Announcement on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide
In commemoration of the 27th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, Women in Black is organizing a vigil in mourning and silence in Republic Square in Belgrade, on July 10, 2022, from 19:30 to 20:30. On that occasion, together with the art collective 'Škart', the stage action "Srebrenica - the name of genocide" will be performed.
Srebrenica – the name of genocide
The genocide in Srebrenica is the biggest war crime after World War II in Europe. The regime of S. Milošević is complicit in the genocide for having provided enormous political, military and logistical-financial aid to the Army of Republika Srpska. Once again, we remind you that:
- The state of Serbia is the first and so far the only country in the world that has been declared accountable for the violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by the ruling of the International Court of Justice (2007).
- The Hague Tribunal proved, beyond any doubt, the individual criminal responsibility of a large number of members of Serbian armed formations and political institutions that acted in the spirit of realizing the territorial project of Greater Serbia, and the genocide in Srebrenica was part of that project.
- In Serbia, there is not only a continuity of denial, but also the celebration of war crimes and criminals. Namely, the instigators and followers of the war crimes policy led by President A. Vučić are in power, who are proud of all the crimes committed in our name and that is why there is no justice for the victims. The regime's media have unlimited space to celebrate criminals as heroes, and the absence of sympathy for the victims of genocide prevails in the public discourse.
- In Serbia, the state policy of genocide denial is at work. This is mostly encouraged by the persistent refusal of the President of the Republic A. Vučić to name the crime in Srebrenica as genocide. In this, he is followed not only by members of the regime, but also by a significant part of the opposition. Admirers of war criminals and deniers of genocide play a key role in almost all institutions.
- Murals celebrating the war criminal Ratko Mladić, convicted of genocide in Srebrenica and others are found all over Serbia. With that, the regime has completely exposed itself – so far it has never condemned war criminals, and now it openly supports and protects them. The murals are not only an act of rehabilitation of R. Mladić - they are a symbol of the official ideology of the Serbian state.
On this occasion, we reiterate our demands:
- Da se prizna genocid u Srebrenici, prvenstveno kao poštovanje dostojanstva žrtava, a ne samo kao jedan od preduslova na putu Srbije ka pristupanju Evropskoj uniji.
- That the Srebrenica genocide be recognized, primarily as a sign of respect for the dignity of the victims, and not only as one of the preconditions for Serbia's accession to the European Union.
- That the president and all other state representatives stop denying the genocide and all other war crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and elsewhere.
- That the denial of genocide and all crimes against humanity and war crimes be qualified as a criminal offense.
- That July 11th be declared the Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide.
- That the murals glorifying the war criminal R. Mladić be removed.
- That the state of Serbia abandon the policy of instigating regional instability by interfering with the internal affairs of neighboring countries, primarily Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In accordance with the policy of solidarity and responsibility, on July 11th, Women in Black will participate in the commemoration/funeral rites in Potočari/Srebrenica, where, together with the families of the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, we will attend the burial of the remains of the victims identified so far.
Women in Black
9th July 2022