The Srebrenica massacre has been considered the worst war crime in Europe since the Second World War. The corpse of about a thousand victims of the genocide has not yet been found. The search also takes 30 years after bloodshed.
Sadik Selimovic survived the Srebrenica massacre, in which more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were murdered in July 1995 by Bosnian-Serbian troops, including his three brothers and his father.
Since then, the 62-year-old has been looking for references to MassaGraven on behalf of the Bosnian Institute for Missing. “We are looking for 62 locations in the past three years,” says Selimovic. “But we have not found any body.”
“How can you live with life what you know?”
To date, around 1000 corpses have disappeared. Selimovic is looking for witnesses, often former school friends, colleagues or neighbors: “Those who know where the mass graves are located do not want to say it,” he says. “How can you live with life what you know?” And yet: “There are people who have spoken. It must also be said.”
6800 victims identified so far
So far, more than 6800 victims have been identified. In the hall of the International Commission for Missing Persons (ICMP) in Tuzla, 90 people with isolated DNA are still stored – but unknown identity. “We know the names in about 50 other cases,” says Forensicus Dragana Vucetetic. “But they don’t want the families to be buried yet. Especially because the skeletons are incomplete.”
Crimes must be veiled
The perpetrators had initially thrown the corpses in mass graves to the five main trees, later dug up and sometimes buried hundreds of kilometers again – to hide the crimes.
Mevlida Omerovic had now buried her husband’s jaw, although the rest of the body is missing. “Then we have a grave and we can go there and pray there.” There is still no trace of her brother.
Sadik Selimovic already found his family members, most recently his brother Sabahudin in 2023. But his search does not end.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
