Expand All Collapse All Extent 75 folders, approximately 4098 pages Summary This collection consists of records describing the ethnic cleansing that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina around the town of Srebrenica in July 1995. The massacre of 8,000 Bosnian Muslims that occurred in Srebrenica is the largest mass murder in Europe since World War II. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) deemed it an act of genocide. This collection consists of memoranda, reports, handwritten notes, newspaper articles, correspondence, talking points, cables, and press guidance. A highlight of the records concerns the efforts of the United States and its European allies to bring the perpetrators of genocidal crimes to justice. Scope and Content Note The materials in FOIA 2006-0647-F are a systematic body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. FOIA request 2006-0647-F contains records on genocide in the former Yugoslavia, specifically the ethnic cleansing that took place in the eastern area of Bosnia and Herzegovina around the town of Srebrenica in July 1995. The Srebrenica massacre is the largest mass murder in Europe since World War II. In 2004, in a unanimous ruling, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) located in The Hague ruled that the Srebrenica massacre was genocide. The ICTY and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have ruled that, in order for actions to be deemed genocide, there must be physical or biological destruction of a protected group and a specific intent to commit such destruction. To date, only the Srebrenica massacre has been found to be an act of genocide by the ICTY, a finding upheld by the ICJ. The genocide refers to the July 1995 killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslims) men and boys, as well as the ethnic cleansing of 25,000-30,000 refugees in the area of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by units of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) under the command of General Ratko Mladić during the Bosnian War. The United Nations had declared Srebrenica a United Nations-protected "safe area" but that did not prevent the massacre, even though 400 armed Dutch peacekeepers were present at the time. It should be noted that many of the documents regarding the genocide have been withdrawn due to national security restrictions. White House Staff and Office Files contain memos, reports, papers, talking points, correspondence, cables, handwritten notes, newspaper articles, and press guidance dealing with Serbian atrocities committed in the seizure of Srebrenica and the efforts of the United States and its European allies to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice. There are records describing meetings in 1995 between defense ministers of concerned countries and their recognition of the need to take some sort of action to halt the Serbs in their inexorable efforts to rid Bosnia and Herzegovina of all Muslims. The records show an inability to reach an agreement on what should be done—the use of ground troops or air power or both. As for the apprehension of war criminals, timidity and indecision also prevailed. A major highlight of the documents is an effort by the Dutch to determine what led to the disaster at Srebrenica. FOIA request, 2006-0647-F, contains electronic records in the form of cables and emails. The NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems includes cables of foreign news reports about the actions of the VRS military against Srebrenica and the neighboring areas, the discovery of mass graves, and the convictions and trials of those who participated in the genocide. The cables also contain statements by various officials on the anniversary of the massacre and a description of a visit to a mass grave by UN Ambassador Madeleine Albright. Emails include press guidance and congressional talking points on the situation and aftermath in Srebrenica, points to be made by President Clinton for a National Public Radio interview, a White House statement on Bosnian war crimes and atrocities, and correspondence to members of Congress about bringing indicted war criminals to justice. The Records Management System contains textual records in the form of correspondence, memos, and press statements. Included is a reply by President Clinton to a letter from Simon Wiesenthal, a Holocaust survivor and prominent Nazi hunter, urging that Yugoslav war criminals be indicted and brought to trial in a speedy fashion. Many of the other records concern the organization of an international war crimes tribunal addressing the situation in the former Yugoslavia and the unwavering support of the Clinton Administration in its formation. The ARMS Emails include memos and information prepared for the President. Record Type Textual System of Arrangement Records that are responsive to this FOIA request were found in these collection areas—Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files, Clinton Presidential Records: ARMS Emails, and Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems. Staff and Office files were maintained at the folder level by staff members within their individual offices and document all levels of administration activity. The Automated Records Management System (ARMS) is a database that contains email records of the Executive Office of the President. This system maintained unclassified Presidential emails. The ARMS dataset is comprised of 6 sub-series of email records called ―Buckets.‖ The buckets include NPR, OPD, POTUS, WHO, CEA, and Default. ARMS emails are arranged chronologically by creation date. Access Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 USC 2201) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 USC 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions. Copyright Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States government as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Researchers are advised to consult the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, USC) which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Provenance Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA). Subject Headings Yugoslav War (1991-1995) Genocide Murder Serbs Geographic Place Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbia Yugoslavia Processed by Staff Archivist, 2010. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released. Last Modified Date 2012-05-03 Container List The following is a list of folders processed in response to FOIA 2006-0647-F: Box 1 Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files National Security Council Bosnia – Hurley, Michael Atrocities [OA/ID 1710] Srebrenica (Unclassified Report) [1] [OA/ID 1711] Srebrenica (Unclassified Report) [2] [OA/ID 1711] Defense Policy – Bell, Robert Bosnia, July-September 1995 [OA/ID 1588] Democracy/Human Rights – Halperin, Mort Bosnia – War Crimes Tribunal [1] [OA/ID 491] Bosnia – War Crimes Tribunal [2] [OA/ID 491] Bosnia – War Crimes Tribunal [3] [OA/ID 491] Bosnia – War Crimes Tribunal [4] [OA/ID 491] Bosnia – War Crimes Tribunal [5] [OA/ID 491] Box 2 Democracy/Human Rights – Lorin, Matthew Bosnia: War Crimes [1] [OA/ID 802] Bosnia: War Crimes [2] [OA/ID 802] Bosnia: War Crimes [3] [OA/ID 802] Bosnia: War Crimes [4] [OA/ID 802] Democracy/Human Rights – Malley, Rob Bosnia – War Crimes Tribunal [1] [OA/ID 794] Bosnia – War Crimes Tribunal [2] [OA/ID 794] European – Vershbow, Alexander Bosnia – July 1995 (Early July) [1] [OA/ID 897] Bosnia – July 1995 (Early July) [2] [OA/ID 897] Bosnia – July 1995 (Early July) [3] [OA/ID 897] Bosnia – July 1995 (Mid-July) [1] [OA/ID 897] Bosnia – July 1995 (Mid-July) [2] [OA/ID 897] Bosnia – July 1995 (Mid-July) [3] [OA/ID 897] Bosnia – July 1995 (Mid-July) [4] [OA/ID 897] Bosnia – War Crimes, November-December 1996 [1] [OA/ID 1076] Bosnia – War Crimes, November-December 1996 [2] [OA/ID 1076] Box 3 European – Vershbow, Alexander Bosnia – War Crimes, November-December 1996 [3] [OA/ID 1076] Bosnia – War Crimes, January 1997 [1] [OA/ID 1076] Bosnia – War Crimes, January 1997 [2] [OA/ID 1076] Bosnia – War Crimes, January 1997 [3] [OA/ID 1076] Bosnia – War Crimes, January 1997 [4] [OA/ID 1076] Legal Advisor – DeRosa, Mary Bosnia – War Crimes, 1993 [OA/ID 3312] Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files National Security Council Box 3 Multilateral & Humanitarian Affairs – Schwartz, Eric War Crimes – Ex-Yugoslavia [1] [OA/ID 3476] War Crimes – Ex-Yugoslavia [2] [OA/ID 3476] War Crimes – Ex-Yugoslavia [3] [OA/ID 3476] Multilateral & Humanitarian Affairs – Shea, Dorothy ICTY [International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia] – FRY [Federal Republic of Yugoslavia] [OA/ID 3348] ICTY – PIFWCs [Persons Indicted for War Crimes] [OA/ID 3348] Multilateral & Humanitarian Affairs – Stromseth, Jane Srebrenica [1] [OA/ID 2144] Srebrenica [2] [OA/ID 2144] Box 4 Multilateral & Humanitarian Affairs – Stromseth, Jane Srebrenica [3] [OA/ID 2144] Multilateral & Humanitarian Affairs – Stromseth, Jane/Feldman, Dan/Shea, Dorothy Srebrenica & NIOD [Netherlands Institute for War Documentation] [OA/ID 2975] Staff Director – Soderberg, Nancy Bosnia, July 1995 [1] [OA/ID 1402] Bosnia, July 1995 [2] [OA/ID 1402] [Soderberg Notes from Bosnia PC Meeting, July 14, 1995] [OA/ID 1394] [Soderberg Notes from Bosnia PC Conference Call, July 15, 1995] [OA/ID 1394] Clinton Presidential Records: Automated Records Management System [Email] WHO [OA/ID 500,000] [Bosnia, Genocide] [04/10/1995] [Bosnia, War Crimes] [04/28/1995] Default [OA/ID 1,100,000] [Bosnia, War Crimes] [04/19/1993] Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems NSC Cables Jan 1995-Dec 1996 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [07/10/1995-07/17/1995] [OA/ID 510000] Jan 1995-Dec 1996 Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems NSC Cables [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [07/18/1995-07/25/1995] [OA/ID 510000] Jan 1995-Dec 1996 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [07/26/1995-08/08/1995] [OA/ID 510000] Jan 1995-Dec 1996 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [08/11/1995-08/16/1995] [OA/ID 510000] Box 5 Jan 1995-Dec 1996 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [08/17/1995-10/13/1995] [OA/ID 510000] Jan 1995-Dec 1996 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [10/23/1995-11/16/1995] [OA/ID 510000] Jan 1995-Dec 1996 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [11/17/1995-03/26/1996] [OA/ID 510000] Jan 1995-Dec 1996 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [03/27/1996-11/29/1996] [OA/ID 510000] Jan 1997-Dec 1998 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [03/17/1997-12/07/1998] [OA/ID 520000] Jan 1999-Dec 2000 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [04/30/1999-10/25/2000] [OA/ID 530000] Jan 2001 [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [01/11/2001] [OA/ID 540000] Box 6 NSC Emails MSMail-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97) [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [07/12/1995-08/04/1995] [OA/ID 590000] MSMail-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97 Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems Box 6 NSC Emails [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [08/06/1995-08/15/1995] [OA/ID 590000] MSMail-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97) [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [08/18/1995-01/30/1997] [OA/ID 590000] MSMail-Non-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97) [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [08/29/1995-01/13/1996] [OA/ID 605000] Exchange-Record (Sept 97-Jan 01) [Srebrenica and Ethnic Cleans…] [12/02/1998-12/15/1999] [OA/ID 620000] NSC Records Management [Srebrenica or War Crimes or ICTY or Atrocities or Genocide] 9303903 [OA/ID 150] 9308905 [OA/ID 172] 9408212 [OA/ID 217] 9501043 [OA/ID 564] Box 7 9505596 [OA/ID 595] 9505611 [OA/ID 596] 9506054 [OA/ID 599] 9506335 [1] [OA/ID 600] 9506335 [2] [OA/ID 600] 9508100 [OA/ID 613] 9508172 [OA/ID 613] 9508343 [OA/ID 614] 9508345 [OA/ID 614]