DID YOU KNOW?  -- Three years before the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide, Serbs torched Bosniak villages and killed at least 3,166 Bosniaks around Srebrenica. In 1993, the UN described the besieged situation in Srebrenica as a "slow-motion process of genocide." In July 1995, Serbs forcibly expelled 25,000 Bosniaks, brutally raped many women and girls, and systematically killed 8,000+ men and boys (DNA confirmed).

11 July, 2009

SREBRENICA MASSACRE VICTIMS PREPARE FOR BURIAL (PHOTOS)

BACKGROUND: Serbs from heavily militarized villages around Srebrenica had terrorized Srebrenica population and constantly attacked neighbouring Bosnian Muslim villages from 1992-1995. In July 1995 the Bosnian Serb army staged a brutal takeover of Srebrenica and its surrounding area, where they proceeded to perpetrate genocide. Bosnian Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves. Here are some of the photos from preparations for the 14th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide:

[click photos for higher resolution]

1. Coffins of 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre are lined up for a joint burial in Potocari July 10, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men and boys by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


2. Bosnian Muslim people search for the remains of their relatives among coffins of Srebrenica massacre victims laid row upon row at the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, 120 kms northeast of Sarajevo on Thursday, July 9, 2009. The remains of 534 victims were excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia and were identified as Bosniaks killed by Bosnian Serb forces in the Srebrenica area. Bosnian Serb troops massacred more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, children, and elderly after capturing Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves. The 534 identified victims will be buried on July 11 in the Memorial Center Potocari, next to some 3,500 victims of the massacre already buried there.


3. Mustafa Ceric (L), the Grand Mufti of Bosnia's Muslims, and other priests walk between coffins of 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre lined up for a joint burial in Potocari July 10, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, boys, and elderly by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


4. A Bosnian Muslim woman comforts her son as he weeps over the coffin of his father, among coffins of Srebrenica massacre victims displayed at the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica on July 10, 2009. The 534 bodies were excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia and were identified as Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) killed by Bosnian Serb forces in the Srebrenica area. Bosnian Serb troops massacred more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, children, and elderly after capturing Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves. The 534 identified victims will be buried on July 11 in the Potocari Memorial Center, next to some 3,500 victims of the massacre already buried there.


5. A Bosnian Muslim girl touches coffins of relatives, among coffins of Srebrenica victims displayed at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica on July 10, 2009. The 534 bodies were excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia and were identified as Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) killed by Bosnian Serb forces in the Srebrenica area. Bosnian Serb troops massacred more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, boys, and elderly after capturing Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves. The 534 identified victims will be buried on July 11 in the Potocari Memorial Center, next to some 3,500 victims of the massacre already buried there.


6. A Bosnian Muslim man cries by the coffin of his son, among 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre lined up for a joint burial in Potocari July 10, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, children, and elderly by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


7. Bosnian Muslim woman Mejra Cekanovic weeps near coffin of her son among coffins of Srebrenica victims displayed at a memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, Bosnia, Friday, July 10, 2009. Serbian human rights groups on Friday urged authorities to declare July 11 a day of remembrance for the victims of the 1995 massacre in Srebrenica, Bosnia. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


8. Bosnian Muslim women weep near coffins of relatives among coffins of Srebrenica massacre victims displayed at a memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, Bosnia, Friday, July 10, 2009. Serbian human rights groups on Friday urged authorities to declare July 11 a day of remembrance for the victims of the 1995 massacre in Srebrenica, Bosnia. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


9. Muslim priests check names on coffins of some of 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre lined up for a joint burial in Potocari July 10, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than to 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, boys, and elderly by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


10. Bosnian Muslim women comfort each other on July 9, 2009 as they look for the last time at trucks carrying coffins containing remains of their relatives as a convoy with 534 bodies is about to leave the morgue in central Bosnian town of Visoko, on its way to Srebrenica. The 534 bodies were excavated from mass graves in Eastern Bosnia and were identified as Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) killed by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica area during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The bodies of Srebrenica massacre victims are transported to memorial center in Potocari where they will be buried on 11 July, 2009, on 14th anniversary of the massacre. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


11. Bosnian Muslim women weep by the coffin of their relative among coffins of Srebrenica massacre victims displayed at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica on 10 July, 2009. The 534 bodies were excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia and were identified as Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) killed by Bosnian Serb forces in the Srebrenica area. Bosnian Serb troops massacred more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, children, and elderly after capturing Srebrenica on 11 July, 1995, during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The 534 identified victims will be buried on July 11 in the Memorial Center Potocari, next to some 3,500 victims of the massacre already buried there. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


12. A girl prays with other Bosnian women as buses with coffins of 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre pass Sarajevo on their way to a joint burial July 9, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, boys, and elderly by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


13. Bosnian Muslim woman react near trucks carrying the coffins of Srebrenica massacre victims, before a convoy with 534 bodies leaves the morgue in the central Bosnian town of Visoko, Thursday, July 9, 2009. The 534 bodies excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia were identified as Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) killed by Bosnian Serb forces in the Srebrenica area during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The bodies will be transported to a memorial center in Potocari near Srebrenica where they will be buried on July 11, 2009, when the 14th anniversary of the massacre is to be marked. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


14. Bosnian women react as buses with coffins of 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre pass Sarajevo on their way to a joint burial July 9, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, children, and elderly by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


15. Bosnian Muslim women weeps by the coffin of her relative among coffins of Srebrenica victims displayed at the memorial centre of Potocari near Srebrenica on 10 July, 2009. The 534 bodies were excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia and were identified as Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) killed by Bosnian-Serb forces in the Srebrenica area. Bosnian Serb troops massacred more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, children, and elderly after capturing Srebrenica on 11 July, 1995, during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves. The 534 identified victims will be buried on July 11 in the Memorial Center Potocari, next to some 3,500 victims of the massacre already buried there.



16. Bosnian Muslim women Ramiza Begic weeps near the coffin of her father among other coffins of Srebrenica massacre victims displayed at the memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, 120 kms northeast of Sarajevo on Thursday, July 9, 2009. The 534 bodies were excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia and were identified as Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) killed by Bosnian Serb forces in the Srebrenica area. Bosnian Serb troops massacred more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men after capturing Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves. The 534 identified victims will be buried on July 11 in the Memorial Center Potocari, next to some 3,500 victims of the massacre already buried there.


17. A Bosnian Muslim woman puts her hands on the bus with coffins of 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre as they pass Sarajevo on their way to a joint burial July 9, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, children, and elderly by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


18. A Bosnian-Muslim woman reacts by a truck loaded with coffins, including one of her relatives, before a convoy with 534 bodies leaves the morgue in the central Bosnian town of Visoko, Thursday, July 9, 2009. The 534 bodies excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia were identified as Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) killed by Bosnian Serb forces in the Srebrenica area during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves. The bodies will be transported to a memorial center in Potocari near Srebrenica where they will be buried on July 11, 2009, when the 14th anniversary of the massacre is to be marked.


19. Bosnian Muslim women Fahreta Dudic weeps near coffin of her father among coffins of other Srebrenica victims displayed at the memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, 120 kms northeast of Sarajevo on Thursday, July 9, 2009. The 534 bodies were excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia and were identified as Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) killed by Bosnian Serb forces in the Srebrenica area. Bosnian Serb troops massacred more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, boys, and elderly after capturing Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves. The 534 identified victims will be buried on July 11 in the Memorial Center Potocari, next to some 3,500 victims of the massacre already buried there.


20. A Muslim cries beside the coffin of his son among 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre lined up for a joint burial in Potocari July 10, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, boys, and elderly by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


21. A Muslim woman prays beside the coffin of her relative among 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre lined up for a joint burial in Potocari July 10, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, boys, and elderly by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


22. Bosnian Muslim women comfort each other near coffin of their relative among coffins of Srebrenica massacre victims displayed at a memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, Bosnia, Friday, July 10, 2009. Serbian human rights groups on Friday urged authorities to declare July 11 a day of remembrance for the victims of the 1995 massacre in Srebrenica, Bosnia. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.


23. Muslim women walk between graves prepared for the funeral of 534 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre in Potocari July 11, 2009. Each year, bones are matched to a name and buried in a mass funeral on July 11, the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men, children, and elderly by the Bosnian Serb forces. Serb soldiers separated Bosniak families, forcibly expelled 25,000-30,000 people, summarily executed at least 8,372 boys, men, and elderly, and dumped them into mass graves.