As part of the commemoration of the 22nd anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, Women in Black, with the support of art groups MMC Led Art from Novi Sad, Dah Theater from Belgrade, and civil society activists, organize the performance “Srebrenica 8372” on 10th July 2017, in Republic Square in Belgrade from 19:30 till 20:30, wearing black and in silence.
The Srebrenica genocide is the biggest war crime committed after World War Two in Europe. The regime of S. Milošević was an accomplice of the genocide, because of the massive political, military, logistic and financial support to the Army of Republika Srpska. On this occasion, let us bear in mind that:
- The state of Serbia is the first and so far the only state in the world which was, by the judgement of the International Court of Justice (2007) found responsible for violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
- In the Hague Tribunal, individual criminal accountability has be been proved beyond reasonable doubt of a large number of members of Serbian armed formations and political institutions, whose overall objective was the implementation of the territorial project of Greater Serbia, of which the Srebrenica genocide was part.
- The top state leadership of Serbia, together with the officials of Republika Srpska, and backed by Russia, prevented, in June 2015, the adoption of the Resolution on Srebrenica in the UN. The current authorities have been ignoring the European Parliament Resolution calling upon Serbia to condemn the denial of the genocide and its public approval, as well the denial of other crimes against humanity and war crimes.
- In Serbia, there is widespread paranoid fear manifested in frantic reactions at the very mention of the word genocide. This is by all means exacerbated by the persistent refusal of the current President of the Republic A. Vučić to refer to the Srebrenica crime as genocide, with the support of not only the politicians of the ruling coalition, but also of the majority of opposition politicians. Thus, a systemic reinforcement of the ideology that made possible genocide and justified the crimes, glorifying the criminals as heroes, is at work. Needless to say that such obstinacy in defending crimes and criminals inevitably pushes this society into an even deeper moral collapse.
- Women in Black and related organizations have been demanding for years that genocide be recognized, that 11th July be proclaimed Commemoration Day of the Srebrenica genocide and that denial of genocide be qualified as a criminal act. By ignoring our demands, not only has the lack of political will and moral capacity of the current authorities been confirmed, but also the link between the ideology of crime and the current authorities of Serbia, the continuity of moral and cultural patterns with the regime that committed genocide – a state organized crime.
- Therefore, we shall be repeating our demands, supplementing them with the demand that the state of Serbia discontinue all the relations with the secessionist policy of the authorities in the entity of Republika Srpska, insisting on a clear positioning towards the issue of accountability for the war and war crimes, genocide and ethnic cleansing. Only in this way will the government of the Republic of Serbia be able to tackle the realization of the proclaimed state policy goals, one of which being achieving regional cooperation and stability (but only on condition that the President and the Prime Minister renounce to the good services of their associates from the criminal-political and war-profiteers milieu).
On 10th July 2017, from 19:30 till 20:30, in Republic Square in Belgrade, the performance “Srebrenica 8372” will take place, in mourning and silence, consisting of:
- Installing a symbolic/live memorial, as an extension of the monument to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide. This is an act of non-violent remonstration against the denial of the Srebrenica genocide, both at state and societal level, since all our year-long persistent demands seeking permission for a permanent monument to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide to be erected in Belgrade have failed. By this act, we continue our efforts to make Srebrenica part of collective memory, which would mark an important step towards Belgrade and Serbia obtaining the status of post-genocidal city and state.
- Publicly displaying the number of victims – 8372 – of the genocide blatantly reveals the proportions of the crime, in recognition of judicially established facts, which are constantly distorted /forged/diminished by the majority of the public in Serbia. At the same time, this is a call to finally accept the factual truth, and above all, to respect the dignity of the victims of genocide.
11th July – Solidarity and responsibility – presence at the commemoration in Potočare/Srebrenica, where we will, together with the families of the Srebrenica genocide victims, attend the burial ceremony.
Women in Black
Belgrade, 8th July 2017
