In a short essay describe the results of ethnic conflict in Bosnia in the 1990s.

Answer 1

The ethnic conflict in Bosnia in the 1990s resulted in devastating consequences for the country and its people. The conflict began in 1992 when Bosnia declared independence from Yugoslavia, which was met with opposition from Bosnian Serbs who sought to unite with Serbia. This led to a brutal ethnic war that lasted for three years and resulted in the deaths of around 100,000 people and the displacement of millions.

The conflict was characterized by widespread ethnic cleansing, with Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks all committing atrocities against each other. The Bosnian Serbs, in particular, launched a campaign of terror against Bosniak Muslims, including , torture, and mass killings. The most infamous of these atrocities was the Srebrenica genocide of 1995, in which more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed by Bosnian Serb forces.

The war also had a significant impact on the country's infrastructure and economy. Many cities and towns were destroyed, and the country's GDP fell by over 80% during the conflict. The country remains deeply divided along ethnic lines to this day, with many Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats living in segregated communities.

The conflict in Bosnia also had a wider impact on the international community. It was the first armed conflict in Europe since the end of World War II and highlighted the failures of the United Nations and NATO to prevent and effectively respond to such conflicts. The war led to the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, which prosecuted war crimes committed during the conflict, and eventually, the Dayton Accords in 1995, which brought an end to the fighting.

In conclusion, the ethnic conflict in Bosnia in the 1990s had devastating consequences for the country and its people. It resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and the displacement of millions, and its legacy continues to be felt in Bosnia and the wider region today.