Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, a former extreme nationalist who now declares himself as pro-EU

USING RUSSIA SERBIA PUMPS UP ITS DENIAL OF GENOCIDE

by inavukic

Worker tending to
Srebrenica memorial
graveyard
Photo: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

A United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution (drafted by Britain) to condemn the 1995 Srebrenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina) massacre as genocide, marking the 20th anniversary of the mass killing, has been delayed until today, Wednesday 8 July 2015, after Russia threatened to veto the measure. Not without Serbia's pressure, I dare say, Russia has deemed the resolution unbalanced and does not want the 1995 massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys described as genocide. Instead it proposed condemning "the most serious crimes of concern to the international community." Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic sent a letter (made public on Monday 6 July) to Queen Elizabeth II concerning London’s initiative for the UN SC to adopt a resolution on Srebrenica, the Belgrade-based Danas daily writes."The draft resolution submitted by Great Britain to the UN SC might jeopardize efforts invested in the stability of the region,” Nikolic said in his letter and one cannot but feel the threatening tone coming from this ultra-nationalist Greater Serbia thug who heads Serbia these days. His letter to the Queen goes on to say: “I ask you most kindly to dedicate your attention to a serious question that could ruin the efforts made by Serbia over many years in giving our humble contribution to the overall stability of South-East Europe.That is, I am referring to the Resolution on Srebrenica, filed by Your country in the UN Security Council. We are a nation that is fairly different to other countries of similar size and power. Whenever we were attacked throughout the history, we chose resistance and fight for freedom. In a large number of circumstances our conduct coincided with the formed international position, battle and goals of Your nation. We never wanted to give up, to withdraw or for others to decide what we will choose for ourselves. Such an attitude was very demanding, often dangerous, but in the end it carried relief and was healthy for our spirit…I believe you are aware that Serbs fought against Turks, against Austro-Hungarian Empire, against Germans and then against the Third Reich. We opposed many others, even NATO in 1999, in the belief that we must defend Kosovo and Metohija territory, which historically belongs to us… We have done all this convinced that the freedom and dignity of man are the supreme values, and there has never been cold calculation behind our role and intentions, but rather our feelings.” Serbia’s pro-Russian President Tomislav Nikolic had also sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday 4 July, "pleading" for a Russian "no" in the UN Security Council when the resolution is tabled. Nikolic's move with Russia clearly reflects political divisions in Serbia among those who seek closer ties with the European Union and his pro-Russian faction that wants Serbia in the Kremlin orbit.

Srebrenica
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Graveyard of victims of genocide

Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, a former extreme nationalist who now declares himself as pro-EU, has said he is ready to attend memorial ceremonies marking the Srebrenica anniversary in Srebrenica — but also has refused to call it genocide and is becoming increasingly hostile against anyone branding the crimes in Srebrenica and Croatia as genocide, even though those crimes were, in the face of irrefutable evidence, found as genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague. According to Vucic, "lately, some have decided to use various resolutions to once again place the brand of those who should be ashamed of the past…We Serbs show our greatness also by being able to bow before the victims of others as we do before our own, before the hundreds of thousands of who died in all the fatherland wars. But don't make us feel humiliated because we are Serbs and because we fought valiantly for our freedom," Vucic told those gathered in Blaznava, central Serbia, on Tuesday 7 July, and added that Serbia will be defending itself "with knowledge and smarts, with diligence." "And those who think it's enough to threaten us and say that we Serbs are, I guess, the only ones to blame for what was happening in the former Yugoslavia, and that we should forget Jasenovac, and Jadovno, and all other places of Serb suffering - essentially they are only saying and showing who caused many things (that happened) in that region," Vucic said.What utter sadness: the Serb leaders keep hiding and justifying their brutal and genocidal crimes of 1990’s behind those others committed in the 1940’s, of course completely omitting the fact that the Holocaust happened also in Serbia, with the help of Serb Nazi-collaborating government.Well then – even at this approaching 20th anniversary of Serb-led genocide at Srebrenica, even at this approaching 20th anniversary of Croatia’s victory over Serb aggression and occupation, mass-murder, ethnic cleansing and destruction, Serbia does not want to own up to its heinous acts against other sovereign nations. It keeps painting history with lies and it keeps threatening – still.To crown these pathetic attempts of covering up and minimising the severity of the brutality in crimes Serbs had committed during 1990’s in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has just released a statement that he “would be watching who will attend the Victory Parade in Zagreb, Croatia” – to be held on 5 August marking 20th anniversary of Operation Storm that liberated Croatia from Serb murderous occupation – because their attendance will signify their “anti-Serbia stand!”Serbia will interpret the participation in the event that will mark the 20th anniversary of the operation Storm as an anti-Serb stand, Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday, 7 July.He said that Serbia was criticized for sending soldiers to Moscow on May 9, when 70 years of the victory over fascism was celebrated - while Croatia is now organising a parade to mark the anniversary of Operation Storm that claimed the lives of several thousand Serbs, while several hundred thousand others were expelled. Oh dear, once again, another Serbia leader, refuses to accept decision from the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague, which found that there was no forceful deportation of Serbs from Croatia – Serbs left of their own accord more likely than not, in fear of their own horrible deeds prior and with evil intent to keep saying that Croatia deported them forcefully!Croatia has invited armed forces of other countries to take part in the parade of 5 August."The participation of their troops in the parade will sent a very negative message to Serbia. We will take that as an anti-Serb stand," the Serbian foreign minister said.So, according to Serbia: Serbia can attack, can occupy, can murder, can defend itself…and hold this as glorious for its nation, but no other country can! And to boot, the country that defended itself from Serbia’s brutal aggression (Croatia) is not supposed to celebrate its victory because there were casualties on the aggressor’s side! Serbia’s foreign minister and the Serbia that subscribes such a view need to crawl under a rock, where they belong, and stay there for at least a hundred years, until all who committed crimes own and bear responsibility for them.

Vukovar, Croatia
Cemetery for victims of Serb aggression and genocide

So, taking aim at what it terms genocide denial, the British draft UN resolution on Srebrenica genocide stresses that "acceptance of the tragic events at Srebrenica as genocide is a prerequisite for reconciliation."

Hallelujah!

Many Croats have been saying that for decades! I have been saying that over and over again, in my articles responding to some unwise moves made by various Croatian politicians on the path to reconciliation with Serbia or Serb aggressor. I wish Croatia had more politicians of the calibre of those standing behind this draft of UN resolution on Srebrenica genocide and who defend the content of this resolution. "Genocide is a crime and those who committed it are criminals who should be punished as such …To say so is not 'anti-Serbian,' as some have alleged," British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft wrote in a letter to Mladen Ivanic, the Serb chairman of the Bosnia And Herzegovina presidency, after Milorad Dodik, president of Serbian Republic, called the Srebrenica genocide “a lie” and accused Britain of “trying to register at the UN, on the basis of false declarations and reports, that a genocide was committed against Muslims.” Another showdown between Russia and Britain (between East and West as the new Cold War surrounds would have it) at the UN Security Council on the matter of calling Srebrenica genocide by its real name – genocide – will occur on Wednesday 8 May (today). Of course, most of us would agree: there should be no showdown because to call Srebrenica genocide a genocide would be the overdue justice the victims deserve, which should not be poisoned with the cold concept of 'showdown'. Wouldn’t that be a most fitting gift the UN could bring to the Srebrenica 20th Anniversary commemoration on Saturday 11 July 2015 that will see dignitaries attend from all over the world. Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)

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