Srebrenica Memorial Day

The thousands of Bosnian Muslims who were systematically murdered on the basis of their identity 30 years ago have been remembered on Srebrenica Memorial Day.

To mark the poignant anniversary of the July 1995 massacre, a short service of reflection was held outside our police headquarters in Bridgend earlier today.

The service was led by Deputy Chief Constable Jason Davies and included readings from the Force Chaplain and words of experience from Detective Inspector Phillip Marchant, who was deployed to Bosnia in 1995 on peace keeping duties whilst in service with the armed forces. He was accompanied by other service veterans, who joined us in paying tribute to those who died as a result of the genocide.

Deputy Chief Constable Jason Davies said:

“Today we pay our respects to the many Bosnian Muslims who were killed for simply being who they were and recognise those who bravely strove to defend them.

“This anniversary provides us with an opportunity to honour the victims, support survivors and work towards a future where such tragedies are never repeated.

“As members of South Wales Police, we have already made the choice to be ‘upstanders’ and not ‘bystanders’ across our communities and we all have a duty to challenge and prevent discrimination in all forms.

“Let us reflect on how we can make a difference and promote a culture of inclusivity and acceptance.”

This evening and across the weekend, our force Headquarters will be lit in green and white in memory of those who lost their lives.

The Srebrenica genocide was the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War, with 8,000 people – mostly men, ranging from teenagers to the elderly, but also some young children and women – being murdered.

We continue to remember those who were murdered in the atrocity three decades ago.

We are also reminded that hate crimes are never acceptable and remain committed to standing against hatred and prejudice in all its forms today.