Thirty years after the genocide: The silence of Potočari against the noise of denial

(Patria) - The verdicts of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, including those against Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić, have unequivocally confirmed that genocide was committed in Srebrenica. Nevertheless, three decades later, the truth is still systematically denied – both in the Republika Srpska entity and in parts of the Serbian political spectrum.

The silence in the valley of white tombstones in Potočari testifies to the more than eight thousand murdered Bosniak men and boys. But that silence is also a symbol of resistance today – against forgetting, denial, and the politicization of crime.

Šehida Abdurahmanović, a member of the Association "Mothers of the Enclaves of Srebrenica and Žepa", says that denial is perhaps more aggressive today than before:

"Denial, as the years go by, is becoming more intense. I don't think it's because of us – they do it for themselves. It's not easy for perpetrators to live with it."

The law imposed in 2021 by High Representative Valentin Inzko, which prohibits the denial of genocide, has yielded some results. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina recently delivered its first verdict: Vojin Pavlović, president of the "Istočna alternativa" association, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for glorifying convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić. Although an important step, this verdict remains isolated.

Law professor Vedad Gurda emphasizes the need for a stronger normative framework:

"One can hope that in the future the law will be further tightened and that the prosecution of genocide denial will be more effective."

Denial of crimes often comes through the education system as well. Textbooks in Republika Srpska shape narratives that deny adjudicated facts. Instead of acknowledgment and education, revisionism and distortion of truth are present.

Despite this, life in Srebrenica continues. Adem Mehmedović, a local resident, testifies to the reality of coexistence:

"Genocide was committed. 30 years have passed and we have decided to be here, to live and share space with our Serb neighbors. Our children are growing up together."

The President of the Municipal Assembly of Srebrenica, Almir Dudić, states that the law must be applied:

"Only consistent application of the law can stop denial. Srebrenica has no alternative but to be a symbol of coexistence – both locally and at the level of the entire BiH."

Imam Ahmed Hrustanović emphasizes that without justice and truth, there is no foundation for the future:

"If the truth is not satisfied, then we are building something without a foundation. And without a foundation, nothing can last."

Denial, the interviewees say, is not a defeat of truth – but it is proof that the fight for it is still necessary. The truth about Srebrenica is not a matter of the past, but a test for the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its recognition should not be a political stance, but a civilizational norm.

(BHRT)