Announcement on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the genocide
As part of the commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, Women in Black, with the support of art groups Škart and Dah Theater from Belgrade and civil society activists, organize a scenic action entitled "Srebrenica 8372" on 10th July 2018,from 19:30 to 20:30, in Republic Square in Belgrade.
The Srebrenica genocide is the most massive war crime committed in Europe after World War II. The regime of S. Milošević was an accomplice to this act of genocide, due to its ample political, military and logistics-financial support to the Army of the Srpska Republic. On this occasion, we remind of the following:
- The state of Serbia has been the first, and so far the only country in the world to have been declared accountable for violating the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by the judgement of the International Court of Justice (2007).
- In the Hague Tribunal, the individual criminal responsibility of a large number of members of Serbian armed formations and political institutions, acting in the spirit of the territorial project of the Greater Serbia, was proven beyond reasonable doubt, and the genocide in Srebrenica is part of that project.
- No verdict has been issued by the courts in Serbia qualifying the crime in Srebrenica as genocide. Before the War Crimes Chamber of the Special Court in Belgrade, there is an obstruction of the crime procedure for the crime in Kravica (where on 14th July 1995, 1,313 civilians were killed), thus offending the dignity of the victims. Instead of serving justice for the victims, rehabilitation and glorification of convicted war criminals is at work.
- In Serbia, continual denial of genocide both on the state and societal level is unfolding - this is undoubtedly aggravated by the persistent refusal of the President of the Republic in office A. Vučić to label the Srebrenica war crime as genocide, which is upheld not only by the politicians of the ruling coalition, but also by a considerable number of opposition politicians.
Women in Black and related organizations will continue demanding that the state of Serbia respect the decisions of international courts, court-established facts, recognize genocide, proclaim July 11th Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica genocide and incriminate the act of denial of genocide.
On 10th July 2018, from 19:30 to 20:30, in Republic Square in Belgrade, the scenic action "Srebrenica 8372" will take place, consisting of:
- Installing a symbolic/live memorial, as a continuation of the building of the monument to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide. It is a act of non-violent revolt against the denial of the Srebrenica genocide, both at the state and societal level, since our persistent, years' long demands that the building of a permanent monument to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide in Belgrade be allowed have been rejected. With this act, we continue our efforts to incorporate Srebrenica in our collective memory, which would mark an important step towards enabling Belgrade and Serbia to reach the status of post-genocidal city and state, respectively.
- Publicly announcing the number of victims - 8372 - of the genocide, thus spelling out the proportions of the crime and recognizing the court-established facts that are constantly being distorted/falsified/played down in the dominant public in Serbia. At the same time, this is a plea that the factual truth be finally accepted, and above all, that the dignity of the victims be respected.
- July 11th - Solidarity and responsibility - attending the commemoration in Potočare/Srebrenica, where we shall, together with the families of the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, be present at the burial ceremony of the victims' remains.
Belgrade, 9th July 2018
