NEW YORK: The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution designating July 11 as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica.
Out of the total votes, 84 countries, including Pakistan, voted in favor of the draft resolution, 19 opposed and 68 countries abstained from voting.
In his statement explaining the vote, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Munir Akram affirmed the steadfast support of the OIC and Pakistan for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
He emphasized the importance of upholding international borders and fostering Bosnia’s multiethnic and multicultural identity.
Ambassador Akram urged the UN to remain vigilant in preventing future genocides like those in Srebrenica and Rwanda. He stressed that the international community must act swiftly against early signs of ethnic or religious targeting to prevent such tragedies.
Ambassador Akram highlighted that the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, acknowledged as genocide by both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), stands as one of the most appalling episodes in recent human history.
The ICJ’s clear legal determination affirmed the commission of genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995.
He also underscored the numerous resolutions from the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, which reflect the steadfast support of OIC Member States for the unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty, and international standing of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“This support is rooted in a commitment to uphold Bosnia and Herzegovina’s internationally recognized borders, enabling it to function autonomously, meet its international obligations, and preserve its multiethnic, multicultural, and multi-religious character,” he said.
Ambassador Akram concluded his statement by reiterating the critical importance of recognizing the Srebrenica genocide to honor the victims and ensure that such tragedies are never forgotten.
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