We must not forget horrors of genocide
THIS weekend I’ve been in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I was there on a visit to Srebrenica – the site of the 1995 genocide, in which over 8,000 men and boys were systematically killed in just a few days.
I have had a longstanding commitment to visit the site, ever since I met survivors and relatives of those who died at a memorial service marking the 20th anniversary in Edinburgh last year. It was a privilege to eventually get to make the trip, and to learn first-hand how they have fought to preserve the memory of their loved ones.
There really aren’t any words to fully describe the experience of actually visiting a place like Srebrenica. It is deeply moving. The rows and rows of headstones, marking the graves of those whose bodies have been identified, run as far as the eye can see – each one representing a life cut short in brutal fashion.
For many victims, all that remains is a few bones - found in mass burial sites and painstakingly identified by forensic experts.
In 1995, Srebrenica had been designated as a ‘safe zone’ under the cover of the UN Protection Force – but despite this, over 8,000 men and boys who had sought sanctuary there were murdered in the space of just a few days.
The terrible events of July 1995 are a scar on the conscience of the international community – that is why it is so important that we never forget them.
That’s why the work of organisations like Remembering Srebrenica are so important. It was through their Scottish organisation – chaired by the former Moderator of the Church of Scotland the Very Reverend Dr Lorna Hood – that my trip was organised.
Whether it is the development of education packs for teachers, the holding of commemorative events or visits to learn first-hand about the genocide, Remembering Srebrenica is helping to ensure that the horror of this genocide is never allowed to be forgotten.
Visiting places like Srebrenica, and hearing the stories of survivors and bereaved relatives, is not an easy experience – indeed, it is intensely painful for those listening and, even more so, for those recounting their experiences – but these are stories which must be heard.
My guide around the Memorial Centre and the cemetery was Hasan Hasanovic, someone I first met when he came to Scotland to speak at a Holocaust memorial event.
As a young man, Hasan escaped from what was known as the death march and survived, although sadly his twin brother, his father and many of his friends were killed.
Hasan now devotes his life to preserving the memory of what happened in Stebrenica, and spreading the message around the world. I also met many mothers who had lost their sons in the genocide. Some had to wait years to find out what happened to their sons – others still do not know.
During my stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I also saw many positive signs of how the people are working to move on from the conflict.
DURING the conflict, Edinburgh Direct Aid delivered thousands of tons of much-needed supplies to people in Sarajevo.
Christine Witcutt, along with her husband Alan, were two of the first from EDA to volunteer to drive the convoy to Bosnia.
Tragically, Christine was killed on ‘snipers alley’ in Sarajevo a few months later.
However, her name lives on in the Christine Witcutt Day Care Centre, established in 2001 to provide support to families with disabled children in Sarajevo.
I visited the centre on Sunday morning, and saw for myself how it is bringing some light and happi- ness to vulnerable children and young people in Sarajevo most needing help. There to greet me was her son-in-law David – who also drove relief lorries during the conflict.
The humanitarian work of Christine, her husband, her wider family and countless others has helped Bosnia and Herzegovina progress to where it is today.
And it is the work of organisations like Remembering Srebrenica in countries across the world that helps ensure that the world never forgets the horrors of the genocide.
The experience of visiting Srebrenica and speaking to those who, within our lifetimes, have suffered genocide, will live with me forever.
What happened there was, without doubt, the worst atrocity in the post Second World War era. We in Scotland, like every other nation, must play our part in leading the lessons for future generations – to ensure that we build a peaceful, more tolerant world for future generations.