Serbian Activist Urges Government to Support UN Resolution on Srebrenica Genocide

Nataša Kandić, a prominent human rights activist in Serbia, has called on the Serbian government to support a proposed UN resolution that would designate July 11 as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide. The draft resolution, sponsored by a cross-regional group of countries including Germany, Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United States, France, and Türkiye, aims to commemorate the 1995 genocide and condemn any denial of the atrocities.

In July 1995, during the Bosnian War, Bosnian Serb forces massacred more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys in the town of Srebrenica. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has ruled that the killings constituted genocide, and has convicted several high-profile individuals, including Radislav Krstic, Radovan Karadzic, and Ratko Mladic, for their roles in the massacre .

The proposed UN resolution calls for the condemnation of genocide denial and the glorification of those convicted of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. It also requests the UN Secretary-General to establish a public program titled 'The Srebrenica Genocide and the United Nations' starting with activities preparing for the 30th anniversary in 2025 .

Why this matters: The Srebrenica genocide remains a deeply sensitive issue in the Balkans, with ongoing debates about accountability, justice, and reconciliation. The proposed UN resolution, would honor the victims, promote education about the genocide, and counter revisionism and denial, which could have implications for regional stability and international efforts to prevent and punish mass atrocities.

However, the resolution faces opposition from political leaders in the Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Critics argue that the resolution undermines reconciliation efforts and threatens the delicate peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina established by the Dayton Agreement.

Kandić, who has long advocated for justice and accountability for war crimes, believes that Serbian support for the resolution could be a step towards lasting peace and reconciliation in the region. "The families of the Srebrenica genocide victims hope the Serbian people will recognize the truth and not deny the genocide committed against the Bosniaks in July 1995," she stated.

Despite the political tensions surrounding the issue, genocide survivors and victims' families see the potential UN resolution as an indispensable step in acknowledging the truth and preventing future atrocities. They have called on state authorities and the international community to provide additional security to returnees in Srebrenica due to growing political tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Key Takeaways

• Prominent activist calls for Serbia to support UN resolution on Srebrenica genocide
• 1995 Srebrenica massacre of over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys ruled as genocide
• Proposed UN resolution aims to commemorate genocide and condemn denial
• Resolution faces opposition from Republika Srpska and Serbian President Vucic
• Survivors call for truth acknowledgment and security for Srebrenica returnees