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Srebrenica genocide survivor, 30 years on: 'What's happening in Gaza brings it back'
A survivor of the Srebrenica genocide has detailed how current events in Palestine trigger painful memories.
This weekend will see a commemoration marking the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, aiming to honour the memory of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys who were systematically executed in July 1995.
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International courts have recognised what happened as genocide—the worst atrocity on European soil since World War II.
Suad Mujkić was just nine years old when the genocide happened, and he explained that the anniversary of it each year makes him feel as though he is back in Srebrenica "on the first day".
Speaking to BreakingNews, Mujkić has said that current events in Palestine have triggered painful memories, and have led to physical health problems too.
"Still now like when you see the last few months on TV, what's happening in Gaza, like it's coming back a bit," he said.
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I feel like I am with the people. I know what they are going through.
"Before this year, I never went to the GP and I never got sick. But last time, my doctor said that my blood pressure was unbelievably high.
"Now I'm on medication for the high blood pressure because I was looking at the news. When I see the news, all the memories come back and I remember how hard it was for me, even if I was nine years old.
"That's the worst pain for me, when it comes closer to July 11th, I feel more like I'm there on the first day."
Memories
Mujkić said he can remember his experience in the supposedly safe town of Potocari, even though he was quite young.
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"We used to share a bottle of water between 30-40 people. Then we were in the camp, but they called it a safe zone. I was there for three days and we got like a one-litre bottle of water in a temperature of over 30 or 40 degrees. People had to share, with just one sip of water each.
"I remember in the night people, women, children being taken. I remember babies crying, and I remember on the day when we left, they brought us to the buses.
"Outside it was 35 degrees, so on the bus, even more. It was unbelievably hot. I remember there was a baby, maybe that was born that night or before. And it was crying, I think maybe hungry or something like that. He was upset.
"Because it was really crying, the bus man stopped and he said: 'I will give her food and she will stop crying'. And the mom, even she knew what was going to happen, you know.
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"And they took the baby to bring it outside, and they killed the baby and then brought it back in a blanket.
And they told the mom: 'Okay, it's not going to cry anymore. It's not hungry anymore'.
Mujkić said his father was separated from the rest of his family, and had to work hard to secure his own safety.
"My dad, he had to flee to the woods and try not to be caught by the Serbs. The people who are caught, they tie their hands and put them in the fields and take their t-shirts off.
"Then, it means when we are coming from the road, we can see all the Muslim people who are caught during the run.
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"The women, the mothers and sisters recognised like brothers in the field, and they know everyone who was in the fields. There were also fields full of people that are dead, lying down."
A thank you to Ireland
Mujkić said he has a lot to thank Ireland for, and is grateful that he, his wife, and his children have somewhere safe to live.
"I'm happy to be in Ireland, like when I see my kids, they are happy, they're enjoying their life. I couldn't even enjoy my childhood," he said.
"Like when you're a kid, you want to be outside and you don't like staying in the house. And when there were grenades, you have to go inside. You can't attend the school. You don't eat properly.
"But when I see now, when I see my kids, I'm proud to be here and I'm super thankful to Ireland for what they did, what they gave us.
"Even for my wife. My wife has been living here longer because of her dad. He was also in a campus like, and then the Red Cross, they brought him in 1995 or 96 to Ireland."
The Bosnia-Herzegovina Association of Ireland (BHAI) and the Bosnian Cultural Centre of Ireland (BCCI) will spotlight the experiences of those affected by the 1990s war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with some having personally experienced the horrors of Srebrenica, like Suad Mujkić.
Photo: Getty
The event marking the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide will take place on Sunday, June 29th, from 1pm to 4pm at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown Town Centre, Dublin 15.
The commemoration will include testimonies from survivors now living in Ireland, poetry readings, a prayer, cultural performances, and a minute's silence.
Government officials, diplomatic representatives, community leaders, and members of the public are invited to attend in solidarity with the Bosnian community, which has been an integral part of Irish society since the refugee resettlement program of the early 1990s.
Chair of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Association of Ireland, Mirza Catibusic, said:"Three decades after Srebrenica, it remains essential that we remember, reflect, and recommit ourselves to the principles of peace and human dignity.
"This commemoration not only honours the victims but also reinforces our collective responsibility to prevent such atrocities from happening again anywhere in the world."
Ireland has demonstrated consistent support for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with official recognition of the genocide by government ministers and parliamentary debates in both the Dáil and Seanad.
"The lessons of Srebrenica remain profoundly relevant today as we confront genocide denial, increasing polarisation, rising racism, and Islamophobia across Europe," added Catibusic.
"By coming together in remembrance, we affirm our commitment to truth, justice, and a more inclusive society."
