Thousands gathered in Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina, to mark the 30th anniversary of the genocide that claimed around 8,000 Bosnian Muslim lives in July 1995. The enclave, designated as safe by the UN, was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces while Dutch peacekeeping troops stood by. Amid rising genocide denial, notable comments were made by European and Dutch officials expressing moral responsibility and recognizing the events as genocide. The testimony of survivors, including Adem Mehmedovic, highlighted the horrors experienced, emphasizing the lasting impact of this tragedy on collective memory.
"All of it is permanently etched into memory," Adem Mehmedovic recalled, recounting his traumatic experience during the Srebrenica massacre when he was just eight years old.
"The mass killings were recognized as a genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 2001," highlighting the lasting implications of the events around Srebrenica.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the Srebrenica massacre is "among the darkest chapters in Europe's collective memory," underscoring the event's historical significance.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp expressed regret, saying, "I am ashamed because the Netherlands bears moral and political responsibility for not preventing it," reflecting on the role of peacekeeping forces.
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