Brammertz's Lesson: The True Name of Srebrenica is Genocide!

-This place is a constant reminder of what people are capable of inflicting on each other. Survivors know this better than anyone today. Thousands of men were killed, and tens of thousands of women and children were abused.

One group of people used their power and authority to destroy Bosniaks in Eastern Bosnia. The Srebrenica genocide was the result of a deliberate plan conceived at the highest level. Denial of genocide, distorted representation of facts, and disrespect for the verdicts of two international courts are an insult to the victims.

To honor the victims and the past, and to respect the survivors, we must call Srebrenica by its true name - genocide.

The Hague indicted 20 people for genocide. Almost all of them were convicted. Mladić and Karadžić are now on trial. For the victims, they represent the embodiment of the hatred and evil that led to the genocide. More than 2,000 witnesses testified at our trials.

Local courts must continue the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Hundreds of cases related to Srebrenica still need to be prosecuted. They have fled to other countries, which is why regional cooperation is crucial for their prosecution.

Victims cannot move on until their loved ones are found. We must help victims rebuild their lives. Over the past seven years, I have learned that accepting the truth is the first step towards reconciliation.

From the speech of Serge Brammertz, Chief Prosecutor of the ICTY