Survivors Share Haunting Memories of Srebrenica Genocide

In July 1995, the Srebrenica genocide, where over 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys were systematically killed by Bosnian Serb forces, marked Europe’s worst massacre since World War II. This article reflects on survivors’ accounts, the brutality of the ethnic cleansing, and the ongoing struggle against genocide denial, emphasizing the need to honour victims and confront historical truths.

The United Nations (UN) had declared Srebrenica a “safe area” in 1993, but this promise crumbled when Bosnian Serb forces, led by General Ratko Mladić, overran the enclave. Survivors describe chilling orders to separate men and boys, with one recalling the directive, “If it’s a male child, kill him.” Rukija Avdić, a survivor interviewed by SBS News, shared her anguish: “I was alone with my four children and my mother… there were screams and cries” as Serb forces attacked. She lost her husband, brother, and 40 family members, her grief compounded by years of waiting to identify their remains.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) convicted Mladić and Radovan Karadžić for genocide, affirming the deliberate targeting of Bosniak males to destroy their community. Yet, the UN’s failure to protect Srebrenica haunts the international community. Kofi Annan, then UN Secretary-General, admitted in 1999 to “error, misjudgment, and an inability to recognize the scope of the evil.” The massacre saw 25,000–30,000 women, children, and elderly forcibly expelled, their lives shattered by ethnic cleansing.

Today, genocide denial persists, particularly in Republika Srpska, where leaders like Milorad Dodik call the massacre an “arranged tragedy.” Such revisionism, condemned by the UN and ICTY, fuels division and impedes reconciliation. Survivors like Almasa Salihović, quoted by The Guardian, warn of a “second genocide” through denial, urging vigilance against hate. The UN’s 2024 resolution designating July 11 as a day to commemorate Srebrenica’s victims underscores the global commitment to truth.

The Srebrenica genocide remains a stark reminder of humanity’s capacity for evil when intolerance festers. Survivors’ stories, marked by loss and resilience, demand that we reject denial and honour the 8,000 lives lost. Their pain fuels a call to preserve history, ensuring such atrocities never recur.