Thousands of people gathered in Srebrenica for the annual ritual of commemorating the 1995 genocide, a tragic event that continues to fuel ethnic tensions and divisions within Bosnia-Herzegovina. This year, the bodies of 13 men and one teenage boy were laid to rest at the memorial cemetery, joining over 6,600 massacre victims already reburied there.
During the shooting spree in July 1995, more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslims were estimated to have been killed by the Bosnian Serb army and police. The remains of the victims are often found scattered over different mass graves, making it challenging for their families to bury them properly.
The Srebrenica killings marked the peak of Bosnia's 1992-95 war, fueled by nationalist passions and territorial ambitions that pitted Bosnian Serbs against Croats and Bosniaks. Despite international recognition of the genocide, Serb officials, including President Milorad Dodik, continue to deny the events, calling it a 'terrible crime' rather than genocide.
The United Nations General Assembly recently designated July 11 as an international day of reflection and commemoration for the Srebrenica genocide, a move opposed by Serbia and Bosnian Serbs. The denial of the genocide has been a longstanding issue, with Hamdija Fejzic emphasizing the need to stop the denial and cover-up of the atrocities.
European Union High Representative Josep Borrell described Srebrenica as a deep scar in Europe's history, emphasizing the importance of remembering the victims and preventing such atrocities from happening again. The failure to prevent the genocide continues to weigh heavily on the international community.
The perpetrators of the Srebrenica genocide, including Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, have been convicted of genocide by international courts. Despite these convictions, many Serbian and Bosnian Serb officials still celebrate them as heroes, downplaying or denying the Srebrenica killings, causing further pain to the victims and survivors.
As the world reflects on the tragic events of Srebrenica, it serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of ethnic hatred and the importance of working towards peace and reconciliation to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.
