SARAJEVO, Oct 19 (Hina) - Alija Izetbegovic, former Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency chairman and long-standing leader of the Bosnian Muslim people who died in Sarajevo on Sunday, was born in Bosanski Samac on 8 August 1925.
SARAJEVO, Oct 19 (Hina) - Alija Izetbegovic, former Bosnia-
Herzegovina Presidency chairman and long-standing leader of the
Bosnian Muslim people who died in Sarajevo on Sunday, was born in
Bosanski Samac on 8 August 1925. #L#
A lawyer by occupation, he spent most of his life in the Bosnian
capital, a life marked by a persistent struggle for Muslims'
rights, which cost him two prison terms in socialist Yugoslavia on
charges of panislamism.
He published a number of works on Islam.
In May 1990 he founded the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), which
elected him its first president. At elections shortly thereafter he
was elected chairman of Bosnia's three-men state Presidency,
remaining in office until 1998. He was re-elected to the Presidency
in that year's election but resigned less than two years later due
to seriously impaired health.
In 2001 Izetbegovic resigned to the post of SDA president but
remained influential on inter-party issues in his capacity as
honorary president.
Critics often reproached Izetbegovic for inconsistency, the
insufficient preparation of the Bosnian Muslim side for the defence
during the 1990s war, behind-the-scenes political games, and
nepotism.
(hina) ha