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June 3, 2005
Embassy of the United States of America
Belgrade
U.S. Embassy Commends Serbian Government's Commitment to Bring Srebrenica's
Killers to Justice
This year marks a solemn anniversary in the Balkans, the tenth anniversary
of the massacre at Srebrenica. The crimes committed in Srebrenica, the most
heinous and destructive in Europe since the Second World War, must not be forgotten.
This tenth anniversary year should be seen as an opportunity - for introspection,
for reflection, for reconciliation, for healing, and, most importantly, for
justice. The international community strongly supports regional and national
reconciliation efforts and commends the outstanding work of local citizens'
groups to ensure that this unfortunate chapter of Balkan history be appropriately
memorialized. We also welcome the recent transfers to ICTY of numerous individuals
accused of complicity in organizing and/or executing the Srebrenica massacres,
and expect that those indictees still at large, most notably Ratko Mladic,
will be delivered to The Hague. These accused perpetrators will join those
already there in facing justice for the crimes committed ten years ago.
Against this background, we were deeply concerned to see that certain groups
in Serbia remain intent on warping historical fact and interpreting the Srebrenica
massacre as something it was not. We believe this is an effort to propagate
a dangerously irresponsible myth that would excuse the war crimes perpetrated
there against so many innocent victims. While the international community respects
the right of free speech, the recent Belgrade conference entitled "The
Truth About Srebrenica" held at the Belgrade University Law Faculty dishonors
that right in an attempt to fan the flames of chauvinism and ethnic hatred.
Such vitriol disgraces the dead on all sides of the Balkan conflicts of the
1990's.
The recent broadcast of a videotape that shows Serbian security forces summarily
executing numerous individuals at the time of the Srebrenica massacres graphically
underscores the irresponsibility of those who seek to cast doubts about the
crimes committed near Srebrenica. We applaud the rapid and vigorous action
of the Government of Serbia in arresting those involved in these illegal killings,
and we welcome the Government's announced intention to ensure that these and
other perpetrators face justice for these crimes. We also look to the Government
of Serbia to do its utmost to help bring to justice the many other individuals
who committed war crimes near Srebrenica and elsewhere.
We know that the majority of the peoples of this region do not support the
views expressed at the Belgrade Law Faculty event, and we hope the region's
leadership will make clear their opposition to this kind of extremism. We also
look to the leaders of this region to lend public and official support to efforts
to memorialize the tenth anniversary of Srebrenica in a way that promotes healing,
reconciliation, and an honest appraisal of the past.
3. jun, 2005
Ambasada Sjedinjenih Američkih Država
Beograd AMBASADA SAD POZDRAVLJA NAMERE VLADE SRBIJE DA
PRIVEDE PRAVDI UBICE IZ SREBRENICE
Ove godine se obeležava desetogodišnjica masakra u Srebrenici.
Najgnusniji i najgori zločini počinjeni na tlu Evrope od Drugog svetskog rata,
zločini počinjeni u Srebrenici, se ne smeju zaboraviti. Desetogodišnjica treba
da se shvati kao mogućnost za introspekciju, promišljanje, pomirenje, zalečenje
rana i ono što je najvažnije - kao mogućnost za ostvarenje pravde. Međunarodna
zajednica snažno podržava regionalne i nacionalne napore ka pomirenju i pozdravlja
izuzetan rad lokalnih civilnih grupa u cilju da se ovo nesrećno poglavlje istorije
Balkana dostojno obeleži. Mi takođe pozdravljamo nedavni transfer Haškom tribunalu
većeg broja pojedinaca optuženih za saučesništvo u organizovanju i/ili učestvovanje
u Srebreničkom masakru i očekujemo da će osumnjičeni, koji su još uvek na slobodi,
prvenstveno Ratko Mladić, biti isporučeni Hagu. Ovi osumnjičeni počinioci će
se pridružiti onima koji su privedeni pravdi za zločine počinjene pre deset
godina.
U vezi sa prošlošću, mi smo izražavali duboku zabrinutost zbog činjenice da
određeni krugovi u Srbiji nastavljaju da prekrajaju istorijske činjenice i
pogrešno interpretiraju masakr u Srebrenici. Mi verujemo da je to neodgovorni
pokušaj promovisanja opasnih mitova u cilju oslobađanja od odgovornosti počinioca
ratnih zločina protiv brojnih nedužnih civila. Iako međunarodna zajednica poštuje
pravo na slobodno izražavanje, nedavna tribina "Istina o Srebrenici",
održana na Pravnom fakultetu u Beogradu, predstavlja zloupotrebu ovog prava
u pokušaju raspirivanja šovinizma i etničke mržnje. Ovakav postupak obeščašćuje
mrtve na svim stranama u Balkanskim sukobima tokom devedesetih.
Nedavno emitovanje video zapisa koji prikazuje srpske snage kako ubijaju brojne
pojedince u vreme Srebreničkog masakra jasno pokazuje neodgovornost onih koji
dovode u sumnju zločine počinjene u Srebrenici. Mi pozdravljamo brzu i energičnu
akciju vlade Srbije u cilju hapšenja osumnjičenih za ova ubijanja i pozdravljamo
najavljene vladine nemere da se ovi i drugi počinioci zločina privedu pravdi.
Mi se nadamo da će vlada Srbije preduzeti neophodne korake kako bi se priveli
pravdi mnogi drugi pojedinci koji su počinili ratne zločine u Srebrenici i
drugde.
Mi znamo da većina naroda ovog regiona ne podržava stavove koji su ispoljeni
na tribini na Pravnom fakultetu i nadamo se da će se zvaničnici regiona jasno
suprotstaviti ovakvom ekstremizmu. Mi se takođe nadamo da će zvaničnici regiona
pružiti javnu i zvaničnu podršku naporima da se desetogodišnjica Srebreničkih
događaja obeleži na način koji doprinosi zalečenju rana, pomirenju i iskrenoj
proceni prošlosti.
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