Foča massacre
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Foča ( sr-Cyrl, Фоча, ) is a town and a municipality located in Republika Srpska in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the banks of Drina river. As of 2013, the town has a population of 12,234 inhabitants, while the municipality has 18,288 inhabitants. Foča houses some faculties (including the Medical and Orthodox Theological Faculty of Saint Basil of Ostrog) from the Istočno Sarajevo University. It is also home to the "Seminary of Saint Peter of Sarajevo and Dabar-Bosna", one of seven seminaries in the
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian denomination, Christian churches. The majori ...
. Foča was also, until 1992, home to one of Bosnia's most important
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
ic high schools, the Madrasa of Mehmed Pasha Kukavica. The
Sutjeska National Park The Sutjeska National Park ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Национални парк Сутјеска, Nacionalni park Sutjeska, ) is a national park located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Established in 1962, it is Bosnia and Herzegovina's oldest national pa ...
, which is the oldest National Park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is located in the municipality.


History


Early history

The town was known as Hotča during medieval times. It was then known as a trading centre on route between Ragusa (now Dubrovnik) and Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey). Alongside the rest of Gornje Podrinje, Foča was part of the Serbian Empire until 1376, when it was attached to the Kingdom of Bosnia under King Tvrtko. After Tvrtko's death, the town was ruled by the dukes of Hum, most notably was Herzog Stjepan. Foča was the seat of the Ottoman Sanjak of Herzegovina established in 1470, and served as such until 1572, when the seat was moved to
Pljevlja Pljevlja ( srp, Пљевља, ) is a town and the center of Pljevlja Municipality located in the northern part of Montenegro. The town lies at an altitude of . In the Middle Ages, Pljevlja had been a crossroad of the important commercial roads and ...
.


World War II

In 1941, the Ustaše killed the leading Serbs in Foča. Between December 1941 and January 1942 over two thousand Bosnian Muslims were killed in Foča by the
Chetniks The Chetniks ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Четници, Četnici, ; sl, Četniki), formally the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, and also the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland and the Ravna Gora Movement, was a Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nationa ...
as act of vengeance for repression over Serbs by Muslims in ranks of Ustaše. Additionally Chetniks attacked Ustaše and in Foča in August 1942. On 13 February 1943, Pavle Đurišić reported to
Draža Mihailović Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailović ( sr-Cyrl, Драгољуб Дража Михаиловић; 27 April 1893 – 17 July 1946) was a Yugoslavs, Yugoslav Serb general during World War II. He was the leader of the Chetniks, Chetnik Detachments ...
the actions undertaken by the Chetniks in the Foča,
Pljevlja Pljevlja ( srp, Пљевља, ) is a town and the center of Pljevlja Municipality located in the northern part of Montenegro. The town lies at an altitude of . In the Middle Ages, Pljevlja had been a crossroad of the important commercial roads and ...
, and Čajniče districts: "All Muslim villages in the three mentioned districts were totally burned so that not a single home remained in one piece. All property was destroyed except cattle, corn, and senna." In the operation Chetnik losses "were 22 dead, of which 2 through accidents, and 32 wounded. Among the Muslims, around 1,200 fighters and up to couple of thousands of civilian victims of both nationalitys." Đurišić said what remained of the Muslim population fled and that actions were taken to prevent their return. The municipality is also the site of the legendary
Battle of Sutjeska Case Black (german: Fall Schwarz), also known as the Fifth Enemy Offensive ( sh-Latn, Peta neprijateljska ofanziva) in Yugoslav historiography and often identified with its final phase, the Battle of the Sutjeska ( sh-Latn, Bitka na Sutjesci ) ...
between the Tito's Yugoslav Partisans and the German army. A monument to the Partisans killed in the battle was erected in the village of Tjentište.


Bosnian War

In 1992, at the onset of the
Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
, the city fell under the control of the Army of Republika Srpska. From 7 April 1992 to January 1994, Serb military, police and paramilitary forces enacted a campaign of ethnic cleansing in the area of Foča against
Bosniak The Bosniaks ( bs, Bošnjaci, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia, which is today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who share a common Bosnian ancestry, cu ...
civilians. By one estimate, around 21,000 non-Serbs left Foča after July 1992. Most of them that managed to escape were settled in the town of Rožaje in Montenegro until the war ended. Only about 10 Muslims remained at the end of the conflict. Thirteen mosques including the
Aladža Mosque The Aladža Mosque ( bs, Aladža džamija, tr, Alaca Camii), also known as ''Šarena džamija'', "Colorful Mosque", is an Ottoman era mosque that was built in 1549 and located in Foča, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is considered one of the most be ...
were destroyed and the 22,500 Muslims who made up the majority of inhabitants fled. The Tribunal Judges determined beyond a reasonable doubt that the purpose of the Serb campaign in Foča was, among others, "to cleanse the Foča area of Muslims" and concluded that "to that end the campaign was successful. In numerous verdicts, the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was a body of the United Nations that was established to prosecute the war crimes that had been committed during the Yugoslav Wars and to try their perpetrators. The tribunal ...
(ICTY) ruled that the
ethnic cleansing Ethnic cleansing is the systematic forced removal of ethnic, racial, and religious groups from a given area, with the intent of making a region ethnically homogeneous. Along with direct removal, extermination, deportation or population transfer ...
, killings, mass rapes, and the deliberate destruction of Bosniak property and cultural sites constituted
crimes against humanity Crimes against humanity are widespread or systemic acts committed by or on behalf of a ''de facto'' authority, usually a state, that grossly violate human rights. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity do not have to take place within the ...
. According to the Research and Documentation Center (IDC), 2,707 people were killed or went missing in the Foča municipality during the war. Among them were 1,513 Bosniak civilians and 155 Serb civilians. Additionally, Bosnian Serb authorities set up
rape camps Wartime sexual violence is rape or other forms of sexual violence committed by combatants during armed conflict, war, or military occupation often as spoils of war, but sometimes, particularly in ethnic conflict, the phenomenon has broader ...
in which hundreds of women were raped. Numerous Serb officers, soldiers and other participants in the
Foča massacre Foča ( sr-Cyrl, Фоча, ) is a town and a municipality located in Republika Srpska in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the banks of Drina river. As of 2013, the town has a population of 12,234 inhabitants, while the municipality has 18 ...
s were accused and convicted of war crimes by the ICTY.


Post-war period

In 1995 the Dayton Agreement created a territorial corridor linking the once-besieged city of
Goražde Goražde ( cyrl, Горажде, ) is a city and the administrative center of Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the banks of Drina river. As of 2 ...
to the Federation entity; as a consequence, the northern part of Foča was separated to create the municipality of Foča-Ustikolina. Prior to that in 1994, the ethnically-cleansed town was renamed ''Srbinje'' ( sr-Cyrl, Србиње), "place of the Serbs". In 2004, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared the name change unconstitutional, and reverted it back to Foča. Since the war, around 4,000 Bosniaks have returned to their homes in Foča, and several mosques have been re-built. This has taken place largely due to the administration of Zdravko Krsmanović, who was mayor from 2004 to 2012. In the 2012 elections, however, Krsmanović was defeated and a new mayor, Radisav Mašić, was elected with support of parties SDS and SNSD. The
Aladža Mosque The Aladža Mosque ( bs, Aladža džamija, tr, Alaca Camii), also known as ''Šarena džamija'', "Colorful Mosque", is an Ottoman era mosque that was built in 1549 and located in Foča, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is considered one of the most be ...
was rebuilt from 2014 and reopened in May 2019. In October 2004, members of the Association of Women Victims of War (''Udruzenje Žene-Žrtve Rata'') attempted to lay a plaque in front of the ''Partizan'' sports hall (also used in 1992 as a rape camp) to commemorate the crimes that occurred there. Around 300 Bosnian Serbs, including members of the Association of the Prisoners of War of Republika Srpska, prevented the plaque from being affixed. The ''Partizan'' sport hall was reconstructed by UNDP, with EU funding, following a selection by the Foča municipal council, also with the participation of elected representatives of local returnees. In 2018 and 2019, the association of war victims have been commemorating rape as a weapon of war by congregating in front of Karaman's House in Miljevina and of the ''Partizan'' sport hall in Foča on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (19 June). In 2021, a memorial to convicted Srebrenica massacre perpetrator Ratko Mladić was painted near a school in the town.


Settlements

Aside from the town of Foča, the municipality includes the following settlements: *
Anđelije Andelije ( sr-cyrl, Анделије) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often know ...
* Bastasi *
Bavčići Bavčići ( sr-cyrl, Бавчићи) is a village in the municipality of Foča-Ustikolina Foča-Ustikolina ( sr-cyrl, Фоча-Устиколина) is a municipality located in Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde of the Federation of Bosnia and Her ...
*
Beleni Beleni ( sr-cyrl, Белени) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known info ...
*
Bešlići Bešlići ( sr-cyrl, Бешлићи) is a village in the municipality of Foča-Ustikolina Foča-Ustikolina ( sr-cyrl, Фоча-Устиколина) is a municipality located in Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde of the Federation of Bosnia and Her ...
* Biokovo *
Birotići Birotići ( sr-cyrl, Биротићи) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often kno ...
*
Bogavići Bogavići ( sr-cyrl, Богавићи) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often kn ...
* Borje * Borovinići * Brajići * Brajkovići, Foča * Brod *
Brusna Brusna ( sr-cyrl, Брусна) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known info ...
* Budanj * Bujakovina * Bunčići * Bunovi * Cerova Ravan * Crnetići * Cvilin * Čelebići *
Čelikovo Polje Čelikovo Polje ( sr-cyrl, Челиково Поље) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina ...
*
Ćurevo Ćurevo ( sr-cyrl, Ћурево) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known inf ...
*
Daničići Daničići ( sr-cyrl, Даничићи) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often kn ...
*
Derolovi Derolovi ( sr-cyrl, Деролови) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often know ...
* Donje Žešće *
Drače Drače ( sr-cyrl, Драче) is a village in the Municipalities of Republika Srpska, municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.Official results from the book: Ethnic composition of Bosnia-Herzegovina population, by municipali ...
* Dragočava * Dragojevići *
Đeđevo Đeđevo ( sr-cyrl, Ђеђево) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known in ...
* Fališi * Filipovići * Glušca *
Godijeno Godijeno ( sr-cyrl, Годијено) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often know ...
* Gostičaj * Govza * Gradac * Grandići *
Grdijevići Grdijevići ( sr-cyrl, Грдијевићи) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and oft ...
*
Hum Hum may refer to: Science * Hum (sound), a sound produced with closed lips, or by insects, or other periodic motion * Mains hum, an electric or electromagnetic phenomenon * The Hum, an acoustic phenomenon * Venous hum, a physiological sensation ...
* Huseinovići * Igoče * Izbišno * Jasenovo * Ječmišta *
Jeleč Jeleč (Serbian Cyrillic: Јелеч) is a medieval fortification located in southwestern Serbia, 12 km south of present-day Novi Pazar, on one of the three peaks of Rogozna mountain. Today, the fortification is mostly in ruined state, howe ...
* Jošanica * Kolakovići * Kolun *
Kosman Kosman ( sr-cyrl, Косман) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known inf ...
* Kozarevina * Kozja Luka * Kratine *
Krna Jela Krna Jela ( sr-cyrl, Крна Јела) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often k ...
* Kruševo *
Kunduci Kunduci ( sr-cyrl, Кундуци) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known i ...
*
Kunovo Kunovo ( sr-cyrl, Куново) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known info ...
* Kuta * Lokve * Ljubina * Marevo * Mazlina * Mazoče * Meštrevac *
Miljevina Miljevina ( sr-cyrl, Миљевина) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina ...
* Mirjanovići * Mješaji * Mravljača *
Njuhe Njuhe ( sr-cyrl, Њухе) is a village in the municipality of Foča-Ustikolina Foča-Ustikolina ( sr-cyrl, Фоча-Устиколина) is a municipality located in Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ...
* Orahovo * Papratno * Patkovina * Paunci * Petojevići * Podgrađe * Poljice *
Popov Most Popov Most ( sr-cyrl, Попов Мост) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often ...
* Potpeće * Previla * Prevrać * Prijeđel * Prisoje * Puriši * Račići * Radojevići *
Rijeka Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...
* Rodijelj * Slatina * Slavičići * Stojkovići *
Sorlaci Sorlaci ( sr-cyrl, Сорлаци) is a village in the municipalities of Foča, Republika Srpska and Foča-Ustikolina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Demographics According to the 2013 census, its population was 5, all Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr ...
* Susješno *
Škobalji Škobalji ( sr-cyrl, Шкобаљи) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known ...
*
Štović Štović ( sr-cyrl, Штовић) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known in ...
*
Šuljci Šuljci ( sr-cyrl, Шуљци) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known infor ...
* Tečići *
Tjentište Tjentište ( sr-cyrl, Тјентиште) is a village and a valley in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies entirely within Sutjeska National Park. History The village was known for the war memorials co ...
* Tođevac *
Toholji Toholji ( sr-cyrl, Тохољи) is a village in the Municipalities of Republika Srpska, municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.Official results from the book: Ethnic composition of Bosnia-Herzegovina population, by municip ...
*
Trbušće Trbušće ( sr-cyrl, Трбушће) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known ...
* Trtoševo * Tvrdaci *
Ustikolina Ustikolina ( sr-cyrl, Устиколина) is a village and the seat of the municipality of Foča-Ustikolina, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina. A proposal to dam the Drina The Drina ( sr-Cyrl, Дрина, ) is a ...
* Velenići *
Vikoč Vikoč ( sr-cyrl, Викоч) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known inform ...
* Vitine * Vojnovići * Vranjevići * Vrbnica *
Vučevo Vučevo ( sr-cyrl, Вучево) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.Official results from the book: Ethnic composition of Bosnia-Herzegovina population, by municipalities and settlements, 1991. ...
* Vukušići * Zabor *
Zakmur Zakmur ( sr-cyrl, Закмур) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known info ...
*
Zavait Zavait ( sr-cyrl, Заваит) is a village in the municipality of Foča, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known info ...
* Zebina Šuma * Zubovići * Željevo


Demographics


Population


Ethnic composition


Economy

The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2018):


Culture

Museum of old Herzegovina and city theatre are located in Foča.


Twin towns – sister cities

Foča is twinned with: *
Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
* Nikšić


Notable people

* Zehra Deović, folk singer *
Rade Krunić Rade Krunić (; born 7 October 1993) is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Milan and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. Krunić started his professional career at Sutjeska Foča, before joining ...
, footballer *
Aida Hadžialić Aida Hadžialić (, ; born 21 January 1987) is a Bosnian-born Swedish politician and a member of the Social Democrats. She served as Minister for Upper Secondary School, Adult Education and Training from 3 October 2014 until her resignation on 1 ...
, politician in Sweden


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Foca Populated places in Foča Cities and towns in Republika Srpska Municipalities of Republika Srpska