The possible adoption of the so-called Srebrenica Resolution by the United Nations General Assembly this month is creating dissent in Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially on the side of the Serb-majority in Republika Srpska. The initiative, proposed by Bosnia-Herzegovina, together with Rwanda and Germany, and co-sponsored by fifteen other countries, calls for the acknowledgment of the genocide that took place in the country and the dedication of July 11 as the International Day of Reflection and Remembrance of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide.
Conflicting views have been expressed about this situation. The survivors of the Srebrenica genocide, such as Azir Osmanovic, head of the museum-archival team at the Srebrenica Memorial Center, showed strong support for the resolution. As reported by Juristnews, he made a plea to the international community by stating: “On behalf of the survivors of genocide, of all who work in the name of justice and peace, of preserving truth – I urge you to adopt this resolution. The thousands of innocent lives lost during the Srebrenica genocide can never be recovered, and the wounds of those they left behind can never be fully healed.” Similarly, Emir Suljagic, head of the Center, noted the initiative’s relevance, adding that “victims’ families will no longer have to fear being forgotten. The heavy burden of truth-telling will no longer solely rest on us, Bosnians, but rather on a global scale – to disseminate the facts further.”
The Serbian side disagrees, with both representatives of the Republika Srpska, Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Serb entity, and Serbia firmly condemning the proposal. PassBlue reported that Milorad Dodik, th President of Republika Srpska, said during a recent visit to Belgrade that “Bosnia and Herzegovina may not survive” the adoption of the resolution. Moreover, in a tweet he added “I said and I say publicly that the genocide in Srebrenica did not happen. We believe that putting the resolution on Srebrenica to vote in the UN General Assembly is a direct destruction of the possibility to live in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is directly directed against Srpska and the Serbian people as a whole.” Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia, expressed similar concerns, saying that “Western powers want to pass a resolution on genocide at the UN General Assembly, through which they want to abolish the Republic of Srpska and demand war reparations from the Republic of Srpska.” Even long-time ally Russia appears to agree with the Serbians, stating that “We believe it is untimely and counterproductive. And potentially conflict-prone.”
The Srebrenica Resolution is an important step towards recognising what happened during the Bosnian War at an international level. It would also put an end to attempts to erase or justify the genocide and glorify the war criminals who committed it, something that has already been happening in the Republika Srpska and Serbia. All necessary steps must be taken to ensure not only the remembrance of the genocide, but also that such events must never happen again or be condoned.
The Srebrenica Resolution is a positive development that comes after years of genocide denial and nationalistic rhetoric in Republika Srpska and Serbia. Ever since Milorad Dodik took power, he has pushed for the independence of Republika Srpska and the need for the Bosnian Serbs to be recognised as a distinct population. He even threatened to secede from Bosnia-Herzegovina and rejoin Serbia. Moreover, he frequently resorts to nationalistic discourse that embraces not only the idea of the superiority of the Serbs but also the denial of the Srebrenica genocide and the glorification of its perpetrators. What is even more disturbing is that Dodik’s agenda has found strong support both within Serbia and Russia, with the latter having backed Dodik on numerous occasions.
The Srebrenica Resolution, while mired in controversy, offers a crucial opportunity for the international recognition of the genocide and may promote further reconciliation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, lasting peace ultimately depends on addressing extreme nationalist rhetoric in the region and ensuring that all parties come to terms with the past.
