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Irish Examiner
12-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Tuam exhumation: 'Only the bones can tell us who they are and what happened to them'
A leading humanitarian forensic specialist, who will play a key role in the forthcoming landmark intervention at the Tuam babies' burial site, has said the 'children's bones will be able to tell their own story, if they are given a chance'. Oran Finegan will oversee the implementation of the forensic programme for the Tuam mother and baby home under the Director of Authorised Intervention. The first ever mass exhumation will begin on Monday, July 14, more than a decade after the scandal of the children being buried in the grounds of the home emerged, some it is believed in a disused septic tank. The site of the exhumation at the former Tuam Mother and baby Home. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/ Local historian Catherine Corless uncovered the names of 796 children who died in the Bons Secours institution for unmarried mothers during its operation from 1925 to 1961. She discovered there were death records but no burial records. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Finegan the exhumation should not be 'shrouded in mystery'. 'Transparency is vital,' the forensic specialist said. 'What matters most are the families of the children and those affected most. But it should not be shrouded in mystery. The process is also about ensuring the families are kept informed, and it is of great importance to make sure the dead are not forgotten. 'Their identity should be given back to them where possible. All efforts should be made to give those who died a dignified resting place.' Mr Finegan will also be tasked with informing the families if the remains of their loved ones are found. 'Everyone reacts to our work differently,' he explained. 'We are there to give the facts of what we discovered and what the information shows us. Some accept our findings and others don't, and that's OK. 'But the need to know how someone died and the need to be able to mourn is universal.' He said human bones 'will always tell their own story given the chance'. 'There is so much bones can tell us, and I do believe they speak in many languages,' he said. 'They should be given the opportunity to tell us what happened. That may sound strange, but only the bones can tell us who they are and what happened to them. 'Bones need different interpreters and translators, from anthropologists to forensic genetics or orthodontal specialists." The Louth native's career has seen him working at the sites of some of the world's most horrific atrocities, including in the Balkans, Iraq, and South East Asia. He is a former head of forensics for the International Committee with the Red Cross. Over his 25-year career, Mr Finegan was involved in the forensic work in the aftermath of the Srebrenica massacre in July 1995 and the genocidal killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys from the town. He has been watching the story of the Tuam babies mass grave in Ireland since it first emerged. Test excavations conducted in October 2016 and January 2017, led by forensic scientist Dr Niamh McCullough, found a 'significant quantity of human remains' at the site that were aged between 35 foetal weeks and two and three years. Mr Finegan provided advice at the time and joined the team two years ago. The intervention at Tuam overseen by director Daniel MacSweeney is mandated under the Institutional Burials Act 2022 to excavate the entire site and to recover any human remains. It is also mandated to individualise them where possible and give them a dignified burial. 'I can only look at the facts' Mr MacSweeney explained. 'This work is like a jigsaw, and we don't have all the pieces. Part of my job is to find out what happened. Daniel MacSweeney, Director of Authorised Intervention: 'This work is like a jigsaw, and we don't have all the pieces. Part of my job is to find out what happened 'What I am trying to do is build a multidisciplinary team so we can gain as much information as possible on the children's remains and evidence from the site. 'These things are never one-dimensional. Forensic medicine has advanced over the last few decades. A good scientist will step back and look at the best way to gather the information. The dead should be allowed to speak and to tell their story. He described his role as a 'sensitive' one, and from a humanitarian forensics point of view, he will be the intermediary between the bones and the families. 'The families should always be put at the centre of the work,' he said. 'I know the team and it is so important to see Irish forensic practitioners engaged in this project and to be part of this history, to understand our past.' The exhumation will look at the 5,000sq m of the centre area of the Dublin Road housing estate in Tuam, which was built after the mother and baby home was knocked down in 1961. 'As with any operation of this nature, you decide where you're going to start, you will have a small excavator, to gradually scrape away the soil,' he said. 'If you think of a trifle, it's made of layers. If you put a spoon into it, and then try put the trifle back together, it will never be the same. The soil is the same if there is any disruption to it. 'The team will look for changes in the soil. If they find any, they will then stop the machine and look at that with an archaeologist, and, if necessary, go by hand to excavate a specific place. 'The soil will be observed forensically, to understand what these layers mean.' When changes are identified in the soil, it will be examined further, until the archaeologist confirms the team can continue their work. All documentation, including photographs, artefacts, maps, and human remains, will be recorded at the laboratory.
Boston Globe
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Thousands gather in Srebrenica on 30th anniversary of Europe's only acknowledged genocide since WWII
Advertisement 'Thirty years of search and we are burying a bone,' she said, crying by her father's coffin which was wrapped in green cloth in accordance with Islamic tradition. 'I think it would be easier if I could bury all of him. What can I tell you, my father is one of the 50 [killed] from my entire family,' she added. July 11, 1995, is the day when the killings started after Bosnian Serb fighters overran the eastern Bosnian enclave in the final months of the interethnic war in the Balkan country. After taking control of the town that was a protected UN safe zone during the war, Bosnian Serb fighters separated Bosniak Muslim men and boys from their families and brutally executed them in just several days. The bodies were then dumped in mass graves around Srebrenica which they later dug up with bulldozers, scattering the remains among other burial sites to hide the evidence of their war crimes. Advertisement The UN General Assembly last year adopted a resolution to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide on the July 11 anniversary. Scores of international officials and dignitaries attended the commemoration ceremonies and the funeral. Among them were European Council President Antonio Costa and Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, who said that 'our duty must be to remember all those lost so tragically and to never let these things happen again.' Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said he felt 'humbled' because UN troops from the Netherlands were based in Srebrenica when Bosnian Serbs stormed the town. 'I see to what extent commemorating Srebrenica genocide is important,' he said. In an emotional speech, Munira Subasic, who heads the Mothers of Srebrenica association, urged Europe and the world to 'help us fight against hatred, against injustice, and against killings.' Subasic, who lost her husband and youngest son in Srebrenica along with more than 20 relatives, told Europe to 'wake up.' 'As I stand here many mothers in Ukraine and Palestine are going through what we went through in 1995,' Subasic said, referring to ongoing conflicts. 'It's the 21st century but instead of justice, fascism has woken up.' On the eve of the anniversary, an exhibition was inaugurated displaying personal items belonging to the victims that were found in the mass graves over the years. The conflict in Bosnia erupted in 1992, when Bosnian Serbs took up arms in a rebellion against the country's independence from the former Yugoslavia and with an aim to create their own state and eventually unite with neighboring Serbia. More than 100,000 people were killed and millions displaced before a US-brokered peace agreement was reached in 1995. Advertisement Bosnia remains ethnically split while both Bosnian Serbs and neighboring Serbia refuse to acknowledge that the massacre in Srebrenica was a genocide despite rulings by two UN courts. Bosnian Serb political and military leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, along with many others, were convicted and sentenced for genocide. Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic expressed condolences on X while calling the Srebrenica massacre a 'terrible crime.' 'There is no room in Europe — or anywhere else — for genocide denial, revisionism, or the glorification of those responsible,' European Council President Costa said in his speech. 'Denying such horrors only poisons our future.'
Glasgow Times
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Thousands gather to mark 30th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide
Seven newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, including two 19-year-old men, were laid to rest in a collective funeral at a vast cemetery near Srebrenica on Friday, next to more than 6,000 victims already buried there. Such funerals are held annually for the victims who are still being unearthed from dozens of mass graves around the town. Relatives of the victims often can bury only partial remains of their loved ones as they are typically found in several different mass graves, sometimes kmiles apart. Such was the case of Mirzeta Karic, who was waiting to bury her father. A flower is seen on a monument with the names of those killed in the Srebrenica genocide,(Armin Durgut/AP) 'Thirty years of search and we are burying a bone,' she said, crying by her father's coffin which was wrapped in green cloth in accordance with Islamic tradition. 'I think it would be easier if I could bury all of him. What can I tell you, my father is one of the 50 (killed) from my entire family,' she added. July 11 1995 is the day when the killings started after Bosnian Serb fighters overran the eastern Bosnian enclave in the final months of the inter-ethnic war in the Balkan country. After taking control of the town that was a protected UN safe zone during the war, Bosnian Serb fighters separated Bosniak Muslim men and boys from their families and brutally executed them in several days. The bodies were then dumped in mass graves around Srebrenica which they later dug up with bulldozers, scattering the remains among other burial sites to hide the evidence of their war crimes. The UN General Assembly last year adopted a resolution to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide on the July 11 anniversary. Scores of international officials and dignitaries attended the commemoration ceremonies and the funeral. Among them were European Council President Antonio Costa and Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, who said that 'our duty must be to remember all those lost so tragically and to never let these things happen again'. Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said he felt 'humbled' because UN troops from the Netherlands were based in Srebrenica when Bosnian Serbs stormed the town. People mourn during the funerals in Srebrenica (Armin Durgut/AP) 'I see to what extent commemorating Srebrenica genocide is important,' he said. In an emotional speech, Munira Subasic, who heads the Mothers of Srebrenica association, urged Europe and the world to 'help us fight against hatred, against injustice and against killings'. Ms Subasic, who lost her husband and youngest son in Srebrenica along with more than 20 relatives, told Europe to 'wake up.' 'As I stand here many mothers in Ukraine and Palestine are going through what we went through in 1995,' Ms Subasic said, referring to ongoing conflicts. 'It's the 21st century but instead of justice, fascism has woken up.' On the eve of the anniversary, an exhibition was inaugurated displaying personal items belonging to the victims that were found in the mass graves over the years. The conflict in Bosnia erupted in 1992, when Bosnian Serbs took up arms in a rebellion against the country's independence from the former Yugoslavia and with an aim to create their own state and eventually unite with neighbouring Serbia. More than 100,000 people were killed and millions displaced before a US-brokered peace agreement was reached in 1995.
Western Telegraph
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Thousands gather to mark 30th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide
Seven newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, including two 19-year-old men, were laid to rest in a collective funeral at a vast cemetery near Srebrenica on Friday, next to more than 6,000 victims already buried there. Such funerals are held annually for the victims who are still being unearthed from dozens of mass graves around the town. Relatives of the victims often can bury only partial remains of their loved ones as they are typically found in several different mass graves, sometimes kmiles apart. Such was the case of Mirzeta Karic, who was waiting to bury her father. A flower is seen on a monument with the names of those killed in the Srebrenica genocide,(Armin Durgut/AP) 'Thirty years of search and we are burying a bone,' she said, crying by her father's coffin which was wrapped in green cloth in accordance with Islamic tradition. 'I think it would be easier if I could bury all of him. What can I tell you, my father is one of the 50 (killed) from my entire family,' she added. July 11 1995 is the day when the killings started after Bosnian Serb fighters overran the eastern Bosnian enclave in the final months of the inter-ethnic war in the Balkan country. After taking control of the town that was a protected UN safe zone during the war, Bosnian Serb fighters separated Bosniak Muslim men and boys from their families and brutally executed them in several days. The bodies were then dumped in mass graves around Srebrenica which they later dug up with bulldozers, scattering the remains among other burial sites to hide the evidence of their war crimes. The UN General Assembly last year adopted a resolution to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide on the July 11 anniversary. Scores of international officials and dignitaries attended the commemoration ceremonies and the funeral. Among them were European Council President Antonio Costa and Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, who said that 'our duty must be to remember all those lost so tragically and to never let these things happen again'. Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said he felt 'humbled' because UN troops from the Netherlands were based in Srebrenica when Bosnian Serbs stormed the town. People mourn during the funerals in Srebrenica (Armin Durgut/AP) 'I see to what extent commemorating Srebrenica genocide is important,' he said. In an emotional speech, Munira Subasic, who heads the Mothers of Srebrenica association, urged Europe and the world to 'help us fight against hatred, against injustice and against killings'. Ms Subasic, who lost her husband and youngest son in Srebrenica along with more than 20 relatives, told Europe to 'wake up.' 'As I stand here many mothers in Ukraine and Palestine are going through what we went through in 1995,' Ms Subasic said, referring to ongoing conflicts. 'It's the 21st century but instead of justice, fascism has woken up.' On the eve of the anniversary, an exhibition was inaugurated displaying personal items belonging to the victims that were found in the mass graves over the years. The conflict in Bosnia erupted in 1992, when Bosnian Serbs took up arms in a rebellion against the country's independence from the former Yugoslavia and with an aim to create their own state and eventually unite with neighbouring Serbia. More than 100,000 people were killed and millions displaced before a US-brokered peace agreement was reached in 1995.
North Wales Chronicle
11-07-2025
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Thousands gather to mark 30th anniversary of Srebrenica genocide
Seven newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, including two 19-year-old men, were laid to rest in a collective funeral at a vast cemetery near Srebrenica on Friday, next to more than 6,000 victims already buried there. Such funerals are held annually for the victims who are still being unearthed from dozens of mass graves around the town. Relatives of the victims often can bury only partial remains of their loved ones as they are typically found in several different mass graves, sometimes kmiles apart. Such was the case of Mirzeta Karic, who was waiting to bury her father. 'Thirty years of search and we are burying a bone,' she said, crying by her father's coffin which was wrapped in green cloth in accordance with Islamic tradition. 'I think it would be easier if I could bury all of him. What can I tell you, my father is one of the 50 (killed) from my entire family,' she added. July 11 1995 is the day when the killings started after Bosnian Serb fighters overran the eastern Bosnian enclave in the final months of the inter-ethnic war in the Balkan country. After taking control of the town that was a protected UN safe zone during the war, Bosnian Serb fighters separated Bosniak Muslim men and boys from their families and brutally executed them in several days. The bodies were then dumped in mass graves around Srebrenica which they later dug up with bulldozers, scattering the remains among other burial sites to hide the evidence of their war crimes. The UN General Assembly last year adopted a resolution to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide on the July 11 anniversary. Scores of international officials and dignitaries attended the commemoration ceremonies and the funeral. Among them were European Council President Antonio Costa and Britain's Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, who said that 'our duty must be to remember all those lost so tragically and to never let these things happen again'. Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said he felt 'humbled' because UN troops from the Netherlands were based in Srebrenica when Bosnian Serbs stormed the town. 'I see to what extent commemorating Srebrenica genocide is important,' he said. In an emotional speech, Munira Subasic, who heads the Mothers of Srebrenica association, urged Europe and the world to 'help us fight against hatred, against injustice and against killings'. Ms Subasic, who lost her husband and youngest son in Srebrenica along with more than 20 relatives, told Europe to 'wake up.' 'As I stand here many mothers in Ukraine and Palestine are going through what we went through in 1995,' Ms Subasic said, referring to ongoing conflicts. 'It's the 21st century but instead of justice, fascism has woken up.' On the eve of the anniversary, an exhibition was inaugurated displaying personal items belonging to the victims that were found in the mass graves over the years. The conflict in Bosnia erupted in 1992, when Bosnian Serbs took up arms in a rebellion against the country's independence from the former Yugoslavia and with an aim to create their own state and eventually unite with neighbouring Serbia. More than 100,000 people were killed and millions displaced before a US-brokered peace agreement was reached in 1995.
