Thousands gather for anniversary of Srebrenica genocide
Seven newly identified victims of the massacre - including two 19-year-old men - will be laid to rest in a collective funeral at a vast, ever-expanding cemetery near Srebrenica on Friday, next to more than 6000 victims already buried there.
Such funerals are held annually for the victims who are still being unearthed from dozens of mass graves around the town.
July 11, 1995, is the day when the killings started after Bosnian Serb fighters overran the eastern Bosnian enclave in the final months of the interethnic war in the Balkan country.
After taking control of the town that was a protected UN safe zone during the war, Bosnian Serb fighters separated Bosniak Muslim men and boys from their families and brutally executed them in just several days.
The bodies were then dumped in mass graves around Srebrenica, which they later dug up with bulldozers, scattering the remains among other burial sites to hide the evidence of their war crimes.
The UN General Assembly in 2024 adopted a resolution to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide on the July 11 anniversary.
Scores of international officials and dignitaries are expected to attend the commemoration ceremonies and the funeral on Friday.
On the eve of the anniversary, an exhibition was inaugurated displaying personal items belonging to the victims that were found in the mass graves over the years.
The conflict in Bosnia erupted in 1992, when Bosnian Serbs took up arms in a rebellion against the country's independence from the former Yugoslavia and with an aim to create their own state and eventually unite with neighbouring Serbia.
More than 100,000 people were killed and millions displaced before a US-brokered peace agreement was reached in 1995.
Bosnia remains ethnically split while both Bosnian Serbs and neighbouring Serbia refuse to acknowledge that the massacre in Srebrenica was a genocide despite rulings by two UN courts.
Bosnian Serb political and military leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, along with many others, have been convicted and sentenced for genocide.
Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic expressed condolences on X while calling the Srebrenica massacre a "terrible crime".
"We cannot change the past but we must change the future," Vucic said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
9 News
2 hours ago
- 9 News
PM details phone call with Macron over Gaza humanitarian crisis
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and French President Emmanuel Macron have spoken about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Following a 100,000-strong pro-Palestine protest calling for an immediate ceasefire across Sydney Harbour Bridge on the weekend, the PM has confirmed he spoke with Macron overnight to affirm their "ongoing commitment" to getting aid to civilians in Gaza. The two leaders also reinforced their shared support for a two-state solution during the call, according to an official read-out of the call. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and French President Emmanuel Macron pictured in 2022. (Getty) Albanese and Macron then spoke about action on climate, France's support for Australia's joint bid to host COP31 and agreed on the importance of finalising the Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement. Yesterday's phone call ended with an agreement to "stay in touch" and to meet again in September at the United Nations General Assembly. In a post on X , Macron said he spoke "successively" with Albanese and New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Luxon. "Australia, New Zealand, and France share the same commitment to the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas, the large-scale and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and the implementation of a political solution based on two states, living side by side in peace and security," Macron said. "We are working together towards these goals ahead of the upcoming Conference on the Two-State Solution to be held in New York during the UN General Assembly." The PM also had a rare phone call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas earlier this week, promising to meet with him on the sidelines of the crucial global leaders meeting next month. Macron and Albanese's phone call comes after the French president announced last month he would recognise Palestine's statehood. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pictured during Question Time. (Alex Ellinghausen) The president said he would formalise this decision at the UN General Assembly next month. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also announced he would officially recognise Palestine as a state at the same time. Australia, Canada, the UK, France and other countries have previously come together to call for an immediate ceasefire and urgent humanitarian aid in Gaza. federal politics Gaza Emmanuel Macron Anthony Albanese Palestine national World CONTACT US
SBS Australia
2 hours ago
- SBS Australia
France, Canada, UK, and who else? Where countries stand on recognising a Palestinian state
Canada, France and the United Kingdom intend to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September amid growing pressure for Israel to end the war in Gaza. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said images of starvation in Gaza meant "the prospect of a Palestinian state is literally receding before our eyes," and condemned the Israeli government for "allowing a catastrophe to unfold" during the announcement. His comments followed Canada and the UK, which also stated their intentions, with conditions including the exit of Hamas from the Gaza Strip, the reform of the Palestinian Authority and demilitarisation of the state. Israel's foreign ministry said the move "is a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages", while repeatedly denying that the population is facing, or succumbing to, starvation. A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said United States President Donald Trump also views recognition of the State of Palestine as wrongly "rewarding Hamas". Who first recognised a Palestinian state? The state of Israel was established by the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948 and was admitted as a UN member the following year. It is currently recognised by 165 member states. In 1988, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat unilaterally proclaimed an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital during the first intifada (uprising). He announced the two-state solution as a goal, with independent Israeli and Palestinian states existing side by side. Algeria, Indonesia and Malaysia were among the first group of countries to recognise the state in 1988, with 82 countries in total — from India, Türkiye, and most of Africa to Eastern Europe — doing so by the end of that year. Algeria, Indonesia and Malaysia were among the first group of countries to recognise a Palestinian state in 1988, with 82 countries in total doing so by the end of that year. Source: SBS News In 1993, the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel signed the Oslo Accords — which were heralded as the start of peace talks. The next wave of recognition from a host of South American countries, including Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, came in late 2010 and early 2011, amid political and social turbulence in the region. The Palestinian bid for full UN membership in 2011 was unsuccessful. However, in 2012, the UN General Assembly upgraded the status of Palestinians to that of a "non-member observer state", allowing them a seat but not a vote in the assembly. In April 2024, the US vetoed a resolution that would have paved the way for full UN membership for the State of Palestine. Countries join revived push for Palestinian statehood in Europe Sweden broke ranks and became the first Western European country to recognise a Palestinian state in 2014, joining six of 27 EU member states. The US, UK, Australia and other Western countries have previously insisted that recognition comes as part of a negotiated peace settlement. As of March 2025, the State of Palestine has been recognised as a sovereign nation by 147 of 193 member states of the United Nations. Source: SBS News Israel's bombardment of Gaza — which has killed at least 60,430 people, according to the territory's health ministry — in retaliation for Hamas' killing of more than 1,170 people in Israel on October 7 in 2023, has renewed support in Europe for Palestinian statehood. In 2024, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados recognised a Palestinian state. Later that year, Spain, Norway and Ireland joined efforts in Western Europe, with the hopes that the symbolic move would help work towards a two-state solution. Where does Australia stand? Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia is working with other countries on recognition, warning there might soon be "no Palestine left". "We understand the urgency, we also understand the importance of having impact, we are obviously discussing and coordinating these issues with many countries," Wong told Nine's Today show on Tuesday. "Everybody understands that there is a risk that there will be no Palestine left to recognise unless the international community work together towards two states." Foreign Minister Penny Wong has stated Australia is working with other countries on the Palestinian statehood issue. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch Last week, Australia joined 14 other countries, including several that already recognise the Palestinian state, in a statement welcoming commitments by the Palestinian Authority paving a pathway to recognition. The government has said statehood is a matter of "when, not if" , but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been hesitant to set a timeline, saying conditions such as guarantees that the designated terror group Hamas would play no role in the future nation need to be met. Albanese spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday morning, when he reiterated Australia's commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East that would allow a Palestinian state and Israel to peacefully co-exist. The Coalition has reiterated its support for a two-state solution, but Liberal MP Julian Leeser said recognition can only come "at the end of a process". "It's wrong that we're putting recognition on the table at this point because it removes pressure on Hamas, and I think it sends a bad signal to other areas of conflict," he told ABC Radio. "It's very important that we do nothing that encourages Hamas in its activities." — With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse and Reuters
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Un-Australian': Labor lashed after visa boast
The opposition is calling on Tony Burke to explain how he rejects visas after the border chief revealed he has blocked dozens of visas to protect 'social cohesion'. Mr Burke holds a suite of powerful portfolios in the Albanese government, including home affairs and immigration. This gives him direct oversight of intelligence and policing concerns, as well as the means to curb foreign threats, such as by knocking back visa applications. Mr Burke would not be drawn on how many visas he had rejected in an interview with the Australian Financial Review, but said it was 'in (the) order' of dozens But his opposition counterpart Andrew Hastie said on Wednesday he worries Mr Burke is too liberal with his power. 'I want to know what standard Tony Burke is applying,' Mr Hastie told Sky News. 'He's been making these decisions behind closed doors. 'We're not actually clear on what the standard is.' He said he was 'more than happy for people who don't conform to Australian values to be denied a visa, we just want to know what the standard is, and we want it to be applied consistently'. 'Tony Burke is the Minister for Home Affairs, not for double standards, and he needs to become clear about what the standard is,' Mr Hastie said. Opposition home affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie says he worries Labor has 'double standards' on who it lets into Australia. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia With deteriorating social cohesion keeping the terror threat level high, Mr Burke has not hesitated to refuse entry to high-profile figures, including rapper Kanye West and conservative conspiracy theorist Candace Owens – both highly publicised ordeals. But in a recent interview, Mr Burke revealed he had refused many more that had not reached headlines. Speaking to the AFR, Mr Burke said he would happily throw away past practices of letting controversial figures in based on the basis of free speech. 'There's traditionally been a large number of people where the power to refuse was clearly there and in the name of freedom of speech, ministers have said 'Oh no, let them in',' he told the paper. 'I could not care less about the freedom of speech argument if I'm in the business of stopping hatred from being imported to Australia.' Mr Burke caused a stir among free speech absolutists when he denied Ms Owens a visa. It forced the cancellation of her speaking tour, which she insisted was 'about fostering constructive debate on important issues facing the world today'. But the far-right pundit is an infamous Holocaust denier, and around the time of her refusal a synagogue in Melbourne had been firebombed. Mr Burke's decision was welcomed by Jewish groups. Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Tony Burke says he has blocked dozens of visas to protect 'social cohesion'. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia He also sparked criticism by blocking ex-Israeli politician Ayelet Shaked for comments she made in 2014 calling children of terrorists 'little snakes'. She said the families of terrorists 'are all enemy combatants, and their blood shall be on all their heads'. 'They should go, as should the physical homes in which they raised the snakes,' Ms Shaked said. 'They have to die and their houses should be demolished so that they cannot bear any more terrorists.' Mr Burke said he would not let someone in who spoke like that. 'If someone wanted to come to Australia for a public speaking event, and they were on the record describing Jewish children as reptiles, would I let them in? And the answer was no,' he said. But on Wednesday, Mr Hastie pointed out that some protesters in the mega pro-Palestine rally in Sydney at the weekend were carrying symbols of designated terrorist groups. 'I just want to know what the standard is so that we can objectively assess each case, not just on the Minister's desk, but also publicly as well,' he said. 'Because, I mean, we saw the bridge march over the weekend. 'We saw al-Qaeda flags, we saw an ISIS flag, we saw PLO flags. 'There are all sorts of undesirable characters in this country at the moment who are un-Australian in their values. 'And so we just want to know what the standard is and we want to see it applied evenly.'
