Bijele trake

INITIATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

Subject: Recognition of Ethnic Marking of Civilians as a Human Rights Concern and Early Warning Indicator of Mass Atrocity Crimes

Excellencies,

The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK), the Bosniak Educational and Cultural Community of North America (BECCNA), and the Bosniak American National Association (BANA) respectfully request that the United Nations Human Rights Council consider the issue of ethnic marking of civilian populations as a matter of international human rights concern.

The events in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, during May 1992, in which non-Serb civilians were ordered to wear white armbands and mark their homes, provide a documented example of how discriminatory identification measures can contribute to broader campaigns of persecution and violence.

We respectfully propose that the Human Rights Council:

• Organize a panel discussion or special session examining historical cases of ethnic marking and their consequences;

• Encourage academic and human rights research concerning the relationship between identification measures and atrocity crimes;

• Promote educational initiatives aimed at preventing discrimination, collective stigmatization, and dehumanization of targeted communities;

• Recognize the White Armband as a powerful symbol of the dangers associated with ethnic identification policies.

Such efforts would contribute significantly to the Council's mandate to promote universal respect for human rights and prevent future violations.

Respectfully submitted,

Dzelila Duliman
Secretary General
North American Bosniak Coordinating Board

On behalf of:
Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK)
Bosniak Educational and Cultural Community of North America (BECCNA)
Bosniak American National Association (BANA)

 

 

INITIATIVE TO UNESCO

Subject: Educational Recognition of the White Armband as a Historical Symbol of Discrimination, Dehumanization, and the Prevention of Genocide

To:

The Director-General of UNESCO

Excellency,

The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK), the Bosniak Educational and Cultural Community of North America (BECCNA), and the Bosniak American National Association (BANA) respectfully submit this initiative requesting UNESCO's support in promoting educational awareness of the White Armband of Prijedor as an important historical symbol of discrimination, exclusion, and the dangers that precede mass atrocity crimes.

On 31 May 1992, non-Serb civilians in the municipality of Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, were ordered to identify themselves by wearing white armbands and marking their homes with white sheets. This act of ethnic marking became one of the most recognizable symbols of discrimination and persecution in Europe after the Second World War.

The educational significance of this event extends beyond one country or one conflict. The White Armband illustrates a universal lesson: the public identification and stigmatization of human beings on the basis of ethnicity, religion, or national origin can become the first step toward exclusion, persecution, forced displacement, and mass violence.

In accordance with UNESCO's mission to promote peace through education, culture, and international cooperation, we respectfully request consideration of the following initiatives:

• Development of educational materials addressing the dangers of discrimination, ethnic labeling, and dehumanization;

• Inclusion of the White Armband case study in UNESCO-supported educational programs concerning genocide prevention and human rights education;

• Support for international exhibitions, conferences, and academic forums dedicated to the study of early warning signs of mass atrocities;

• Promotion of comparative educational initiatives examining historical examples of discriminatory identification measures and their consequences.

The White Armband should be understood not merely as a historical artifact of Bosnia and Herzegovina but as a universal educational symbol reminding future generations of the importance of human dignity, equality, and the protection of vulnerable communities.

We believe UNESCO can play a significant role in ensuring that the lessons of Prijedor contribute to a global culture of prevention, understanding, and peace.

Respectfully submitted,

Dzelila Duliman
Secretary General
North American Bosniak Coordinating Board

On behalf of:

Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK)

Bosniak Educational and Cultural Community of North America (BECCNA)

Bosniak American National Association (BANA)

 

 

 

 

ANNEX A

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND LEGAL CONTEXT

The White Armband in Prijedor and the Systematic Persecution of Civilians in 1992

I. Background

On 30 April 1992, Bosnian Serb authorities seized control of the municipality of Prijedor in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following the takeover, a systematic campaign of discrimination, persecution, detention, forced displacement, and violence was directed against the municipality's Bosniak and Croat civilian population.

On 31 May 1992, local radio broadcasts ordered non-Serb residents to mark their homes with white sheets or flags and to wear white armbands when moving through the municipality. This measure has become one of the most recognizable examples of ethnic identification and segregation in Europe after the Second World War.

The White Armband has since become an internationally recognized symbol of the dangers associated with discrimination, exclusion, and the progressive targeting of civilian populations.

II. Detention Camps

Following the takeover of Prijedor, several detention facilities were established and operated by Bosnian Serb authorities.

Omarska Camp

The Omarska camp operated between May and August 1992 and became internationally known following reports by journalists and human rights organizations.

Thousands of Bosniak and Croat civilians were detained there. International criminal proceedings established that detainees were subjected to severe mistreatment, torture, sexual violence, inhumane conditions, and killings.

Keraterm Camp

Keraterm functioned as another detention facility for non-Serb civilians.

Numerous detainees were subjected to physical abuse, torture, and killings. International criminal proceedings documented large-scale violations of international humanitarian law committed at the camp.

Trnopolje Camp

Trnopolje served as a detention and transfer facility for civilians, including women, children, and elderly persons.

The camp became one of the most visible symbols of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing during the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

III. Findings of International Courts

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) examined crimes committed in Prijedor in multiple cases, including:

• Prosecutor v. Milomir Staki?
• Prosecutor v. Radoslav Br?anin
• Prosecutor v. Mi?o Staniši? and Stojan Župljanin
• Prosecutor v. Radovan Karadži?
• Prosecutor v. Ratko Mladi?

ICTY judgments established that a widespread and systematic campaign of persecution was conducted against Bosniak and Croat civilians in Prijedor and surrounding municipalities.

The Tribunal found that acts committed included:

• Persecution
• Extermination
• Murder
• Torture
• Deportation
• Forcible transfer
• Imprisonment
• Other crimes against humanity

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia further recognized the central role of detention camps and discriminatory measures in the implementation of these crimes.

IV. Relevance to International Human Rights and Atrocity Prevention

The events in Prijedor demonstrate how discrimination and segregation can evolve into widespread violence against civilian populations.

The White Armband remains an important historical reminder that mass atrocities are often preceded by efforts to identify, isolate, and stigmatize targeted communities.

For this reason, the White Armband has significance not only for Bosnia and Herzegovina but also for global efforts to prevent future atrocities.

Selected References

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Judgments and Appeals Judgments.

United Nations Commission of Experts Final Report pursuant to Security Council Resolution 780 (1992).

Human Rights Watch, War Crimes in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

United Nations Security Council documentation concerning Bosnia and Herzegovina.

International Committee of the Red Cross reports concerning detention facilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

INITIATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE

Subject: Recognition of Ethnic Marking of Civilian Populations as an Early Warning Indicator of Genocide and Mass Atrocity Crimes

To:

The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide

Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect

Excellency,

The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK), the Bosniak Educational and Cultural Community of North America (BECCNA), and the Bosniak American National Association (BANA) respectfully submit this initiative concerning the historical significance of the White Armband of Prijedor as a documented example of an early warning sign preceding mass atrocity crimes.

On 31 May 1992, non-Serb civilians in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, were ordered to wear white armbands and mark their homes. This act of compulsory ethnic identification was followed by widespread persecution, arbitrary detention, forced displacement, killings, and the establishment of detention camps.

Within the field of genocide studies, the identification and public marking of targeted populations is widely recognized as one of the warning indicators that may precede mass atrocity crimes. Such measures contribute to social exclusion, dehumanization, and the creation of conditions in which violence against civilians becomes more likely.

We respectfully request consideration of the following actions:

• Recognition of the Prijedor White Armband case as a significant historical example of population marking within genocide prevention education;

• Inclusion of the case in relevant training materials, policy discussions, and awareness programs related to early warning indicators of atrocity crimes;

• Encouragement of further academic research into the relationship between discriminatory identification measures and the escalation of violence against civilian populations;

• Support for international dialogue on mechanisms for identifying and responding to early warning signs of persecution before violence escalates.

This initiative is consistent with the United Nations commitment to prevention, early warning, and the protection of populations at risk. Its purpose is not only remembrance but also the practical strengthening of international understanding of how genocidal processes begin and how they can be prevented.

The White Armband serves as a reminder that genocide does not begin with mass killing. It often begins with classification, exclusion, stigmatization, and the public marking of human beings as different from their neighbors.

Recognizing and teaching these warning signs can contribute meaningfully to the global effort to prevent future atrocities.

Respectfully submitted,

Dzelila Duliman
Secretary General
North American Bosniak Coordinating Board

On behalf of:

Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK)

Bosniak Educational and Cultural Community of North America (BECCNA)

Bosniak American National Association (BANA)

 

 

 

 ANNEX B

THE WHITE ARMBAND AS AN EARLY WARNING INDICATOR OF GENOCIDE

Lessons for Prevention, Education, and International Action

I. Introduction

One of the most consistent findings in genocide studies is that mass atrocities do not begin with mass killing. They develop through identifiable stages that often include discrimination, stigmatization, exclusion, and the public marking of targeted populations.

The White Armband imposed upon non-Serb civilians in Prijedor on 31 May 1992 provides a significant historical example of this process.

II. Marking of a Target Population

The public identification of civilians on the basis of ethnicity, religion, race, or national origin has appeared in multiple historical contexts associated with mass atrocity crimes.

Examples include:

• Identification measures imposed upon Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe.
• Ethnic registration systems used in Rwanda before the 1994 genocide.
• Identification and segregation measures implemented in various campaigns of ethnic persecution throughout the twentieth century.

Genocide scholars have consistently noted that classification and marking contribute to the social separation of targeted groups and facilitate subsequent discrimination and violence.

III. International Frameworks

The United Nations Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes identifies discrimination against protected groups, exclusionary practices, and systematic stigmatization as important risk indicators.

The Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect has repeatedly emphasized the importance of monitoring:

• Discriminatory legislation;
• Identification of groups as threats;
• Exclusion from public life;
• Organized stigmatization;
• Measures facilitating separation of populations.

The White Armband order in Prijedor represents a historical example illustrating several of these warning indicators.

IV. Academic Literature

Leading scholars in genocide studies have emphasized the role of classification and identification in the development of genocidal processes.

Gregory H. Stanton

Founder of Genocide Watch.

In his widely cited model of the stages of genocide, classification and symbolization are identified among the earliest stages that may precede persecution and extermination.

Barbara Harff

Research on genocide risk assessment identifies discrimination and exclusionary practices as significant predictors of mass atrocity crimes.

Helen Fein

Her work emphasizes how societies create categories of exclusion that facilitate violence against targeted groups.

Jacques Sémelin

In Purify and Destroy, Sémelin examines how stigmatization and exclusion become mechanisms leading toward mass violence.

V. Educational Importance

The White Armband should be understood not solely as a symbol of historical suffering but as a contemporary educational tool.

Teaching about the White Armband contributes to:

• Awareness of early warning signs of mass atrocities;
• Human rights education;
• Prevention of discrimination;
• Promotion of social inclusion;
• Strengthening of genocide prevention strategies.

VI. Recommendations

The White Armband should be incorporated into:

• Genocide prevention education programs;
• Human rights curricula;
• Academic conferences and research initiatives;
• International awareness campaigns focused on atrocity prevention.

Recognizing and teaching the lessons of Prijedor contributes to a broader international effort to identify warning signs before violence escalates and to strengthen the global commitment to the principle of:

“Never Again.”

Selected References

United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes.

Gregory H. Stanton, The Ten Stages of Genocide.

Barbara Harff, Risk Assessment and Early Warning of Genocide.

Helen Fein, Genocide: A Sociological Perspective.

Jacques Sémelin, Purify and Destroy: The Political Uses of Massacre and Genocide.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Early Warning Project and genocide prevention resources.

 

MEMORANDUM TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Subject: Recognition of the White Armband as a Symbol of Early Warning Signs of Mass Atrocity Crimes

Your Excellency,

The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK), the Bosniak Educational and Cultural Community of North America (BECCNA), and the Bosniak American National Association (BANA) respectfully request your support in raising international awareness of the White Armband of Prijedor as a symbol of the dangers posed by ethnic identification and collective stigmatization.

The events that unfolded in Prijedor in 1992 demonstrated how the public marking of civilians based on ethnicity can become a precursor to systematic persecution, detention, forced displacement, and mass violence.

We respectfully encourage the United Nations Secretariat to:

• Support educational and awareness initiatives concerning the White Armband as a warning sign of potential atrocity crimes;

• Encourage inclusion of the Prijedor case in relevant UN educational, human rights, and genocide prevention programs;

• Promote discussion among Member States regarding the importance of recognizing early warning indicators of mass atrocity crimes.

Our initiative is grounded in the principles of prevention, remembrance, education, and protection of human dignity. It seeks not to reopen divisions but to contribute to global efforts aimed at ensuring that future generations recognize and respond to the warning signs that have too often preceded genocide and crimes against humanity.

Respectfully submitted,

Dzelila Duliman
Secretary General
North American Bosniak Coordinating Board

On behalf of:
IGK
BECCNA
BANA

 

 

INITIATIVE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL WHITE ARMBAND REMEMBRANCE DAY

Submitted to:

The President of the United Nations General Assembly

Subject: Proposal for a United Nations General Assembly Resolution Establishing 31 May as the International White Armband Remembrance Day

Excellency,

The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK), the Bosniak Educational and Cultural Community of North America (BECCNA), and the Bosniak American National Association (BANA) respectfully submit this initiative calling upon Member States of the United Nations to consider the adoption of a General Assembly Resolution establishing 31 May as the International White Armband Remembrance Day.

On 31 May 1992, authorities controlling the municipality of Prijedor in Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered the non-Serb population to mark their homes with white flags or sheets and to wear white armbands for identification. This act of ethnic marking became one of the most recognizable examples of organized discrimination and persecution in Europe after the Second World War.

The marking of targeted populations has historically been recognized as one of the earliest warning signs preceding mass atrocities, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The subsequent establishment of detention camps, forced expulsions, killings, and systematic persecution in Prijedor tragically demonstrated the dangers inherent in such practices.

The proposed International White Armband Remembrance Day would serve not only as a remembrance of victims but also as a universal educational instrument dedicated to the prevention of genocide, racism, discrimination, and dehumanization.

We respectfully encourage Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with interested Member States, to consider introducing a resolution before the General Assembly to establish this international day of remembrance.

Such recognition would reinforce the United Nations' commitment to the principles of human dignity, prevention of mass atrocities, and the universal pledge of “Never Again.”

Respectfully submitted,

Institute for Research of Genocide Canada (IGK)

Bosniak Educational and Cultural Community of North America (BECCNA)

Bosniak American National Association (BANA)

Dzelila Duliman
Secretary General
North American Bosniak Coordinating Board
Authorized Representative of the Sponsoring Organizations