United Nations approves annual remembrance of 1995 Srebrenica massacre

The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution to commemorate the 1995 Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia annually, despite strong opposition from Serbs in Bosnia and neighbouring Serbia. The measure, sponsored by Germany and Rwanda, aims to ensure that the massacre is not denied or forgotten.

The vote in the 193-member General Assembly was 84-19, with 68 nations abstaining, reflecting concerns about the impact on reconciliation efforts in Bosnia. The resolution designates July 11 as the “International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica,” to be observed annually starting in two months.

Serbs fear being unfairly labelled as supporters of genocide, despite the resolution not mentioning Serbia as the culprit. Bosnian Serb president Milorad Dodik and Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic lobbied intensively for a “no” vote.

On July 11, 1995, Bosnian Serbs overran a UN-protected safe area in Srebrenica, separating and slaughtering at least 8,000 Bosniak men and boys. The killings were a brutal climax of Bosnia’s 1992-95 war, fueled by nationalist passions and territorial ambitions.

Both Serbia and Bosnian Serbs deny that genocide occurred in Srebrenica, despite rulings from two UN courts. Dodik has threatened secession in the past, and the resolution’s passage may further strain relations in Bosnia.

The resolution also reaffirms the General Assembly’s commitment to maintaining stability and unity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The International Court of Justice determined in 2007 that the acts in Srebrenica constituted genocide, marking Europe’s first genocide since the Nazi Holocaust.