The General Assembly also adopted a resolution under the same title, requesting the Secretary-General to establish a support program for the Srebrenica genocide in preparation for the 30th anniversary next year.
Furthermore Condemns all denials of the Srebrenica genocide It regarded it as a historical event and urged member states to preserve established facts, including through education systems, to prevent denials, distortions and future genocides.
This text, sponsored by Germany and Rwanda, Votes were recorded from 84 countries in favor, 19 against, and 68 abstentions..
Srebrenica massacre
The Srebrenica massacre was one of the darkest parts of the war that followed the collapse of the former Yugoslavia.
In July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces occupied Srebrenica, which the Security Council had declared a safe zone, brutally murdering thousands of men and teenagers and expelling 20,000 from the town.
A small, lightly armed Dutch peacekeeping force under the UN flag was unable to resist the Bosnian Serb forces.
The brutal massacre of Bosnian Muslims by the Republika Srpska army in Srebrenica was recognized as an act of genocide by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
Firmly opposed to rejection
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk welcomed the resolution as providing “further recognition” for victims and survivors, pursuing justice and truth, and ensuring that recurrence is prevented.
“The resolution is This is even more important given the continued revisionism, denial of the Srebrenica genocide and hate speech by senior political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina and neighboring countries.“He said in a statement.
He also emphasized the responsibility of local political leaders to engage in constructive dialogue to build a peaceful society “where people can live safely and freely without discrimination, fear of conflict and violence.”
Germany: In memory of the victims
Introducing the draft resolution. Antje Leendertse, Ambassador and Representative of Germany It said the plan, sent to the United Nations, was to honor the victims and support survivors who “continue to live with the scars of those fateful hours.”
This text is modeled on the General Assembly resolution designating April 7 as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Tutsi Genocide in Rwanda.
“It also highlights the role of international courts in fighting impunity and ensuring accountability for genocide, and expresses opposition to the denial of genocide and the glorification of perpetrators,” she added.
She also opposed “false claims,” saying the resolution “is not against anyone.”
“It is not against Serbia, which is a valued member of this organization. If it is directed at the perpetrators of genocide,” Ambassador Leendertse added.
“I therefore hope that everyone will judge the text on its merits and support our call to commemorate and reflect on what happened in Srebrenica almost 30 years ago.”
Serbia: Pandora’s Box
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic “It will open Pandora’s box,” he said, with text saying it was “highly political.”
He said the draft resolution was “hidden” by its authors, adding that it lacked a comprehensive process compared to the “Resolution for Rwanda” which was prepared in a “very transparent manner.”
He recalled the issue being discussed in the Security Council in March.
“When we wanted to discuss the 1999 Serbia bombings, they told us, ‘Don’t look at the past, look at the future. ‘It happened 25 years ago.’ “Two days later, in 1999, I learned that such a resolution was being prepared in relation to an incident four years ago,” he said.
“When there is a need, a political need or something, they can go deep into the past. “Facts don’t matter when someone refers to the past.”
President Vucic added that at a time when judgments and convictions have already been handed down through the judicial process, this resolution will only deepen divisions and lead to instability.
“This is not about reconciliation or remembrance. This will only open old wounds and cause complete political chaos. “Not only in our region, but here in this hall,” he asserted.
