Bradford marks Srebrenica genocide 25 years on

The genocide was the single greatest atrocity to take place in Europe since the Second World War and saw the systematic massacre of more than 8,000 Bosnian men and young boys in less than one week at Srebrenica, a United Nations protected area and safe haven.

Riad Terzic, Bosnian community representative

Bradford was the first city in the UK to lay a memorial stone to commemorate the massacre, which is in the Peace Garden behind City Hall.

This year’s theme is ‘Every Action Matters’ where every person is encourage to reflect on their own behaviour and choices they take, and demonstrate that however insignificant it may seem, every action matters, whether positive or negative. 

The resounding message is that those who stand up and unite against hatred can make a difference.

Councillor Sabiya Khan, Bradford Remembering Srebrenica Ambassador, led the ceremony.

She urged people to learn the lessons from the dark period in history.

“We are calling on all communities to remember the victims and survivors of the Srebrenica genocide; learn the lessons from Srebrenica, particularly that we must always be vigilant against hatred and intolerance in our communities and pledge to take action now to build better and safer communities for all,” she said. 

In a video message, Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “The genocide at Srebrenica happened 25 years ago. Thousands of men and boys, predominantly Muslim, were slaughtered and buried in mass graves.

“It is an event which has marked their families forever and their country as a place for genocide for all time.

“Now, 25 years ago can sound like history and we start to comfort ourselves perhaps, that it happened a long time ago in a different place.

“Surely it could never happen here, and that is when we have to remain at our most vigilant, at our most watchful and we must stand up against hatred and prejudice whenever we see it, wherever we see it.

“Bradford is a welcoming place, with decent people who care about each other, but to make sure it stays like that we must each take our own personal responsibility seriously.

“We must take action when we see those values that we all believe in are not being embraced.

“We must make sure that hatred doesn’t grip our place and our land and we must stand up to the prejudices that fuel that hatred.

“So you and I remember today the genocide at Srebrenica and the lessons through history that it has taught us, and I make that commitment that every action in my life will matter and that we will come together to fight hatred and prejudice, wherever we see it.”

Councillor Doreen Lee, the Lord Mayor of Bradford, also sent a video message out to the people of Bradford.

She said: “Thousands of Muslim boys and men were separated from their families, taken away and murdered over the course of three terrible days.

“Many, many more were expelled from the area. 

“Today, as we mark the passing of a quarter of a century, we remember that carnage and that awful loss of life but also that, as individuals, we must prevent this ever occurring again.”