UN General-assembly announced that 11July will be considered International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica. This designation comes as a result of this resolution that proposes it’s annual commemoration. It was strongly opposed by the Serbians . Principally, it led to protests and a lobbying effort by Serbia’s president and Bosnian Serb leadership to prevent its adoption. However it was sponsored by Germany, Rwanda, had 32 co-sponsors, including the US, France, Britain, and Italy. Upon adopting the resolution, the Assembly also requested that the Secretary-General establish an outreach program focused on the Srebrenica genocide in anticipation of its 30th anniversary next year. In the passing of this resolution, 84 votes came in favour, 19 against and 68 abstentions. In backing this resolution, Pakistan implicitly underscored the violence in Kashmir and Palestine.
Pakistan Backs the Resolution
In this polarising selection, Pakistan backed the resolution with intentions to shed light on Kashmir and Palestine. The permanent UN Ambassador Munir Akram stated, “The international community must remain vigilant in detecting and responding to any signs of a similar pattern of targeting ethnic groups or religious minorities which are being manifested in certain states today.” He further added how the Bosnian attack had already been categorised as an attempt for genocide by the ICJ. Akram also highlighted the current attitudes of the parties involved, criticising leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina for their hate speech.
He asserted that political leaders must build societies “where people can live safely and freely, without discrimination or fear of conflict and violence”. In this context of preventing genocide, the ambassador called for the protection of civilians under this kind of scrutiny. Pakistan has pressed the UN Security Council to hold accountable the perpetrators of war crimes, cease the provision of weapons to them, and impose political and legal consequences on the states and individuals responsible for these egregious acts. He also proposed comprehensive deployment of UN peacekeepers in these areas. Through these proclamations, Pakistan sought accountability in occupied lands of Kashmir and Palestine.
