Announcement about Our Participation in a Peaceful Protest with the
Women of Srebrenica in Tuzla
As they do on every eleventh of the month, The Women of Srebrenica Civic Association of Tuzla, is organizing a peaceful protest on April 11th in remembrance of the tragedy in Srebrenica and to demand truth and justice.
This month they will be joined by Women in Black Network - Serbia activists. As we have since the beginning of the aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina, and especially since the largest crime committed in our name - the genocide in Srebrenica - we will express our support, respect, solidarity, and compassion with the families of the victims.
Since the beginning of genocide in Srebrenica, we have protested on the streets of Belgrade and throughout Serbia. Every year, we have gone to the commemoration in Potočare. Approximately 100 Women in Black activists attended the trial of members of the Scorpions paramilitary unit in the Special Court in Belgrade (from December 2005 to 2007), offering emotional and moral support to families who were also attending the trial.
On the occasion of our participation in the vigil in Tuzla, we remember:
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It will be 16 years since the beginning of the aggression in Bosnia and Herzegovina and those most responsible for the crimes committed, Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić, are still free;
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The Serbian regime of Slobodan Milošević directly participated in the aggression in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in planning, organizing and perpetrating the genocide in Srebrenica;
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After the fall of the Milošević regime, there was no break from criminal politics. The Serbian government continues to deny, relativize, and minimize its responsibility for war crimes.
As a member of the United Nations, and as the first country that was brought before the International Court of Justice for not stopping genocide in Srebrenica, Serbia must:
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Extradite all war criminals to The Hague, starting with Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić;
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Not allow the recent verdicts of The Hague Tribunal and the final verdict of the International Court of Justice to be used as justification for minimizing the guilt and responsibility of the Serbian regime. The verdict of the International Court of Justice did not satisfy justice, but that did not lessen the guilt and responsibility of the Serbian regime. The verdicts must not be used to justify amnesty for those who committed the crimes, or as an excuse for the government not to fulfill its commitment to The Hague Tribunal. Therefore, we will continue to pressure the authorized institutions of the Republic of Serbia towards complying with its obligations under the ICJ. Once again we repeat: without confronting Serbia ’s criminal past we cannot achieve a justified peace or stability within the region.
Women in Black
Belgrade, April 8, 2008.