Announcement on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica
On the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, Women in Black is organizing on July 10, 2023, a vigil in mourning and silence in Republic Square in Belgrade, from 19:30 to 20:30. On that occasion, the stage action "We will never forget the genocide in Srebrenica" will be performed with the support of the art collective "Škart" and civil society activists.
The genocide in Srebrenica is the biggest war crime after World War II in Europe. The regime of S. Milošević was complicit in the genocide by providing enormous political, military and logistical-financial aid to the Army of Republika Srpska. And on this occasion, we remind you that:
- By the ruling of the International Court of Justice (2007), the State of Serbia was declared responsible for violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
- The Hague Tribunal proved, beyond reasonable 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.
- On May 23, 2024, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Resolution on the Srebrenica genocide. Serbia voted against, while all countries of the former Yugoslavia voted for the Resolution. The resolution, among other things, declared July 11 International Day of Remembrance of the Genocide in Srebrenica, and denying the genocide qualifies as a criminal offense.
- Instead of immediately adopting the UN Resolution as an exceptional moral and political chance for the state and society to remove the stain from the name of Serbia in the region and worldwide, the Serbian regime headed by A. Vučić is pursuing a reckless, brutal campaign against the Resolution.
- By distorting the Resolution and through gross manipulation, the regime and its media are spreading a paranoid fear that by recognizing the genocide, guilt is being imposed on the Serbian people, thereby turning the entire nation into hostages of criminal politics.
- By hiding behind the Serbian people, to whom no mention is made in the UN Resolution, the representatives of the regime hide their personal, political and moral responsibility for their shameful past as active participants in criminal politics in the 1990’s.
- In Serbia, not only the continuity of denial, but also the state policy of denial of genocide are still at work: the state of Serbia continues to protect war criminals because the instigators and followers of the criminal led by President A. Vučić are in power. To the shame of this state and society, they are proud of the crimes committed in our name and that is why there is no justice for the victims, the prosecution of war crimes has practically stopped, and the absence of sympathy for the victims of genocide prevails in public space.
On this occasion, we reiterate our demands:
- That the Srebrenica genocide be recognized, primarily as respect for the dignity of the victims, but also as a chance for Serbia to join the community of democratic countries in Europe and the world.
- That the President and all other state representatives stop denying the genocide and all other war crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond.
- That the denial of genocide and all crimes against humanity and war crimes be qualified as a criminal offense.
- That July 11 be declared the Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide.
- That all murals that celebrate the war criminal R. Mladić, convicted of genocide in Srebrenica, be removed throughout Serbia.
- That the state of Serbia stop its policy of causing regional instability by interfering in the internal affairs of neighboring countries, primarily Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In accordance with the policy of solidarity and responsibility, on July 11, Women in Black will participate in the commemoration/funeral in Potočare/Srebrenica, where, together with the families of the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, we will attend the burial of the victims' remains.
Belgrade, July 9, 2024