storm - Hrvatski memorijalno-dokumentacijski centar Domovinskog ...

own kin... at the cost of his life” - that Croatian soldiers were given the task of looking
aft er the safety of the remaining Serbian civilians, in this case by transferring them to
security in Knin. Moreover, many Croatian soldiers and policemen testifi ed that they fed
and looked aft er Serbian civilians aft er operations Flash and Storm. Unfortunately, some
individuals did not follow their example.
Of course, humanitarian activities in the just liberated area are not a topic discussed
in this book (Slobodan Lang - Vesna Ivanović, Pružena ruka: hrvatski “Pravednici” -
djela dobra u ratu/Th e Off ered Hand: the ‘Righteous’ Croats - Good Deeds During the
War; Zagreb, 2006, 196-209, and other reports). In this context, and since the Croatian
army was supposed to lift the blockade of the UN safe area at Bihać in neighbouring
Bosnia&Herzegovina, one should not neglect the fact that Storm itself was also a singular
humanitarian operation which saved from certain death thousands of innocent people
in Bihać, surrounded by Serbian forces and threatened with the fate of the inhabitants of
Srebrenica and Žepa.
Croatian historiography has already demonstrated its maturity and impartiality, and
readiness to face the most intriguing issues. Th is warrants the belief that this book on
Operation Storm will contribute to its objective presentation and to the understanding of
the procedures conditioned by circumstances, and clearly distinguish the consequences
of combat action (suff ering of the population due to shelling and fi ghting) from the
criminal off ences committed independently of military action (because of revenge or
gain). Similarly, scientifi c analyses ought to help in understanding the objectives and
the outcome of Storm: the defeat of the Serbian aggressor and the reintegration of
the so-called UNPA Zones into the constitutional and legal system of the Republic of
Croatia, i.e., the liberation of the occupied territory of the Republic of Croatia up to its
international recognized borders, return of the refugees, and help provided to the Army
of B&H in lift ing the blockade of surrounded Bihać and preventing a new humanitarian
disaster. However, the book should also halt the manipulations whereby the legitimacy
and the liberating character of this military&police operation is being questioned by
referring to events which are not related to its objectives and which were committed by
wilful individuals largely aft er its end.
Ante Nazor
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