Hamdija Fejzić: The Resolution is not justice, justice will come when all are punished

(Patria) - The commemoration for the victims of the Srebrenica genocide was opened with a speech by Hamdija Fejzić, a genocide survivor and president of the Organizing Committee, who in a powerful speech stated:

– Exactly 30 years ago, when genocide was committed in the heart of Europe, civilization failed the test of humanity. The world turned its back on us then. Today we stand on sacred ground soaked in the blood of the innocent. We stand with pain, but also with pride – because no one has managed to bury the truth.

Fejzić emphasized that Bosniaks were killed solely because of their identity:

– Boys were killed here, more than 600 minors, more than 8,000 men. This was an attempt at our complete disappearance, but we did not disappear. For thirty years, we have listened to lies, denials, and humiliation, but we have not faltered.

He also stressed that their children are being born and growing up today:

– Unfortunately, they are surrounded by denial, hatred, and injustice. Our task is to give them hope, education, and faith in a better future. Srebrenica is not the past – it is an eternal warning.

Fejzić was particularly critical of the passivity of the international community:

– Where were the United Nations, where were the countries that signed the Genocide Convention? Why did they leave us with nothing? The world was silent and thus became an accomplice. Let them know – the 2024 Resolution does not erase the shame of 1995. We welcome its adoption, but it is not justice. Final justice will come only when all those responsible are punished.

At the end of his address, he said:

– We will never tire. We will never be silent. Our silence would be betrayal. On July 11, 2025, before the shadows of the murdered, we promise – we will never forget you. Our voice is a verdict.