The World Must Prevent a Repeat of Srebrenica

by Ohimai Amaize

Emir Suljagic was 17 years old when the Bosnian war erupted on April 6, 1992, and now he is the director of the Srebrenica Memorial Center.

On Tuesday, September 20, Suljagi? met virtually with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights’ Karen Robinson and George School’s Sevde Güleryüz to discuss the atrocities he witnessed during Europe’s deadliest massacre since World War II — the Srebrenica Genocide.

“It looked like it was straight out of some post-apocalyptic movie,” remarked Suljagi? when asked about the July 1995 execution of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces in the small town of Srebrenica.

He recalled that the Bosniak population was subjected to the physical annihilation of men and systematic rape of women, and by the end of the war, Suljagi? had lost his father and uncle. “Essentially, more male members of my family have been killed or died than have survived,” he said.

But despite the brutal killings of their men and boys, the women of Srebrenica took up the fight. In 2002, Mothers of Srebrenica, a women-led activist and lobbying group, formed to demand justice for victims and survivors of the genocide who were relentless in the fight for justice even when no one would give them a chance. “If there is a group of women that embodies your motto about speaking truth to power, then it's the Mothers (and daughters) of Srebrenica,” he said.

When asked if he considered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine genocide, he noted that the actions of the Russians in Ukraine had not been classified as such. Still, the incidents of mass murders, mass graves and destruction of Ukrainian cities by Russia are similar to the markers of the Srebrenica genocide. “We're seeing measures taken [by the Russian military] with the intent to destroy any traces of Ukrainian identity,” he said.

Suljagi? was also asked if the world learned any lessons from Srebrenica, and he said he believed that the support Ukraine has received from the West is an indication that lessons were learned. However, since the invasion of Ukraine in February, Russian authorities have interrogated, detained or deported more than 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens, including children, from their homes to Russia, according to a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

Suljagi? hopes that Western leaders will refrain from the notion that Russian President Vladimir Putin will work with them and contends that the existence of two warring parties does not mean that one of the factions does not have genocidal intent. “I believe that that lesson has also been learned and that it's been taken into account,” he said, but the global challenge to human rights remains.

Around the world, the resurgence and resurrection of authoritarian leaders like Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, constitute a threat to democracy and peace. “A threat to peace is a threat to us all,” he said. “Right now...in Ukraine, we're dealing with a government and a state that's completely not accountable to anybody and has a huge nuclear arsenal, and that I find a horrific prospect.”