SARAJEVO, August 12 (Hina) - The US government will donate one million dollars to build a memorial centre and cemetery where the remains of those killed in the Srebrenica tragedy will be laid to rest, the US Embassy to
Bosnia-Herzegovina reported on Monday.
SARAJEVO, August 12 (Hina) - The US government will donate one
million dollars to build a memorial centre and cemetery where the
remains of those killed in the Srebrenica tragedy will be laid to
rest, the US Embassy to Bosnia-Herzegovina reported on Monday. #L#
In a statement, the Embassy noted that with its donation, the United
States wishes to prompt the speedier construction of a memorial
complex that will commemorate the thousands killed and massacred
following the fall of Srebrenica in 1995, while at the same time it
wishes to motivate the international community to give additional
support to this initiative.
In co-operation with family members of those killed and missing
from Srebrenica, a construction plan was put together for a
memorial centre and a special foundation was established chaired by
the High Representative for Bosnia.
The foundation is collecting funds with the aim of creating
conditions to bury the first remains in autumn this year.
Even though the memorial centre and a Muslim cemetery will not erase
the pain and suffering of the victims and their families, it
represents an important symbol reminding the world of the crime and
inhumanity that occurred in Srebrenica in 1995, a statement says.
The memorial centre to the victims who seven years ago were killed
by Bosnian Serb forces commanded by Ratko Mladic will be built in
Potocari, where during the war, an UNPROFOR base was located in
which numerous Srebrenica residents tried to find rescue.
This is the site where over a year ago a foundation stone was put in
place for the memorial complex, however, nothing more was done
since then.
Forensic teams have so far found the remains of over three thousand
victims from Srebrenica in numerous mass grave sites. The majority
of victims, however, are still to be identified which will be
conducted via DNA analysis.
DNA was used to disclose the identity of about 200 victims so far. It
is assumed that after the fall of Srebrenica, Bosnian Serbs killed
at least eight thousand Bosnian Muslims.
(hina) sp ha