International Progress Organization

A-1010 Vienna

 

UN Commission on Human Rights

49th Session

10 February 1993

 

Agenda item: Situation of human rights in the territory of the former Yugoslavia


 

Statement by the delegate of the International Progress Organization


 

The world has been witness for over a year to the Serbian war of aggression against Croatia and an unprecedented genocide against the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, recognized member states of the United Nations.

 

The International Progress Organization repeats its demands, already presented to this body in previous sessions, for decisive and rapid intervention in order to put an end to the cruel, senseless suffering and dying of the civilian population, particularly the Muslim community of Bosnia‑Herzegovina, and to bring those responsible for this genocide to justice. The IPO calls for the reestablishment of the status quo ante in the region, i.e., the immediate reestablishment of the borders of June 1991, the withdrawal of Serbian armed forces from the territories they have occupied, especially in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as the recognition of Macedonia as independent state.

 

The precondition for any steps towards ending the Serbian aggression is a thorough analysis of the causes of the war, which must include the geopolitical aspect, if intervention is to lead to a phase of rapid reconstruction and peaceful development in the whole region; otherwise the whole of Europe will be threatened.

 

Against the backdrop of a clear, comprehensive analysis of the causes of the war, then, not only must those responsible for undeniable atrocities, documented by the most authoritative official bodies and information centers, systematic looting, systematically planned and executed raping, deportations ("ethnic cleansing") and destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, :churches and mosques as well as cultural monuments, be brought before an impartial court and tried for their crimes, but also those who made possible such crimes against humanity, through their support and encouragement.

 

The International Progress Organization demands that a full and thorough investigation be conducted into abuse of their mandate on the part of UN units and facilities, and that those found responsible for violations be brought to account for their actions, without hesitation.

 

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also the guidelines of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and the Additional Protocol of 1977 constitute the internationally accepted legal foundations for the criminal prosecution of those responsible for genocide:

 

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide establishes:


ARTICLE II: "In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;"
 

ARTICLE III: "The following acts shall be punishable:
(a) Genocide;
(b) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
(c) Direct and public incitement to genocide;
(d) Attempt to commit genocide;
(e) Complicity in genocide."
 

ARTICLE IV: "Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in article III shall be punished whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals."

 

Accordingly, those responsible for the political and military leadership of Serbia must be accused for the following crimes against humanity:
                                    ..

* Planning and carrying out wars of aggression;
* Planning and carrying out of genocide, or aiding genocide;
* Provoking or aiding war crimes on the part of Serbian units, like killing prisoners or non‑combatants, torture and the systematically planned and executed mass rapings;
* Massive material destruction, which in Croatia alone amounts to about DM 20 billion.

 

We emphasize once again our demand, that not only members of Serbian forces be brought to justice, but also and espially those political representatives of several countries who encouraged and supported this war of aggression. Leading politicians of the former Soviet Union and Russia, Great Britain and the United States, France as well as other EC states, and responsible organizations such as the United Nations, are to be charged with aiding and abetting the war of aggression against the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina. In the war in former Yugoslavia, it is not a question of "interests" or "sympathies," but one of the basic substance of the culture and civilization of the European continent.

 

The International Progress Organization reiterates its demands for the lifting of the embargo against Croatia and Bosnia‑Herzegovina, whose continued enforcement, according to respected international law experts, represents a violation of the right of the Bosnian and Croatian people to self‑determination.

 

We reiterate our reference (previously made in other documents) to Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, in which it is stated: "Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self‑defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security."

 

We appeal to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to immediately take all required and possible steps to put an end to the genocide in the Balkans, and to prevent the conflict from assuming broader dimensions. The spirit and mission of the United Nations Organization are at stake, if valuable principles are sacrificed in the interest of power politics.