Bomb scare revives vivid memories of Srebrenica massacre
By Patrick Bishop in Srebrenica
(Filed: 06/07/2005)
Optimism that the tenth anniversary of Europe's worst post-war massacre might reconcile Bosnia's Serbs and Muslims dimmed yesterday when bomb-making materials were discovered close to the memorial site.
Following a tip-off, Bosnian Serb police found nearly 80lbs of explosive, a fuse and a detonator near the cemetery where many of the 7,000-8,000 men and boys murdered by Serbs are buried.
610 new graves are being added to the Srebrenica memorial
The immediate suspicion was that they were to be used to blow up VIPs and mourners due to gather there on Monday to remember one of the blackest days in recent European history.
The police would not be drawn on the bomb's likely target. But a spokesman said that the materials had only recently been hidden and "everything was all set up and ready to go".
The discovery, in a derelict cement factory 200 yards from the Srebrenica Memorial and Cemetery, was the result of a tip from European peacekeepers (Eufor). The Serb police said they were now hunting a number of suspects.
In the half-deserted town there was no doubt yesterday among the Serb population that they would get the blame.
The place shows some signs of recovery. Fresh mortar patches the shell scars that pock many buildings, new houses have been built and the first stirrings of economic activity are visible.
But psychological healing was not much in evidence. Several Serbs said they believed the materials had been planted further to discredit their people.
"Somebody wanted to draw yet more attention to the event," said Mirko, a 26-year old who was in the area when the killings occurred.
On hearing that it was European peacekeepers who had sounded the alarm he said: "Then it's obvious that Eufor set the explosives."
Since the massacre, the scale of which has been admitted by the Bosnian Serb leadership, some 3,000 Muslims have returned.
They and their 7,000-9,000 Serb neighbours have worked out a modus vivendi. But it is based on necessity rather than any flowering of fraternal feeling.
Mevlida Nalic returned to her home town four years ago and opened a bar-restaurant, one of four now owned by Muslims.
"Initially there was some provocation from the Serbs," she said. "They'd shout insults and the odd threat. Once they realised that they can't force us out again they have stopped. I have Serb customers as well as Muslims."
The bomb discovery is an unpleasant reminder that not everyone is so accepting.
"They want people to be afraid," she said.
Ms Nalic nonetheless says: "My life is great here. I live like a lord."
She is one of the very lucky few. Most of the inhabitants are there because they have no other choice.
The Muslim returnees came back because they could not find jobs in Sarajevo and Tuzla, whence they had fled. A law returning property to legal owners meant there was nowhere for them to live.
Many Serbs are living there only because it means a roof over their heads and a connection with the past.
The most lively place yesterday was the cemetery, where mini-bulldozers had finished digging neat rows of graves to take the 610 most recently identified victims of the massacre, who will be buried during Monday's memorial ceremony.
Spades lay heaped on the grass for Muslim widows to shovel earth on long-departed husbands and sons.
It was a sight to make even the most hardened Balkan nationalist pause and reflect. But it would seem that there are some Serbs who are not ready to do so yet.
In Belgrade, where responsibility for the crime ultimately lies, the authorities permitted large billboards to be displayed commemorating the massacre.
They showed the latex-gloved hand of a forensic investigator holding the decaying fingers of a corpse and the words, "Srebrenica 1995-2005: To See, To Know, To Remember."
There were 27 of them and they first appeared at the weekend. By Monday all had been defaced with such slogans as "there will be a replay" and the name of General Ratko Mladic, author of the butchery.
In an interview with the Bosnian Muslim publication Dani, Hakija Meholic, the police chief of Srebrenica, recalled that at the Bosniak conference in Sarajevo in September 1993, Izetbegovic claimed to have discussed various scenarios for Srebrenica with President Clinton. According to Meholic, an ally of Naser Oric:
"We were received there by President Izetbegovic, and immediately after the welcome he asked us: 'What do you think about the swap of Srebrenica for Vogosca?' There was a silence for a while and then I said: 'Mr President, if this is a done thing, then you should not have invited us here, because we have to return and face the people and personally accept the burden of that decision.' Then he said: 'You know, I was offered by [US Pres. William] Clinton in April 1993 that the Chetnik [derisory term used for Serbs] forces enter Srebrenica, carry out a slaughter of 5,000 Muslims, and then there will be a military intervention.'"
http://news.serbianunity.net/bydate/2005/June_27/33.html
The Serbs have ZERO history of blowing up any civilians, none! If you can show me or anyone on here an incident where the Serbs committed a terrorist act, please do. I really don't care about the region as much, but the locals of Srebrenica-Skelani-Bratunac just want to live in peace.
This was done by outsiders, not locals. I place my bet it was muslims, not because I am American of Serb ancestry but due to their past history in that region. The Bosnian muslims don't care if they kill their own if they can get away with blaming the Serbs.
The Serbs have no gain from this, so pass the blame onto someone else. Think about it, even the Serb hotheads wouldnt be this ignorant, the muslim fanatics would.