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Srebrenica Massacre, After 20 Years, Still Casts a Long Shadow in Bosnia Srebrenica Massacre, After 20 Years, Still Casts a Long Shadow in Bosnia
(34 minutes later)
LONDON — As Europe marks the 20th anniversary of the massacre of about 8,000 Muslim men and boys at the Bosnian town of Srebrenica, the remains of victims — arms, legs and heads hidden by Bosnian Serb forces — are still being discovered.LONDON — As Europe marks the 20th anniversary of the massacre of about 8,000 Muslim men and boys at the Bosnian town of Srebrenica, the remains of victims — arms, legs and heads hidden by Bosnian Serb forces — are still being discovered.
The atrocity was the worst in Europe since World War II, and the exhumations are a vivid reminder that while the brutal violence of the Islamic State and Boko Haram has dominated the headlines recently, mass killing took place on European soil on July 11, 1995, while the world looked the other way.The atrocity was the worst in Europe since World War II, and the exhumations are a vivid reminder that while the brutal violence of the Islamic State and Boko Haram has dominated the headlines recently, mass killing took place on European soil on July 11, 1995, while the world looked the other way.
A few months before the end of the Bosnian war, Bosnian Serb forces under Gen. Ratko Mladic took over a United Nations “safe haven” in eastern Srebrenica, separated the men and boys from the women, and led them to killing fields where they were shot with hands bound.A few months before the end of the Bosnian war, Bosnian Serb forces under Gen. Ratko Mladic took over a United Nations “safe haven” in eastern Srebrenica, separated the men and boys from the women, and led them to killing fields where they were shot with hands bound.
The bodies were later dumped in mass graves and then scattered to conceal the evidence. Some among the handful that survived did so by pretending to be dead and hiding under corpses.The bodies were later dumped in mass graves and then scattered to conceal the evidence. Some among the handful that survived did so by pretending to be dead and hiding under corpses.
On Saturday, a memorial for the massacre will be held at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial in Bosnia, where rows of tombstones testify to the cruelty of the war. Past and present world leaders, including the presidents of Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia, are expected to gather at a commemoration for the victims. News reports said that former President Bill Clinton of the United States, whose administration brokered the accords that ended the war, would also attend, although that has not been confirmed. On Saturday, a remembrance of the massacre will be held at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial in Bosnia, where rows of tombstones testify to the cruelty of the war. Past and present world leaders, including the presidents of Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia, are expected to gather at a commemoration for the victims. News reports said that former President Bill Clinton, whose administration brokered the accords that ended the war, would also attend, although that has not been confirmed.
Paddy Ashdown, a British former diplomat who was the European Union’s high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2006, said at a ceremony in Westminster Abbey this week that the world must never again stand silent in the face of genocide.Paddy Ashdown, a British former diplomat who was the European Union’s high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2006, said at a ceremony in Westminster Abbey this week that the world must never again stand silent in the face of genocide.
“We could have prevented this horror. We chose not to,” he said. “We should therefore remember Srebrenica, not just to bear witness to those who suffered, but also as a warning to us all of what happens when we turn our back.”“We could have prevented this horror. We chose not to,” he said. “We should therefore remember Srebrenica, not just to bear witness to those who suffered, but also as a warning to us all of what happens when we turn our back.”
Yet in a region still haunted by the past, reconciliation has been halting and deep wounds remain.Yet in a region still haunted by the past, reconciliation has been halting and deep wounds remain.
In a sign of the challenges, the United Nations Security Council has been struggling this week to agree on a resolution that condemns the massacre as a “crime of genocide.” Serbia, Bosnian Serbs in Bosnia and Russia have criticized a British-drafted resolution as one-sided and “anti-Serb.”In a sign of the challenges, the United Nations Security Council has been struggling this week to agree on a resolution that condemns the massacre as a “crime of genocide.” Serbia, Bosnian Serbs in Bosnia and Russia have criticized a British-drafted resolution as one-sided and “anti-Serb.”
The Serbian news media reported that Tomislav Nikolic, the Serbian president, who has previously apologized for Srebrenica but has declined to call it a genocide, would not attend the ceremony on Saturday in Bosnia. An aide told Danas, a Serbian newspaper, that for Mr. Nikolic to attend, a senior Bosnian Muslim official would need to make a similar gesture at places where Serbs suffered.The Serbian news media reported that Tomislav Nikolic, the Serbian president, who has previously apologized for Srebrenica but has declined to call it a genocide, would not attend the ceremony on Saturday in Bosnia. An aide told Danas, a Serbian newspaper, that for Mr. Nikolic to attend, a senior Bosnian Muslim official would need to make a similar gesture at places where Serbs suffered.
Nevertheless, Serbia, which is seeking to join the European Union, has made significant progress in its historical reckoning.Nevertheless, Serbia, which is seeking to join the European Union, has made significant progress in its historical reckoning.
After years of evading capture — abetted by some supporters among the political leadership in Serbia and by a Serbian public skeptical of justice at The Hague — Mr. Mladic and Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb wartime political leader, were arrested. They are now on trial for war crimes at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. After years of evading capture — abetted by some supporters among the political leadership in Serbia and by a Serbian public skeptical of justice at The Hague — Mr. Mladic and Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb wartime political leader, were arrested. They are now on trial for war crimes at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.
In March, Serbia arrested eight men suspected of having participated in the atrocity and of killing more than 1,000 Bosnians at a warehouse in Kravica, near Srebrenica. The arrests were described by prosecutors as the first by the Serbian police of anyone accused of involvement in the killings at Srebrenica.In March, Serbia arrested eight men suspected of having participated in the atrocity and of killing more than 1,000 Bosnians at a warehouse in Kravica, near Srebrenica. The arrests were described by prosecutors as the first by the Serbian police of anyone accused of involvement in the killings at Srebrenica.
In Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, which defied Belgrade by declaring independence in 2008, the Serbian leadership and ethnic Albanian leaders have achieved a fragile power-sharing agreement.In Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, which defied Belgrade by declaring independence in 2008, the Serbian leadership and ethnic Albanian leaders have achieved a fragile power-sharing agreement.
Yet Srebrenica continues to cast a long shadow. Bosnia remains one of Europe’s poorest and most ethnically divided countries, and the massacre has remained a source of political contention. Bosnian Serb nationalist leaders have sought to play down the events at Srebrenica, and leading Bosnian Muslim officials express frustration that the 1995 Dayton accord, which ended the war, granted the Bosnian Serbs autonomy over their own territory.Yet Srebrenica continues to cast a long shadow. Bosnia remains one of Europe’s poorest and most ethnically divided countries, and the massacre has remained a source of political contention. Bosnian Serb nationalist leaders have sought to play down the events at Srebrenica, and leading Bosnian Muslim officials express frustration that the 1995 Dayton accord, which ended the war, granted the Bosnian Serbs autonomy over their own territory.
The Dayton accord divided the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina into two entities, a Muslim-Croat federation and a Serbian republic. That agreement ended a war in which more than 100,000 people were killed, most of them Muslims. But the complex power-sharing system has helped to hobble the country. The Dayton accord divided the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina into two entities, a Muslim-Croat federation and a Serbian republic. That agreement ended a war in which more than 100,000 people were killed, a majority of them Muslims. But the complex power-sharing system has helped to hobble the country.
The massacre, which took place when the Srebrenica enclave was under the protection of 400 lightly armed United Nations peacekeepers from the Netherlands, has also been a source of national shame for the Dutch.The massacre, which took place when the Srebrenica enclave was under the protection of 400 lightly armed United Nations peacekeepers from the Netherlands, has also been a source of national shame for the Dutch.
Last year, a Dutch court ruled that the government was liable for the deaths of about 300 victims of the massacre, saying that peacekeepers had failed to prevent their deaths. The ruling was a catharsis of sorts for the relatives of Srebrenica victims who had long called for the Netherlands to be held accountable.Last year, a Dutch court ruled that the government was liable for the deaths of about 300 victims of the massacre, saying that peacekeepers had failed to prevent their deaths. The ruling was a catharsis of sorts for the relatives of Srebrenica victims who had long called for the Netherlands to be held accountable.
In Srebrenica, the search for human remains continues. Two decades later, relatives still scour the nearby forest for bones. According to the International Commission on Missing Persons, 6,930 bodies have been identified from 17,000 body parts found in dozens of mass graves. But around 1,000 victims from the massacre have still not been identified. There will be 136 burials of newly identified bodies on Saturday.In Srebrenica, the search for human remains continues. Two decades later, relatives still scour the nearby forest for bones. According to the International Commission on Missing Persons, 6,930 bodies have been identified from 17,000 body parts found in dozens of mass graves. But around 1,000 victims from the massacre have still not been identified. There will be 136 burials of newly identified bodies on Saturday.
Munira Subasic, president of the Mothers of Srebrenica association, who lost 22 relatives in the massacre, including her husband and son, this week lamented that many mothers were still unable to bury their dead. Munira Subasic, the president of the Mothers of Srebrenica association, who lost 22 relatives in the massacre, including her husband and son, this week lamented that many mothers were still unable to bury their dead.
“Some mothers are still searching for the bones of their children,” Ms. Subasic said. “That is our life now — our biggest problem and our greatest mission.”“Some mothers are still searching for the bones of their children,” Ms. Subasic said. “That is our life now — our biggest problem and our greatest mission.”