UN must take responsibility for Srebrenica

Families of victims have sought the abolition of the UN immunity and sued the Netherlands for failing to prevent the massacre.

The lawyer representing families of the Srebrenica victims said Thursday that the United Nations must take responsibility for the mass slaughter during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Hague war crimes tribunal proclaimed that the Srebrenica massacre, in which 8.000 Muslims were killed, was genocide.

Family members of Srebrenica victims requested the abolishment of UN’s immunity in 2008 and they sued both the international organization and the Netherlands for failing to prevent the massacre that occurred in July of 1995.

Mark Geritse, lawyer who represents 6.000 family members of victims, said that relatives of the victims are seeking the truth, recognition and compensation for the past 15 years. He also criticized the UN for not preparing defense before the Hague court.

- This proves a lack of respect for the thousands of victims who were abused, killed and exiled, despite the presence of the UN soldiers, said Geritsen.

He also criticized the Netherlands, accusing it of “playing a double role”.

Geritsen said that the Netherlands claims that it cannot be held responsible for the events in Srebrenica - because this was UN’s responsibility - but at the same time, it advocates the immunity of the international organization.

Lawyers of the family members are trying to lift the UN immunity and force them to take the responsibility. In addition, they want to submit the case to the European Court of Justice in case it fails to be solved within the Dutch judiciary.