UN Adopts Resolution Commemorating Srebrenica Genocide, Offering Hope for Reconciliation

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution commemorating July 11 as Srebrenica Remembrance Day, offering new hope for reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The resolution, sponsored by the United States, Rwanda, Germany, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, recognizes the Srebrenica genocide, where nearly 9,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995 in the UN-protected zone, the worst mass killing in Europe since World War II.

The resolution condemns the denial of the genocide and the glorification of war criminals, and calls for the continuation of criminal prosecutions of the perpetrators. It also emphasizes the importance of preserving historical facts through educational systems to prevent revisionism and the repetition of genocide. Several human rights organizations, including the Society for Threatened Peoples, the Srebrenica Memorial Center, the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, and Jews Against Genocide, called on all UN member states to unite behind the resolution.

Why this matters: The adoption of this resolution is seen as a significant step towards acknowledging the tragic events of the Srebrenica genocide and promoting reconciliation in the region. It sends a powerful message against genocide denial and the glorification of war criminals, while emphasizing the importance of education in preventing future atrocities.

However, the move to draft the resolution has been opposed by Milorad Dodik, the Russia-friendly leader of Bosnia Herzegovina's ethnic Serb entity Republika Srpska, who has denied the Srebrenica genocide. Some Serbian leaders, such as President Aleksandar Vučić, have also expressed concerns about the potential dangers of such a resolution for the region and the international legal order, despite Serbia's protest.

The final text of the resolution is still being worked on, with the participation of several countries including Albania, Finland, New Zealand, and Turkey. All 193 UN member countries will have a say on the document at the UN General Assembly early next month. "The commemoration of this historical truth is seen as an important step towards reconciliation in the region, despite recent denials of the genocide," the U.S. State Department said, clarifying that the resolution is not directed against any specific state or ethnic group.

Key Takeaways

• UN adopts resolution commemorating Srebrenica genocide of 1995.
• Resolution condemns denial of genocide and glorification of war criminals.
• Resolution emphasizes importance of education to prevent future atrocities.
• Some Serbian leaders oppose the resolution, citing potential regional dangers.
• Resolution seen as step towards reconciliation, not directed against any state.