NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Hina) - Dutch soldiers of the UNPROFOR who were deployed in Srebrenica, a safety zone in eastern Bosnia, saw the bodies of at least 500 murdered residents and were present when men were separated from women and
children, says a United Nations report on the tragic fall of Srebrenica in July 1995. It has been confirmed that, powerless before Bosnian Serb forces commanded by Ratko Mladic, the Dutch soldiers on at least three occasions demanded air strikes against the aggressor, which the UNPROFOR did not okay. At the time, the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica was a UN safety zone. Then UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali was of the opinion air raids should not be used against the Serbs. Ghali's special envoy for the former Yugoslavia Yasushi Akashi and UNPROFOR commander Belgian General Bernard Janvier agreed, says the UN report. The report, published on Monday, was three
NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Hina) - Dutch soldiers of the UNPROFOR who were
deployed in Srebrenica, a safety zone in eastern Bosnia, saw the
bodies of at least 500 murdered residents and were present when men
were separated from women and children, says a United Nations
report on the tragic fall of Srebrenica in July 1995.
It has been confirmed that, powerless before Bosnian Serb forces
commanded by Ratko Mladic, the Dutch soldiers on at least three
occasions demanded air strikes against the aggressor, which the
UNPROFOR did not okay.
At the time, the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclave of Srebrenica was a
UN safety zone.
Then UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali was of the opinion
air raids should not be used against the Serbs. Ghali's special
envoy for the former Yugoslavia Yasushi Akashi and UNPROFOR
commander Belgian General Bernard Janvier agreed, says the UN
report.
The report, published on Monday, was three years in the making, and
deals with one of the most painful issues of the Bosnian war. It is
estimated between 5,000 and 8,000 men, Muslims aged between 15 and
70, were killed in the course of several days following the fall of
Srebrenica.
Bosnian Ambassador to the UN Muhamed Sacirbegovic hopes the UN has
learned a lesson. It is important that Srebrenica has been
discussed openly and without accusations, he said, adding he also
hopes the truth about these events will help the process of
reconciliation in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
United States Ambassador Richard Holbrooke said every attempt
leading to the truth about one of the greatest tragedies in Europe
in the last 50 years should be welcomed. He stressed the Srebrenica
tragedy crucially affected the decision of the U.S. for full
involvement in the Bosnia events.
(hina) ha jn