Republika Srpska does not recognize the Srebrenica massacre as genocide

The parliament of the autonomous Republika Srpska (part of Bosnia and Herzegovina) on Thursday approved a report arguing that the killing of 8,000 Muslims by Serb forces in Srebrenica during the Bosnian War was not genocide. This conclusion contradicts the decisions of international courts. About it writes Russian service of the Voice of America.

On July 11, 1995, at the end of the Bosnian War of 1992-1995, Bosnian Serb armed forces invaded the Srebrenica enclave. Previously, the UN declared it a “security zone.” Within days of the invasion, some 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed in Srebrenica. The UN International Tribunal for War Crimes in the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague recognized these atrocities as genocide.

In 2007, the International Court of Justice confirmed this statement. The judges also stated that Serbia failed to prevent genocide.

The current move by the Parliament of the Autonomous Republika Srpska comes as Serbia and the Republika Srpska are campaigning against a resolution establishing a day of remembrance for the Srebrenica genocide. The draft UN resolution under discussion is due to be voted on by the General Assembly in early May.

“There was no genocide, such a classification must be rejected,” Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik told lawmakers. “The Serbian people did not commit genocide.”

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said last week that Serbia would fight against the UN resolution. There are fears in Belgrade that the resolution could become the basis for Bosnia to demand war reparations from Serbia, a military ally of the Bosnian Serbs.

On July 11, the United States annually marks the anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.