Historical Roots of the Genocide Against the Bosniaks

Abstract

Historical roots of the genocide against the Bosniaks can be found in the attitudes of Austria, Venice and Russia to the Muslims, particularly the Bosniaks, during the wars with the Ottoman State. Unlike the Ottoman Muslini State, in which the Koranic principi© "La ikrahe fi ddini" (There is no forcing in faith) was respected, the Christian States applied the medieval principle "Cuius regio,illius religio" ( Religion is of those who are in power). Abiding by that principle, the Christian States destroyed Muslims if they refused to accept Christianity, This was particularly revealed during the so- called Great War (1683-1699) when many a Muslim, Bosniak first of all, was killed; many were captured, women and chiidren particularly, and forcibly christened. That practice existed all the time until the war between Austria and the Ottoman Empire (1788-1790), when the enlightened Emperor Joseph II of Austria promised the Bosniaks, if they were peaceful, their personal security and the security of their properfy. Thus, for the first time, the equality of Islam with other religions was promised and even salaries for the religious officials from the national treasury. But, this did not stop the genocide against the Bosniaks as the role was taken over by the Bosniaks’ neighbours - Serbs and Montenegrins, who have been until the present day committing genocide against the Bosniaks in the cruelest manner, unseen in the history of mankind.