Bray calls for end to genocide in Bosnia

August 1995

THE continuing crisis in Bosnia was brought home to Bray last weekend when over 200 people gathered n the town’s Main street to protest at what organisers described as ‘genocide’ in the former Yugoslavia.

The gathering outside the Holy Redeemer Church included representatives of Amnesty International, the Bosnia Ireland Group and members of the Bosnian refugee community living in Ireland, including several from Bray.

Opening the meeting, Michael McGrath said that in their efforts to bring about a ‘Greater Serbia’, the ‘ethnic cleansers had deliberately destroyed a tolerant and culturally rich multi-ethnic society.’

He also called on the Irish government to support the independence of Bosnia and to respect the right of its people to self defence.

Bosnian refugee Mona Dikkie, now living in Bray, thanked everyone for their support and said that the people of Bosnia needed the support of the Irish people now more than ever before as they had been abandoned by the UN.

A Bosnian family, the Velics, expressed their thanks for the support they received from the people of Bray.

Organiser Jim Hogan said that over 400 people signed a petition during the course of the afternoon calling for the Irish government to support the lifting of the embargo on the sale of arms to the Bosnian government so that the people could protect themselves.