General Radislav Krstić of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS), who was sentenced to 35 years in prison at The Hague for aiding and abetting the genocide in Srebrenica, stated that he himself would vote for the UN Resolution on the Srebrenica genocide. He added that, should he ever have the opportunity, he would go to Potočari to pay his respects to the victims.
In June this year, Krstić’s defense team submitted a request to the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, the successor to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, for his early release. The request included a letter written by Krstić himself, in which he expressed deep remorse for his role in the Srebrenica genocide.
In his letter, Krstić stated that he would have voted for the Srebrenica Genocide Resolution, which the United Nations General Assembly adopted in May 2024, and that, if given the opportunity, he would go to Potočari to honor the victims and seek forgiveness.
He also conveyed that if his words reach the people in the former Yugoslavia, they should “pause and reflect – never again.”
The full letter from Radislav Krstić, publicly released by the Mechanism today, is as follows:
“A few days ago, the highest and most important forum in the world, the United Nations General Assembly, voted and adopted the Srebrenica Genocide Resolution. This Resolution designates July 11 as a day of remembrance for the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, condemns any denial of the genocide, and calls upon all people to mourn and remember the victims who must never be forgotten.
Most of the countries in the world voted for this resolution, and I vote for it too, even though I have no right to vote. I have no right to vote because this Resolution mentions my name. My name is mentioned because I aided and abetted genocide, my name is mentioned because I committed an inconceivable and unacceptable crime. I am not asking for forgiveness; I am not seeking understanding because I know that I cannot and should not receive them.
Every moment, every day, I think of the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, I mourn them, and I pray for their souls. I know that the mother and sister of an innocent victim will not believe these words to be sincere. I know that my words cannot ease their pain, that they cannot lessen the suffering that will never fade. I do not expect this, nor do I have the right to ask for it.
I wish for the youth who live in the territories once known as Yugoslavia to read and understand my words. I hope that the people who will live together in these lands when I am gone, if by some miracle these words reach them, will pause and think – never again. Never again war, never again death because someone is of a different faith, nationality, or belief, never again genocide.
I hope everyone understands that genocide cannot be committed by an entire nation, that there are no genocidal nations; the genocide in Srebrenica was committed by individuals, only they are guilty, and they alone should be held accountable for their actions and misdeeds. Regrettably, I am one of them.
I hereby accept the judgments from 2001 and 2004, which established that the forces of the army to which I belonged committed genocide against Bosniaks in Srebrenica in July 1995. I supported and assisted the genocide, knowing that some members of the General Staff intended to commit genocide, knowing that the General Staff did not have enough of its own forces to carry out the executions without using the Drina Corps forces, and knowing that the use of forces under my command would significantly contribute to the execution of the Bosniak prisoners.
I also aided and abetted crimes against humanity by participating in a joint criminal enterprise to forcibly remove Bosniak civilians from Potočari between July 10 and 13, 1995. During this time, I contributed to the creation of a humanitarian crisis that preceded the forced transfer of women, children, and the elderly from Srebrenica, knowing that the civilians in Potočari were subjected to killings, rapes, beatings, and abuse.
I write this letter to the honorable President of the Mechanism in the ongoing proceedings following my request to be released after 26 years, having served my sentence across four countries and seven prisons. The honorable President will make her decision based on law, justice, and the rule of law. Whatever the decision may be, as always, I will accept it without question, as an expression of law and justice.
The honorable President’s decision may be favorable due to my deteriorating health, my age, and the violence I myself experienced in one of the prisons where I served my sentence.
It may also be unfavorable because I am guilty of a grievous crime that is unforgivable. However, regardless of the decision, I ask that this letter be made public, that as many people as possible in my homeland hear my words, and that perhaps my words may at least prompt someone to reflect on the horrific crime in which I participated, the punishment that followed, and the deep, painful but belated remorse I have lived with for decades.
Finally, if I live to see it, if one day I am released, if the President of the Mechanism agrees, and if the families of the victims permit, I would like to go to Potočari one more time in my life to honor the spirits of the victims and to ask for forgiveness.
Respectfully,
Radislav Krstić
The Hague, June 18, 2024″
The release of this letter significantly impacts the awareness and recognition of the Srebrenica Genocide. Krstić’s expression of remorse and acknowledgment of his role strengthens critiques against genocide denial policies. In this context, the resistance to acknowledging historical facts, particularly by the governments of Serbia and Republika Srpska in Bosnia-Herzegovina, underscores the problematic nature of their denialist stances.
Krstić, a prominent war criminal, openly acknowledges the genocide and his involvement in it, which destabilizes the official historical narratives promoted by the Serbian and Republika Srpska administrations. Policies of denial and the minimization of these events in history books not only disrespect the memory of the victims but also threaten the foundations of a peaceful future. Continuing this denialist approach negatively impacts ethnic tensions in the region and obstructs the healing of societal wounds and the quest for justice.
The public release of this letter not only aids the process of confronting the reality of the genocide but also sends a strong message to the international community. Krstić’s expression of deep remorse for his actions makes the denial policies of these administrations even more questionable. It is crucial that younger generations confront this historical reality and that denialist policies are brought to an end. This is essential not only for achieving justice for the victims of Srebrenica but also for building sustainable peace in the Balkans.
