Croat Community of Herzeg-Bosnia

Croat Community of Herzeg-Bosnia
Name	Croat Community of Herzeg-Bosnia
Era	Bosnian War
Status	unrecognized entity; self-proclaimed polity
Start	1991
End	1994
Capital	Mostar
Common languages	Croatian
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Croat Community of Herzeg-Bosnia was a self-proclaimed political and territorial entity established during the breakup of Yugoslavia that emerged in the context of the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the outbreak of the Bosnian War. It was proclaimed by political leaders associated with the Croat Democratic Union and backed by military formations connected to the Croatian Defence Council and elements of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina's opponents; it interacted with actors such as the Government of Croatia (1990–2000), the Republic of Croatia (1990–present), and international mediators including representatives of the European Community and the United Nations. The entity’s existence, institutions, and military wings were central to negotiations at venues like the Vance–Owen Peace Plan, the Washington Agreement (1994), and the Dayton Agreement.

Background and Origins

The origins trace to political developments following the 1990 multi-party elections in the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the subsequent secessionist moves of the Republic of Croatia (1990–present) and the Republic of Slovenia. Key figures included leaders of the Croat Democratic Union and municipal authorities in Mostar, Široki Brijeg, and Čitluk. The proclamation drew upon precedents such as the Banovina of Croatia (1939) and invoked historic links to the Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102), while reactions involved the Republic of Serbia (1990–2006), the Army of Republika Srpska, and international envoys like Lord Owen and Cyrus Vance. Conflicts over constitutional status, electoral outcomes, and territorial control intersected with actions by the Croatian National Council and diplomatic moves by the United States Department of State.

Political Organization and Institutions

Institutions included a presidency and a parliament claimed by proponents, with ministers drawn from local leadership in towns such as Mostar, Kiseljak, Jajce, Tomislavgrad, and Livno. The leadership network involved members of the Croatian Democratic Union and affiliated civic groups, while the entity maintained administrative bodies performing functions in taxation and public services in coordination or competition with counterparts in Sarajevo and the Republic of Croatia (1990–present). Its relationship with the Croatian Defence Council affected law enforcement and order in urban centers like Mostar and rural areas near Bugojno and Konjic. Negotiations over institutional arrangements featured representatives from the European Community Monitoring Mission, the Contact Group on Bosnia, and later the Office of the High Representative (OHR).

Role in the Bosnian War (1992–1995)

Armed formations linked to the entity participated in campaigns and confrontations across central and western Bosnia, notably in clashes around Mostar, Jablanica, Prozor-Rama, and Vitez. Relations with the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina alternated between cooperation and conflict, culminating in significant fighting during 1993–1994. The entity’s forces and the Army of Republika Srpska engaged in separate fronts against ARBiH units near Neretva valleys and the Lašva Valley. International mediation efforts, including the Vance–Owen Peace Plan and the Washington Agreement (1994), sought to resolve hostilities involving the entity and led to reorganizations affecting the Croatian Defence Council, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and deployment concepts under the Implementation Force (IFOR).

Demographics and Territory

Territorial claims centered on areas with significant Croatian populations such as Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, West Herzegovina Canton, Central Bosnia Canton, and parts of Canton 10. Major municipalities included Mostar, Široki Brijeg, Posušje, Livno, and Tomislavgrad. Demographic patterns were influenced by wartime displacement, including movements between towns like Mostar and Grude and rural-urban shifts toward regional centers such as Čapljina. Census and population data debated after the conflict involved agencies like the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina and reports by international organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration.

Human Rights Issues and War Crimes Allegations

Allegations involved incidents in places including Grabovica, Ahmići, Trusina, and sections of Mostar; investigations were conducted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and domestic courts such as the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Indictments and trials implicated political and military figures associated with the entity and the Croatian Defence Council; judgments considered operations that intersected with actions by the Army of Republika Srpska and other belligerents. Human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International documented forced displacement, attacks on civilians, and destruction of cultural heritage sites like parts of Mostar Old Bridge and religious buildings such as Stari Most and parish churches. Reparations and reconciliation processes involved bodies like the Commission for Real Property Claims of Displaced Persons and Refugees and mechanisms under the Dayton Agreement.

International Recognition and Diplomacy

No UN member state formally recognized the entity as a sovereign state; interactions occurred through diplomatic channels involving the Republic of Croatia (1990–present), the United States Department of State, the European Community, and the Contact Group on Bosnia. Key diplomatic moments included the Washington Agreement (1994), which led to the formation of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Dayton Agreement, which established the postwar constitutional order. International actors such as Richard Holbrooke and representatives of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) played roles in mediating status, while non-governmental organizations monitored compliance with accords like the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Legacy and Postwar Developments

Postwar legacies include political realignments within the Croat Democratic Union, debates over electoral representation in institutions like the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and municipal governance controversies in Mostar and Široki Brijeg. The transition involved integration of former combatants into structures such as the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and engagement with return and reconstruction programs supported by the European Union and the Council of Europe. Ongoing disputes over symbols, monuments, and property have featured courts like the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and monitoring by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The entity’s history remains a contested element in discussions among parties such as the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Party of Democratic Action, and civic movements in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Category:Bosnian War Category:History of Bosnia and Herzegovina Category:Croatian diaspora