Dozens of people gathered on Thursday in front of the UN building in New York on park Dag Hammarskjold in order to mark the 18th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, according to Agency Anadolija (AA).
Permanent Representative of BiH to the UN Mirsada Čolaković recalled that the genocide in Srebrenica 18 years ago occurred on the territory of what the UN called a ‘safe zone’ and said that this was the second biggest genocide in Europe.
She said that she doubts that the UN or international community learned the lessons from what happened in Srebrenica and recalled that three months ago the mothers of Srebrenica did not have the right to speak at the UN. Emphasizing the importance of recognizing the events in 1995 in Srebrenica, Čolaković said that reconciliation couldn’t occur without facing the truth.
“For peace to reign over future generations, they have to know and learn the mistakes of their grandfathers and fathers’’, said the Permanent Representative of BiH to the UN.
The first Permanent Representative of BiH to the UN Muhamed Saćirbegović said that Srebrenica would never be forgotten.
“We are ready to forgive those who began those crimes. But for this we need true repentance and an apology’’, he said.
Members of the families of victims of the genocide addressed those in attendance. Tima Alić, who lost her 14 year old son in Srebrenica, said that his remains were found in 2007.
“When they showed me his bones, I thought, how is a mother supposed to recognize her son from bones’’, she said.
The General Secretary of the UN Ban ki-Moon did not take part in the meeting, even if he was called.
(Source: Vijesti.ba)
