I came to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a member of SFOR in 1998 assigned to provide support for special forces working on following and arresting persons indicted for war crimes. Since then 159 of 161 persons indicted by the ICTY have been brought to justice. Since I came back to Bosnia and Herzegovina later that year as part of the Train and Equip program for the FBiH Army, the arrest of those responsible for war crimes and genocide has been my top priority – because these crimes are crimes against humanity as a whole, against all of us. These crimes are personally repugnant to me. I utterly reject those who deny what happened here in Srebrenica. I am pleased that yesterday the whole international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina joined together to condemn such statements.
The Irish political philosopher Edmund Burke is credited with the perceptive observation that “the only thing necessary to the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Fifteen years ago the civilized world did nothing and people were killed and genocide was committed.
The women who were bereaved have for 15 years lived in dignity and have sought justice; they want those responsible for this crime to be held accountable and they want those who perished to receive a decent burial. The second most culpable individual in this case, Ratko Mladic, is on the run like a common criminal, but he is within reach. The international community and our partners in local security agencies have the capacity to go after the networks that allow war criminals to remain at large. We know who they are and what they do. Continuing to apply pressure will help Serbia to fulfill its requirements towards the ICTY.
To say “never again” is meaningless if we do nothing. Evil does walk and genocide could happen again elsewhere if we don’t prosecute those responsible for the genocide that happened here. I will continue to do everything in my power, as a human being, as a US citizen, and as a government official, to ensure that justice is done.
I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere condolences to the women, the survivors of Srebrenica.
I regret that we have not arrested Ratko Mladic during my mandate, but I am convinced that he will face justice, in this world and the next.
All those who believe in justice – justice that is blind to ethnicity, justice that is completely impartial – must speak out against any denial of the genocide that took place here. This denial is beyond the pale of civilized society. Civilized society must turn its back on the deniers, they are a part of the past, part of the century of genocide that we have left behind.