The Institute for the Research of Genocide Canada (IGC) sent an open letter to the mayor of Prijedor, urging him to declare July 20 a day of mourning for the victims of the massacres that took place in the northwestern Bosnian town during the war.

On July 20, another 12 Bosniak victims whose remains were discovered will be buried in the town.

“You have another opportunity on this important day for the culture of remembrance, for the victims and therefore for a better Prijedor to send messages of peace, tolerance and warnings from Prijedor, messages with which you will show respect to the victims of genocide,” the IGC said.

“Stop the anti-civilization tradition of the municipal authorities of Prijedor which never publicly acknowledged the actions of the then authorities or repented for the suffering that thousands of Bosniaks and Croats went through, and who have never offered a hand of reconciliation and repentance,” it said.

The IGC said that it expects a resolution on genocide in Prijedor to be passed in the Canadian Parliament next year.

“Ahmed Hussen, a minister in the government of Justin Trudeau, and Brian Masse, a member of the Canadian parliament, called the crime in Prijedor by the only correct name – genocide. The significance of this resolution is that, in addition to Srebrenica, for the first time, the resolution of the Canadian Parliament will officially name the genocide in Prijedor,” it said.