[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 91 (Friday, July 1, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING THE MASSACRE AT SREBRENICA 
                              IN JULY 1995

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. TRENT FRANKS

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 27, 2005

  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I voted ``yes'' on H. Res. 199 to 
recognize the horror suffered by those who lost their lives at 
Srebrenica and the loss to their families.
  However, the resolution falls far short in that it does not recognize 
the horrors, tragedies, and losses suffered by all sides. For example, 
for several years early in the conflict, the Serbian population of 
Srebrenica and scores of nearby villages were either killed or forced 
to flee because of Nasir Oric, a Bosnian Muslim warlord, according to 
UNPROFOR Commander General Phillip Morillon.
  Nasir Oric also carried out many attacks on nearby villages and 
towns, including an attack at Kravica on Orthodox Christmas Eve. 
Reporter Joan Phillips commented in the South Slav Journal that by 
March 31, 1993, at least 1,200 Serbs had been killed and another 3,000 
wounded by Oric's forces, adding ``Today there are virtually no Serbs 
left in the entire Srebrenica municipality. Out of 9,300 Serbs who used 
to live there, less than 900 remain. Out of 11,500 Serbs who used to 
live in Bratunac municipality, more than 6,000 have fled. In the 
Srebrenica municipality, about 24 villages have been razed. The last 
major Serbian villages in the vicinity of Bratunac and Skelani were 
attacked and destroyed on January 7, 1993.''
  In the interest of justice and truth we must have a day of reckoning 
where we acknowledge that no one side was entirely at fault in the 
Balkan wars, and even evaluate where United States' policies 
exacerbated the tragedies suffered. For example, Operation Flash was an 
attack on the civilian Serb population of a U.N. Protected Area and was 
directly authorized by then-President Bill Clinton.
  Likewise, it is my express belief that we should do more to achieve 
reconciliation and mutual trust between the ethnic groups in Bosnia-
Herzegovina.