Blaž Kraljević
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blaž Kraljević (born June 17, 1947 in Ljubuški, Bosnia and Herzegovina - died August 9, 1992 near Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina) was a Croat paramilitary leader during the first few months of the Bosnian War. Prior to his return to Bosnia and Herzegovina he lived in Australia.
He commanded the HOS (Hrvatske obrambene snage) or Croatian Defence Forces which also had many Bosniak soldiers and commanders. His unit was formed to defend southern Bosnia and Herzegovina from the aggression waged by the Serbian military.
Unlike the other Croat militia, the HVO (Hrvatsko vijeće obrane) or Croatian Defence Council, he opposed the division of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the creation of an ethnically cleansed Greater Croatia, instead he wanted to federate Bosnia and Herzegovina with Croatia. On May 9, 1992 he issued a proclamation to the Bosniak and Croat citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina which stated the following;
- We implore all citizens of BiH, especially Croats and Bosniaks not to take into account any statements or agreements between Mate Boban and Radovan Karadžić.
- Not one nor the other speak in the name of Croats and Bosniaks. They do not represent what the Croats and Bosniaks want.
- There will be no division of BiH, we can and we will preserve BiH for all of us; we won't leave our people on the grinder. Either we will all die or we will all be free. We are not ready for treason. Radovan Karadzic is the murderer of Croat and Bosniak people's and Mate Boban cannot and doesn't have the right to lead the Croats and Bosniaks of BH into ruin.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina is defended and will be defended by the HOS and TO BiH (Territorial Defence Forces of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina). Bosnia and Herzegovina is in ruins, the people are displaced but the victory is ours. We invite all HVO units to come under our command. Under the command of the HOS and with the cooperation of the TO BiH we will free Bosnia and Herzegovina for the benefit of all people's. We will throw the people with the dark pasts and suspicious present out of the defensive units of BH. We will send them home, but keep an eye on them, we are talking about our destiny. We have a chance, but just one.
After many early successes a large number of HVO soldiers defected and joined the HOS. In the summer of 1992 his militia successfully defended Stolac, and launched an offensive into eastern Herzegovina which liberated parts of the municipality of Trebinje. Much of the Serb population of Trebinje and Bileća had begun to pack up run.
This went against the deal that Serbia and Croatia made regarding the division of the country. Mate Boban summoned him to a meeting in Široki Brijeg in August of 1992. While returning to his home in Ljubuški a group of as many as 20 gunmen opened fire on his motorcade near the village of Kruševo south of Mostar. Kraljević was killed along with Gordan Čuljak, Šahdo Delić, Ivan Granić, Rasim Krasniqi, Osman Maksić, Mario Medić, Vinko Primorac and Marko Stjepanović. The assassination ended the existence of the HOS and cleared the way for the partition of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The gunmen were all paid 5,000 Deutche Marks each by Mladen Naletilić known as Tuta, another Herzegovinian Croat who returned to the country from Australia. Naletilić faced trial at the ICTY and is currently serving an 18 year sentence at the Hague.
