Belgrade city center: Women in Black performed 'Srebrenica 8372'

As part of marking the 22nd anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, the non-governmental organization 'Women in Black' from Belgrade, in cooperation with artistic groups MMC Led Art from Novi Sad, Dah Theater from Belgrade, civil society activists, performed a stage action 'Srebrenica 8372' yesterday at Trg Republike in Belgrade.

The assembly at Belgrade's main square did not go as originally planned – threats and protests by nationalistic groups against this previously announced gathering, forced Women in Black to move to the other side of the square. The protesters were requesting to 'first resolve the issues of Serb victims'.

Representative of Women in Black, Stasa Zajovic, told FTV that the protests were not spontaneous – the women had been attacked by the nationalist and profascist organizations on numerous occasions by smoke bombs, tear gas etc. So that was nothing new to them.

- Genocide is a crime organized by the state, it was not spontaneous and it was not done by some lunatic. They got their permit to gather against us. We requested a permission for this assembly long before the deadline because we respect laws of this country. Having said that, it is strange that the laws are far more lax for fascist organizations. They are trying to send a message that there's no place in the country for those who sympathize with the victims of Srebrenica genocide. They even took away our place at the university. It clearly shows where this country is heading to... not to autocracy but to a totalitarian regime. The country that is afraid to listen to its citizens who speak the truth and who show solidarity, is not the state of its citizens but a state facing a moral collapse. Totalitarism begins with those who fear the truth and, I have to say, it can be seen on all levels, including the judiciary: All the charges we filed for attacks in relation to the Srebrenica genocide, have been rejected by the Appellation court, Zajovic said.

She also said that Aleksandar Vucic's visit to Srebrenica of two years ago was his mere wish to make his point before the international community. Essentially, it was one of his strategically calculated moves which compromised the commemoration itself because he became the center of attention (instead of the victims). Zajovic underlines that Vucic and his government have not done anything to prove that they have changed. They did everything for personal gain.

- We can go on  believing that people can change but they have not changed even their rhetoric, not to mention their actions. They have worked hard not to earn respect of the International Court of Justice. What kind of 'EU integration' is that when they do not respect anything that has to do with the EU, Zajovic said and added: 'What is really dangerous is the fact that they spread fear of the mere term genocide. It is attributed to the entire Serb people. No, this is about responsibility of the individuals and the offenders, and not about the entire Serb nation. Imagine a city in which nobody talks about genocide today, except for in our own circles, Zajovic said.

She said that, in spite of all the obstructions they have come across, Women in Black will never give upon fight for truth and justice, and they will always be side to side with Women of Srebrenica. Women in Black will attend the funeral on the 11th, as they always do.

Genocide in Srebrenica is the biggest war crime in Europe after the WWII. Slobodan Milosevic's regime was an accomplice in the crime for it was rendering enormous political, military, logistical and financial support to the Army of Republika Srpska.

Representatives of Women in Black have once again underlined the responsibilities of Serbia in relation to the genocide in Srebrenica:

- The state of Serbia is the first and so far the only state in the world to be charged guilty by verdict of the International Court of Justice (2007) for violation of the Convention on prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.

- The Hague Tribunal has without any doubt proved individual responsibility of many members of the Serb armed forces and formation and political institutions which acted in the spirit of the implementation of a territorial project of 'Great Serbia', with the Srebrenica genocide as part of the project.

- Serbian government, in collaboration with the officials of Republika Srpska, supported by Russia, prevented adopting the UN Resolution on Srebrenica.

- Serbia is overwhelmed by paranoid fear which manifests itself in fierce reactions at a mere mention of 'genocide'. The actual president, Aleksandar Vucic persists in refusing to name the crime in Srebrenica a genocide, in which he is followed not only by the politicians of the ruling coalition but also by the majority of the opposition politicians. That only confirms systematic maintenance of the ideology which allowed the genocide and which justifies the crimes, celebrating criminals as heroes. Ought we to warn that such stubbornness in defending the criminals and the crime inevitably leads this society to even deeper moral abyss?

Women in Black and related organizations have been campaigning for the formal acceptance and recognition of the Srebrenica genocide, to recognize the 11 of July as the Remembrance Day of the Srebrenica genocide and qualify the genocide denial as a criminal act.

Ignoring our requests only confirms the lack of political will and moral capacity of the current government, but also a link between the ideology of crime and the current government of Serbia, the continuity of moral and cultural patterns with the regime under which the genocide had taken place – the crime organized by the state. 

That's why we shall repeat our requests, adding also one for breaking all relations between the state Serbia and the secessionist politics of the entity Republika Srpska, insisting on a clear attitude towards responsibility for the war and war crimes, the genocide and the ethnic cleansing.

That is the only way for the government of Republic of Serbia to begin implementing previously declared goals of the state politics, which also include successful regional cooperation and stability, under the condition that both the president and the prime minister steer clear of any services of their associates who come from the criminal and warlord setting, Women in Black asserted.