Balkans | Visit of the Vice President of TIKA Ševik to Srebrenica

Vice President of TICA Dr. During his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mahmut Çevik visited the Memorial Museum for the Genocide Victims in the Potochori Memorial Center and the mothers who lost their husbands and children in the Srebrenica genocide.

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) continues its historical and cultural studies in Balkan countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia where Turkish and Muslim populations are concentrated. Vice President of TICA Dr. In this context, Mahmut Cevik visited Bosnia and Herzegovina and closely followed projects and businesses in the region.

Čevik visited mothers who lost their wives and children in the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina

During his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Civic did not forget the Muslims who were subjected to genocide in Srebrenica. Ševik visited the Genocide Memorial Museum at the Potocari Memorial Center set up by TIKA and examined the renovation work. On the other hand, Ševik met mothers who lost their husbands and children in the genocide in the Association of Mothers of Srebrenica and Jepa.

The Vice President of TIKA, Cevik, shared through his social media, “We met mothers who sacrificed their husbands, children and other relatives in the Srebrenica genocide. The President of the Association of Mothers of Srebrenica, Jepa Munira Subasic, and Bosnian mothers have been working for 28 years for the recognition of the genocide in Srebrenica and the proclamation of the truth to the whole world.”

We met mothers who sacrificed their husbands, children and other relatives in the Srebrenica genocide. President of the Association of Mothers of Srebrenica, Jepa Munira Subasic, and Bosnian mothers have been working for 28 years to recognize the genocide in Srebrenica and announce the truth to the world.

What happened in Srebrenica?

When calendars were shown on July 11, 1995, the world witnessed one of the most terrifying events in human history. 8,372 Bosnian Muslims were brutally murdered in Srebrenica. This is the second part. It is remembered as the largest massacre in Europe after World War II. Despite the twenty-seven years that have passed, the pain of Srebrenica has not abated. The events in Srebrenica began with the breakup of Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia broke up after the civil wars of 1986-1992. Then, in 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence in a referendum led by Alija Izetbegović. The decision on independence was accepted by the United States, Western countries and the United Nations. However, this situation did not prevent the outbreak of the Bosnian War. The Serbs took measures to expel the Bosnians and Croats from the area. In a short time, most of the Bosnian cities were occupied.

The United Nations declared six settlements safe zones in Bosnia to protect the civilian population. Srebrenica was one of those. After the safe zone was declared, the city’s population, which was about 24,000, exceeded 60,000. Fleeing Serbian persecution took refuge in Srebrenica. Seeing the Serbs approaching Srebrenica, the people asked the Dutch UN soldiers to defend themselves. However, these requests were not accepted. The Bosnians surrendered their weapons when the city was declared a safe zone. With the approach of the Serbian army, they at least wanted to return these weapons, but they could not accept them. So they were completely defenseless.

The massacre continued for several days

In July 1995, Serbian forces, in agreement with the Dutch UN forces in Srebrenica, targeted the city. Dutch commander Thom Karriman, who had provided security for the city during the war, handed over control to the Serbs. When the Serbs entered Srebrenica under the leadership of Ratko Mladic, one of the most painful events in human history occurred. All the men of military age in the city were taken on a bus to be shot. They began killing everyone who came before them, young and old, male or female. Serbs slaughtered civilians in forest areas, factories and warehouses. The Bosnian dead were buried in mass graves. In the massacre, which lasted 5 days, 8 thousand 372 people were killed. The war in Bosnia caused an increase in world public opinion pressure after this incident and the declaration of a cease-fire in the same year.

Burials are held every 11 July at Potwari Memorial Cemetery

Serb soldiers buried the bodies in dozens of mass graves, making their identification unknown. 600 genocide victims were found 8 years after the incident and buried at the Putakari Memorial Cemetery. Despite the years that have passed, the Bosnian people continue to search for the mass graves of the massacre’s victims. Victims whose bodies were found in mass graves are buried in a ceremony at Potocari Memorial Cemetery on 11 July every year after they have been identified.

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