INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)70 302 2323 Fax: +31 (0)70 364 9928
Website: www.icj-cij.org
Press Release
Unofficial
No. 99/38
2 July 1999
Croatia institutes proceedings against Yugoslavia
for violations of the Genocide Convention
THE HAGUE, 2 July 1999. The Republic of Cr oatia today instituted proceedings before the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for violations of the
1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide alleged to have been
committed between 1991 and 1995.
In its Application, Croatia contends that “by directly controlling the activity of its armed
forces, intelligence agents, and vari ous paramilitary detachments, on the territory of... Croatia, in
the Knin region, eastern and western Slavonia, and Dalmatia, [Yugoslavia] is liable [for] the ‘ethnic
cleansing’ of Croatian citizens from these areas . . .as well as extensive property destruction — and is
required to provide reparation fore resulting damage”. Croatia goeson to state that “in addition, by
directing, encouraging, and urging Croatian citizensof Serb ethnicity in the Knin region to evacuate
the area in 1995, as... Croatia reasserted its legitimate governmental authority . . . [Yugoslavia]
engaged in conduct amounting to a second round of ‘ethnic cleansing’”.
According to Croatia, “the aggression wagedby [Yugoslavia]” resulted in 20,000 dead, 55,000
injured and over 3,000 individuals still unaccountedr. Of this number, 1,700 were killed and more
than 4,000 injured in Vukovar alone. Furthermore, 10percent of the count ry’s housing capacity is
alleged to have been destroyed, with 590towns and villages having suffered damage (including 35
razed to the ground), while 1,821 cultural monuments, 323 historical sites and 450 Croatian catholic
churches were also destroyed or damaged. Croatia further claims that some 3million explosive
devices of various kinds were planted in Croatia, mostly anti-personnel and anti-tank devices,
currently rendering some 300,000 hectares of arable land unusable, and that around 25 per cent of its
total economic capacity, including major facilities such as the Adriatic pipeline, was damaged or
destroyed.
Accordingly, Croatia requests the Court to adjudge and declare that Yugoslavia “has breached
its legal obligations” to Croatia under the GenocideConvention and that it “has an obligation to pay
to... Croatia, in its own right and as parens patriae for its citizens, reparations for damages to
persons and property, as well as to the Croatian economy and environment caused by the foregoing
violations of international law in asum to be determined by the Court”.
As a basis for the jurisdiction of the Court, Croatia invokes Article IX of the Genocide
Convention to which both Croatia and Yugoslavia are parties. That Article provides that disputes
between contracting parties relating to the interpretation, application or fulfilment of the Convention
shall be submitted to the International Court of Justice.
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The full text of Croatia’s Application w ill shortly be available on the Court’s website
Information Department:
Mr. Arthur Witteveen, Secretaryof the Court (+ 31 (0)70 302 23 36)
Mrs. Laurence Blairon, Information Officer (+ 31 (0)70 302 23 37)
E-mail address: [email protected]
Croatia institutes proceedings against Yugoslavia for violations of the Genocide Convention