Remembering the genocide in Srebrenica

Today, Thursday 11 July 2024, marks 29 years since the genocide in Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina, when 8,327 predominantly Bosnian Muslim men and boys were murdered in the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War.

In the first ever area declared safe by the United Nations, thousands of people were systematically murdered and buried in mass graves based on their identity. Once an area with vibrant and integrated communities, it was torn apart by hatred based on racial and religious differences.

It's important to note that the genocide in Srebrenica did not happen overnight – all genocides start with hostility, propaganda, disinformation, oppression, marginalisation, discrimination, prejudice and hate speech, where perpetrators use words referring to an identifiable group as being inferior.

Far from being confined to the past, as we know, certain language can cause division and can still be found in the UK. Hate crime is as relevant as ever in our communities today, so we must remember the events of the past to work to improve the future.

To mark this dark chapter in the history of the world, officers, staff and volunteers joined Deputy Chief Constable Mark Travis in HQ this afternoon to observe a minute silence. 

To find out more about the genocide in Srebrenica click here. You can find out more about our approach to Hate Crime on our website.

During this time, we also pay tribute to the many service people who were deployed to Bosnia on peacekeeping duties. In this article, we share the experience of Detective Inspector Phil Marchant, who prior to his service with South Wales Police, was one of many Royal Welch Fusiliers deployed to the country as part of the UN Protection Force.