Srebrenica Ceremony To Take Place on July 11

Despite the fact that requests made by the Association of Victims of Srebrenica have not been met, a decision has been made to proceed with the burial in Potocari of around 530 killed people on the 14th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

Representatives of the associations of Srebrenica mothers, families of killed soldiers, demobilized soldiers and disabled veterans made the decision to conduct the funeral ceremony in Potocari on July 11, when more than 500 victims of the Srebrenica genocide who were identified last year will be buried.

"The funeral will take place. We cannot cancel it because of the people who have come from abroad. Nor can we cancel it because of our dearest ones, who are ready to be buried now. We have decided to go on with the funeral, but we will not give up on our requests. Here, unfortunately, we have been informed that the Parliament has not included our request to declare July 11 as a day of mourning in its agenda for today," said Munira Subasic, president of the Association of "Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Enclaves".

On the eve of the commemoration of the 14th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, associations of victims from this region had announced that the funeral might be cancelled, following the arrest of Midhat Salihovic. Salihovic was arrested on the basis of a warrant issued by the District Court in Bijeljina on suspicion that he committed a war crime.

Representatives of victims called on the state judicial bodies to "take over all cases pertaining to Srebrenica", also calling on the State Parliament to declare July 11 a day of mourning.

The proposal suggests "declaring July 11 as a day of remembrance of the genocide victims" on the agenda of the State Parliament's session. However, the proposal was not supported by Bosnian Serb delegates from the country's Serb-dominated entity of Republika Srpska at a session held in Sarajevo on July 8.

Bosnian MP Sadik Ahmetovic sent an initiative to the parliament to adopt July 11 as Remembrance Day of the Srebrenica Genocide across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ahmetovic pointed out that the European Parliament had adopted the resolution in January, declaring this date the Remembrance Day of the Victims of the Srebrenica Genocide and that this day should be marked in all EU countries. Ahmetovic had hoped to pass an identical resolution in Bosnia.
"I think we will not let this happen, even if they kill us. I'd rather see this suffering called life end than experience the Srebrenica July 11 and humiliation again and again every day..." Subasic told BIRN Justice Report.

Representatives from Republika Srpska claim that the initiative came out of the blue and that it has major flaws, such as saying that all ethnic groups were victims of the war in Bosnia.

Parliament failed to adopt the initiative on the same day that the Peace March for Srebrenica took place.

Yesterday, more than 2,500 people began the Peace March, during which they will walk 110 kilometers to Potocari.   

(Report by BIRN - Justice Report - www.bim.ba)