1991–1992 anti-war protests in Belgrade

Anti-war protests in Belgrade

Part of the Yugoslav Wars

Srđan Gojković from Električni Orgazam performing as part of Rimtutituki

Date| 1991 – 1992
Location|

Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia

Caused by| Serbian role in Yugoslav Wars

* Battle of Vukovar
* Siege of Dubrovnik
* Siege of Sarajevo
* War propaganda

Goals|

* Withdrawal of the Yugoslav People's Army troops
* Referendum on a declaration of war
* Disruption of military conscription
* Resignation of Slobodan Milošević
* Freedom of the media

Methods| Demonstrations, Protests, Protest songs
Resulted in| 50,000–200,000 deserters
100,000–150,000 conscripts emigrated
Parties

Center for Antiwar Action
Rimtutituki
Women in Black
Humanitarian Law Center
Belgrade Circle

Government of Yugoslavia
Government of Serbia

|

Lead figures

Milan Mladenović
Rambo Amadeus
Zoran Kostić
Bogdan Bogdanović
Nataša Kandić

Slobodan Milošević
Dobrica Ćosić

Number

>150,000 protesters

|

Following the rise of nationalism and political tensions, as well as the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars, numerous anti-war movements developed in Serbia.[1][2][3][4] The 1991 mass protests against the government of Slobodan Milošević which continued throughout the conflicts reinforced the youth's anti-war orientation.[5] Demonstrations in Belgrade were held mostly because of opposition to the Battle of Vukovar, Siege of Dubrovnik and Siege of Sarajevo,[1][6][7] while protesters demanded a referendum on a declaration of war and disruption of military conscription.[8][9][5]

More than 50,000 people participated in many protests, and more than 150,000 people took part in the most massive protest called “The Black Ribbon March” in solidarity with people in Sarajevo.[10][2] It is estimated that between 50,000 and 200,000 people deserted from the Yugoslav People's Army, while between 100,000 and 150,000 people emigrated from Serbia refusing to participate in the war.[8][3]

According to professor Renaud De la Brosse, senior lecturer at the University of Reims and a witness called by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), it is surprising how great the resistance to Milošević's propaganda was among Serbs, given that and the lack of access to alternative news.[11] A month after the Battle of Vukovar, opinion polls found that 64% of Serbian people wanted to end the war immediately and only 27% were willing for it to continue.[12] Political scientists Orli Fridman described that not enough attention was given to anti-war activism among scholars studying the breakup of Yugoslavia and the wars, as well as that independent media and anti-war groups from Serbia did not attract the international attention.[2]

## The main participants

[edit]

The most famous associations and NGOs who marked the anti-war ideas and movements in Serbia were the Center for Antiwar Action, Women in Black, Humanitarian Law Center and Belgrade Circle.[3][1] The Rimtutituki was a rock supergroup featuring Ekatarina Velika, Električni Orgazam and Partibrejkers members, which was formed at the petition signing against mobilization in Belgrade.[13] The band organized a concert on the Republic Square and also they performed anti-war songs in an open truck while circulating the Belgrade streets.[4][13]

The most prominent politician who supported protests was Ivan Stambolić.[13] The Democratic Party, People's Peasant Party, Serbian Liberal Party and Reform Party of Serbia took part in the “Black Ribbon March”.[6]

The famous architect Bogdan Bogdanović was one of the most prominent anti-war dissident.[14] The Belgrade citizens who protested against the Siege of Dubrovnik were joined by prominent artists, composers and actors such as Mirjana Karanović and Rade Šerbedžija, who sang jointly “Neću protiv druga svog” (“I can’t go against my friend”).[15]

Independent media in Serbia reported on anti-war activities with much difficulty, in contrast to Milošević's propaganda, which was aimed at reviving ethnonational sentiments and mobilizing people.[2] An important role in media coverage was played by the Western-funded electronic media B92 and Studio B.[2][16][13]

One of the more famous scenes during the anti-war protests was a tank parked in front of the Parliament Building, which was returned from the battlefield in Vukovar by soldier Vladimir Živković.[8][17]

## See also

[edit]

* 1992 anti-war protests in Sarajevo
* Concert Yutel for Peace

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Udovicki & Ridgeway 2000, pp. 255–266
2. ^ a b c d e Fridman 2010
3. ^ a b c "Antiratne i mirovne ideje u istoriji Srbije i antiratni pokreti do 2000. godine". republika.co.rs. 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
4. ^ a b "Sećanje na antiratni pokret u Jugoslaviji početkom 1990-ih". globalvoices.org. 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
5. ^ a b Powers 1997, p. 467
6. ^ a b Ženski sud, 2013
7. ^ "Olovka piše mržnjom". E-novine. 18 May 2009. Archived from the original on 29 July 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
8. ^ a b c "Spomenik neznanom dezerteru". Vreme. 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
9. ^ Udovicki & Ridgeway 2000, p. 258
10. ^ Udovicki & Ridgeway 2000, p. 260
11. ^ "Comment: Milosevic's Propaganda War". Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
12. ^ Cigar 1996, pp. 40–42
13. ^ a b c d "Manje pucaj, više tucaj". Buka. 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
14. ^ Udovicki & Ridgeway 2000, p. 114
15. ^ "Regionalna škola tranzicione pravde - Zbornik" (PDF). Humanitarian Law Center. 2016. p. 118. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
16. ^ Udovicki & Ridgeway 2000, p. 255
17. ^ Mihajlović, Branka (2013). "Spomenik dezerteru, negde u Vojvodini". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 5 May 2020.

Books

* Powers, Roger S (1997). Protest, Power, and Change: An Encyclopedia of Nonviolent Action from ACT-UP to Women's Suffrage. Routledge. ISBN 9781136764820.
* Udovicki, Jasminka; Ridgeway, James (2000). Burn This House: The Making and Unmaking of Yugoslavia. Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press. ISBN 9781136764820.
* Cigar, Norman (1996). "The Serbo-Croatian War, 1991". In Meštrović, Stjepan Gabriel (ed.). Genocide After Emotion: The Post-Emotional Balkan War. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-12293-1.

Journal articles and documents

* Fridman, Orli (2010). "'It was like fighting a war with our own people': anti-war activism in Serbia during the 1990s". The Journal of Nationalism and Ethnicity. 39 (4): 507–522. doi:10.1080/00905992.2011.579953. S2CID 153467930.
* "Kratka istorija antiratnog otpora u Srbiji 1991 – 1992" (PDF). Ženski sud. 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2020.

* v
* t
* e

Yugoslav Wars

Wars and conflicts|

* Log Revolution (1990)
* Slovenian War of Independence (1991)
* Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995)
* Bosnian War (1992–1995)
* Croat–Bosniak War (1992–1994)
* Kosovo War (1998–99)
* Insurgency in the Preševo Valley (1999–2001)
* 2001 insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia (2001)

Background|

* SFR Yugoslavia
* Breakup of Yugoslavia

Anti-war protests|

* Belgrade
* Sarajevo
* YUTEL for Peace

Ex-Yugoslav formed countries|

* Republic of Croatia
* Republic of Slovenia
* Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Republic of Macedonia
* Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY/SRJ)

Unrecognized entities|

* Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia (HRHB)
* Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB)
* Republic of Kosova

| Serb Autonomous Regions|

* Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK)
* SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia
* SAO Krajina
* SAO Western Slavonia
* Republika Srpska (RS)
* SAO Bosanska Krajina
* SAO Herzegovina
* SAO North-Eastern Bosnia
* SAO Romanija
* Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia
* Dubrovnik Republic

|

United Nations protectorate|

* UNTAES
* UNMIK

Armies|

* Yugoslav People's Army (JNA)
* Yugoslav Territorial Defence (TO)
* Slovenian Territorial Defence (TORS)
* Yugoslav Army (VJ)
* Croatian Army (HV)
* BiH Territorial Defence (TORBIH)
* Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH)
* Army of Republika Srpska (VRS)
* Army of the Republic of Serb Krajina (SVK)
* Croatian Defence Council (HVO)
* Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK in R. Serbia)
* National Liberation Army (UÇK in R. Macedonia)
* Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (UÇPMB)

Military formations and volunteers|

* Croatian National Guard (ZNG)
* Croatian Defence Forces (HOS)
* White Eagles
* Serb Guard (SG)
* Serb Volunteer Guard (SDG)
* Scorpions
* Yellow Wasps
* Garda Panteri
* Dušan the Mighty
* Kninjas
* Serb Falcons [sr]
* Tobutski sokolovi
* Jackals
* Greek Volunteer Guard
* Wolves of Vučjak
* AKSH
* Green Berets (GB)
* Patriotic League (PL)
* Black Swans
* Bosnian mujahideen
* People's Defence of Western Bosnia (NOZB)

External factors|

* NATO
* IFOR
* SFOR
* KFOR
* EU (EUMM)
* United Nations (UN)
* UNPROFOR
* UNCRO

Politicians|

* Fikret Abdić
* Milan Babić
* Mate Boban
* Momir Bulatović
* Milo Đukanović
* Nijaz Duraković
* Vuk Drašković
* Goran Hadžić
* Alija Izetbegović
* Janez Janša
* Borisav Jović
* Mirko Jović
* Radovan Karadžić
* Vojislav Koštunica
* Momčilo Krajišnik
* Milan Kučan
* Ante Marković
* Milan Martić
* Stjepan Mesić
* Slobodan Milošević
* Ante Paradžik X
* Dobroslav Paraga
* Lojze Peterle
* Biljana Plavšić
* Jadranko Prlić
* Jovan Rašković †
* Ibrahim Rugova
* Vojislav Šešelj
* Haris Silajdžić
* Franjo Tuđman
* Krešimir Zubak

Top military commanders|

* Rahim Ademi
* Janko Bobetko
* Agim Çeku
* Wesley Clark
* Rasim Delić
* Sefer Halilović
* Veljko Kadijević
* Ratko Mladić
* Mile Novaković
* Dragoljub Ojdanić
* Života Panić
* Nebojša Pavković
* Momčilo Perišić
* Milivoj Petković
* Ridvan Qazimi †
* Martin Špegelj
* Gojko Šušak

Other notable commanders|

* Mehmed Alagić
* Tihomir Blaškić
* Đorđe Božović †
* Valentin Ćorić
* Jovan Divjak
* Atif Dudaković
* Ante Gotovina
* Zaim Imamović
* Adem Jashari †
* Blaž Kraljević X
* Vladimir Lazarević
* Veljko Milanković (DOW)
* Mile Mrkšić
* Naser Orić
* Arif Pašalić
* Slobodan Praljak
* Ivica Rajić
* Željko Ražnatović
* Ljubiša Savić
* Stjepan Šiber
* Veselin Šljivančanin
* Vukašin Šoškoćanin †
* Milan Tepić †
* Milorad Ulemek
* Dragan Vasiljković
* Blago Zadro †

Key foreign figures|

* Robert Badinter
* Lord Carrington
* Jimmy Carter
* Willy Claes
* Pieter Feith
* Richard Holbrooke
* Lord Owen
* Cyrus Vance
* Jacques Paul Klein
* Peter Galbraith
* Javier Solana
* Manfred Wörner

* v
* t
* e

Croatian War of Independence

Part of the Yugoslav Wars

Prelude|

* Log Revolution
* SAO Krajina

1991|

* Pakrac clash
* Plitvice Lakes incident
* Siege of Kijevo
* Battle of Borovo Selo
* 1991 riot in Zadar
* 1991 protest in Split
* SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia
* 1991 killings of Serbs in Vukovar
* Sisak killings
* Tenja killings
* Operation Stinger
* Dalj massacre
* Operation Labrador
* SAO Western Slavonia
* Banija villages killings
* Battle of Vukovar
* Battle of Osijek
* Battle of Gospić
* Petrinja killings
* Berak killings
* Battle of Kusonje
* Četekovac massacre
* Battle of the Barracks
* Siege of Varaždin Barracks
* Siege of Bjelovar Barracks
* Battle of Zadar
* Battle of Šibenik
* 1991 Yugoslav campaign in Croatia
* Korana bridge killings
* Tovarnik massacre
* Siege of Dubrovnik
* Novo Selo Glinsko massacre
* Bombing of Banski dvori
* Široka Kula massacre
* Lovas killings
* Gospić massacre
* Baćin massacre
* Saborsko massacre
* Požega villages massacre
* Operation Otkos 10
* Battle of Logorište
* Poljanak and Vukovići massacres
* Erdut killings
* Pula incident
* Battle of the Dalmatian channels
* Kostrići massacre
* Škabrnja massacre
* Vukovar massacre
* Novska murders
* Vance plan
* Murder of the Zec family
* Operation Whirlwind
* Paulin Dvor massacre
* Gornje Jame massacre
* Operation Orkan 91
* Voćin massacre
* Joševica massacre
* Operation Devil's Beam
* Mašićka Šagovina killings
* Bruška massacre
* Vrsar airport bombing

1992|

* Sarajevo Agreement
* 1992 European Community Monitor Mission helicopter downing
* Operation Baranja
* Operation Jackal
* Battle of the Miljevci Plateau
* Operation Tiger (1992)
* Operation Liberated Land
* Battle of Konavle
* Operation Vlaštica

1993-94|

* Operation Maslenica
* Daruvar Agreement
* Operation Backstop
* Operation Medak Pocket
* Z-4 Plan
* Operation Winter '94

1995|

* Operation Leap 1
* Operation Flash
* Medari massacre
* Zagreb rocket attack
* Operation Leap 2
* Operation Summer '95
* Operation Storm
* Kijani killings
* Golubić killings
* Uzdolje killings
* Bosanski Petrovac refugee column bombing
* Dvor massacre
* Komić killings
* Gošić killings
* Varivode massacre
* Operation Maestral 2

Timeline of the Croatian War of Independence

Internment camps|

* Begejci camp
* Bučje camp
* Kerestinec camp
* Knin camp
* Kuline prison camp
* Lora prison camp
* Marino Selo camp
* Ovčara camp
* Pakračka Poljana camp
* Sremska Mitrovica prison camp
* Stajićevo camp
* Velepromet camp

Other|

* Independence of Croatia
* Persecution of Croats in Serbia during the war in Croatia
* Erdut Agreement (UNTAES)

* Category
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

Bosnian War

Part of the Yugoslav Wars

Belligerents|

|  Bosniak side|

* Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* 1st Corps
* 2nd Corps
* 3rd Corps
* 4th Corps
* 5th Corps
* 6th Corps
* 7th Corps
* Paramilitary
* Patriotic League
* Green Berets
* Croatian Defence Forces
* Bosnian mujahideen

|

Croat side|

* Croatian Defence Council
* 1OZ
* 2OZ
* 3OZ
* 4OZ
* Paramilitary
* Croatian Defence Forces
* Knights

Serb side|

* Army of Republika Srpska
* 1st Krajina Corps
* 2nd Krajina Corps
* 3rd Corps
* East Bosnia Corps
* Herzegovina Corps
* Sarajevo-Romanija Corps
* Drina Corps
* Paramilitary
* Wolves of Vučjak
* White Eagles
* Serb Volunteer Guard
* Scorpions
* Yellow Wasps

Western Bosnian side|

* National Defence of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia

Prelude|

* Milošević–Tuđman Karađorđevo meeting
* Zulfikarpašić–Karadžić agreement
* RAM Plan
* Serb Autonomous Regions
* Bosanska Krajina
* Herzegovina
* North-East Bosnia
* Romanija
* Establishment of the Croatian Community of Herzeg Bosnia
* Establishment of Republika Srpska
* Bosnia and Herzegovina independence referendum
* Sarajevo wedding attack
* Declaration of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Battle of Bosanski Brod
* Sijekovac killings
* Bijeljina massacre
* 1992 anti-war protests in Sarajevo

1992|

* Battle of Kupres
* Siege of Sarajevo
* Kazani pit killings
* Foča ethnic cleansing
* Bosanski Šamac ethnic cleansing
* Siege of Srebrenica
* Zvornik massacre
* Doboj
* Snagovo massacre
* Prijedor ethnic cleansing
* Sarajevo column incident
* Siege of Goražde
* Graz agreement
* Glogova massacre
* Lašva Valley ethnic cleansing
* Tuzla column incident
* Zaklopača massacre
* Siege of Doboj
* Bradina massacre
* Sarajevo bread line massacre
* Bijeli Potok massacre
* Pionirska Street fire
* Operation Jackal
* Višegrad massacres
* Bosanska Jagodina
* Paklenik
* Barimo
* Sjeverin
* Čemerno massacre
* Siege of Bihać
* Ahatovići massacre
* Croat–Bosniak War
* Operation Vrbas '92
* Operation Corridor 92
* Bikavac fire
* Killings in Bratunac and Srebrenica
* Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia
* Korićani Cliffs massacre
* Mičivode massacre
* Novoseoci massacre
* Gornja Jošanica massacre

1993|

* Kravica attack
* Duša killings
* Skelani massacre
* Štrpci
* Siege of Mostar
* Srebrenica shelling
* Ahmići massacre
* Trusina massacre
* Sovići and Doljani killings
* Zenica massacre
* Vranica case
* Dobrinja mortar attack
* Battle of Žepče
* Battle of Travnik (1993)
* Battle of Bugojno
* Operation Irma
* Operation Neretva '93
* Grabovica massacre
* Mokronoge massacre
* Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia
* Inter-Bosniak conflict in Bosanska Krajina
* Stupni Do massacre
* Operation Deny Flight
* Križančevo Selo killings

1994|

* Operation Tvigi 94
* First Markale massacre
* Banja Luka incident
* Washington Agreement
* Establishment of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Operation Bøllebank
* Attack on Spin magazine journalists
* Operation Tiger
* Operation "Breza '94"
* Battle of Kupres
* Operation Amanda
* Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 347
* Operation Spider
* Operation Winter '94

1995|

* Operation Vlašić
* Operation Leap 1
* Battle of Orašje
* Operation Leap 2
* Split Agreement
* Operation Summer '95
* Pale air strikes
* Tuzla shelling
* Battle of Vrbanja Bridge
* Srebrenica massacre
* Kravica
* Battle of Vozuća
* Operation Miracle
* Operation Storm
* Second Markale massacre
* NATO bombing campaign
* Operation Mistral 2
* Operation Sana
* Operation Una
* Operation Southern Move
* Exodus of Sarajevo Serbs
* Dayton Agreement
* Establishment of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Internment camps|

* Silos
* Manjača
* Liplje
* Luka
* Vilina Vlas
* Omarska
* Keraterm
* Trnopolje
* Sušica
* Čelebići
* Musala
* Batković
* Dretelj
* Uzamnica
* Heliodrom
* Gabela
* Vojno
* Kamenica camp

Aspects|

* Ethnic cleansing and massacres
* Bosnian genocide
* Bosnian genocide denial
* Internment camps
* Rape
* Peace plans
* NATO intervention
* Foreign support
* Foreign fighters

Timeline of the Bosnian War (Timeline of the Croat–Bosniak War)

* Category
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

Breakup of Yugoslavia

Overview|

* Breakup of Yugoslavia (1991–1992)
* Timeline of the breakup of Yugoslavia (1980–2008)

Background|

* Josip Broz Tito (until 1980)
* Brotherhood and unity (until 1990)
* League of Communists of Yugoslavia (until 1990)
* Croatian Spring (1967–1971)
* 1981 protests in Kosovo
* Islamic Declaration (1983)
* SANU Memorandum (1986)
* Contributions to the Slovene National Program (1987)
* Slovene Spring (1987–1988)
* Agrokomerc Affair (1987)
* 8th Session of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Serbia (1987)
* JBTZ trial (1988)
* Hyperinflation in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1980s)

Events and actors|

* Anti-bureaucratic revolution (1988–1989)
* Gazimestan speech (1989)
* 14th Congress of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (1990)
* Independence of Croatia (1989–1992)
* Log Revolution (1990–1991)
* Milošević–Tuđman Karađorđevo meeting (1991)
* RAM Plan (1991)
* Brioni Agreement (1991)
* Role of the media in the breakup of Yugoslavia
* Arbitration Commission of the Peace Conference on Yugoslavia (1991–1993)

* v
* t
* e

Independence referendums in Yugoslavia

Republics and provinces|

* Slovenia (1990)
* Croatia (1991)
* Macedonia (1991)
* Kosovo (1991)
* Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992)
* Montenegro (1992)
* Montenegro (2006)

Autonomy|

* SAO Krajina (1990)
* Sandžak (1991)
* Srpska (1991)
* Ilirida (1992)
* Eastern Slavonia (1997)
* Macedonia (2004)

Consequences|

* Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001)
* Ethnic cleansing
* Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995)
* Ten-Day War (1991)
* Bosnian War (1992–1995)
* Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–)
* Graz agreement (1992)
* Sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–2001)
* Hyperinflation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–1994)
* Dayton Agreement (1996)
* Joint Criminal Enterprise
* Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control (1996)
* International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1993–2017)
* Overthrow of Slobodan Milošević (2000)

Nationalism|

* Greater Albania
* Greater Croatia
* United Macedonia
* Greater Serbia
* United Slovenia
* Anti-Serbian sentiment
* Islamophobia
* Albanian nationalism
* Bosniak nationalism
* Croatian nationalism
* Macedonian nationalism
* Montenegrin nationalism
* Serbian nationalism
* Serbian–Montenegrin unionism
* Slovenian nationalism
* Yugoslavism

* Category

* Category
* Commons

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*[e]: Edit this template
*[DOW]: Died of wounds