Bosnia: 23 years ago – the genocide of Srebrenica

On the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the genocide in the former UN protection zone in Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia (July 11, 1995), the human rights organization Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has drawn a balance, describing the situation as “alarmingly hopeless”. Of the displaced Muslim Bosnians, no more than 4,000 have so far returned – and they are facing great difficulties. The region has a lot of problems, not just economically. The relationship with the Serbian inhabitants of Srebrenica has not improved very much, and the Bosniaks still live in fear. According to the former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague (ICTY), Serge Brammertz, there are still about 5,000 alleged war criminals living in the Serb-ruled part of Bosnia. While they are supported by large parts of the local Serb population, the Bosniak returnees fear to meet them.

“Instead of trying to come to terms with the past by focusing on openness as a basis for a new beginning, the Serbian side still tends to deny the genocide crimes – despite the clear statements of the Tribunal in The Hague,” the STP criticized. The international community has failed with regard to punishing the denial of genocide. This is very problematic, as it prevents the re-establishment of a multicultural community.”

Many returnees only dare to return to their villages around Srebrenica for the summer months, in order to take care of their pastures. After the harvest, they quickly return to the Bosnian Federation. Thus, many villages are empty and cut off from the outside world in winter, due to the lack of infrastructure. Also, people who would be willing to return to Srebrenica on a long-term basis can hardly make any money, as the unemployment rate is very high. Even Serbian families are forced to leave the Drina Valley due to the poor economic situation. Another problem is that most Bosniak families won’t accept that their children are not allowed to learn Bosnian at the schools in Srebrenica. 

At least 8,372 Bosniaks were killed and buried in mass graves in July 1995 – within a week of the invasion of the Serbian troops under Ratko Mladic – and the remains of 6,575 victims have so far been recovered. Most of the skeletons were incomplete, as the mass graves were dug up again to bury the victim’s bones somewhere else, in order to cover up the genocide crimes. This year, 35 identified victims will be buried, but the remains of about 1,000 people are still missing. Despite insistent appeals by the relatives, there is no information about where the mass graves are to be found.