UN protection zone

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term UN protection zone has different meanings in the German-language reporting on the Yugoslav wars from 1991 to 1995. Initially it was used as a translation for the English-language term “ United Nations Protected Areas ” (UNPAs) in Croatia , later also for the “safe areas” in Bosnia and Herzegovina , which were set up on the basis of various resolutions of the UN Security Council . The terms “protected zone” and “safety zone” are also used less frequently.

United Nations Protection Zones (UNPAs)

On February 21, 1992 , the UN Security Council resolved with Resolution 743 to deploy peacekeeping forces , which were stationed in the disputed areas of Croatia from March 1992. After long arguments about the tasks and locations of the " blue helmets ", an agreement was reached in spring 1992 to create protection zones. These were agreed for East Slavonia , West Slavonia and Krajina ; in UN practice, the “sectors east, north, south and west” were later distinguished. The mandate of the UN troops was dependent on a ceasefire, a so-called peacekeeping mission , not a peace enforcement mission . The Yugoslav federal army should withdraw from the protection zones. Paramilitary troops should be disarmed and the blue helmets should ensure the safety of the population. The operation was led by the Indian general Satish Nambiar . In addition to the UN troops, only lightly armed police were permitted. The interpretation of the term "paramilitary troops" remained controversial. Ultimately, it was not possible to reduce the influence of the Serbian militias, especially in the "Sector East". On the Croatian side, the agreements on the UNPAs were broken at the end of January 1993 . At that time, troops of the Croatian Army penetrated the UNPA South Sector and the neighboring so-called “pink zones”, by which the UN protection zones, which are mostly Serbian, had meanwhile been expanded.

"Safe areas"

When the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina had turned into a war ( see Bosnian War ), the UNPROFOR headquarters was relocated from Sarajevo to Zagreb (May 1992). In the same month the then President of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegović , asked the UN for military assistance. Initially, agreements could be made with the warring parties, according to which a security zone was set up around Sarajevo Airport at the beginning of July 1992 . UNPROFOR monitors were stationed there and in the city of Sarajevo itself and heavy weapons were placed under their control. The airport could then be used again for aid transports. In later UN resolutions, the UNPROFOR mandate was expanded to include the security of aid transports, the monitoring of a flight ban and the monitoring of borders with regard to compliance with the embargo rules. However, these tasks were only partially fulfilled.

In the autumn of 1992 there was increasing fighting in eastern Bosnia with high casualties, including among the civilian population, and severely obstructing humanitarian measures. Bosnian armed forces led by Naser Orić attacked at least 50 Serbian communities and caused massive destruction. Numerous Serb civilians were displaced or murdered, including in the Srebrenica police station , which was controlled by Bosnian Muslim troops during this period. Serbian forces attacked the city, to which thousands of Bosniaks had fled who could hardly be supplied. In Resolution 819 of the UN Security Council of April 16, 1993, Srebrenica and its surroundings were declared a "safe area". On April 21st the city was demilitarized, i. H. Weapons, ammunition and other material had been confiscated from UNPROFOR units. This was possible because the leadership of the Bosnian Serbs had given their approval, who had hoped for the disarmament of the Bosnian Muslims and the surrender of the city.

For the further "safe areas" announced on May 7, 1993 in UN resolution 824 to protect the population and refugees in Bihać , Goražde , Sarajevo , Tuzla and Žepa , however, sufficient military protection was not guaranteed by UNPROFOR units. To do this, these units would have had to be drastically increased in terms of personnel and equipment. This failed due to the unwillingness of the UN members to raise the additional 34,000 ground troops requested for this purpose. Instead, from 1994 onwards, NATO increasingly resorted to tactical air strikes to enforce UN resolutions ( Operation Deny Flight ). In addition, exclusion zones for heavy weapons (tanks and artillery) were declared around the protection zones and these were placed under the control of UNPROFOR at assembly points.

Despite these measures, aid transports were hindered, attacks on the protection zones and attacks on and hostage-taking of UN soldiers (cf. Bosnian War ). The Srebrenica massacre in July 1995, which took place under the eyes of Dutch blue helmet soldiers from the Dutchbat unit, is regarded as a catastrophic failure of the UN's engagement, especially of the concept of protection zones .

literature

Web links