German and Bosnian victims of rape speak out openly in public

The film „Anonyma” has brought the while horror, which some two million German women have suffered, nearer to the public. For most of the women these crimes are being discussed too late. 200,000 of the women did not survive the rape!

German women, who were victims 60 years ago, and Bosnian women, of whom 30,000 suffered in Serb concentration and rape camps 15 years ago, are appealing together to the German public and the government to remember and recognize the fate of their fellow victims, to give material support to the survivors of both groups and to end further mass rape like today in Darfur and in the Congo or to help prevent it.

Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) has consistently supported the Bosnian associations of women victims, their political demands and their projects on the ground. It welcomes the initiative of the Women’s
Association in the BdV e.V. (the Federation of Expellees) to stand up for
the sisters in Bosnia.

The following demands of the Bosnian women have the support of both
organisations, the GfbV and the Women’s Association in the BdV e.V.

All criminals, especially Ratko Mladic, must be brought to justice

Effective security programmes must be guaranteed for witnesses at national and international courts.

Efforts must be increased in the search for the missing, in the work of
exhumation and identification.

The victims must receive free medical care, their children must be
supported at school and funds must be provided for this purpose.

The Women’s Section of the „Association of Former Camp Internees”,
Canton of Sarajevo and „Women – Victims of the War”, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the association „Hearts for Peace – Kozarac/Prijedor” and „Izvor Society” – Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina

„Not blind on either eye” has been the guiding principle of the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) since 1968. Persecution, destruction and expulsion, the setting up of concentration and rape camps are a crime always and everywhere. In the past and in the present. The legacy of all victims of yesterday must spur us on to come to the aid of the victims of today, in all continents and in all political systems, wherever crimes are being committed. We cannot undo the suffering of the past. But this must spur us on to do what we can to stop such crimes or to prevent them.

The Society for Threatened Peoples has always concerned itself with clearing up the past crimes. It brought to the attention of the public at the
beginning of the 70s for the first time in Germany the Nazi holocaust of the
German and European gipsies. It moved the German President and the Prime Minister to beg for pardon. It established the general use of the proper names Sinti and Roma. It initiated the restoration of citizenship and modest compensation.

Please note the following two attachments:

Attachment 1 to the Press Release

Attachment 2 to the Presss Release