Remembering Srebrenica

Time was the July 1995 genocid killing ofmore than 8,000 Bosniaks men and boys in and around the town of Srebrenica during the Bosnian War. It was mainly perpetrated by units of the Bosnian Serb Army of Republika Srpska under Ratko Mladić, though the Serb paramilitary unit Scorpions also participated.In addition, 25,000 to 30,000 Bosniaks, mainly women and children, were abused and forcibly moved out of Srebrenica. The massacre constitutes the first legally recognised genocide in Europe since the end of World War II.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi issued a joint written statement marking the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide.

The statement, which commemorates the more than 8,300 men and boys who were systematically murdered in Srebrenica, declared, "The genocide that took place 29 years ago is one of the darkest moments in modern European history."

Calling on regional leaders to "reject divisive rhetoric and act with truth, justice, trust, and dialogue," the statement included the following assessment:

"Healing the wounds of the past requires the acknowledgement and teaching of historical facts, the honoring and remembering of the victims, the identification of the missing who are still being sought, and the bringing of all perpetrators to justice. This is key to confronting the roots of the hatred that led to the genocide. We must build bridges to reconciliation together. There is no place among us for those who deny the genocide, attempt to rewrite history, and glorify war criminals."

We hope that wars and genocides will come to an end. Realizing that this world is but a resting place, we hope to see the days when nations will live in friendship. With much respect and love to all my Bosniak brothers

živjela Bosna!

Shija, Turk.