SUMMARY
The Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina was one of the six republics within the Federation of Yugoslavia (FRY). As a consequence of increased ethnic tension and nationalism, the federation started to dissolve in the early 1990s. The Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina ignored the alarum from the Serb minority and declared independence on 1 March 1992 when Alija Izetbegović, the leader of the predominantly ethnic Bosniak Party of Democratic Action (SDA), became the first president of the nascent state. The country was immediately recognized as an independent state in early April the same year, when it received the sanction of the USA and the EU. However, in accordance with UCDP definitions, Bosnia-Herzegovina is not recognized as independent until 27 April 1992, when a constitutional amendment by the central government in Belgrade was issued. Izetbegović and his SDA, although in one sense nationalist (wanting to separate Bosnia-Herzegovina from FRY), wished for Bosnia-Herzegovina to not be carved up into entities delineated along ethnic and religious lines.
The other options; partition, remaining within the Yugoslavian Federation or a split into ethnically based cantons were discarded by Izetbegović, which left no other option than independence. A referendum in 1992, 29 February-1 March, rendered a vast majority voting for secession.
The Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina garnered support for this position from significant parts of Bosnia-Herzegovinas Croatian and Serb communities, in addition to the overwhelming support it had among the Bosniaks. This however changed as the conflict dragged on, with the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina becoming more and more focused on the interests of the ethnic Bosniaks. Taking the nationalist background of Izetbegović (the former president had earlier been incarcerated after allegations of “Muslim fundamentalism” and lacked a communist background) into consideration, an increased agenda aiming at pursuing the Bosniak cause came as no surprise. However, Izetbegović never altered his goal of maintaining the cohesiveness of Bosnia-Herzegovina and did not accept any partition.
Bosnia-Herzegovinas secession from FRY led to a series of intrastate conflicts in the country between 1992 and 1995. Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Croats and some Bosniaks who did not accept the authority of the newly proclaimed government all attempted to secede or change their territorial status.
At the outbreak of the 1992-1995 conflicts the army of the Bosnian government was very weak, formed mainly from under-armed territorial defence and police forces. During the conflict several smaller militias were formed and participated under the command of the Bosnian government, such as the "Green Berets" and the Patriotic League. Albeit occasionally cooperating with Bosnian Croats, Bosnian armed forces were inferior compared to their Serbian adversary. First, the Serbian forces enjoyed support from the central government in Belgrade which supported the Serbian Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina with weaponry, more technically advanced than the armament at the disposal of the Bosniaks. In addition, Serbian irregularities and former as well as serving JNA (Yugoslavian national army) from the upper military echelon supported the Bosnian Serbs. Despite the inclusion of some rogue elements, the distinction between serving JNA soldiers, paramilitaries and Bosnian Serbs is rather difficult, thus UCDP is considering Serbian Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina as a non-state actor. Second, Bosnia had no allies purveying the Bosnian forces with personnel or weapons. Third, the mobilization of different factions of Serbs made them numerically superior.
The Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence. As an independent state, the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina has been involved in the intra-state and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence
