The Balkans were engulfed by Europe’s worst war since Hitler in the 1990s, fueled by resurgent nationalism that tore apart a region long shared peacefully by Christians and Muslims. The massacre at Srebrenica, where 8,000 Muslim boys and men were slaughtered, remains an important reminder of what can happen when those with power to intervene do not.
The town was supposed to be a “safe area” protected by U.N. peacekeepers but was instead the site of a brutal Serb military operation. Roger Cohen, who covered the war from Sarajevo, Zagreb, and Belgrade, says that Srebrenica was a disaster foretold, with the slaughter taking place more than three years into the war.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia has recognized the genocide, but it remains an unresolved issue. The failure to act decisively in the face of the massacre has left many wondering why some lives were saved while others were lost.
A 30-year retrospective on the Srebrenica massacre highlights a pressing concern: ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated. With the embers of murderous nationalism still burning, it is essential to remember and learn from this tragedy.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/world/europe/srebrenica-massacre-bosnia.html