UN Marks 30 Years Since Srebrenica Genocide, Urges Justice and Global Action Against Hate

At the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, global leaders, diplomats, and survivors came together to mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, the worst mass atrocity in Europe since World War II. More than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed in July 1995 in the so-called “UN safe area” of Srebrenica.

Genocide in a UN-Protected Zone

The Srebrenica massacre was carried out by Bosnian Serb forces under General Ratko Mladić. The town had been declared a UN safe area, but lightly armed Dutch peacekeepers were overwhelmed. The killings have since been recognized as genocide by both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

Last year, the General Assembly designated 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica.

A Global Responsibility to Remember

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in a message delivered by Chef de Cabinet Courtenay Rattray, emphasized the need to honor victims and defend historical truth. “Only by recognizing the suffering of all victims can we build mutual understanding, trust, and lasting peace,” he said.

Philémon Yang, President of the General Assembly, warned against glorifying war criminals and said “education remains our strongest defence against the erosion of memory.”

The Lingering Pain of Loss

Mirela Osmanović, a young professional at the Srebrenica Memorial Center, spoke of how her family still lives with the trauma. Two of her brothers were killed. “My parents forbade themselves any joy while their sons lay somewhere in the ground, incomplete, scattered across mass graves,” she said.

She questioned whether the promises of “Never Again” have truly been honored. “Justice, if it comes too late or only on paper, cannot restore trust. And peace without dignity is not peace at all.”

A History Etched in Horror

The genocide at Srebrenica unfolded during the brutal Bosnian War (1992–1995), where close to 100,000 people were killed and over 2 million displaced. The Bosnian Serb forces, following the breakup of Yugoslavia, aimed to ethnically cleanse the region, primarily targeting Bosniak Muslims.

On July 11, 1995, Ratko Mladić’s forces entered Srebrenica, forcibly separating men from women and children. Over 8,000 men and boys were summarily executed in the days that followed. To hide their crimes, bodies were dumped in mass graves, many of which were later disturbed and moved to secondary and tertiary locations.

The remains of more than 6,000 victims have been recovered and buried at the Potocari Memorial Center, but over 1,000 people are still missing. The youngest victim buried this year was 16-year-old Azmir Osmanović; the oldest, 63-year-old Husein Kurbasic.

The Death March

According to Srebrenica Memorial Center, the night of 11 July 1995 marked the beginning of what would later be known as The Death March—a desperate 63-mile journey by Bosniak men seeking to reach the free territory of Tuzla.

At 4:15PM, General Ratko Mladić and Serbian forces entered Srebrenica to claim the town. By 4:30PM, Dutchbat troops declared their base full, leaving more than 20,000 civilians outside with no protection. As night fell and hope of international intervention vanished, Dutch troops began abandoning their positions.

By midnight, 15,000 Bosniak men had assembled on Buljim Hill. As they began their trek through hostile terrain, Serbian forces opened fire. The rear of the column collapsed as panic spread and men scattered into the surrounding forests. Hundreds were killed in the first hours.

Serbian soldiers, using stolen UN uniforms and communication equipment, posed as peacekeepers to deceive hidden survivors. They encouraged Bosniak men to call for their relatives to surrender. One such moment was captured in the harrowing story of Ramo and Nermin Osmanović, both of whom were executed after surrendering.

On 13 July, the column was ambushed again on Kamenica Hill, where the heaviest losses occurred. The Serbian military once again used deception, promising aid before killing more than 1,000 men that day alone.

Survivors eventually reached the Konjević Polje intersection, a fork toward Bratunac or Tuzla. Narrowly avoiding detection by a Serbian tank, many continued toward Baljkovica Valley. Here, survivor Hasan Hasanović reportedly hid in a stream for two hours during another attack before reaching safety in Nezuk village.

After six days and five nights of walking through hostile terrain under fire, a fraction of the original column finally arrived in Tuzla. Journalists described their arrival as “an army of ghosts.”

Of the estimated 10,000 to 15,000 men who fled that night, fewer than 3,000 survived. Each year, the tragedy is remembered through the Mars Mira—the Peace March—tracing the same path in honor of the victims and survivors of the Death March.

The Death March – Bosniak men fleeing through forests after the fall of Srebrenica in July 1995.

Timeline: The Fall of Srebrenica and the 1995 Genocide

Commemorations Across the Globe

As part of Srebrenica Memorial Week, ceremonies and educational events were held across the United Kingdom and Europe, reminding the world of the horrific cost of hate and division. The UK’s national ceremony commemorated the 19 newly identified victims being laid to rest at Potocari in 2025.

UN officials stressed that remembrance is not enough. “The same dangerous currents that led to genocide are rising again,” said Guterres, referencing the global surge in hate speech, misinformation, and extremism.

As survivors continue to demand justice and truth, the international community is reminded that words must be backed by action, vigilance, and education to ensure that “Never Again” truly means never again.

With inputs from UN News, Srebrenica Memorial Center, and international agencies.