Bosnia and Herzegovina marked the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, Europe’s only acknowledged genocide since World War II. Thousands gathered for memorial events, including the burial of newly identified victims, as the nation continues to grapple with the profound and lasting impact of the 1995 massacre.
A Somber Commemoration
Thousands of people from Bosnia and around the world converged on Srebrenica to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1995 massacre. This horrific event saw over 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys systematically executed by Bosnian Serb forces. The Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center was the focal point, where seven newly identified victims, including two 19-year-old men, were laid to rest in a collective funeral. These annual burials continue as victims’ remains are still being unearthed from mass graves.
- The remains of victims are often incomplete, with families sometimes burying only partial remains found in multiple mass graves.
- The "Srebrenica Inferno," a poetic oratorio, serves as an enduring emblem of collective mourning, with its verses echoing through Srebrenica each year.
The Horrors of 1995
On July 11, 1995, Bosnian Serb fighters overran the eastern Bosnian enclave, a UN-protected safe zone. They separated Bosniak Muslim men and boys from their families and executed them over several days. To conceal the atrocities, bodies were initially dumped in mass graves and later exhumed and scattered across various burial sites using bulldozers. The conflict, which began in 1992 after Bosnia declared independence, resulted in over 100,000 deaths and millions displaced before a U.S.-brokered peace agreement in 1995.
Denial and the Quest for Justice
Despite rulings by two UN courts, both Bosnian Serbs and neighboring Serbia continue to deny that the Srebrenica massacre was a genocide. Prominent Bosnian Serb political and military leaders, including Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, have been convicted and sentenced for genocide. However, many are still celebrated as national heroes by some Serbian and Bosnian Serb officials. This denial remains a significant obstacle to reconciliation and lasting peace in the region.
International Recognition and Ongoing Challenges
Last year, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide on July 11, designating it as the "International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica." This resolution reinforced the 2007 ruling by the International Court of Justice, which declared the massacre a genocide. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the importance of countering denial and distortion to build mutual understanding and lasting peace. However, critics, like Islamic scholar Dzemaludin Latic, argue that the international community’s past actions, such as the arms embargo on Bosnia, contributed to the tragedy and that the world continues to "bargain with Bosnia’s trauma."
Key Takeaways
- The Srebrenica genocide remains Europe’s only acknowledged genocide since the Holocaust.
- The annual commemoration includes the burial of newly identified victims, highlighting the ongoing process of accounting for the missing.
- Despite international court rulings, denial of the genocide persists among some Bosnian Serb and Serbian leaders.
- The UN has established July 11 as an international day of remembrance for the Srebrenica genocide.
- Survivors and activists continue to advocate for full recognition and justice, drawing parallels to other ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises.
Sources
- Thousands gather in Srebrenica on 30th anniversary of Europe’s only acknowledged genocide since WWII, NBC News.
- Bosnia commemorates the Srebrenica genocide, Taipei Times.
- SLIDE SHOW: Bowling Green’s Bosnian community honors 30th anniversary of Srebrenica Massacre, Bowling Green Daily News.
- Bosnia’s wound, the world’s shame: Srebrenica, 30 years on, Daily Sabah.
- Srebrenica, a Massacre Foretold, Still Casts Its Shadow, The New York Times.
