On July 11, we took a moment to honour the surviving and remember those who died in the Srebrenica tragedy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Over 8,000 men and boys, predominantly Muslims, lost their lives as a result of the genocide, while more than 20,000 women and children were forced out of their homes.
The fact that some people still contest the genocide raises serious concerns.
The International Courts have affirmed that the events in Srebrenica constituted a genocide.
We share the profound worries of many Bosnian and Herzegovina residents regarding the rising tide of hate speech, the glorifying of war criminals, and the denial of genocidal and other war crimes.
This poses a threat to both stability and the chances of creating a nation where everyone is accepted and has the chance to achieve.
The UK implores Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political leaders to take action against such unsettling behaviour and to put their attention on helping the victims’ and their families’ search for justice and consolation.
This year, the continuing conflict in Ukraine casts a shadow over how we remember Srebrenica.
must understand the lessons of history and the repercussions of inaction, as my Foreign Secretary stated during her visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in May of this year.
In the 1990s, the West was too slow to respond. We lacked the courage to stop horrific incidents like the Srebrenica slaughter.
We promised that we would never again permit such anguish in Europe; let’s demonstrate that we meant it.