The Assembly of the Canadian city of Mississauga unanimously adopted a Resolution on the Genocide in Srebrenica. The Resolution preserves the memory of the victims of the genocide, strengthens our common commitment to truth, justice, a culture of remembrance, peace and human dignity. Bosnian and Herzegovina’s history has once again taken place in Canada, this time in the Assembly of Mississauga, the Institute for Genocide Research in Canada writes.
On International Human Rights Day, December 10, when we mark 77 years since the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and 77 years since the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Assembly of one of the largest Canadian cities, Mississauga, unanimously adopted a Resolution declaring July 11 as the Day of Remembrance of the Genocide in Srebrenica.
The historic adoption of the Resolution is a civilizing act, a victory for truth and justice and a strong incentive for the institutionalization of the culture of remembrance.
By adopting the Resolution on the Genocide in Srebrenica, Mississauga is providing future generations with the opportunity to learn from the lessons of the Srebrenica genocide.
The voices of those who suffered the horrors of genocide as children, many of whom live in Mississauga and Canada, remind us that ending genocide denial is not only a political and legal obligation, but a collective moral duty. We must stand united in the fight for truth and justice. Let us be guided in that fight by a sharp reminder in the words of an innocent child who asks his mother: “Mother, soldiers kill children with small bullets, don’t they?”.
This historic moment confirms Mississauga’s commitment to the annual commemoration of the dignity of the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, which claimed at least 8,372 lives.
Today, on International Human Rights Day, the truth won in Mississauga, the facts from the judgments of international courts won. Starting today, every year on July 11, Mississauga remembers the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, raising awareness of that terrible crime.
The resolution is an opportunity for the survivors of genocide, especially those who live in Mississauga, to turn a new page in their lives and move forward with their heads held high, proudly and dignifiedly living their lives, their own, their own, as victors over the criminals who are now rotting in prisons, as victors over the genocide deniers and glorifiers of convicted war criminals, many of whom are in Canada.
The resolution is an opportunity for all socially responsible people in Mississauga to build a new relationship towards genocide on the lines of civilization. Mississauga is coming out of this stronger, and a strong Mississauga is the guarantee that genocide will never be repeated.
We congratulate the City of Mississauga, Mayor Carolyn Parrish, the councillors of the Assembly and especially the sponsor of the resolution, Councillor and Deputy Mayor John Kovač, on the adoption of a resolution that has a huge and significant message for both the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, but also for Mississauga and Canada.
Thank you to the Bosnian-Herzegovinian diaspora in Mississauga, who, together with the Genocide Research Institute of Canada, worked hard and skillfully on this important project.
With this resolution, Srebrenica has been further cemented on the Canadian scene as a symbol of the fight for justice, truth, reconciliation, learning, genocide prevention, and ultimately a symbol of the fight against genocide denial and glorification of convicted war criminals.
Remembering this terrible crime can help future generations in Mississauga not only to be properly informed about this crime, but also to more easily understand the kind of world they live in, to understand that they are part of a world that enabled and permitted such a crime.
After numerous Canadian contributions to the institutionalization of a culture of remembrance, this is an important step that Canada has taken to restore trust in the international justice system to the families of victims.
Court verdicts cannot be erased from human history, no matter how hard someone tries.
This is a historic day for Mississauga, truth and justice have prevailed.
