SUMMARY
Within the Yugoslavian republic of Croatia, two Serb-dominated areas, Serbian autonomous Oblast (SAO) of Krajina and the Serbian autonomous region of (SAO) Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Symria, existed along the Serbian border. The origin of SAO Krajina derives from the already established Serb Assembly which formed the Serb Parliament before 1990. Despite the Assembly and parliament, the Serbian minority was denied status as constituent people within the Republic of Croatia. The denial subsequently led to the establishment of SAO Krajina on 21 December 1990 which declared independence from the Republic of Croatia on 28 February 1991.
The "Serbian Republic of Krajina" was an alliance of Serb regions in Croatia, consisting of four Serbian Autonomous Regions; SAO Krajina, SAO Eastern Slavonia, the Dubrovnik republic and Western Slavonia. The coalescing of the four Serbian regions took place on 26 February 1992. Milan Babic was the leading figure in SAO Krajina and in Western Slavonia, while Goran Hadzic had the authority in SAO Eastern Slavonia. Separate governmental bodies and armies were set up in the autonomous regions. On 26 February, SAO Eastern Slavonias president, Goran Hadzic was elected to the post of "President" of the Serbian Republic of Krajina. These Croatian Serbs were assisted by various independent militias, set up by non-local Serbs originating from Serbia. One of the most important allies was the national extremist, Vojislav Seselj, who was a part of several criminal enterprises and the leader of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) with a paramilitary wing (the White Eagles). The fact that Serb irregular forces functioned as paramilitary branches of Serbian political parties was common in the conflict. At times, the Croatian Serbs and the Serb militias carried out operations together. For one period, a militia called the Serbian Volunteer Guard was effectively the armed force of the autonomous region Eastern Slavonia. However, occasional clashes between these local Serbs and non-local Serbs also took place. On many occasions, it was unclear what force controlled the other.
The Serbian irregulars merged increasingly with the JNA (Yugoslavian National Army) during 1992. In the same year, the Yugoslavian government officially withdrew its support for the Serbian Republic of Krajina. Indirect Yugoslav involvement in the conflict continued however in 1992. The distinction between the JNA, the Croatian Serb army and Serbian irregulars was often hard to make. However, while the war for the Croatian Serbs primarily was about self-determination in Krajina, it appeared likely that for the non-local Serb irregulars and for Yugoslavia, the fighting was about annexation of the territory to the Serbian republic. The outright involvement of these two parties waned in the latter years of the conflict, as they were drawn into fighting in Bosnia. All the same, the conflict dynamics in Croatia were still affected by the politics of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, who to a great extent exercised the leadership of Yugoslavian government and the Serbian irregulars.
Serbian Republic of Krajina has been involved in the intrastate and non-state categories of UCDP organised violence.
