The Flight of Serbs from Sarajevo: Not the Dayton Agreement’s First Failure, but its First Logical Consequence

Abstract

This study analyzes circumstances tied to the implementation of the Dayton Agreement’s provision for the reunification of Sarajevo. Three months after the signing, Sarajevo was again a united city territorially, but pre-war inhabitants of Sarajevo who identified themselves as Serbs were almost entirely absent from the reunited town under the control of the Federation government. This article addresses the causes of the flight of the Serbs, who had been living in Sarajevo’s suburbs before the start of the Bosnian war and stayed, in their view, to defend their homes. I argue that the incentives that led a majority of Sarajevan Serbs to leave the city and its surroundings were the result of actions not only of the Serb leadership but also of Bosniak leaders and the international community. Our analysis is complementary to the scholarship examining the impact of massive population migrations and displacement in the aftermath of conflicts. I analyze the dynamics of Sarajevo’s unification within the Federation and its consequences, demonstrating that once a partition is accepted at a higher level, it is almost impossible to prevent its emergence on a local level.

‘Exodus’: The Serb flight from Sarajevo, its legacy, and its role in the political memory of Republika Srpska

“…Scholars largely agree that the RS leaders bear the main responsibility for orchestrating, manipulating and forcing Serb people to leave (Donia, 2006; Sell, 1999; Toal & Dahlman, 2011). However, recent research (Golubović, 2021; Pupovac, 2020; Žíla, 2021, 2022a) has pointed to Izetbegović's statements and policies, which prompted fears of retribution. While Izetbegović's leadership formally announced that Serbs would be allowed to remain in the reintegrated city, no preference was shown for those who lived in the areas under VRS control.…”

“…Contrarily, Izetbegović's government emphasised that only those ‘who did not carry weapons’ and ‘who did not have blood on their hands’ were allowed to stay (Oslobođenje, 1995, 1996). The IC, which officially encouraged Sarajevan Serbs to stay in the reunited parts of the city, did not offer tangible guarantees regarding their rights (Žíla, 2021).…”

“…According to the RS leadership, the main culprits of the flight are the architects of the DPA, Izetbegovi c's government and the President of Serbia. Slobodan Miloševi c, who held talks on behalf of the Bosnian Serb delegation, rejected the idea of a separate district for Sarajevo and abandoned RS claims to the city's suburbs (Sell, 1999;Žíla, 2021). The RS leadership was furious as they had no recourse to overturn the agreement.…”