In the Memorial Center of Srebrenica – Potočari today, August 30, the International Day of Missing Persons, was marked by a gathering of surviving victims of genocide and representatives of associations that gather surviving victims.
The International Day of the Missing is marked every August 30, as a day to remember and pay tribute to tens of thousands of people around the world who have disappeared in armed conflicts, crimes committed against humanity or as a result of violations of basic human rights. About 30,000 people disappeared in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war, while more than 7,000 of them are still being sought. More than a thousand victims of the genocide in Srebrenica have not yet found peace.
“Every year on this day, we ask the same question, ‘Where are they?’, but for years we remain without answers. We know that they were killed, that their bodies were moved from primary to secondary or tertiary graves, but we have no information about where those graves that hide the bodies are of our loved ones. We also know who knows the information, and for this reason, as well as in previous years, we invite institutions in the RS and Serbia, as well as individuals who have information, to reveal where our loved ones are. The institutions of the international community must also make more efforts.” , said the president of the Board of Directors of the Memorial Center Srebrenica – Potočari, Hamdija Fejzić, who emphasizes that the surviving victims will continue their fight.
“Our gathering from 5 to 12 today here at the Memorial Center is symbolic, to say that we are looking for our loved ones. Unfortunately, we also have to point out the sad fact that many mothers and wives died and did not wait for their children and husbands to be found and identified. From this point of view, we must point out that all the perpetrators and perpetrators of the genocide have not been punished. Neither have those who today deny and relativize the genocide,” said Fejzić.
Nura Begović, president of the “Women of Srebrenica” association, reminded that not all criminals were punished.
“Today, like every other day, we remind you that we have not found our missing persons, but also that the criminals have not been punished. It is our permanent obligation to fight for truth and justice,” said Begović.
Kada Hotić, in front of the association “Movement of Mothers of the Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves”, points out that the surviving victims of genocide are persistent in the fight for truth, justice and finding the missing.
“From here, we have to talk about our missing people and look for them. We cannot and must not give up on that. We also have to support others in the world who are looking for their missing people,” said Hotić.
Šuhra Sinanović, president of the Podrinje Women’s Association – Bratunac, said that their loved ones were killed in the most brutal way.
“They are missing, but we know that they were killed. In addition to the slow finding of the missing, there are also a small number of those who have been convicted of crimes. It is absurd that even after so many years we are still meeting criminals and those who ordered crimes,” said Sinanović.
