BLOG: Remembering Srebrenica 2026

Srebrenica is a town in Bosnia that was declared a ‘safe area’ by the United Nations (UN) during the Bosnian War. I remember watching the news in shock and horror where we learned it became a site of genocidal killing.

Just think about it. 8,000 men and boys – nearly one third of the population of Abbots Langley Parish, which would equate to cause and effect on at least 50% of all houses in the area - who never got the chance to live their lives to the fullest and were targeted just because of their faith. We, of course, must remember the women and children who were abused and forcibly removed out of Srebrenica.

A colleague of mine, Cllr Jon Tankard, served in the British Armed Forces and was operational in Bosnia during this terrible period of human history. He remembers the stone-faced locals would track their movements with quiet curiosity, but tensions would soon grow when the fascist units would gather within patrolling areas.

He told me that it was a complicated situation. Due to strict UN mandate, they were unable to intervene unless they were shot at but could hear the audible horrors of the unspeakable violence coming from villages. When it fell silent, the aftermath was truly a gruesome scene with ransacked homes, enforced evictions and bloodstains. The locals that once watched my colleague’s unit could no longer make eye contact.

“Fortunately, that’s not how the tour ended for my unit,” Cllr Tankard said. “In December 1995, we enforced the NATO Dayton Peace Agreement over the following months. There were many stand offs, checkpoint arguments and aggressive enforcements, but peace held and fortunately we left a country in peace.

“But spare a thought for the number of soldiers serving continually under the UN during that war, and especially the Dutch, who, though present, were powerless to stop the genocide at Srebrenica.

“Looking back, despite all the positive works we did, it’s the negatives that sit in your memory and my time under the UN often felt like that for me, but please spare a thought for the soldiers that served as much as a hostage against doing the right thing, as those that they were trying to protect.”

It’s incomprehensible that genocide, facilitated by the politics of hatred, division and prejudice, is still happening in this day and age. It is important that we remember and honour the victims and survivors of Srebrenica as it serves as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to stand against and call out this prejudice so that these dark chapters in human history are not repeated.

If we stand together and support each other, we can build a better world where everyone can feel safe, valued and included.