30th Anniversary of Srebrenica Genocide: A Call to Action for Truth and Justice

As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, the world is reminded of the atrocities that occurred in July 1995, where over 8,000 Bosnian men and boys were systematically executed and buried in mass graves. The United Nations Secretary-General reflects on the collective failure of the international community to prevent this tragedy, which was a result of policies, propaganda, and indifference. Today, the survivors and families of victims, particularly the "Mothers of Srebrenica," continue to show extraordinary courage in their pursuit of truth and justice.

Key Takeaways:

• The Srebrenica genocide was the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War, resulting in the systematic execution of over 8,000 Bosnian men and boys.
• The United Nations and the world failed the people of Srebrenica 30 years ago, due to policies, propaganda, and international indifference.
• The International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice have determined that the acts committed at Srebrenica in 1995 constituted genocide, and that criminal responsibility is individualized.
• The International Court of Justice made clear that States have a clear obligation to prevent genocide, and the United Nations Secretary-General is calling on Member States to uphold this obligation.
• The Srebrenica survivors and their loved ones have been crucial in keeping the memory of the tragedy alive and pushing for truth and justice.
• The international community must confront denial, distortion, and revisionism, and recognize the suffering of all victims to build mutual understanding, trust, and lasting peace.
• Hate speech is on the rise again, fueling discrimination, extremism, and violence, and the world must take action to prevent this from leading to further atrocity crimes.
• The United Nations Secretary-General is calling on every Member State to fulfill their shared responsibility to uphold the lessons of Srebrenica, preserve historical truth, and protect human dignity.

Statistics:

• Over 8,000 Bosnian men and boys were systematically executed and buried in mass graves during the Srebrenica genocide.
• Since the genocide, the survivors and families of victims have been pushing for truth and justice, including the "Mothers of Srebrenica" who have shown extraordinary courage.
• The International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice have made clear that the acts committed at Srebrenica in 1995 constituted genocide.
• The International Court of Justice has made clear that States have a clear obligation to prevent genocide.
• 30 years have passed since the Srebrenica genocide, and the world is still working to prevent similar atrocities from happening again.

Sources:

• United Nations secretary general
• United Nations News (http://milnz.co.nz/mil-osi-aggregation/)
• Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide