Never again.
In the aftermath of the Second World War, this was the promise made by the victorious Allies. As Nazi Germany collapsed, and the Allies over-ran vast swathes of Europe, they uncovered the horror of horrors. The Nazi state, and its collaborators, had systematically undertaken an attempt to completely destroy entire groups, purely based on ideology. Jews, Roma, disabled people, Poles, Soviets, communists, religious minorities. For not fitting in with the 'Master Race', their punishment was to die. This was death on an industrial scale.
Never again. As the United Nations was established, a set of universal rights was written in to international law. The perpetrators of the Holocaust were put on trial for crimes against humanity. Some were hanged, others were imprisoned. Justice was seen to have been done. The United Nations would bestride the globe, and ensure that never again would be a reality, and not just hollow words.
And so we reassured ourselves, this would not happen again. Of course, there were acts of genocide after 1945. Cambodia, in the 70s. The Congo in the 60s. Rwanda in the 90s. But these were in faraway places, and so 'didn't count'. Or 'were different.'
And then it happened. Genocide returned to the developed world. In the early 1990s, the country of Yugoslavia was tearing itself apart, as nationalism and religion fuelled a vicious cycle of conflict. The international community was virtually powerless. Certainly, it did little beyond hand-wringing and stern words.
These were not enough. The town of Srebrenica, in Bosnia, was home to thousands of Bosnian Muslims, in an area dominated by Christian Serbs. Before the war, they had been neighbours. Now they were enemies.
On 11th July 1995, the Serbs captured the town. Over the next few days, 8000 men and boys were murdered. What was the worse, the town was supposed to be under UN protection. The UN peacekeepers, outnumbered and outgunned, handed over more people to the Serbs. The peacekeepers were then taken prisoner, and used as human shields by the Serbs, to prevent other UN forces from intervening. No greater failure of the principle of never again can be imagined. The UN was tantamount to complicit in genocide.
Eventually, word got out about the horrors unfolding in Bosnia. Belatedly, the international community responded. The UN asked NATO to protect the Bosnian Muslims. Peace keeping became peace making, as NATO airstrikes forced the Serbs to the negotiating table. Out of this horror came peace, a peace which has lasted.
This event happened within my lifetime. Well within living memory. And yet it has been largely forgotten. It is easy to see why. It was an example of the failure of the post-war dream; that liberal democracy and international institutions would prevent a repeat of mass slaughter. Never again had become never again, until the next time.
But yet this makes it more important to remember. For the appalling events of Srebrenica serve as a reminder that we must never be complacent in our attitudes towards prejudice. My parents went to Yugoslavia in the 1980s, and had you told them they were visiting a country where neighbours would be murdering each other within the decade, they would have laughed you away. Treating people as the Other can lead to bloodshed, now matter how remote that possibility seems at first.
Srebrenica also shows what the international community can achieve. Those responsible are in the process of being tried by an international war crimes court. The Dutch state, which provided the peacekeepers who handed over their charges to be slaughtered, has been found guilty of negligence and has been ordered to pay compensation. Too late, yes. Too slow, yes. But it shows that genocide does not go unpunished.
Since 1995, the Balkans has flourished. The former Yugoslavia is now an incredibly popular holiday destination. The different parts are in the process of joining the EU. The peace which flowed from Srebrenica has lasted. Now, the chances of another outbreak of bloodshed is remote. International bodies and organisations have cemented that peace.
The last lesson of Srebrenica is one I'm reluctant to accept, but accept it I must. The Dayton Accords, the peace deal which ended the war, did not happen because of a sudden outbreak of goodwill. Nor did they happen because the Serbs suddenly saw the error of their ways, or even because the Bosnians had fought them to a standstill. The Dayton Accords were signed because the Serbs were bombed to the conference table by NATO. After the images of Srebrenica were beamed around the world, the international community was forced into action. This dreadful event should never have been allowed to happen. Sometimes only the use of force can prevent even more killing. Had the UN asked for force to be used in 1994, or 1993, or any other year, many of those 8000 men and boys may have lived to see today.
The problem is, another US-led use of force against another country has clouded minds, mine included. As much as it pains me to say, those on the left should accept that Dubya's revenge-fuelled attack on Iraq in 2003 should not mean the end of interventionism. Unilateralism has ruined Iraq, a unilateralism based on a desire to 'finish off Saddam.' Multilateralism under the banner of the UN, a war conducted as the lesser of two evils, did not.
I know this is long, and very rambling. I'm good at long and rambling. And having written this, I'm no clearer in my mind what Srebrenica means for me today. But please look beyond that.
Remember the men and children of Srebrenica. If we do not, we never shall learn the lessons it has to offer, whatever they may be.
On 11th July 1995, the Serbs captured the town. Over the next few days, 8000 men and boys were murdered. What was the worse, the town was supposed to be under UN protection. The UN peacekeepers, outnumbered and outgunned, handed over more people to the Serbs. The peacekeepers were then taken prisoner, and used as human shields by the Serbs, to prevent other UN forces from intervening. No greater failure of the principle of never again can be imagined. The UN was tantamount to complicit in genocide.
Eventually, word got out about the horrors unfolding in Bosnia. Belatedly, the international community responded. The UN asked NATO to protect the Bosnian Muslims. Peace keeping became peace making, as NATO airstrikes forced the Serbs to the negotiating table. Out of this horror came peace, a peace which has lasted.
This event happened within my lifetime. Well within living memory. And yet it has been largely forgotten. It is easy to see why. It was an example of the failure of the post-war dream; that liberal democracy and international institutions would prevent a repeat of mass slaughter. Never again had become never again, until the next time.
But yet this makes it more important to remember. For the appalling events of Srebrenica serve as a reminder that we must never be complacent in our attitudes towards prejudice. My parents went to Yugoslavia in the 1980s, and had you told them they were visiting a country where neighbours would be murdering each other within the decade, they would have laughed you away. Treating people as the Other can lead to bloodshed, now matter how remote that possibility seems at first.
Srebrenica also shows what the international community can achieve. Those responsible are in the process of being tried by an international war crimes court. The Dutch state, which provided the peacekeepers who handed over their charges to be slaughtered, has been found guilty of negligence and has been ordered to pay compensation. Too late, yes. Too slow, yes. But it shows that genocide does not go unpunished.
Since 1995, the Balkans has flourished. The former Yugoslavia is now an incredibly popular holiday destination. The different parts are in the process of joining the EU. The peace which flowed from Srebrenica has lasted. Now, the chances of another outbreak of bloodshed is remote. International bodies and organisations have cemented that peace.
The last lesson of Srebrenica is one I'm reluctant to accept, but accept it I must. The Dayton Accords, the peace deal which ended the war, did not happen because of a sudden outbreak of goodwill. Nor did they happen because the Serbs suddenly saw the error of their ways, or even because the Bosnians had fought them to a standstill. The Dayton Accords were signed because the Serbs were bombed to the conference table by NATO. After the images of Srebrenica were beamed around the world, the international community was forced into action. This dreadful event should never have been allowed to happen. Sometimes only the use of force can prevent even more killing. Had the UN asked for force to be used in 1994, or 1993, or any other year, many of those 8000 men and boys may have lived to see today.
The problem is, another US-led use of force against another country has clouded minds, mine included. As much as it pains me to say, those on the left should accept that Dubya's revenge-fuelled attack on Iraq in 2003 should not mean the end of interventionism. Unilateralism has ruined Iraq, a unilateralism based on a desire to 'finish off Saddam.' Multilateralism under the banner of the UN, a war conducted as the lesser of two evils, did not.
I know this is long, and very rambling. I'm good at long and rambling. And having written this, I'm no clearer in my mind what Srebrenica means for me today. But please look beyond that.
Remember the men and children of Srebrenica. If we do not, we never shall learn the lessons it has to offer, whatever they may be.
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