The Complex Legacy of Srebrenica and Why Today’s Wars Never Seem to End

Candles, silence, and headscarves in Belgrade symbolise the mothers of those killed in the Srebrenica massacres of 30 years ago. Image: AFP via National News

Earlier this month, the world marked the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, one of the darkest chapters of the Balkan wars. The silence of mourning mothers and the flicker of candles in Belgrade remind us that the tears of survivors will never fully dry. Yet, Srebrenica’s legacy stretches far beyond Bosnia and Herzegovina – it raises unsettling questions about how societies confront the past, and why so many of today’s wars never seem to end.

Lessons from a Turbulent History

The Balkan region has long been a crossroads of empire and conflict. From Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman rivalries to the rise and fall of Yugoslavia, history has shaped shifting national boundaries and identities. This volatility underscores a central lesson: the sanctity of borders is a relatively modern concept. Around the world today, some 150 territorial disputes remain unresolved – from the South China Sea to Kashmir, Ukraine, and Palestine.

Diplomacy, Kapila argues, should not always chase final “winner-loser” solutions. Instead, nations may be better served by learning to disagree in peace, rather than igniting conflicts over symbolic land.

Ethnicity, Economy, and Statehood

Srebrenica showed how fragile states can become when ethnic identities are politicised. Leaders in the Balkans inflamed divisions between Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats, and Muslim Bosniaks. The rapid international recognition of ethnic states by the European Commission further entrenched fault lines, paving the way for war.

Economic disruption also played a role. Yugoslavia, once relatively stable, disintegrated in the 1980s as prosperity crumbled. The lesson is stark: states rise and fall not only on governance models but also on economic security and inclusive democracy.

Justice and Its Limits

The struggle for accountability in Srebrenica offers another sobering lesson. It took years before international courts formally recognised the genocide, by which time survivors had little more than symbolic consolation. Selective genocide determinations by states and slow-moving international tribunals often deepen divisions rather than heal them.

For Serbia, being branded with genocide has fuelled denial and nationalist resentment. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, it has left deep fractures. And globally, contested narratives around genocide have been weaponised in conflicts from Rwanda to Darfur, Myanmar to Gaza.

The Power – and Danger – of Language

In modern conflicts, bombs and bullets devastate lives, but words can inflict generational wounds. The language of genocide carries immense moral weight, making it a potent political weapon. Both perpetrators and defenders invoke it, often stretching definitions to rally support or delegitimise opponents. This verbal warfare fuels anger, trauma, and denial, ensuring that cycles of conflict endure long after the physical battles end.

A Warning for the Future

As the flowers placed at Srebrenica commemorations wither, their message remains urgent: without universal truths and shared recognition of suffering, there can be no final peace. Selective memory and competing narratives keep wounds open, perpetuating cycles of violence across generations.

For survivors from Bosnia to Gaza, Ukraine to Myanmar, the challenge is not only rebuilding lives but also confronting the narratives that divide. Unless the world learns from Srebrenica – not just to mourn, but to act with inclusive justice – the wars of today may never truly end.

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