UN chief marks Srebrenica genocide anniversary with call to ‘vigilance and action’

HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday marked the 30th anniversary of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica, calling for global vigilance and action in the face of rising “hate speech, denial, and division.”

“Today marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica – the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War,” Guterres said in a statement.

“In July 1995, more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were systematically murdered. Thousands of women, children, and older persons were forcibly displaced, their lives forever shattered. The intention was the elimination of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica.”

Guterres said the day serves as more than remembrance, and noted: “This day is not only a moment of reflection. It is a call to vigilance and action.”

“At a time when hate speech, denial and division are gaining ground, we must stand firm for truth and justice,” he said, stressing the need to “detect early warning signs and respond before violence takes hold.”

He also added: “We must respect international law, defend human rights, uphold the dignity of every individual, and invest in reconciliation and peace.”

In July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces attacked the UN-declared safe area of Srebrenica, killing more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys despite the presence of Dutch peacekeepers.

The forces led by Gen. Ratko Mladic, who was later sentenced to life for war crimes and genocide, overran the area on July 11, executing around 2,000 men and boys that day and thousands more in the following days as they fled into nearby forests.

The bodies of victims have been found in 570 mass graves across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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