Srebrenica Massacre Report: A Critical Examination of International Inaction

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a damning report on the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, blaming the international community, the U.N. Security Council, and peacekeepers for their inadequate response to the crisis. The report, ordered by the U.N. General Assembly, highlights the catastrophic consequences of the fall of Srebrenica and the subsequent execution of nearly 20,000 people, mostly Muslims. Annan's report calls for accountability and a re-evaluation of the U.N.'s peacekeeping strategies, emphasizing the need for a clear will to peace and consent by the belligerents.

Key Takeaways:

• The Srebrenica massacre was a preventable disaster, with the international community, the U.N. Security Council, and peacekeepers failing to take decisive action to protect the safe area.
• The report highlights the failure of peacekeepers to comprehend the Serb war aims, leading to a lack of preparedness and inadequate response to the crisis.
• The international arms embargo on Bosnia-Herzegovina prevented the country from defending itself, while the demilitarization of Srebrenica and nearby Zepa made them easier targets for the Serbs.
• The report criticizes the U.N. secretariat for giving the Security Council a false impression of control over the situation, and for failing to share intelligence effectively.
• Annan holds the U.N. Security Council, the Contact Group, and governments responsible for the delay in using force in the early stages of the war.
• The primary responsibility for the massacre lies with the architects and implementers of the attempted genocide in Bosnia, including Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, who remain free to this day.

Statistics:

• Up to 20,000 people were killed in and around the safe areas designated by the U.N. Security Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Source: Srebrenica Report)
• 2,500 executed men and boys have been found, with nearly 7,500 more missing as of last month. (Source: Srebrenica Report)
• The 150-man Dutch peacekeepers in Srebrenica, although outnumbered and in indefensible positions, did not receive adequate air support when requested. (Source: Srebrenica Report)
• The arms embargo imposed on Bosnia-Herzegovina had prevented the country from defending itself, with 30,000 Muslim men executed by the Serbs. (Source: Annan)

Sources:

• Srebrenica Report by Kofi Annan, U.N. Secretary-General, November 15
• United Nations, Srebrenica Report, 155 pages
• International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Indictments against Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic