Fully accepting the fact that a genocide of Bosniaks was committed in Srebrenica in 1995, punishing the perpetrators for these crimes and promoting reconciliation based on these principles is an obligation toward the victims but also a pre-condition for lasting peace not just in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) but in the entire region, a ceremony at the Potocani memorial cemetery heard on Thursday on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the genocide committed in July 1995 by Bosnian Serb forces.
An estimated 20,000 people gathered in Srebrenica for the commemoration and the town's mayor Camil Durakovic in a brief address appealed to everyone not to forget that town after July 11 and to enable a dignified life for all those who wish to return there.
"Srebrenica should be an example and strong message for this never and nowhere to occur again", Durakovic said.
The Bosniak member of the Bosnian presidency Bakir Izetbegovic said that any normal person cannot fathom the hate that motivated the murder of more than 8,000 people. "That was a shot to the heart of contemporary civilisation", Izetbegovic said recalling that Srebrenica will always remain a dark stain on those who could have prevented the genocide but didn't.
Inevitable justice, Izetbegovic said, is a morsel of comfort for the surviving members of those killed, stressing that denial of the genocide has to stop.
"Coming to terms with the whole truth about the tragic events at the end of the 20th century, regardless of how difficult that may be for someone, is a precondition to any process of stabilisation, reconciliation and cooperation in the region of southeast Europe", Izetbegovic said warning that contrary behaviour could lead to a new conflict.
US Ambassador to BiH Patrick Moon conveyed a message from State Secretary John Kerry who on behalf of President Barack Obama urged for the recognition of the truth and preservation of true democratic values.
We reject attempts to re-write history or to manipulate with it or to deny genocide, the message read, underscoring that it is necessary to stop those wishing to prevent the building of a democratic society based on historical truth.
Kerry added that the US remains committed to BiH and building a better future for it. The US state secretary pointed out the need to punish all the perpetrators of the genocide, including Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic.
Facing the crimes is necessary to remember everything that was committed in Srebrenica as well as what the world did not do, Kerry's message reads.
High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Valentin Inzko urged that a message of peace be sent out from Srebrencia that those who were killed not be forgotten as that would be like killing them for a second time. If we want to understand BiH we must understand Srebrenica, said Inzko.
After the official commemoration, the remains of 409 recently identified victims were laid to rest in the Potocari memorial cemetery.
