Photo: Memorial Cemetery in Potocari, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The parliament of the autonomous Republika Srpska (part of Bosnia and Herzegovina) on Thursday approved a report arguing that the killing of 8,000 Muslims by Serb forces in Srebrenica during the Bosnian War was not genocide.< /p>
This conclusion contradicts the decisions of international courts, reports Reuters.
BAGNETrecalls that on July 11, 1995, at the end of the Bosnian War of 1992-1995, Bosnian Serb armed forces invaded the Srebrenica enclave, which the UN declared a “security zone”. In the following days, about 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed here. The UN International Tribunal for War Crimes in the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague declared these massacres to be genocide.
In 2007, the International Court of Justice confirmed this statement, stating, in addition, that Serbia had failed to prevent the genocide.
Republika Srpska's current move comes as Serbia and the Republika Srpska are campaigning against a resolution establishing a day of remembrance for the Srebrenica genocide, which is being discussed at the UN and is due to be voted on by the General Assembly in early May.
< br /> "There was no genocide, such a qualification should be rejected– Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik told lawmakers. – The Serbian people did not commit genocide.”
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said last week that Serbia would fight against the UN resolution, fearing it could become the basis for Bosnia to demand from Serbia, a military ally of the Bosnian Serbs, war reparations.
On July 11, the United States annually marks the anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.
As the State Department has previously emphasized, the United States will" continue to support families who have lost loved ones and those who continue to tirelessly search for missing persons, fight for the truth, support survivors, and seek justice through the investigation and prosecution of those responsible. It takes courage and strength to overcome pain and loss and give hope and tolerance a chance.”.
Prepared by: Sergey Daga