Working toward deep healing from genocide. Lessons from Bosnia

Earlier this year we traveled to Bosnia and Herzegovina to understand the events leading up to the 1995 Srebrenica genocide. This year marks 29 years since the genocide, a time marker that signifies the tensions that persist for many despite the efforts that have been made to overcome the devastating effects of the genocide.
On July 11, 1995, a United Nations safe haven in the town of Srebrenica was turned over to the Army of Republika Srpska who executed over 8,372 Bosnian Muslims in the largest genocidal act since the Holocaust. For many months, genocide continued against Bosnian Muslims along with the horror of displacement, gender-based violence, concentration camps and unspeakable atrocities.
As part of our visit to Srebrenica, we spent time investigating the question when does genocide end? Srebrenica still has many wounds from the war scattered around the city, but what about the national memory? How do we ensure justice is served and overcome generational trauma?
It is not surprising to see posters around the city calling for “End Genocide in Palestine” because a people that have survived genocide are triggered by the images of the unfolding conflict in the Middle East. Any event reminiscent of an apathetic or uncaring international community brings Bosnian survivors right back into the skin of their days of war and the survival of genocide.
To date, 9,876 people are still missing from the genocidal atrocities committed in Bosnia. For the survivors, the genocide is far from over.
After nearly 30 years, prominent politicians and international revisionists deny the genocide happened. At a rally where thousands gathered in April this year to protest a UN Resolution acknowledging the Srebrenica genocide, Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik exclaimed again that the events of Srebrenica were not genocide and has threatened to split the country if talk of the genocide continues.
The UN Resolution passed but with 19 nations voting against recognition of genocide in Srebrenica including those grappling with their own genocidal events (like China, Russia, and the Congo).
Genocidal denial has serious consequences for human rights. As Samantha Power recently shared, “Genocide happened in Srebrenica. That is the conclusion reached by both the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice based on mounds and mounds evidence. The refusal to acknowledge that genocide occurred is not only deeply hurtful to the victims and their families who have already endured so much, but it is the obstacle to reconciliation.”
Even in countries without a history or ongoing threat of genocide, denial has implications. As Ellen Germain, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues explained, “It matters because it can also fan the flames of violent extremism. One terrible example from the United States is the gunman who killed 11 people in a synagogue in the United States in 2018. He frequented a social media platform that trafficked in Holocaust denial and other forms of antisemitism.”
So again, is the genocide over? We are not convinced. Hundreds of remains are still missing, scattered in the vibrant green forests. The land is peaceful, the streets quiet, but evidence of the genocide cannot be ignored. The stucco and brick houses lining the single main street in Srebrenica have hundreds of bullet holes across their face — evidence of perpetrators leaving an unforgettable mark.
For the Mothers of Srebrenica, a coalition of mothers who survived the genocide in Srebrenica and who continue to fight for justice, the pain goes deeper than denial. In a video for AP News, one mother, Suhra, pleaded, “that we stop naming schools and institutions after war criminals. I hope with this [UN] resolution, the schools will finally teach real history, so children will learn the truth about what really happened here on July 11, 1995.”
The current Mayor of Srebrenica, Mladen Grujicic, is a Serb nationalist who also denies the genocide.
We must stand against efforts of genocide denial – and encourage basic acknowledgment that includes formal recognition of atrocities, and reaffirmation of the human dignity of all.
Especially given that atrocities rage in other parts of the world, if we cannot learn the lessons of Srebrenica, we are likely to repeat the mistakes of the past. The international community must rally to support efforts from organizations like the Memorial Srebrenica Center and Remembering Srebrenica who have helped organize thousands of community actions to acknowledge the genocide and bring justice to the survivors of the genocide.
Sitting members of the UN security council like the United States play a critical role in preventing genocide which comes in part from bringing justice to survivors of genocide.
We also need coalitions of organizations to help in other parts of the world where genocide continues to ravage communities such as in Iraq, Sudan, and Palestine. Because in the age of genocide, we cannot tolerate denial or apathy.
We each have a role in helping to end the cycle of genocide in our world today regardless of religious or ethnic affiliation. One life taken is too many.
Rachel Miner is the founder and CEO of Bellwether International, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to disrupting the cycle of genocide and creating genocide resistance. Elmina Kulasic is a survivor of the Srebrenica genocide and Remembering Srebrenica Country Director leading the project “Lessons Learned from Srebrenica.”