RESOLUTION 819 (2008 and 1993)

Updated: November 20th, 2008.
Editorial Note: This movie contains at least one controversial scene. Please see our comment section for more details.

PHOTO: You're looking at Srebrenica Genocide Memorial in Potocari - a burial ground commemorating the mass slaughter of 10,000 Bosniak Muslim men, children, and elderly in the worst act of genocide in Europe since the Second World War.

Resolution 819 (2008) Film Wins Rome International Film Festival

French-Polish-Italian movie about the notorious 1995 Srebrenica genocide has won the top prize at the third annual Rome International Film Festival. "Resolution 819" film, directed by Giacomo Battiato, reportedly focuses on the Srebrenica genocide that claimed lives of at least 8,000 Bosniaks (Muslims) - men, children, and elderly - who were summarily executed by the Bosnian Serb forces and dumped into mass graves, while at least 20,000 women were forcibly deported in a U.N.-assisted ethnic cleansing. We haven't seen this film yet and therefore we cannot endorse it. However, we can show you text of the original UN Resolution 819.

Actual U.N. Security Council Resolution 819 (1993)

The U.N. Security Council Resolution 819 demanded Serbia and Montenegro (Yugoslavia) to take measures to prevent Srebrenica genocide and cease the supply of military arms, equipment and services to the Bosnian Serbs. The resolution also demanded Bosnian Serbs cease attacks on Srebrenica, stop ethnic cleansing, and immediately withdraw from areas around the enclave. Serbia and her proxies in Bosnia had repeatedly violated this resolution. Bosnian Serbs from militarized Serb-held villages around Srebrenica continued attacking and terrorizing Bosniak (Muslim) population in the besieged town of Srebrenica. Serbia continued supplying arms and logistic support to the Bosnian Serb terrorists around Srebrenica. As a result, the International Court of Justice ruled in 2007 that Serbia had violated its obligation under the Genocide Convention to prevent genocide in Srebrenica and that it has also violated its obligations under the Convention by having failed fully to co-operate with the International Criminal Tribunal.

FULL TEXT of Resolution 819 (April 16 1993) [must read!]

The Security Council,

Reaffirming its resolutions 713 (1991) of 25 September 1991 and all of its subsequent relevant resolutions,

Taking note that the International Court of Justice in its Order of 8 April 1993 in the case concerning application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)) unanimously indicated as a provisional measure that the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) should immediately, in pursuance of its undertaking in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 9 December 1948, take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of the crime of genocide,

Reaffirming the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Reaffirming its call on the parties and others concerned to observe immediately the cease-fire throughout the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Reaffirming its condemnation of all violations of international humanitarian law, including, in particular, the practice of "ethnic cleansing",

Concerned by the pattern of hostilities by Bosnian Serb paramilitary units against towns and villages in eastern Bosnia and in this regard reaffirming that any taking or acquisition of territory by the threat or use of force, including through the practice of "ethnic cleansing", is unlawful and unacceptable,

Deeply alarmed at the information provided by the Secretary-General to the Security Council on 16 April 1993 on the rapid deterioration of the situation in Srebrenica and its surrounding areas, as a result of the continued deliberate armed attacks and shelling of the innocent civilian population by Bosnian Serb paramilitary units,

Strongly condemning the deliberate interdiction by Bosnian Serb paramilitary units of humanitarian assistance convoys,

Also strongly condemning the actions taken by Bosnian Serb paramilitary units against UNPROFOR, in particular, their refusal to guarantee the safety and freedom of movement of UNPROFOR personnel,

Aware that a tragic humanitarian emergency has already developed in Srebrenica and its surrounding areas as a direct consequence of the brutal actions of Bosnian Serb paramilitary units, forcing the large-scale displacement of civilians, in particular women, children and the elderly,

Recalling the provisions of resolution 815 (1993) on the mandate of UNPROFOR and in that context acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

1. Demands that all parties and others concerned treat Srebrenica and its surroundings as a safe area which should be free from any armed attack or any other hostile act;

2. Demands also to that effect the immediate cessation of armed attacks by Bosnian Serb paramilitary units against Srebrenica and their immediate withdrawal from the areas surrounding Srebrenica;

3. Demands that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) immediately cease the supply of military arms, equipment and services to the Bosnian Serb paramilitary units in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

4. Requests the Secretary-General, with a view to monitoring the humanitarian situation in the safe area, to take immediate steps to increase the presence of UNPROFOR in Srebrenica and its surroundings; demands that all parties and others concerned cooperate fully and promptly with UNPROFOR towards that end; and requests the Secretary-General to report urgently thereon to the Security Council;

5. Reaffirms that any taking or acquisition of territory by threat or use of force, including through the practice of "ethnic cleansing", is unlawful and unacceptable;

6. Condemns and rejects the deliberate actions of the Bosnian Serb party to force the evacuation of the civilian population from Srebrenica and its surrounding areas as well as from other parts of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of its overall abhorrent campaign of "ethnic cleansing";

7. Reaffirms its condemnation of all violations of international humanitarian law, in particular the practice of "ethnic cleansing" and reaffirms that those who commit or order the commission of such acts shall be held individually responsible in respect of such acts;

8. Demands the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to all parts of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in particular to the civilian population of Srebrenica and its surrounding areas and recalls that such impediments to the delivery of humanitarian assistance constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law;

9. Urges the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to use all the resources at their disposal within the scope of the relevant resolutions of the Council to reinforce the existing humanitarian operations in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in particular Srebrenica and its surroundings;

10. Further demands that all parties guarantee the safety and full freedom of movement of UNPROFOR and of all other United Nations personnel as well as members of humanitarian organizations;

11. Further requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with UNHCR and UNPROFOR, to arrange for the safe transfer of the wounded and ill civilians from Srebrenica and its surrounding areas and to urgently report thereon to the Council;

12. Decides to send, as soon as possible, a mission of members of the Security Council to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina to ascertain the situation and report thereon to the Security Council;

13. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter and to consider further steps to achieve a solution in conformity with relevant resolutions of the Council.

Related documents:
United Nations Srebrenica Report (1999) - Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to General Assembly resolution 53/35: The Fall of Srebrenica