Srebrenica massacre: 8000 dead represent the defeat of civilization

“What is being consumed before the eyes of the entire world constitutes a defeat of civilization,” Pope Juan Pablo condemned with these words the genocide of Srebrenica, which occurred on July 11, 1995.

In the midst of the Bosnian War (1992-1995), framed in the conflict of the Yugoslav wars, the city of Srebrenica was taken by Serbobosnias forces under the command of General Ratko Mladić. It was a town that had been designated as “safe zone” by the United Nations and its inhabitants were mostly Bosnian Muslims.

The complex combination of political and religious factors on which the Yugoslav conflict was based unleashed hell over the residents of Srebrenica. According to the British encyclopedia8,000 men and children – between 13 and 75, mostly Muslims – were killed in the city by the Mladić army. All were thrown into common graves.

The massacre was considered the worst episode of mass murders throughout Europe, since the end of World War II, in 1945. In addition to the slaughter, more than 20,000 civilians were expelled from the area, thus consuming an episode cataloged by many as “ethnic cleaning.”

“The news and images of Bosnia, and especially Srebrenica and Zep during the prayer of Andgen, On Sunday, July 16 of that same year.

“No cause, no project can justify such barbaric actions and methods: they are crimes against humanity! How I would like my word, my affection and my prayer to reach those brothers and those sisters, rejected on the path of the exodus in the most extreme misery!” He added.

In addition, the Holy Father begged all men of good will to “continue without getting tired by helping those martyred populations,” and said: “These crimes will remain as one of the saddest chapters in the history of Europe.”

The massacre remembers “how powerful evil can be”

At the age of 30 years of the genocide, the priest Dražen Kustura, journalist and spokesman of the Archdiocese of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), said that this tragic date “reminds us of how powerful evil can be. It brings to memory crimes of the recent past, for which no one with solid moral principles can be proud”.

Fr. Kustura, in statements to the Pontifical Foundation Help the needy church (ACN, for its acronym in English), said that this anniversary is an opportunity to “fulfill justice and condemn crimes”, in addition to promoting reconciliation between the peoples involved.

The priest, reflecting on the wounds left by the massacre, considers that a common awareness of that any crime is not developed, regardless of where it comes from, it must be convicted. The spokesman recalled that all victims have the same value and that “the pain of every mother is always equally deep.”

“Thus, the anniversaries of the genocide of Srebrenica, instead of being occasions for personal and collective purification, become foci of new divisions; the wounds of the past remain open and the process of reconciliation and forgiveness is hindered,” he lamented.

Fr. Kustura highlighted the role of the Catholic Church, which has always been close to the relatives of the victims, and has been an important actor in the renewal of society. For the anniversary, the usual acts of joint prayer between Catholics and Muslims will be carried out.

However, the spokesman said that the Serbian Orthodox Church does not participate in these meetings, since – as well as the political class of his country – “he acknowledges that it was a serious crime, but openly denies that it was a genocide.”

“As long as this position continues, it will be difficult to wait for joint initiatives,” said the priest and journalist.

“We believe that dialogue is the only morally acceptable way to solve any disagreement. Bosnia-Herzegovina bishops have always maintained this principle and have never refused to meet with any religious leader,” he added.

In addition, Fr. Kustura highlighted the importance of achieving a fair peace, which helps overcome divisions especially among the youngest.

“The mere fact that the parties faced in the past live in some peace for thirty years, talk to each other, travel from one side to the country, meet, it is a sign that reconciliation is possible,” he said.

“However, we should not overlook the need for justice, that is, that each individual responds for the crimes he has committed,” added the priest.

What happened in Srebrenica, he continued, must be “a lesson for the future.” It must be a reminder of how much damage the human being can generate when filled with hate. On the other hand, this must become a testimony of meeting and conversion, that helps everyone understands that “war and crime have never brought anything good to anyone.”