[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 111 (Thursday, July 12, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ON THE 12TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SREBRENICA GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 11, 2007

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, this week the world paused to 
remember and reflect on the horrific acts of brutality, wanton cruelty 
and mass murder committed in Srebrenica a mere 12 years ago.
  On Sunday, I joined a distinguished group of leaders and survivors to 
honor those brave Bosniaks who suffered and died--victims of the 
genocide.
  Among those who led the solemn ceremony was Dr. Mustafa Ceric, the 
Reis-ul-Ulema, President of the Council of Ulema in Bosnia. Reis Ceric 
is an inspiring man of God and internationally recognized as a man of 
peace and extraordinary compassion--and a friend.
  Also there was President Haris Silajdzic, a Bosnian leader I have 
known and deeply respected since the early 90s. Dr. Silajdzic, 
throughout the darkness and moral confusion of the Balkan war was a 
powerful, persistent, reasonable and dynamic voice for peace, human 
rights, the rule of law and accountability for genocide.
  In my remarks, I tried to convey to our Bosnian friends that 
Americans and others of goodwill throughout the world again extend 
their deepest condolences and respect to the mothers and surviving 
family members who have endured unspeakable sorrow and loss that time 
will never abate. I assured the survivors of our earnest prayers.
  Madam Speaker, the international community must recommit itself to 
apprehending and bringing to justice once and for all those who 
perpetrated these heinous crimes, including Mladic and Karadzic.
  Justice is the essential prerequisite to sustainable reconciliation. 
No matter how long it takes, we must never tire or grow weary in the 
pursuit of justice. Renewal and a further consolidation of democracy 
must be rooted in systemic reform, including police reform. Perhaps 
some of the lessons learned from successful initiatives in Northern 
Ireland might have application there.

  Looking back, it is almost beyond comprehension that the Srebrenica 
genocide occurred at all.
  Future historians, Madam Speaker, will be hard pressed to ever 
understand how a UN Security Council designated ``safe area,'' guarded 
by a significant deployment of UN peacekeepers, backed up by NATO's 
superior air power, could have capitulated in the face of unmitigated 
evil and enabled one of the most despicable acts in human history.
  After Bosnian Serb forces attacked elements of UNPROFOR beginning in 
early July 1995, a series of gross miscalculations, mistakes and 
betrayal quickly led to the systematic slaughter of over 8,000 
Bosniaks, mostly men.
  Adding unnecessary insult to injury some in the international 
community further exacerbated matters by employing euphemisms that 
masked the reality of the genocide. Somehow, they just couldn't utter 
the word genocide.
  Nevertheless, the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia 
found ``beyond any reasonable doubt that a crime of genocide was 
committed in Srebrenica.'' More recently, the verdict of the 
International Court of Justice that genocide occurred in Srebrenica 
begs the question: What are the consequences?
  Two years ago, I authored a resolution that overwhelmingly passed the 
U.S. Congress that clearly and unambiguously condemned the Srebrenica 
genocide and stated in part that ``all persons indicted by the 
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) should 
be apprehended and transferred to The Hague without further delay, and 
all countries should meet their obligations to cooperate fully with the 
ICTY at all times . . .''
  Madam Speaker, the genocideurs would like nothing better than that we 
forget. And that, of course, is something we cannot do. Ever.

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