Published on: 2026-07-09
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
July 9, 2026 Human Rights
Three people who survived the genocide that occurred in July 1995 in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, told the UN News Service how they preserve the memory of more than 8,300 men and boys killed in the town, and resist the growing attempts to deny the mass crimes.
Bosnian Muslims were killed by Bosnian Serb forces in a town that the UN Security Council had declared a safe area. Later, the UN acknowledged the failure of the international community, which was unable to prevent the genocide.
Three survivors of these events recounted how, working as curators and archivists at the Srebrenica Memorial Center, they strive to preserve the truth about what happened. The Memorial Center is located exactly where thousands of people once sought protection from UN peacekeepers.
Almasa Salihovich: I was eight years old when I experienced the genocide in Srebrenica. During the genocide, my brother was killed, as well as uncles on both my mother’s and father’s side. In total, 8,372 people became victims.
UN News Service / N. Beriro Almasa Salikhovich, representative of the Memorial Center.
Aziz Osmanovich: On the main road there was a checkpoint where men and boys were separated from the others. Then many of them were killed.
Almas Salihovich: I firmly believe that memory helps to heal – both yourself and your family. Every time I tell the story of my brother, of my family, I realize that I am telling our shared story.
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That is exactly why five years ago I decided to start working at the Srebrenica Memorial Center. I have always wanted to contribute to preserving memory.
Amra Begic Fazlich: Between 1992 and 1995, we fled Srebrenica. But in 2003, I decided to return and try to live here again. It was not easy.
UN News Service / N. Beriro Amra Begic Fazlic
Most of us who returned were guided by one thought: we must be closer to our loved ones. To complete the process of identifying them, to bury them here, in the Memorial Center, and to have a place where we can come to honor their memory.
Aziz Osmanovich: This is part of our history, and I consider it my duty to tell about the genocide in Srebrenica and everything we endured here. This is not only my personal story – it is the story of thousands of people who were in the besieged city.
Here are kept the personal belongings of genocide victims, found in mass graves alongside their remains. This boot belonged to my cousin. When he was killed, he was 16 years old. Two of his brothers were also killed.
UN News Service / N. Beriro Curator of the Azir Osmanovich Memorial Center.
Almas Salikhovich: What frightens me the most is that people deny what happened. Today, the younger generation is growing up hearing false claims that there was no genocide, that there were no war crimes, and that all the dead were soldiers. But here, in the Memorial Center, we rely solely on facts.
Amra Begić Fazlić: According to the generally accepted definition, denial of genocide is its final stage. Unfortunately, today in Bosnia we can already speak of the next stage – the glorification of war criminals.
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