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SREBRENICA GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION WEEK IN TORONTO
SREBRENICA GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION WEEK IN TORONTO
Commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide
Message frome the Bosniak Community in Canada - There can be no negotiation about the acts of genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and especially those which were carried out in Srebrenica.
For the past 15 years, survivors of the Srebrenica genocide have been seeking justice for the 8,372 men and boys killed by Bosnian Serb forces in what was supposed to be a United Nations protected enclave. Their witness accounts of this systematic, civilian massacre helped prosecutors convict seven men in The Hague earlier this month. Two former security officers received life in prison, and were handed down rare genocide convictions by a three-judge panel in the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.
Despite the convictions, the Canadian government has not yet passed a resolution to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide as many other countries – including the United States and members of the European Union – have. But the Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) community in Toronto believes that this violation of human rights needs to be recognized and remembered so as to decrease the chances of a similar war crimes occurring elsewhere in the world.
In partnership with the Congress of North American Bosniaks and the Institute for the Research of Genocide-Canada, the Southern Ontario Bosniak community hosted a series of well organized and well received events: a photo exhibit at the Gladstone Hotel, a silent march in downtown Toronto as well as a commemoration ceremony in Etobicoke this past weekend on the 15th year anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide.
Srebrenica Photo Exhibit
On July 9th, 2010, the second floor of the Gladstone hotel was host to the official start of a set of ceremonial activities organised by a dedicated group of volunteers. Three separate rooms housed three very distinct but connected experiences for reception-goers, featuring Roger LeMoyne’s exhibit “Srebrenica: The Absence”. Lemoyne’s gripping photo series, which began in 1995, conveys the sense of loss, an unwavering need for justice and the importance of preserving history. In the main foyer on the second floor, a bright, eclectic, and mostly young crowd mingled as the Jusuf Dzilic (aka Geno-cide) video “Srebrenica” played on an iMac. Petition forms and informational pamphlets were available at the information desk, to gain support from the Canadian public on passing the genocide resolution and bill currently in front of Parliament. Owing perhaps to the event’s timing, a large number of street-traffic was welcomed by an always abundant and receptive host group. Windsor-West MP Brian Masse continued to show his support for the Bosniak community and this important issue by personally attending the event.
In the south-facing rooms, traditional Bosnian music, Sevdalinka, and traditional religious songs, Ilahija, were played as visitors viewed images that were both disturbing and impactful. In the north-facing room, pictures of the bereaved, the dead, and the still missing gave the impression of some end, but no closure, to the viewer. An equally heavy melody and visuals by Alma Ferovic played on a video screen, and this song combined with the images brought many visitors to tears.
Approximately 200 people attended the reception at the Gladstone Hotel.
Srebrenica Genocide Silent March
Over three hundred people, all wearing a distinctive bright yellow tee with the words “Never Forget / Srebrenica Genocide / July 11, 1995”, gathered in front of the Royal Ontario Museum at noon on Saturday, July 10, 2010. Comprised mostly of young Canadian Bosniaks, but with a healthy contingent of supporters from other communities, the group began a silent march through the streets of downtown Toronto. The lead group walked silently in a file of two, each member carrying a single letter that spelled out “SREBRENICA GENOCIDE” along the left, and flags of Canada and Bosnia on the right. The procession walked on the right-hand sides and north sides of the street so that the placards could be seen by all, informing onlookers of the cause. Continuously handing out informational pamphlets and flyers to a very receptive Toronto public, the group made several stops at major Toronto media outlets such as CTV, CP24, and CBC, as well as major landmarks such as Yonge and Dundas Square, and Nathan Phillips Square. Canadians, Canadian-Bosnians and Canadian-Bosniaks on this day showed the civility, pride, and solidarity of a nation that continues to struggle for justice against those perpetrators of genocide in Srebrenica, elsewhere in Bosnia, and the world.
Srebrenica Commemoration Ceremony
The 2-hour program on the 15-year anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide began at 7PM on July 11, 2010 at the Bosnian Islamic Association. The hall was decorated with the photos of Roger Lemoyne, various books on the Srebrenica genocide, related poetry, informative quotes and yellow lilies. Yellow lilies being a symbol of Bosnia and the Bosniak people. Near the entrance to the hall stood six large tables on top of which was listed the names of the 8, 372 men killed in Srebrenica 15 years ago. The tables were symbolically draped in green, as the tradition among Bosniaks is to drape the coffins of their deceased in green cloth.
An informative and heart-wrenching 30-minute documentary outlining the circumstances of the fall of Srebrenica and individual stories of the massacre was played to a crowd of 300 that included Parliamentarians Hon. Brian Masse, Hon. Boris Wrzesnewskyj, Hon. Rob Oliphant, as well as distinguished guests.
The Srebrenica Memorial Film was followed by a short video by Tarik Samarah as a preamble to the riveting account of a now 35-year old man who is an Omarska concentration camp survivor (he was held for 202 days). Fadil Kulasic, an experienced speaker, tailored his typically 3 hour talk, to 30 minutes, focusing on his most vivid and defining memories. Fadil's story, divided into six themes, left the audience speechless and tearful. He showed bravery and strength in sharing these difficult experiences with the audience. A common thread throughout his speech was one of strength and perseverance - both of which he needed to survive. Fadil mentioned that he often heard other victims like himself proclaim “Ne daj se, Bosno!” (Don't give up, Bosnia), reiterating to the audience that they should never give up on their home country and never forget the atrocities that occurred there. Fadil believes he is alive today because he would always look his captors directly in the eyes - he refused to turn his back to them, even when they demanded that he do so. He knew his captors were cowards. He also believed that if there was any ounce of humanity left in them, that they wouldn't be able to kill him if he continued to make eye contact. The final message he gave the audience was to never turn their backs on Srebrenica.
The final half of the program was filled by a rousing set of speeches from the MPs. Hon. Brian Masse’s passionate show of support and the message that Canada must recognize the genocide for the good of its citizens and for the sake of its reputation in the world was received with a standing ovation. Hon. Boris Wrzesnewsky talked about loss and memory and Hon. Rob Oliphant discussed the need for the Serbian-Canadian community to recognize the genocide, but also for the Bosnian-Canadian community to respond not with anger and revenge, but with love in their hearts and reconciliation on their minds.
The evening closed with a moving commemoration ceremony that involved the laying down of yellow lilies, by each attendee, on the tables containing the names of 8, 372 men that were killed. A traditional ilahija, “Don’t Grieve with Tears”, sung by Mensura Bajraktarevic played throughout the hall.
Thanks to the Bosniak community in Canada
Toronto, July 11, 2010
On behalf of the Congress of North American Bosniaks Canadian Branch, and on behalf of the Institute for Research of Genocide, I would like to thank everyone who organized three events of the Srebrenica Genocide Commemoration Week in Toronto, 15 years after the Srebrenica genocide occurred. I have to say that this has been by far the best and most memorable set of events that the Canadian - Bosniak Community has ever hosted in honour of the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, and I am very proud. Not only am I proud to see members of the Bosniak community volunteer their time and efforts to put these wonderful events together, I also have so much respect for members of both of these organizations and all that they have done for Canadian Bosniaks to date.
Our goal is to fight for truth and justice, and to educate the Canadian public about the genocide and the aggression against the Bosniak ethnicity and nation during the war that lasted from 1992 to 1995. More specifically, at this moment we are asking the Canadian government to officially recognize July 11th as Srebrenica Genocide Remembrance Day and to hold a Bosnia and Herzegovina Tribute week here in Canada. Lobbying for this Remembrance Day for the last year under the direction of the CNAB and the IRCG we have seen first-hand the ups and downs with this resolution. For those who are not completely familiar with our cause, we will provide you with some background information:
For the last five years the CNAB and IRGC shave been lobbying for an official remembrance day here in Canada. Last August, Mr. Brian Masse, MP for Windsor West sponsored the resolution, which came to be known as motion M-416. On June 18th, 2010 Prime Minister Harper vetoed this motion, even though the NDPs, the Liberal Party, the Bloc Quebecois and Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon were had already voted in favour of it. Mr. Harper does not believe the words “genocide” and “Bosniak” should be in the resolution and despite forensic evidence from international organizations, he believes the number of dead is lower than the 8,732 stated in the motion. We were told that if we remove the word genocide, and the word |Bosniak, the motion can go through. However, the CNAB and the IRGC cannot and do not accept these terms – and rightfully so. Unless the truth of the genocidal aggression is accepted, and our Bosniak ethnicity recognized, the CNAB and the IRGC will not be negotiating with any Canadian political body.
This is not to say that we are at the end of the line. This is just the beginning. The amount of solidarity and support we witnessed from the Canadian Bosniak Community just during these past few days really shows how much people really care about justice for Srebrenica victims.
Professor Emir Ramic
Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch
Institute for Research of Genocide Canada
Statement of the Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch and the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada regarding Statement of the Foreign Minister of Canada Lawrence Cannon the 15th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre
Toronto, July 11, 2010
Statement of the Foreign Minister of Canada Lawrence Cannon commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre is a last minute attempt to stave off the embarrassment and shame that the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper blocked an agreement to pass a motion M – 416 in the House of Commons, which is the only officially sanctioned forum where "Canada" acts as a country.
Even though the Foreign Minister is quoted in a government statement acknowledging the Srebrenica genocide and the war crimes, it has to be evenly more strongly condemned that his own Prime Minister blocked what he is issuing the in the statement being passed in the House of Commons. Since passing a motion in the House of Commons is the only thing that has historic, moral, legislative, and legal meaning. The Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch and the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada will continue to campaign until the Motion, M - 416 and the Bill, C – 533 not be passed in Canadian Parliament.
The government/the Minister is feeling the pressure from the Canadian – Bosniak Community's effective lobbying, emailing and letter campaign. This is the result of all the hard work everyone has put in from across a segments of the Bosniaks entire Bosniak Community.
The Bosniak-Canadian community has, over the past five years, engaged in democratic discourse in their collective capacity as human rights advocates and in doing so attempted to cause the members of Parliament and Canadian government to finally, and officially, recognize that the crime of genocide had been perpetrated against Bosnia and Herzegovina and, in particular, against Bosniaks and specifically Bosniaks in Srebrenica, which crime has been well attested to by the eyes of the world and also confirmed by international judicial institutions.
Those, whose human rights, civil liberties and freedoms were denied by way of wild, abandoned terrorism and armed force, all of which was based upon religious and national hatred, have turned to the elected representatives of the people of Canada in asking them for support in their noble quest for truth and justice by officially marking July 11th as “Remembrance Day” for the victims of the most gruesome crime human beings are able to perpetrate against other human beings - the crime of genocide (in direct contravention of everything declared within the 'Human Rights Act'). One aim of the Congress of North American Bosniaks and Institute for Research of Genocide, Canada being the sincere hope that this heinous crime will never to be forgotten - and moreover, never be perpetrated against others.
The survivors of genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina have, over the past five years, submitted ten letters to each member of Parliament and twenty to each Minister of the government of Canada, asking for truth and justice in the name of all victims of genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina - and in particular, genocide in Srebrenica. A majority of members, comprising the political parties represented in the Parliament of Canada, including in their caucuses, have pledged their support for a motion recognizing the 11th of July as the official “Remembrance Day” for all victims of genocide in Srebrenica.
At the time when the historic allies of Canada: the United States and the European Union have, in their respective legislative bodies, formally marked the day of July 11th as the day of remembrance for the victims of genocide in Srebrenica. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has wilfully locked himself into a cavemen’s abode, thus positioning the Parliament and government of Canada onto a path of collision with the values of civility and our common inheritance of constitutional and lawful societal arrangements.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has elevated himself above the highest judicial institutions in the world which have ruled that the crime perpetrated in Srebrenica was, indeed, genocide. Premier Stephen Harper has elevated himself above the victims of the most gruesome crime, the crime of genocide.
Mr. Stephen Harper: Parameters of decency require that you apologize to all Canadians, but particularly to victims of the crime of genocide that occured in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the worst crimes of their kind since the WWll Holocaust in Europe) and all Friends of Justice and Truth for not respectfully recognising that genocide was perpetrated against the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in particular, that genocide which was carried out against Bosniaks in Srebrenica.
Mr. Stephen Harper: the cruel and inhumane acts of genocide carried out against Srebrenica's civilian Bosniak population are not matters of mere opinion, they were judicial facts, first recognized by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and subsequently by the International Court of Justice.
Mr. Stephen Harper: There can be no negotiation about the acts of genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and especially those which were carried out in Srebrenica.
The Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch and the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada continue struggle until the motion M – 416 and Bill C – 533 and are passed in the House of Commons. Unless the truth of the genocidal aggression is accepted, and our Bosniak ethnicity recognized, the CNAB and the IRGC will not be negotiating with any Canadian political body.
Professor Emir Ramic
Congress of North American Bosniaks, Canadian Branch
Institute for Research of Genocide Canada
SREBRENICA GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION WEEK IN TORONTO - MP ROBERT OLIPHANT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhKA9BmOMDs
SREBRENICA GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION WEEK IN TORONTO MP - BORYS WRZESNEWSKYJ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLDMcn2XNRk
SREBRENICA GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION WEEK IN TORONTO - MP BRIJAN MASSE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4trHuPB6Sw
RADIO REPORT PREPARED BY SEANA PASIC ABOUT BOSNIAK – CANADIAN COMMUNITY COMMEMORATING THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF SREBRENICA GENOCIDE
http://www.rcinet.ca/english/column/the-link-s-top-stories/remembering-srebrenica-20100712/
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