Letter to the Victoria University

May 19, 2020.

Victoria University
PO Box 14428,
Melbourne, VIC 8001
Australia  

Dear Victoria University,


The Academic Center for War Crimes Research, Victoria University of Australia, has removed scientific research and judicial evidence regarding genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina following pressure from an ultra nationalist Serb campaign. The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada is asking the university to address this shameful, anti-civilization situation immediately.

Dear Victoria University,

It has recently come to our attention that you have removed content from one of your classes regarding war crimes and dehumanization of Bosniaks during  genocide campaign carried out by Serb forces during the 1990s, which can be seen in the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKT9m6k3zJE

This video organized a targeted mob against the university and its academia to pressure it into removing this content from its classes.

As a scientific research institution whose members lived through the genocide which left more than 100 thousand dead in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we find this deeply disturbing and concerning. Academic institutions, such as Victoria University, remain the centre of research into genocide and war crimes and play a key part in spreading education and awareness of these events to ensure that people know what happened and to prevent it from occurring again. The pain, suffering, torture and abuse that innocent people suffered at the hands of Serbian military forces in the 1990s is unimaginable, and it is very upsetting that you would give in to the demands of Serb ultra nationalist mobs and remove this content.

Universities must remain a protected place where we will learn about the true course of events, no matter how hard that truth is to come to terms with. If a student finds this offensive, what do you think the family of the massacred innocent men who were humiliated, forced to rape each other and then murdered in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

We urge you to reconsider your decision and stand on the right side of history and justice.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Emir Ramic

Chairman of the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada