Latest news with #MothersOfSrebrenica
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
King Charles Taps Sister-in-Law Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh for Emotional Royal Speech Abroad
Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, is paying tribute to those lost and the surviving families from one of Europe's worst genocides. The Duchess of Edinburgh, 60, visited Srebrenica in Bosnia on July 11 to deliver a message from her brother-in-law King Charles, 76, to recognize the sacrifices of the community that suffered at the hands of the terror of 30 years ago. Sophie comforted some of the surviving "Mothers of Srebrenica" with a hug at the commemoration held at the former UN base in 1995, where thousands of people sought protection as the town fell to Bosnian-Serbs. In the ensuing massacres by troops led by General Radko Mladić, an estimated 8,000 people — mostly men and boys who had been separated from the women — were killed, the BBC reported. A spokesperson said the Duchess of Edinburgh was "profoundly moved by today's ceremony and the experience of visiting Srebrenica, on such an important day, to remember and pay tribute." Her message in the Srebrenica Memorial Centre Condolence book said, "Our duty must be to remember all those lost so tragically and to never let these things happen again. It's only by working together that we find peace. Sophie." It was at the commemoration that Sophie read the speech from the King, who said he was 'saddened not to be with you in person.' She said on his behalf, 'I have spoken before about the terrible events of 30 years ago, confirmed as genocide by international courts. Many of the individuals responsible are now rightly facing justice, but this does not absolve the rest of us of our duties: both to acknowledge the international community's failure to prevent the horror and to do all we can to ensure it never happens again.' And he paid his own tribute, 'humbly' saluting the 'Mothers of Srebrenica, and all who do so much, despite their continuing anguish, to preserve the memory of those who died. It has meant a very great deal to me, in past years, to have met survivors, mothers and family members of the missing, for whom I have such admiration.' 'Their extraordinary courage, compassion and dignity are a lesson to us all, and it is my hope that we may all take inspiration from their incredible resilience under such unbearable circumstances.' He praised the inspirational people who continue to 'bravely speak out in pursuit of justice and those who dedicate their lives to rebuilding trust between communities for the sake of a better, shared future. These praiseworthy individuals can be found from all walks of life, and from across all ethnic groups, in Bosnia and Herzegovina and around the world.' It is significant that Sophie was the one King Charles chose to represent him at the commemoration. She has worked for several years on behalf of women caught up in gender-based conflict around the world, often speaking up for victims and survivors at conferences and during visits to war-hit countries. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! The King, who led British commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust in Poland in January, added in his message, "But there can be no shared future when the events of the past are denied or forgotten. Only by learning from the past does it become possible to share in each other's loss and look together to the future. Only by working together to find the missing can there be closure for those still seeking answers." Reiterating King Charles' own view of uniting people of all faiths and backgrounds, Sophie said on his behalf, that we should "honor their memory by standing alongside each and every one of those who work so tirelessly to promote understanding and tolerance between all peoples, of all faiths, nationalities and ethnicities, in the ongoing pursuit of a just and brighter future." Sophie then went on to view the U.K.-funded exhibition, 'In the footsteps of those who have (not) crossed," which displays the personal belongings of people who were murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995, as well as items owned by people who survived. The exhibit shows some of the poignant items found on the path taken by the so-called "march of death," a column of escapees who fled Srebrenica to Nezuk, many predominantly-Muslim Bosniaks were killed on this route as they attempted to flee to safety. Read the original article on People
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Duchess of Edinburgh ‘honoured' to deliver message of ‘hope' from the King at service in memory of Bosnian genocide
THE Duchess of Edinburgh spoke of her pride after delivering a message of "hope and reconciliation" from the King at a service in the memory of thousands killed in the Srebrenica genocide. Sophie, who fights to raise awareness of female victims in war zones, hugged and chatted over coffee with the brave Mothers of Srebrenica who have campaigned for justice for the past 30 years. 7 7 7 And speaking to The Sun at a cemetery for the remains of 7,000 slaughtered, she said: 'through educating ourselves about the sadness" that has happened we become "stronger" and "ensure it doesn't happen again". She also told The Sun: 'It can be small acts that can make the biggest differences." Sophie also queued with other dignitaries who attended the 30th anniversary commemorations to lay flowers and have a moment of reflection at a memorial in the cemetery. She later read the King's powerful message at a packed commemoration ceremony. Speaking to The Sun afterwards, she said: "Whenever I'm asked to deliver a message on behalf of the King it's a huge honour and I think his words always carry a lot of weight. "He has a personal affiliation for this part of the world, he feels very deeply and passionately about what happened, but also about peace and reconciliation. "So it was a real pleasure and honour to deliver those words. "For myself, meeting with the Mothers of Srebrenica, they are very much the peace builders here. "So they've managed to live with their grief but alongside all of that they've been sending a very clear message that they need resolution, reconciliation and need to bury their loved ones. "And they've helped so many thousands of families find that peace and reconciliation. Peter Phillips, Princess Anne's son, arrives for Day 10 at Wimbledon "For many of them we are talking about families who have lost from one, two to 30, 40 or 50 members of their family. It's shocking to think it happened. "To see those images (in the factory exhibition) I remember watching the footage on television, of the men and boys behind the wire in the factory thinking they were somewhere safe, never really understanding what had happened. Knowing about it and not understanding. "I would hope that people take note of this commemoration and perhaps do a bit more research because I think only by educating ourselves about the sadness that has happened to others that we become stronger in trying to ensure it doesn't happen again. "I'm hugely proud of what the United Kingdom does because our embassy here, successive ambassadors and their teams, work really hard to work alongside Bosnia and Herzegivians, and heard from the Mothers how grateful they are because we've been with them right from the beginning. "And I know that the UK is held in high regard for that. "And I know sometimes in the United Kingdom we get very focused on what we do in our own country but I'm lucky enough to be able to travel abroad and I see what we do from off our shores and I think we rightly be able to be proud of what we do because it does make a difference. "And it can be small acts that can make the biggest differences." Inside the battery factory hall at the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial she read a message to other world leaders and human rights campaigners from King Charles. Standing on a stage where around 25 speakers also spoke she told hundreds in the main hall that she had travelled with a "personal message" from "His Majesty King Charles". It read: "I am greatly saddened not to be with you in person today, on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. I am most touched and grateful to be able to share these words as we pay our respects. "I have spoken before about the terrible events of thirty years ago, confirmed as genocide by international courts. Many of the individuals responsible are now rightly facing justice, but this does not absolve the rest of us of our duties: both to acknowledge the international community's failure to prevent the horror and to do all we can to ensure it never happens again. "I humbly salute the Mothers of Srebrenica, and all who do so much, despite their continuing anguish, to preserve the memory of those who died. It has meant a very great deal to me, in past years, to have met survivors, mothers and family members of the missing, for whom I have such admiration. "Their extraordinary courage, compassion and dignity are a lesson to us all, and it is my hope that we may all take inspiration from their incredible resilience under such unbearable circumstances. "Let us also take inspiration from those who bravely speak out in pursuit of justice and those who dedicate their lives to rebuilding trust between communities for the sake of a better, shared future. "These praiseworthy individuals can be found from all walks of life, and from across all ethnic groups, in Bosnia and Herzegovina and around the world. "But there can be no shared future when the events of the past are denied or forgotten. Only by learning from the past does it become possible to share in each other's loss and look together to the future. Only by working together to find the missing can there be closure for those still seeking answers. "Three decades on, it is ever more important to remember all those who suffered, and to redouble our efforts to ensure a peaceful, stable future for all the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. "Today, as we remember the victims, those who so tragically died and those who were left behind, let us honour their memory by standing alongside each and every one of those who work so tirelessly to promote understanding and tolerance between all peoples, of all faiths, nationalities and ethnicities, in the ongoing pursuit of a just and brighter future." Sophie was greeted at the commemoration by members of the Mothers of Srebrenica and given a warm hug. She also warmly embraced some of the grieving Mothers of Srebrenica who for 30 years have been campaigning for help to find remains of their missing loved ones. She heard from one who had lost 23 members of her family. She later discussed their efforts to find the remains of the missing killed in the 1992-95 Bosnian war. And told them: "At least your voices can be heard and you aren't just shouting in the wind. Your messages can be understood by people who make decisions." Telling them of the King's warm words she said: "He has a fondness for this part of the world which is why he wanted me to deliver his message. It was a personal message from him." She earlier signed a condolence book which read: "Our duty must be to remember all those lost so tragically and to remember never let those things happen again. It's only by working together that we find peace. Sophie." Tens of thousands of people attended the 30th anniversary commemorations held to remember and pay tribute to those lost in the 1995 genocide, which is the worse war crime on European soil since the Second World War. The Duchess will finish her three-day trip to Bosnia on behalf of the King on Saturday July 12. 7 7
News.com.au
11-07-2025
- News.com.au
Bosnia commemorates Srebrenica genocide 30 years on
Thousands of mourners on Friday commemorated in Srebrenica the genocide committed 30 years ago by Bosnian Serb forces, one of Europe's worst atrocities since World War II. The remains of seven victims were laid to rest during the commemorations, which mark the bloodiest episode of Bosnia's inter-ethnic war in the 1990s. They included those of Sejdalija Alic, one of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys killed by Bosnian Serb forces after they captured the eastern town on July 11, 1995. His grand-daughter Anela Alic, whose father was also killed in the massacre and was buried earlier, came to attend the funeral. "I never saw my father ... and today, my grandfather is being buried, just some of his bones, next to his son. "It's a deep sadness... I have no words to describe it," the 32-year-old added, in tears. She was born in early 1994 after her pregnant mother was evacuated in a Red Cross convoy from the ill-fated town. The victims of Srebrenica, which was at the time a UN-protected enclave, were buried in mass graves. So far about 7,000 victims have been identified and buried while about 1,000 are still missing. In a bid to cover up the crime, the Bosnian Serb forces had the remains removed to secondary mass graves, causing many of the bodies to be shredded by heavy machinery, according to experts. - 'Tombstone to caress' - "For 30 years we have carried the pain in our souls," said Munira Subasic, president of the association Mothers of Srebrenica. She lost her husband Hilmo and 17-year-old son Nermin in the massacre. "Our children were killed, innocent, in the UN-protected zone. Europe and the world watched in silence as our children were killed." The seven victims buried under white tombstones on Friday at the memorial centre after a joint prayer included a 19-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman. The remains of most of the victims are incomplete and in some cases consist only of one or two bones, experts said. Families have waited for years to bury their loved ones, hoping that more remains would be found. But Mevlida Omerovic decided not to wait any longer to bury her husband Hasib. He was killed at the age of 33, at one of five mass-execution sites of the massacre, the only atrocity of Bosnia's 1992-1995 war qualified as genocide by international justice institutions. "Thirty years have passed and I have nothing to wait for anymore," said Omerovic, 55. She wants to be able to visit the grave of her husband, even though only his jawbone will be in the coffin. By visiting the graves the victims' relative try to find some comfort. "I have only this tombstone to caress, to pray next to it," said Sefika Mustafic standing next to the graves of her sons Enis and Salim, who were both teenagers when killed. "I'd like to dream about them but it doesn't work. I've said thousands of times 'Come my children, Come into my dream' ... I say it when I pray, when I come here, but it doesn't work." - Serb denial - Canadian veteran Daniel Chenard, deployed with UN peacekeepers here from October 1993 until March 1994 when the Dutch troops took over, attended commemorations haunted by the feeling of guilt for decades. "I forgave myself... I found peace. I always wanted to tell them (victims' families): 'I apologise... I'm sorry for abandoning you'. "We (UN troops) did what we could ... but the tragedy still happened," the 58-year-old said, in tears. Bosnian Serb wartime political and military leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic were sentenced to life imprisonment by an international tribunal, notably for the Srebrenica genocide. But Serbia and Bosnian Serb leaders continue to deny that the massacre was a genocide. Last year, an international day of remembrance was established by the United Nations to mark the Srebrenica genocide, despite protests from Belgrade and Bosnian Serbs. On Friday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic voiced condolences to the Srebrenica victims families on behalf of citizens of Serbia calling the massacre a "terrible crime". "We cannot change the past, but we must change the future," he posted on X.
The Independent
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
King sends message to mark 30th anniversary of Srebrenica Genocide
The King has marked the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide by hailing the 'extraordinary courage, compassion and dignity' of those left behind. More than 8,000 men and boys were killed on July 11 1995 by Bosnian Serb forces amid the break-up of the former Yugoslavia – Europe's worst atrocity since the Second World War. The Duchess of Edinburgh is on a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina to mark the anniversary. Sophie delivered a message from the King in which he said he was 'greatly saddened' not to be there in person, adding that he is 'most touched and grateful to be able to share these words as we pay our respects'. In his message, Charles said: 'I have spoken before about the terrible events of thirty years ago, confirmed as genocide by international courts. 'Many of the individuals responsible are now rightly facing justice, but this does not absolve the rest of us of our duties: both to acknowledge the international community's failure to prevent the horror, and to do all we can to ensure it never happens again. 'I humbly salute the Mothers of Srebrenica, and all who do so much, despite their continuing anguish, to preserve the memory of those who died. It has meant a very great deal to me, in past years, to have met survivors, mothers and family members of the missing, for whom I have such admiration. 'Their extraordinary courage, compassion and dignity are a lesson to us all, and it is my hope that we may all take inspiration from their incredible resilience under such unbearable circumstances.' Charles also spoke of taking inspiration from 'those who bravely speak out in pursuit of justice and those who dedicate their lives to rebuilding trust between communities for the sake of a better, shared future'. He said: 'These praiseworthy individuals can be found from all walks of life, and from across all ethnic groups, in Bosnia and Herzegovina and around the world. 'But there can be no shared future when the events of the past are denied or forgotten. 'Only by learning from the past does it become possible to share in each other's loss and look together to the future. 'Only by working together to find the missing can there be closure for those still seeking answers. 'Three decades on, it is ever more important to remember all those who suffered, and to redouble our efforts to ensure a peaceful, stable future for all the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.' He concluded his message by saying: 'Today, as we remember the victims, those who so tragically died and those who were left behind, let us honour their memory by standing alongside each and every one of those who work so tirelessly to promote understanding and tolerance between all peoples, of all faiths, nationalities and ethnicities, in the ongoing pursuit of a just and brighter future.'
France 24
11-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Bosnia commemorates Srebrenica genocide 30 years on
The Srebrenica massacre was the bloodiest episode of Bosnia's inter-ethnic war in the 1990s The remains of seven victims of the massacre will be laid to rest during Friday's commemorations, marking the bloodiest episode of Bosnia's inter-ethnic war in the 1990s. The war broke out after Bosnia declared independence, a move supported by the country's Muslims and Croats but rejected by Serbs. On July 11, 1995, after a siege of more than three months, Bosnian Serb forces captured the eastern town -- a UN-protected enclave at the time. A Bosnian Muslim observes graves at the Potocari memorial cemetery outside Srebrenica, where around 8,000 people were killed three decades ago © ELVIS BARUKCIC / AFP They killed 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the following days and buried them in mass graves. Around 100 women were killed in the massacre, 80 of whom remain missing. So far about 7,000 victims have been identified and buried while about 1,000 are still missing. In a bid to cover up the crime, the Bosnian Serb authorities had the remains removed to secondary mass graves, causing many of the bodies to be shredded by heavy machinery, according to experts. Thirty years of pain "For 30 years we have carried the pain in our souls," said Munira Subasic, president of the association Mothers of Srebrenica. Her husband Hilmo and 17-year-old son Nermin were killed in the massacre. "Our children were killed, innocent, in the UN protected zone. Europe and the world watched in silence as our children were killed." A man tries to read names on coffins containing the remains of victims © ELVIS BARUKCIC / AFP The seven victims to be buried on Friday at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Centre include a 19-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman. "Unfortunately, the remains of most of these victims are incomplete. In some cases there are only one or two bones," said Emza Fazlic, spokeswoman for Bosnia's Institute for Missing People. The families waited for years to bury their loved ones, hoping that more remains would be found. But Mevlida Omerovic decided not to wait any longer to bury her husband Hasib. He was killed at the age of 33, probably in Petkovci, around 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Srebrenica. A photo shows the site where remains of Sejdalija Alic will be buried during a mass burial ceremony Friday © ELVIS BARUKCIC / AFP Around a thousand people were transported there and locked up in a school before being executed. It is one of five mass execution sites of the massacre, the only atrocity of Bosnia's 1992-1995 war that was qualified as genocide by international justice institutions. "Thirty years have passed and I have nothing to wait for anymore," said Omerovic, 55. She wants to be able to visit the grave of her husband, even though only his jawbone will be in the coffin. Serb denial Bosnian Serb wartime political and military leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic were sentenced to life imprisonment by an international tribunal, notably for the Srebrenica genocide. But Serbia and Bosnian Serb leaders continue to deny that the massacre was a genocide. Last year, an international day of remembrance was established by the United Nations to mark the Srebrenica genocide, despite protests from Belgrade and Bosnian Serbs. "July 11 is a day of great sadness and pain," Ramiza Gurdic, whose husband Junuz and sons Mehrudin and Mustafa were killed in the massacre, told AFP. "But for me, every day is July 11, every night, every morning, when I get up and realise that they are not here." © 2025 AFP
