Bosnia, Jul 12: Bosnians commemorated on Saturday the massacre of about 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, marking the 25th anniversary of killings that shocked the world and have stood out as Europe's only atrocity since World War Two constituting genocide.
Nine newly identified victims were buried at a flower-shaped cemetery near the town, where tall white tombstones mark the graves of 6,643 other victims.
"After 25 years we succeeded in finding his mortal remains, so they can be laid to their final rest," said Fikret Pezic, who buried his father Hasan.
The remains of some 1,000 victims of the massacre in the eastern town during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war are still missing.
Ifeta Hasanovic decided to bury incomplete remains of her husband, saying: "We were aware they cannot be complete after 25 years, at least there are some, I did not want to make any new delays."
World leaders addressed the ceremony by video link, unable to attend because of coronavirus epidemic. Instead of the tens of thousands visitors who typically attend the commemoration each year, only a few thousand came after organisers banned organised visits.
During the Bosnian war, Bosnian Serb forces pushed non-Serbs out of territories they sought for their Serb statelet. Fleeing Muslims took shelter in several eastern towns, including Srebrenica, that were designated as United Nations "safe zones".
On July 11, 1995, the Serb forces commanded by General Ratko Mladic overran Srebrenica, which was protected by lightly armed Dutch peacekeepers.
They sent women and children away and captured and executed the men and boys they found. The bodies were dumped into mass graves and later exhumed by U.N. investigators and used as evidence in war crimes trials of Bosnian Serb leaders.
"We grieve with the families that tirelessly seek justice for the 8,000 innocent lives lost, all these years later," said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Washington brokered Bosnia's peace deal months after the massacre.
Most people at the commemoration were Muslim Bosniaks, reflecting conflicting narratives about the bloodshed - which hinders reconciliation nearly 25 years after the end of war in which about 100,000 people were killed.
The U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia convicted Mladic and his political chief Radovan Karadzic over Srebrenica genocide but they remained heroes for Serbs, many of whom deny that genocide happened.
On Saturday, the Serbs in the nearby town of Bratunac organised an event marking July 11 as the "Srebrenica Liberation Day".
Sefik Dzaferovic, the Bosniak chairman of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, called for legislation that would ban denial of genocide.
"There can be no trust as long as we witness attacks on the truth, denial of genocide and glorification and celebration of executors," Dzaferovic told the commemoration gathering.
Comments
If we Muslims bow down , We bow down to only the lord of the worlds, a creator who created U, me and all that exists.
We must bow down in humility to Almighty God only, not his creation which is man made.
Physically we should bow down somewhere, and naturally to some direction. If we were to do it right now, we would be bowing towards a random direction. our physical presence on earth forces this upon us as a prostrating Believer to GOD almighty, whether you like it or not.
The bowing down to God Almighty in the direction of the KAABA or the city of Mecca in general is a way to UNIFY all MUSLIMS to bow down to God Almighty, as one body and one unity, towards ONE DIRECTION & towards the mosque.
As to WORSHIPING the cubic black bldg. the Kaaba, We absolutely DO NOT WORSHIP IT.
I will repeat what aharkul mentioned : Umar RA came near the black stone and kissed it and said \ NO doubt, I know that YOU are a STONE and Can neither Benefit anyone NOR Harm anyone. Had i not seen ALLAH's apostel (Prophet Muhammed pbuh) kissing you, I would not have kissed YOU.
While there are traditions about kissing or touching the stone, its real significance is a MARKER of the point at which one starts the tawaaf (Circumambulation) .. A stone is just a stone."
Mr. Nothing But True, Listen Why Muslim Kissing the black stone in KAABHA because our Great Prophet (S.A) kissed the black stone which is braught from Heavan by Angels. Becuase of this only all Muslim Brother's and Sisters kissing Black Stone of Kaabha following the sunnah of Our Prophet (S.A.) Nothing Else.
Umer (R.A) before kissing the black stone said that there is no any special with you . I am kissing because our prophet (S.A.) kissed you. So Everyone should worship one god and not the creation.
Mr. Reality..you look like \Shishlya\" of Mr. Zoker Naik..before preaching others about Creator and Creation, why can't you apply this principle to yourself? WHY ARE YOU KNEELING TOWARDS AND KISSING \"THE BLACK STONE\" IN KAABA? Please throw the stone to Garbage..."
NA TASYA PRATIMA ASTI... There is no image of God
Bhagwad Geeta says in Chapter 7 Verse 20.
Those whose intelligence has been STOLEN by MATERIAL desires WORSHIP demigods besides the TRUE GOD.
It is mentioned in chandogya upanishad, Propathaka chapter 6, Khanda seciton 2, Shloka
EKAM EVADITIYAM : He is ONE only without a second.
Then Y are worshiping idols and different man made creative gods which cannot help themselves.. How can you guys not using your intellect when your OWN SCRIPTURES says not to DO SO>>>
Its HIgh time hindu brothers should know the REALITY and consequences it will take when we ignore the CREATOR and worship the CREATION.
WORSHIP THE CREATOR NOT HIS CREATION.
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