07/11/2013 OHR

Remarks by High Representative Valentin Inzko at the Memorial Ceremony for Victims of the Srebrenica Genocide

Respected mothers, respected and dear families of the victims, who have waited for this day for eighteen years.

Yesterday I received a text message from a young and very ill Sarajevan, a Bosniak Muslim woman from Sarajevo, who wrote that a sea of tears would run again over the coffins of the shaheed. And then Eldina writes: “People, sow love not hatred”.

This morning I received a message from Nikica, a Franciscan priest of Bosna Srebrena from Fojnica, who wrote: “One should respond to hatred with love and peace”.

With love and peace.

An identical message from a Muslim woman and a Franciscan priest, this is also a universal and the strongest message of yesterday’s March of Peace and today’s commemoration; a message to the whole world, a message of peace and a call to be better people.

The second message is also very important. If we were to forget the innocently killed victims, it would be as if we had killed them a second time.

At the end, one more thought.

If we want to get to know Bosnia and Herzegovina we must get to know Srebrenica. If we want to understand Bosnia and Herzegovina, we must understand Srebrenica first. Those who do not know Srebrenica also do not know Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dear mothers, dear families of the victims, dear guests.

We pay our respects and pray for those who perished here. May they find their peace in this holy cemetery. May the Almighty and Merciful God give them a special place in Heaven. May they rest in everlasting peace.

Photo: Anadolu Agency