IRMCT President Gatti Santana participates in conference “Srebrenica: Three Decades of Struggle for Truth, Justice, Future”
Today, the President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, participated in a conference entitled “Srebrenica: Three Decades of Struggle for Truth, Justice, Future”, held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
Organised by the Association of Victims and Witnesses of Genocide and the Association “Movement Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves”, this two-day conference is focused on issues that have emerged in the aftermath of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, including the challenges of delivering justice, the denial of genocide and war crimes, the role of victims and witnesses, and the importance of education and memorialisation.
The conference was opened by Mrs. Munira Subašić, President of the Movement “Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves”, and H.E. Dr. Denis Bećirović, Member of the Presidency of BiH. President Gatti Santana then delivered remarks during the introductory session, which also included remarks from Mr. Luigi Soreca, Head of the European Union delegation to BiH, Ms. Arnhild Spence, United Nations Resident Coordinator in BiH, H.E. Mr. Julian Reilly, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to BiH, H.E. Ambassador Rick Holtzapple, Head of the mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to BiH, and Mr. Louis Crishock, Principal Deputy High Representative and Brčko District Supervisor.
In her opening remarks, President Gatti Santana reflected on the three main concepts of the conference: justice, truth and the future. She recalled that, from a legal point of view, the Srebrenica-related judgements of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the Mechanism contributed to an authoritative interpretation of the crime of genocide, and the related proceedings demonstrated that even the most complex cases can be heard in a procedurally fair and efficient way. The President also referred to the Mechanism’s current efforts to assist national authorities in closing the impunity gap.
Next, President Gatti Santana noted that the judicial findings of the ICTY and the Mechanism have not only helped establish an historical record of the Srebrenica Genocide and, more generally, of the 1990s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, they also represent the truth of what happened. President Gatti Santana concluded her remarks with some thoughts on the future of the Mechanism and on the future of the region, underscoring that courtroom findings must become classroom knowledge in order for reconciliation and sustainable peace to be achieved.
This is the sixth conference organised by the victims’ associations in a series focused on the legacy of the ICTY and accountability processes concerning the 1990s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia.
Today, the President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, participated in a conference entitled “Srebrenica: Three Decades of Struggle for Truth, Justice, Future”, held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
Organised by the Association of Victims and Witnesses of Genocide and the Association “Movement Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves”, this two-day conference is focused on issues that have emerged in the aftermath of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, including the challenges of delivering justice, the denial of genocide and war crimes, the role of victims and witnesses, and the importance of education and memorialisation.
The conference was opened by Mrs. Munira Subašić, President of the Movement “Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves”, and H.E. Dr. Denis Bećirović, Member of the Presidency of BiH. President Gatti Santana then delivered remarks during the introductory session, which also included remarks from Mr. Luigi Soreca, Head of the European Union delegation to BiH, Ms. Arnhild Spence, United Nations Resident Coordinator in BiH, H.E. Mr. Julian Reilly, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to BiH, H.E. Ambassador Rick Holtzapple, Head of the mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to BiH, and Mr. Louis Crishock, Principal Deputy High Representative and Brčko District Supervisor.
In her opening remarks, President Gatti Santana reflected on the three main concepts of the conference: justice, truth and the future. She recalled that, from a legal point of view, the Srebrenica-related judgements of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the Mechanism contributed to an authoritative interpretation of the crime of genocide, and the related proceedings demonstrated that even the most complex cases can be heard in a procedurally fair and efficient way. The President also referred to the Mechanism’s current efforts to assist national authorities in closing the impunity gap.
Next, President Gatti Santana noted that the judicial findings of the ICTY and the Mechanism have not only helped establish an historical record of the Srebrenica Genocide and, more generally, of the 1990s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, they also represent the truth of what happened. President Gatti Santana concluded her remarks with some thoughts on the future of the Mechanism and on the future of the region, underscoring that courtroom findings must become classroom knowledge in order for reconciliation and sustainable peace to be achieved.
This is the sixth conference organised by the victims’ associations in a series focused on the legacy of the ICTY and accountability processes concerning the 1990s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia.