Srebrenica: 30th anniversary

Thirty years after the Srebrenica genocide, key demands of survivors and relatives remain unfulfilled, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) criticized: “The international community has failed – and it continues to fail, until today. The remembrance of the more than 8,000 Bosniak boys and men who were murdered in July of 1995 must not be separated from political action. What we need is consequences, an investigation, and effective measures of prevention,” demanded Jasna Causevic, STP expert on genocide prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the massacre.

The STP welcomed the UN resolution which establishes July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance of the genocide in Srebrenica (adopted in May 2024). According to Causevic, however, the day of remembrance must be accompanied by concrete measures: “It is not enough to express words of regret once a year! European states and institutions must clearly condemn genocide denial, address the crimes, and actively contribute to justice – especially in the Republika Srpska, where the perpetrators are still glorified and the victims are still defamed.” The necessary measures include Europe-wide events, educational programs, and increased efforts to locate the remaining mass graves. Also, the EU should actively support a nationwide culture of remembrance – which ethno-nationalists have so far prevented.”

Even today, 30 years after the crime, the whereabouts of over 800 victims remain unknown. Many families never received the complete remains of their loved ones. “Seven more victims are buried in Potocari this year, but it is often only a few bones. The perpetrators systematically destroyed mass graves to cover their tracks.” Causevic explained. “Meanwhile, more and more mothers and siblings of the victims die without being able to bury the remains of their loved ones.”

Tomorrow, July 10, 2025, the STP is organizing – together with members of the Bundestag Michael Brand and Adis Ahmetovic – a memorial event in the German Parliament, including a speech by Nedzad Avdić, who survived the mass executions of 1995. “Our respect goes out to people like Avdić and the Mothers of Srebrenica. Their tireless fight for justice is a warning to us all. It is shameful that many of the perpetrators are still at large,” Causevic added.

The STP’s sections in Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina are calling for participation in the international memorial events in Srebrenica and around the world, appealing to the German Federal Government to recognize its historical responsibility and to take decisive action against nationalism and ethnic division in the Western Balkans. “Genocide must never happen again – and ‘never again’ must not degenerate into an empty phrase,” Causevic emphasized.