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Statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic on the 10th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide

 

Ten years will have elapsed on July 11, 2005 since the Srebrenica massacre, undoubtedly the worst single atrocity in Europe since the end of World War II. Until only recently, doubts were cast on the extent of this crime but today there exists clear evidence that the Srebrenica tragedy was genocide and thus an act quite beyond imagination in Europe of the end of the 20th century.(11/7/2005)

Ten years will have elapsed on July 11, 2005 since the Srebrenica massacre, undoubtedly the worst single atrocity in Europe since the end of World War II. This small town in east Bosnia and Herzegovina witnessed in July 1995 inexcusable violence and atrocities committed in the name of the Serbian nation. More than 800 Bosnians, most of them civilians, were annihilated under the pretext of creation of an ethnically clean territory. Until only recently, doubts were cast on the extent of this crime but today there exists clear evidence that the Srebrenica tragedy was genocide and thus an act quite beyond imagination in Europe of the end of the 20th century.

Srebrenica became a symbol of the suffering of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the years of war and at the same time showed up the failure of the international community to prevent this tragedy. The Czech Republic is aware of the immense suffering of the victims and is therefore sparing no efforts to help Bosnia and Herzegovina cope with the distressing situation caused by the war.

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre we call on the political leaderships of the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina and of other countries of the region to overtly condemn the policy pursued in the 1990s that ignored human rights of individuals and tolerated crimes against civilians, sometimes even describing them as acts of heroism and patriotism. Social recovery can be expected only if the Serbs, Croats and Bosnians manage to cope with the crimes committed in their name. Only this will guarantee that history will not repeat itself.

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