Brothers-in-Arms Clashes

One thing is certain - the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina exists only as a geographic term. The two of it's three constitutive peoples do not want it. If we neglect the Serbian side and its reasons, the last large Moslim-Croatian clashes in central Bosnia indicate that, after the disintegration of multinational Yugoslavia, little hope remains for the survival of integral and multinational B-H. Taking advantage of total confusion at the beginning of the war, the Croatian side succeeded to disguise its expansionism much better than the Serbian side.

The die was cast in Geneva. Cyrus Vance and Lord David Owen proposed a map of provinces according to which the Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina got 25.4% of the territories. Presumably, getting more than he expected, the leader of Croatian community Mr Mate Boban signed the proposal without hesitation, returned home and continued the job of reinforcing his state creation. The most of media in Croatia called it a greatest triumph of Croatian politics in 20th century.

The nominal alliance between Croats and Moslims started tearing along its seams. In joint 10th province and Croatian 3rd and 8th provinces (Travnik, Mostar and Posavina regions), the HVO (Croatian Counsel of Defense) supreme command began to anticipate the future constitution with its order of January 15th, according to which the all Bosnian Army units must leave the above territories or accept its unique command. In return, the HVO units would submit to B-H Army command in Moslim provinces (their actual number is minimal). Besides, the order regulates only the control points of HVO in central Bosnia, and the troop's command would be supplemented with "the number of officers proportional to the number of soldiers engaged in combat, except those who worked on the breaking of the relationship of Croats and Moslims".

But, on January 17th the B-H Army commander Sefer Halilovic already announced his order to "resist with all means to any attempt of submission of the B-H Army member to different command".

Therefore, the formal cover had come for the open encounter near Gornji Vakuf (10th province, Muslim-Croatian) continuing from January 10th. Moslim side neither wants to allow the practical disarmament of its troops, nor the spread of the Croatian dictum. At this moment, there are rumors about 12 killed members of HVO and about sixty of B-H Army. Both sides use all available arms, and carry out additional mobilization. Curfew was enforced in Mostar, Ljubusko and Capljina. Croatian Radio announces that Moslims are burning down Croatian houses and shops in Gornji Vakuf, and that Croatian villages Drazev Dolac, Palica Polje and Hrasnica are burned down. It is not certain which of the opposed sides holds the initiative, but taking all into account, the HVO units control the hills and communications.

The climax of the hostilities between the former allies was reached on January 19th, at the session of B-H government when the Croatia was called the aggressor, with the 24 hour deadline to cease the operations in Gornji Vakuf, or this conflict would be presented to UN Security Counsel.

Bosnian-Herzegovinian alliances, driven by interest, are strong as much as the common fight against the third side requires. Any removal of these interests indicates termination of the cooperation: the touching points of three national programs are nonexistent. It was clear for some time that both Croatian and Serbian side succeeded to integrate its territories and to organize government in the image of respective mother-republics. The reason for the continuance of the war against each other ceased to exist. The statement of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman should be viewed in that context - the offer to normalize relations between the Republic of Croatia and SRJ (Federal Republic of Jugoslavia), as he said, the peace on Balkans cannot be achieved without that. Moslim side is accused for sustaining the merciless war in the form of jihad, exactly as leader of Bosnian Serbs Radovan Karadzic has constantly repeated. Croatian defense minister Gojko Susak is even more specific: he supported the continuance of arms embargo to Bosnian Moslims. He also believes that B-H President Alija Izetbegovic brought himself into the situation in which he is now - he did not want to negotiate with Karadzic and general Ratko Mladic. Now, after 100 000 killed, he must negotiate with the risk of "being killed by his own people".

Croat and Moslim alliance has reached its lowest point trough the mutual nonconfidence and disputes. Long-term quiet occupation of the Moslim territories conquered by HVO, which was generously sponsored from Croatia, revealed itself in it's true light after the last negotiations in Geneva. If the Geneva proposals approve and accept, and therefore legalize the practical situation on the battlefield - nothing could be done afterwards, and the international support would diminish. That very support is the only Moslim effective weapon against other two sides: clashes in Gornji Vakuf should draw attention to the aspirations of Croats before it is too late.

However, the last news stated that Mr.Izetbegovic reached the tactical victory. It seems that the pressure that Mr Vance and Lord Owen along with some other relevant international subjects, exerted on official Croatian policy, was more relevant than it may seem.

As Mr Tudjman once said to European diplomats behind the closed doors (as the VREME stated according to reliable sources) that "B-H is the colonial product of the communist regime and it should be divided between Croatia and Serbia to prevent the spreading of Islamic fundamentalism". Croatian open actions towards accomplishment of that goal could easily threaten Croatia to experience the same destiny as SR Jugoslavia endured.