Shaheen Visits Srebrenica Memorial in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Honors the Victims of the Genocide by Introducing Bipartisan Legislation Designating a National Day of Remembrance
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group and Chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a bipartisan bill designating a National Day of Remembrance for the Srebrenica Genocide, the worst mass murder in Europe since the end of World War II.
Last week, as part of a Congressional delegation visit to Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Shaheen and Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) visited the Srebrenica Memorial Center to pay tribute to the victims of the genocide and meet with their families. Shaheen was joined virtually by members of the Congress of Bosniaks of North America and by members of the New Hampshire Bosniak community.The Congressional delegation also participated in a signing ceremony announcing a new project from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support the construction of a facility to store personal items belonging to Srebrenica victims. Photos from these events can be found here.
“We have a solemn responsibility to remember the victims of the Srebrenica Genocide, where more than 8,000 Bosniaks lost their lives. As some political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina try to rewrite history and promote dangerous rhetoric, including genocide denial, it is crucial we reaffirm our support to the families and communities impacted by the Srebrenica Genocide by acknowledging July 11 as a National Day of Remembrance here in the United States,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m leading this bipartisan legislation to pay tribute to them and their families and to ensure this tragic history is not forgotten or erased.”
“This year, we mark 28 years since the unconscionable massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniaks at the hands of Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica. Racism and other forms of intolerance have no place in our society now—just as they had no place in society then,” said Chair Cardin. “As we honor those affected by this senseless tragedy, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, and pluralistic Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
The full bill can be read here.
Senator Shaheen is leading bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Senate to strengthen U.S.-Balkan ties with Senator Wicker (R-MS).?In the fall, Shaheen led a bipartisan letter with Senators Tillis (R-NC), Murphy (D-CT) and Wicker to the Biden administration on the importance of the EUFOR mandate and urged the development of a comprehensive strategy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina. Last year, Shaheen traveled to the Western Balkans to serve as an election monitor for the Bosnia and Herzegovina elections, which followed a separate trip to the region in April with both Senators?Murphy and Tillis. Shaheen shared her experience as an election monitor on ‘Balkans Debrief’ with Ilva Tare. In 2015, Senators Shaheen and Wicker traveled to Srebrenica to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the genocide. Shaheen has condemned democratic backsliding in Bosnia and Herzegovina and has worked to Bolster their Euro-Atlantic Aspirations.
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