06.11.2019.

Presentation of the HLC Dossier “Forcible Mobilisation of Refugees”

On Wednesday, November 13, 2019, the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) will present its twelfth dossier, entitled “Forcible Mobilisation of Refugees” (Dossier). The presentation will take place in the Great Hall of the Media Center in Belgrade (Terazije 3, II floor) at 12:00.

From the outbreak of war in Croatia and BiH, and especially in connection with the Croatian military police operations “Flash” and “Storm” , about 500,000 Serbs, citizens of Croatia and BiH, fled to Serbia. They mostly exchanged their houses and property with Croats from Vojvodina, who, under pressure from the Serbian Radical Party and paramilitary groups, left Serbia. Most of the refugees were accommodated in reception centres across Serbia, in old hotels, unused public facilities, or with relatives and friends, and only a few were able to rent an apartment.

Pursuant to an agreement between the RSK, RS and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) authorities, in January 1994, military and police authorities began to practice the forcible mobilisation of the refugees. From May until the end of September 1995, members of the MUP massively arrested refugees from Croatia and BiH and then handed them over to RS and RSK military, police and paramilitary units. According to HLC data, the Serbian Ministry of the Interior forcibly mobilised around 10,000 refugees during the summer of 1995 and returned them to the territory controlled by the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) or Serbian Army of Krajina (SVK). At least 54 forcibly mobilised refugees lost their lives or disappeared after returning to areas where armed conflicts were taking place.

Speakers: