Original scientific paper
“Violated Agreement”: Demilitarisation of Eastern Slavonia 1992-1995
Nikolina Vuković
orcid.org/0000-0003-0906-4281
Abstract
In this paper the author speaks of how successfully the demilitarization was implemented within the peace operations of the United Nations in the occupied territory of Eastern Slavonia in the period from 1992 into 1995. From a consideration of the analysis of unpublished archival documents, published archival sources, the newspapers of the time and recent scholarly literature, the conclusion can be drawn that implementation of the most significant mandatory assignment stipulated by the Vance plan was not successful. The main reasons why the demilitarisation can be considered unsuccessful were perpetual lack of cooperation, the obstruction policy of the Krajina Serbs, the unpreparedness and the incapacity of the peacekeeping forces deployed as well as the constant violation of military impartiality and political neutrality, particularly that of the Russian Battalion. The occupied Eastern Slavonian area became part of the United Nations Safe Areas in 1992 as Sector East; the Russian and the Belgian-Luxemburg Battalion of the United Nations peacekeeping forces were charged with the supervision of the sector and the implementation of the agreed assignments. The mandatory assignment to demilitarize was the first and most significant precondition for the stabilization of the area and the fulfilment of other assignments agreed upon, in other words, for the success of the entire peacekeeping mission. However, the attempt to implement the demilitarization revealed the incapacity of the peacekeeping forces as well as the main objective of the Krajina Serbs supported by the Yugoslav People’s Army – to circumvent the demilitarization agreement. The peacekeeping forces failed to fulfil their main and most important assignment; the result was a chaotic safety situation in the Eastern Sector during the time of observance, no changes in the occupied territory and eventually the failure of the peacekeeping actions in Eastern Slavonia.
Keywords
demilitarization; peacekeeping forces; eastern Slavonia; UNCRO; UNPROFOR
Hrčak ID:
212105
URI
Publication date:
1.11.2018.
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