Balkans | The memory of the martyrs of Srebrenica was commemorated through the program held in Bagcilar

The 372 8000 Bosniaks killed in the Srebrenica genocide were commemorated through the program organized by Bagcilar Municipality. While women and veterans from Srebrenica participated in the programme, the exhibition “Mother’s Scarf” describing the genocide was opened.

Bagcilar municipality organized the program to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the genocide that took place in Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995 in which 8,372 Bosnians were killed. The Mayor of Bagcilar Abdullah Özdemir, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Adis Alajic, Vice President of TIKA Mahmud Cevik, Governor of Bagcilar Region Abdullah Oşgun, Consul of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Istanbul Enisa Kumar, and women and veterans who lost their relatives in the genocide attended the program. Which was held in the Presidential Conference Hall of Bagcilar Municipality. The program, which began with the opening of the “Mother’s Scarf” exhibition on genocide, continued with a moment of silence and the singing of the national anthems of the two countries. After the prayer, a short film about the genocide was shown. The program ended after the gifts were presented.

“We have come together to keep this painful event on the agenda.”

Speaking on the programme, Bağcılar Mayor Abdullah Özdemir said, “The reason for our meeting today is to commemorate the Srebrenica massacre on its 28th anniversary. We have come together to keep the very sad event on the agenda. Today, we will celebrate the 28th anniversary of the massacre which may have been more “Painful events in history. We welcome our mothers, we invited them. About 20 of our mothers and about 50 of our veterans are here. We met our veterans yesterday, and today we met our mothers.”

As Alia Izetbegović put it, “the forgotten genocide is repeating”

Lessons must be learned from great suffering, Özdemir said, “We curse those who caused great suffering in Central Europe, in front of everyone. It is necessary to learn from these great sufferings. In the words of Aliya Izetbegović, ‘the forgotten genocide is being repeated.'” “We know very well that we have not forgotten and will not forget that our mothers struggled and that this gave rise to the most important courts in Europe. We know very well how much our president is fighting for the region. We are aware of the wonderful services rendered by TIKA.”

“Although it has been 28 years since the genocide, we still have not found the bodies of the many relatives we lost.”

Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Maureen Subasic, Mother of Srebrenica said, “What we went through cannot be explained in a few sentences. Like all the Mothers of Srebrenica who are here, every single one of us has lost loved ones. 28 years after the genocide, we are still fighting for rights.” And justice. Even though it has been 28 years since the genocide, we still have not found the bodies of many of our loved ones who died. Many war criminals still move about freely. Despite all this suffering and brutality, the genocide perpetrated in Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been denied. They feed on lies, and our suffering is belittled. I would like to thank the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish people for standing by our side. It is very important that you support and protect us.”

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