As part of the community that agreed to provide protection to the people of Srebrenica, the Government of the Netherlands shares political responsibility said Dutch Defence Minister Kasja Ollongren at the commemoration on the 27th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, Monday.

“For 27 years, this place has kept a terrible memory – the memory of the deep fear of all those who desperately sought protection here in July 1995, but also the memory of the complete helplessness of UN soldiers who wanted so much to help them. These are your memories, but also ours. These are memories of a terrible genocide that simply will not disappear with the passage of time,” the Minister said at the beginning of her speech at the Potocari Memorial Center.

Ollongoren once again underlined the defeat of the international community.

“We share our deep feelings of loss and pain with you every year. Although the voices of 8,732 people were taken away we can still hear them in this silence – like an endless cry from the grave. That silent cry calling us to use our voice to remind the whole world what happened here and to remind them of the promise of the international community to protect you,” she said.

The Netherlands, she added, participated in the effort to protect the population with the best of intentions.

“Despite those best intentions, Srebrenica was mercilessly overrun. Even then, our soldiers continued to do what they could,” she said.

What can be done now, she added, is to look history in the eye.

“There is only one culprit for the terrible genocide – the so-called Army of Republika Srpska. But I will be clear – the international community failed to provide protection to the people of Srebrenica. As part of that community, the Government of the Netherlands shares political responsibility. For this, we offer you our deepest apologies”, she pointed out.

The memories of July 1995 forever linked BiH and the Netherlands, she said adding that the Hague is currently working on a national monument to the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica.

Ollongoren explained how family members of genocide victims and veterans of the Dutch battalion are working on it together, all with the aim of building hope and a future in which a common voice will be heard.

The remains of 50 victims of the genocide committed in Srebrenica in 1995 will be buried Monday at the Srebrenica Memorial Center – Potocari, during a collective funeral.

So far, 6,671 victims have been buried in the Srebrenica – Potocari Memorial Center.