"The resolution is further recognition of the victims and survivors and their pursuit of justice, truth and guarantees of non-recurrence," says Volker Turk.The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution designating July 11 as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide. / Photo: AFP
“This resolution is further recognition of the victims and survivors and their pursuit of justice, truth, and guarantees of non-recurrence. It is also an important step towards the promotion of a culture of remembrance and peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the region,” Turk said. Maintaining that recent hate speech by politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region has underscored the urgency of dealing with the past, he added that “political leaders in the region have the responsibility to engage in a constructive dialogue to build peaceful societies where people can live safely and freely, without discrimination or fear of conflict and violence.”
The UN Security Council declared Srebrenica a"safe area" in the spring of 1993. But troops led by Gen. Ratko Mladic overran the UN zone. He was later found guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.