadric, Sarajevo, 1998, GENOCIDE AGAINST BOSNIACS IN FOCA 1992.-1995 (Contribution to finding the number of victims), by Tafro Preljuba and Dr. Becir Macic, Sarajevo 2004; Muharem Kreso M.A., NAZI “FINAL SOLUTION“ TO A JEWISH ISSUE IN OCCUPIED COUNTRIES OF WEST BALKANS FROM 1941 TO 1945; Prof. Dr Smail Cekic, STUDY OF VICTIMS OF GENOCIDE WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – Scientific-theoretical and methodological issues and concerns, Sarajevo 2007; Velid Šabic M.A., GENOCIDE IN THE MID DRINA RIVER AREA, Sarajevo 2008, and other publications.

Genocide against Bosniacs in the UN Safe heaven of Srebrenica in July 1995 is a special subject of systematic and intensive study through a project “CRIMES AGAINST BOSNIACS IN SREBRENICA DURING THE AGGRESSION AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 1991-1995“, whose results, following the collection, sorting, and analysis were publicized in a special edition “SREBRENICA 1995“ (three volumes) – CRIMES AGAINST BOSNIACS IN SREBRENICA DURING THE AGGRESSION AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 1991-1995, volume 1, Sarajevo 1998; CRIMES AGAINST BOSNIACS IN SREBRENICA DURING THE AGGRESSION AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – Documents and testimonies, volume 2, Sarajevo 1999; GENOCIDE IN SREBRENICA THE UNITED NATIONS “SAGE HEAVEN“ IN JULY 1995, by Prof. Dr. Smail Cekic, Muharem Kreso M.A. and Dr. Becir Macic, Sarajevo 2000 (in two languages: Bosnian and English).

The result of this study is also an International Conference “Genocide against Bosniacs of the UN Safe heaven Srebrenica in July 1995 – lessons for the future generations“, held between 11-15 July 2005 in Potocari and Sarajevo, in relation to the 10th commemorative of genocide in and around Srebrenica.

Starting from the volume, massiveness, and brutality of crimes in Srebrenica, the Institute continues working on gathering, sorting and analyzing records, and it also prepares a new publication “VICTIMS OF GENOCIDE IN THE UNITED NATIONS SAFE HEAVEN SREBRENICA IN JULY 1995”.

Realizing a complex scientific project, accompanied by a series of subprojects, on genocide in Bosnia at the end of XX century, the Institute has publicized several works authored by national and international experts, such as: Roy Gutman, WITNESS OF GENOCIDE, Sarajevo 1995 (translation); Textbook, “ETHNIC CLEANING“ – GENOCIDE FOR GREAT SERBIA“, Sarajevo 1996 (translation); GENOCIDE IN BOSNIA – Policy of “ethnic cleansing“, by Norman Cigar (translation), Sarajevo, 1998; THE ROLE OF SERBIA ORIENTALISTS IN JUSTIFICATION OF GENOCIDE AGAINST MUSLIMS OF BALKANS, by Prof. Dr. Norman Cigar (translation), Sarajevo 2000; BOSNIAN PEOPLE ACCUSES OF GENOCIDE, by Prof. Dr. Antony Francis Boyle (translation), Sarajevo 2000; Prof. Dr. Ismet Dizdarevic, UNFORGOTTEN CUTS OF GENOCIDE, Sarajevo 2003; Dr. Rasim Muratovic, HOLOCAUST AGAINST JEWS AND GENOCIDE AGAINST BOSNIACS, Sarajevo 2007; GENOCIDE IN BOSNIA BY MILOŠEVIC PROVEN – Interim Judgment by the Hague Tribunal of 16 June 2004, Sarajevo 2007; Dr. Hajriz Becirovic, GENOCIDE IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL SCIENCE, Sarajevo 2007, and other.

Realization of a scientific study on genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina resulted in International Conference on genocide “Timely reaction to genocide – genocide study and prevention“, held between 9-15 July 2007 in Sarajevo.

The Institute is also working on some projects related to difference parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina in different times, such as: Crimes in Bosnian Krajina during the aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991-1995, Crimes in Herzegovina, the Sava river area, east Bosnia, upper Drina river area, Vitez, Brcko, Vlasenica, Bosanski Novi, Zvornik, Bileca and other places. The results of these studies have been publicized in: BRCKO - GENOCIDE AND TESTIMONIES, Sarajevo 1998, by Jusuf Kadric; THE MOSQUE ALADŽA – KILLED MONUMENT, by Šemso Tucakovic, Sarajevo 1998; CRIMES IN VRBANJA IN JULY 1993, Textbook, Sarajevo 2001; KILLED AND MISSING VICTIMS OF CRIMES IN VOGOŠCA 1992-1995, by Eset Muracevic, Sarajevo 2001.

The Institute shall, within a project with a clearly defined subject of research, objectives, hypothesis and indicators and a series of versatile methods of scientific knowledge and study, as well as methods of gathering data, implement empiric studies in various parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will be a basis for comparative analysis of crimes committed in various parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of XX century, especially the period 1991-1995. In accordance with this scientific-based orientation, the International conference was held under the title “Crimes in Bosnian Krajina during the aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991-1995“ (Bihac 22-24 September 2000); the scientific and empirical study in the area of Mostar was carried out; gathering of relevant records on genocide in the territory of Vlasenica, the Sava river area and other places were carried out as well.

Crimes against humanity and international law committed in the area of Sarajevoduring the siege (the longest siege in the history of warfare – 1,479 days) are permanently in focus of special interest and analysis of the Institute. In accordance with this orientation, scientific interest, and researchers’ determination, the Institute implemented, around the mid 1994, its own socio-demographic study based on complete observation of households in Sarajevo (app. 80,000) during the most difficult conditions of the aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, crime of genocide against Bosniacs, and barbarian siege of Sarajevo.

Based on this research, ICTY managed to determine the number of citizens under siege (app. 340,000) and in comparison with other records assessed “total number of those who died in the territory of Sarajevo (parts of six Sarajevo municipalities: Centar, Ilidža, Novi Grad, Novo Sarajevo, Stari Grad, and Vogošca) in the period April 1992 through to December 1995 is 18,889”, of which “9,502 were direct victims of siege” (these ICTY figures of 18 August 2021 are not final – remark of the Institute). This Institute study, in the opinion of world known experts and the ICTY investigators, is a relevant source used in the trials conducted before this Court.

The Institute has prepared a standard model of a scientific research under the title “CRIMES OF VICTIMS IN SARAJEVO 1992-1996”, applicable for all the studies pertaining to victims in all parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and worldwide, and has implemented it for the study in the territory of parts of Sarajevo under siege, and publicized the studies: Dr.Duljko Hasic, WAR DAMAGES IN SARAJEVO 1992-1995, Sarajevo 2006; Ante Milanovic, FEEDING OF SARAJEVO UNDER SIEGE 1992-1995, and Textbook SIEGE AND DEFENSE OD SARAJEVO 1992-1995, Sarajevo 2008.

The project Crimes against children is also a very important project of the Institute. Within this master project, the subproject “CRIMES AGAINST THE MENTAL INTEGRITY OF CHILDREN” was conducted, whose results were published in the book under the same title by Prof. Dr. Muhamed Šestanovic, Sarajevo 2000. We have also initiated another subproject “CRIMES AGAINST THE CHILDREN IN DOBRINjA 1992-1995“, and we have conducted the study on the children killed during the siege of Sarajevo. In relation to this, it is important to mention that the Institute issued following books on this topic: THE BURNT ROSES: HORROR OF WAR IN CHILDREN’S EYES (devastating testimony of children from Northeastern Bosnia, authentic, unbiased witnesses who with their eyes and photographically reproduced the horror they lived and went through during the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina and genocide against Bosniacs), Sarajevo 2003 and two books by Ramo Arnautovic M.A.: CHILDREN IN THE MIDST OF WAR, Sarajevo 2000 and HOMES FOR ORPHANS OF WAR IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 1945-1960, Sarajevo 2003.

The Institute is currently working on several other projects, relevant for science and society in general:

  • GENOCIDE IN THE UPPER DRINA RIVER AREA 1941-1945 AND 1991-1995;
  • MASS GRAVES IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – UN SAFE HEAVEN SREBRENICA, JULY 1995;
  • MASS RAPES AS IN INSTRUMENT OF GENOCIDE DURING THE AGGRESSION AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF BOSNIAN AND HERZEGOVINA 1991-1995;
  • 500 YEARS OF COMMON LIVING AMONG BOSNIACS/MUSLIMS AND JEWS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA;
  • THE RIGHTEOUS OF JEWS BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA;
  • ANTIFASCIST MUSLIM RESOLUTIONS FROM 1941;
  • SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECT OF SUICIDE IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA;
  • GREAT-SERBIAN IDEOLOGY AND GENOCIDE AGAINST MUSLIMS;
  • CONCENTRATION CAMPS AND OTHER PLACES OF INCARCERATIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND THE REGION 1991-1995;
  • INSTRUMENTALIZATION OF THE MAGAZINE JAVNOST FOR PROPAGANDA DURING THE PREPARATIONS OF AGGRESSION AGAINST U BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, and other.
Institute for the Research of Genocide Canada