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Western Bosnia

by zeljko heimer 27-SEP-1995

Symbols of Western Bosnia
Some Historical Facts on Western Bosnia
Other arms of Western Bosnia

See also: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Symbols of Western Bosnia

In the documents reprinted in several newspapers after the military ofensive of Croatian Army and 5. corps of Army of BiH (begining of Aug 1995), there were shown a coat of arms of self proclaimed Autonomous region of Western Bosnia. It was seen on he aders of official document s, and on other material, and I supose that some kind of similar design was also used as a flag (as it is usual in this part of the World to put the coat of arms on flag).
It is olive (?) coronet with three quadrangles underneath. I never saw it coloured. What is a simbolism and origin of it, I don't know. The coronet is presumably standing for peace, but what are the squares? I read them as a path (compare it to the simila r road sign for highway). If that is true it should stand for "a road of three nations towards peace".
The Western Bosnia is a region around the town of Bihac, a Muslim enclave which was surounded on three sides with Croatian Serbs' Krajina, and on east with Bosnian Serb held teritory. The enclave was led by a politician Fikret Abdic, and the region was sp ared of major devastation at the beggining of war in Bosnia. Later there was an argue between Abdic and Sarajevo government, and he declared and Autonomouse Province of Western Bosnia. The fighting started then between government loyal troups in 5. corps of Army of BiH in Bihac and Abdics forces stationed in the town of Velika Kladusa. Abdics forcec allayed with Serbs, and retreated in Serb occupied teritory in Croatia. A week before the Croatian-Bosnian offensive, and the end of Serb Krayina in Croatia, and liberation of Bihac enclave, Abdic proclaimed total separation from Sarajevo, forming the Republic of Western Bosnia.
The coat was used in the last days of this Republic, and if it was used before, also for Autonomous Province, I have no information.
Unfortunatelly, I misplaced the newspapers (the events hapened during the summer holydays) where it was pictured, so I cann't scan it. The best I can do is to make this sketch. I hope it would do for now.
zeljko heimer 27-SEP-1995

Some Historical Facts on Western Bosnia

Fikret Abdic, the leader of the moslim rebels in the moslim enclave Bihac (Northwestern part of Bosnia and Hercegovina), has declared 26 July 1995 the 'Republic of West-Bosnia' over the territory in his possession. In september 1993 he declared the enc lave already autonmous from Sarajevo. (Source: NRC Handelsblad (Rotterdam) 27 July 1995.
jos poels 30-JUL-1995

It is, of course, the coat of Abdic's state that no longer exists.
And to satisfy your curiosity, Abdic, as all of his followers, are abolished (but those that are accused for war crimes, and I haven't heard if any is). Newspapers speculate that Abdic is in Zagreb, and Croatian government has indirectly confirmed that. B osnian gov't have not sent request for extradiction, and the matter is on ice, for the time being. I think that he is not going to be prosecuted, becouse of the fact that he is a very strong buisnisman needed to resurect Bosnian economy.
When I said that Abdic was abolished I was reffering to the Law on Abolition, passed by Croatian parlament, granting abolition of prosecution of persons who joined (of free will or by force) the enemy troups. In this way, most of soldiers that surrendered to Croatian Army are now free citisens of Croatia, or if they wished they could go to the third countries (as it is said here, meaning that they didn't want to stay in Croatia, so thay left, mainly to Serbia).
The law was intended first of all for rebel Serb soldiers, but as Abdic, and his followes, surrended to Croatian Army, the part of the treaty of surrender was that the same law would act for them also.
zeljko heimer 29-SEP-1995

Other arms of Western Bosnia

In a report on Euronews (some months ago), I saw two arms which could be former projects of the arms of the former Republic of Western Bosnia.
The first is the same as the Bosnian one but there is a thick yellow border around it.On the diagonal stripe appear three blue hexagones, and over all on the diagonal stripe just above the second lower fleur de lys a big yellow bee or something like that with blue wings , as well as blue "contours".
The second one is the same but the fleurs de lys are yellow on green (green maybe here for Muslims), the bee is yellow with green wings,there is just one hexagone (and under the bee) in green on the diagonal stripe which is still white.
I think the "bee" and the hexagone are coming from the logo of AGROKOMERC the firm of which Fikret Abdic was the manager.
In the report, it was said that there was a flag , and I think this one was white with the arms in the centre but I'm not sure of that.
pascal vagnat 23-NOV-1995