“Our kids have been murdered simply because they bore a special title, they have been referred to as in another way, and so they have been Muslim,” stated Munira Subašić, President of the Affiliation of the Moms of Srebrenica and Žepa, talking to greater than 100 individuals on a chilly however sunny November afternoon in New York.
She has spent 30 years advocating for the greater than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim males and boys killed within the UN-protected enclave of Srebrenica.
‘We’re nonetheless right here’
“This flower signifies that we’re nonetheless right here and there shall be extra of us,” Ms. Subašić stated.
The marble flower has 11 white petals surrounding a inexperienced centre. The petals characterize 11 July, the UN-designated Worldwide Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica. White symbolizes the victims’ innocence; the inexperienced remembers the shroud positioned on Muslims at demise, and likewise new development and hope.
Regardless of the horrors of 1995, Ms. Subašić stated that the survivors “raised our youngsters with out vengeance, with out hate” calling the kids the brand new technology.
Representing the brand new technology was her 12-year-old grandson, Karim, who missed college in Bosnia and Herzegovina to attend as we speak. He had misplaced his grandfather and granduncle, in addition to 70 different relations in 1995.
Members attend the dedication of the “Flower of Srebrenica” Memorial honoring the victims of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica.
Struggle should proceed
“I’m happy with her,” Karim instructed UN Information about his grandmother. “She is inspirational. I hope that she is going to proceed to struggle so nobody will ever expertise this once more.”
He added that he and his mates don’t speak about what occurred as a result of all of them have misplaced kin and it’s “too unhappy”.
Countering revisionist historical past
Talking on the ceremony, UN Deputy Secretary-Common Amina Mohammed stated the brand new monument counters denial, distortion and revisionism historical past.
“Denial itself is an assault on humanity itself. It distorts historical past, dehumanizes its victims and deepens the divisions that make future atrocities doable,” she added.
The Particular Adviser of the Secretary-Common for the Prevention of Genocide, Chaloka Beyani, referred to as the advocacy of Ms. Subašić and the 1000’s of different moms “an act of affection and remembrance to the victims” and a worldwide dedication to stopping future genocides.
Deputy Secretary-Common Amina Mohammed with different individuals on the dedication of the “Flower of Srebrenica” Memorial honoring the victims of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica.
Srebrenica and Rwanda
The Flower of Srebrenica Memorial is a present from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UN Secretariat as a part of the Srebrenica Genocide and the United Nations Outreach Programme.
It stands close to one other genocide memorial – the Kwibuka flame remembering the victims and survivors of the 1994 Genocide in opposition to the Tutsi in Rwanda.
“The monuments to the genocide dedicated within the coronary heart of Europe and within the coronary heart of Africa are witness to the reality, but additionally warn humanity to by no means once more permit genocide to be repeated,” stated Denis Bećirović, Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
