SAO Krajina

History

In 1990, following Croatian multi-party elections and victory of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), ethnic tensions between Croats and Serbs worsened.

On 17 August 1990, an insurrection began in areas of the Republic of Croatia which were populated significantly by ethnic Serbs. The organizers were armed with illegal weapons supplied by Milan Martić. The revolt was explained by Serbs as the result of them being "terrorized [by Croatian government]" and that they wanted to "[fight for] more cultural, language and education rights". Serbian newspaper "Večernje Novosti" wrote that "2.000.000 Serbs [are] ready to go to Croatia to fight". Western diplomats criticized Serbian media for "inflaming passions" while Croatian President Franjo Tudjman stated that "We knew about the scenario to create confusion in Croatia...".

In anticipation of a declaration of Croatian independence, Croatian Serb leaders created an autonomous region around the city of Knin. The Serbian National Council (SNV) was formed, functioning as a parliament for the region and as the ultimate authority on Croatian Serbs. It organized a successful referendum on autonomy in August.

Initially, this region was dubbed the SAO Kninska Krajina in September 1990, but, after joining with the Association of Municipalities of Northern Dalmatia and Lika, it was renamed and proclaimed as SAO Krajina in December 1990. By October, the Serb National Council proclaimed it autonomous. It encompassed Krajina as well as three Northern Dalmatian municipalities with an ethnic Serb majority (Benkovac, Knin and Obrovac). On December 21, 1990, the municipalities of Knin, Benkovac, Vojnić, Obrovac, Gračac, Dvor and Kostajnica all adopted the "Statute of the Serbian Autonomous Region of Krajina".

On February 28, 1991 the SAO Krajina was officially declared. It announced that it planned to separate from Croatia if it moved for independence from Yugoslavia.

The Serb National Council on March 16, 1991 declared Krajina to be independent of Croatia. On May 12, 1991 a referendum was held with over 99 percent of the vote supporting unification with Serbia. Afterwards the Krajina assembly declared that "the territory of the SAO Krajina is a constitutive part of the unified territory of the Republic of Serbia".

Conflict soon began between the Krajina Serbs and Croatian authorities. After Slovenia and Croatia declared independence, violence escalated as the Serbs expanded the territory they held with the help of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), eventually to include SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia and SAO Western Slavonia.

On 19 December 1991, the two SAOs through the initiative of Milan Babić (president of SAO Krajina) and Goran Hadžić (president of SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia) were declared as one Serbian state with the name Republic of Serbian Krajina. In February 1992, the authorities declared independence. By that time, Serb-controlled territory included a third of Croatia.

This self-proclaimed SAO Krajina was dissolved after August 5, 1995 when Croatian armed forces reintegrated its territories into Croatia.

References

References

1. [http://www.icty.org/x/cases/martic/tjug/en/070612.pdf Prosecutor v. Milan Martić Judgement]. p. 46. International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Accessed 13 September 2009. (On 16 March 1991 another referendum was held which asked "Are you in favour of the SAO Krajina joining the Republic of Serbia and staying in Yugoslavia with Serbia, Montenegro and others who wish to preserve Yugoslavia?". With 99.8% voting in favour, the referendum was approved and the Krajina assembly declared that "the territory of the SAO Krajina is a constitutive part of the unified state territory of the Republic of Serbia".)
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