On the Nineteenth Anniversary of Srebrenica

It matters!

Genocide denial has such a beguilingly pleasant façade. It’s nothing like what I imagined as a child. I grew up thinking that ‘deniers’ were skinheads or crackpots who collected Nazi paraphernalia. The reality is, of course, far more uncomfortable.

I have lost count of the number of people I have come across, some of them friends, who have offered a different interpretation of the conflict in Bosnia-Hercegovina and Croatia, despite little or no knowledge of the subject. Some call it historical revisionism, but often it isn’t so much revision as doubt and denial. If I were ignorant of the subject, I might call it scepticism, but the most charitable description I can muster is prejudice. They create a narrative to fit their prejudices.

These doubters and deniers often come across as reasonable and well-informed. They say things like “I’m led to believe that the numbers may have been exaggerated” and…

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35 responses to “On the Nineteenth Anniversary of Srebrenica”

jalal michael sabbagh.http://gravatar.com/jmsabbagh86@gmail.com

July 10, 2014

Human tragedy through the pages of history.My grand parents were victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915 when Turkey killed 1 1/2 million of my people.God bless Croatia..JMS

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inavukic

July 10, 2014

Blessings to you too, Jalal. You can relate well why it is so important to remember and remember

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Brenda Davis Harsham

July 10, 2014

Some people doubt the Holocaust, too. They don’t believe and they won’t look at the evidence. So sad.

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inavukic

July 10, 2014

Yes, so sad, Brenda.

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Muhamed Begović

July 10, 2014

The reason why the people of Bosnia will rather join hell than Serbia! crimes like that made our indepedence unchangeable and let us remember the 8000 croat civilians who was killed by Serb forces in eastern Bosnia in the summer of 1992.

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inavukic

July 11, 2014

Lest we forget, Muhamed

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Carol Balawyder

July 10, 2014

I found that Mishka’s testimony was very accessible and her humility was powerful in targeting her message: every single one of those 8,372 lives mattered.

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inavukic

July 11, 2014

Well said, Carol. Every single person killed matters so very much.

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Veronika

July 10, 2014

Unless the Serbian government and its backers publicly come out and say ‘yes we were responsible for these evil crimes like Srebrenica, yes we participated in genocide and we ethnically cleansed our neighbours because of their ethnicity and because we wanted to rule all of the former Yugoslavia,’ there will never, ever, be peace in the region. Like Germany and Japan post 1945, a reckoning has to take place. Sadly too, the former Soviet regime types like Putin will never recognize the type of evil from their own past, hence their continued aspirations on places like Ukraine. And as a previous writer wrote, Turkey must recognize the genocide committed against the Armenians! Only true justice can bring lasting peace.

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inavukic

July 11, 2014

Hear hear, Veronika.

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Alija Derzelez

July 11, 2014

Veronika,Drazen Erdemovic was ,is Bosnian Croat or a Croat as he likes to call himself.

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Donald Miller

July 11, 2014

“I might call it scepticism” You’d be right to call it that.

“doubters and deniers often come across as reasonable and well-informed” Before 9/11 I and my fellow Americans, for the most part, believed the US government. There was a degree of trust that those who gave us information were worthy of trust.

We now know that it was misplaced trust in nearly every conceivable way. And the betrayals continue to mount. People can find some degree of truthful information about events if they dig deep enough to find them.

I don’t believe a single thing my government tells me. I’m not alone. Indeed, it’s not a bad bet to believe the opposite of what they say.

The stunning numbers of dead in the Middle East has had a desensitizing effect on me. When I realize that my government is directly responsible for the deaths of half a million Iraqi children, the displacement of millions, the “blowback” deaths of millions, and that it is controlled by international corporations, it’s quite sobering.

It truly is a time to reflect upon massacres, and to hope that in some small way we might be able to prevent some future ones.

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inavukic

July 11, 2014

Thank you, Donald. If we all do our bit perhaps future massacres will be prevented. That “perhaps” would lean towards living in ideal societies that above all respect human life. Until and if that is achieved there will be, regrettably, individuals or political groups who will set the road to peace back and, therefore, the job for each and every one who wants to contribute in fight against evil is far from done.

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1. Donald Miller
  
  July 11, 2014
  
  It is indeed. I’ve been working on a website about the Middle East. (Hope to make some videos about some subjects eventually.) It’s a grim story, with no happy ending. All we can do is to try and diminish the amount of suffering.
  
  It’s practically an impossible task that even a brilliant and determined man like Noam Chomsky has barely made a dent in–but he has no doubt saved some lives.
  
  All I hope to do with my site is to give information in one convenient place. Not much. But it’s something. US policies have caused so much suffering it just makes me sick.
  
  Oh, I did something that I want to remind you to do. You’ve placed quite a bit of work in your site, so don’t forget to make sure that it’s fully backed up. I have two sites with my information: one is a backup of the other. Plus I have a copy on my computer.
  
  This link, if you decide to go to my site, is for the new one.
  
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2. inavukic
  
  July 11, 2014
  
  Yes I do have backups on and off-site, thanks Donald. As to the main matter in this thread: if choice exists it’s likely it will be picked up bi someone or other, but important nevertheless. Great idea re new website.
  
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3. Donald Miller
  
  July 11, 2014
  
  What we are witnessing in the Middle East shows that there are people ready, willing, and quite able to commit murder on a mass scale.
  
  Sorry I don’t know more about your country and who’s fighting who, but I’d have to do quite a bit of research to sort it all out. That’s essentially what I’m doing with my site. But my country is heavily involved in that region, so it’s a bit closer to “home” for me. A lot of fine and brave American youngsters lost their lives and limbs because of a few elite “chicken hawks” in positions of great power.
  
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4. inavukic
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  Thank God, Donald, there’s no killing in my country now but pursuit of justice for past mass killings, post WWII and 19990’s has still quite a way to go.
  
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5. Donald Miller
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  I quite agree with you. I just looked up what occurred in Srebrenica and I remember seeing some of what went on. The worst traits in people were on display there.
  
  I do indeed honor the memory of those murdered and agree that the killers should be brought to justice. This will give some justice to the victims and to some extent help prevent future atrocities.
  
  I believe in the Hague court, even if my government doesn’t recognize its authority.
  
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6. inavukic
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  I believe Hague court has a very important role, however, since the days of chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte it has “entertained” some serious political leanings which saw lots of witch-hunting, taking as fact testimonies of persons/leaders whose honesty leaves a great deal to be desired etc. And so no wonder the US has worked towards its international warriors being excluded from its jurisdiction.
  
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7. Donald Miller
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  Sounds like a description of the methods used by the people who got the US into Iraq–only I doubt the Hague could be that corrupt.
  
  With the exception of the honorable General Colin Powell, who did have personal wartime experiences, I see many of the so-called — and I think aptly named — chicken hawks as international war criminals–horrible people who have brought great suffering to many places around the world. They do have one thing going for them in that the Hague doesn’t have the death penalty, so they won’t end up in front of firing squads, where they belong.
  
  As far as the young warriors of the US, most are honorable and brave young men who were taken advantage of by an arrogant and incompetent oligarchy.
  
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8. inavukic
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  Oh, I reckon, some aspects of Hague prosecution unit matched those that sent US into Iraq etc, I have no doubts. Some aspects are comparable: Under Carla del Ponte the move was to equate the aggressor with the victim – frighteningly evil plot but she dis manage to find collaborators and Under US Bushs etc the fact that Iraq was/is entrenched in inflexible tribal network where greed for supremacy will never cease made no difference to those who decide: yeah, let’s get in and bring democracy by force…
  
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9. Donald Miller
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  I need to learn more about the Hague. I’m really only familiar with the conceptual underpinnings of its mandate.
  
  There is a superb journalistic enterprise in the US called “Frontline.” I don’t know if you’re familiar with it or not. It’s part of the Public Broadcasting system — very much disliked by the conservatives who would love to see the system dismantled, for obvious reasons.
  
  On my site, I use a lot of links to their programs. They have hands down the best reports on what’s happening in the Middle East and reports on the US’s covert (not so covert anymore, thankfully) spy programs.
  
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10. inavukic
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  Will check Frontline out, sounds good and what we need more of
  
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11. Donald Miller
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  Wondering if you got my email?
  
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12. inavukic
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  All hooked up now, Donald. The site looks stylish just the way I like http://themiddleeastacomprehensivejournal.wordpress.com/
  
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13. Donald Miller
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  Glad you like it. Happy to have you as a visitor. 🙂
  
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14. inavukic
  
  July 12, 2014
  
  😀
  
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sophiebowns

July 11, 2014

Thanks for the like on my blog, I really appreciate it!

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inavukic

July 12, 2014

I do enjoy reading it and visiting it, sophiebowns. Thank you, too – within the community we learn much about the world, events and people within it.

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psychologistmimi

July 12, 2014

Its an interesting situation when seated with friends in discussion and you come to that moment where you are like “whoa, you think what?”

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inavukic

July 12, 2014

Indeed, psychologistmimi

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IdealisticRebel

July 19, 2014

I am finding more people writing that there has been no genocide.not in the nineties or WWII. I am so surprised that anyone would try to deny all the millions do deaths” hugs, Barbara

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inavukic

July 19, 2014

People will try anything to avoid responsibility for evil acts, Barbara. We can pray for them to reach a stage in their lives where they see the glory of “truth will set you free”. Hugs and thank you for the reblog

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1. IdealisticRebel
  
  July 20, 2014
  
  Yes I know the truth of what you are saying.it is amazing just how stupid people will pretend to be. What a world we live in. Thank you for all of the hard work you do on behalf of Croatia. I am proud to call me friend. Hugs, Barbara
  
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2. inavukic
  
  July 20, 2014
  
  Awww, thank you Barbara. It’s important to press on with justice and good regardless of obstacles that come our way to intimidate the good. Bless you
  
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Croatia, the War, and the Future