July 12, 2008	Saturday	Rajab 8, 1429

SREBRENICA (Bosnia-Herzegovina), July 11: Some 30,000 Muslims from across Bosnia gathered on Friday to remember the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and bury the remains of more than 300 newly identified victims.

The funeral ceremony for the 308 Muslims, who were among 8,000 killed in Europe’s worst atrocity since World War II, was held at a memorial site just outside the eastern town.

The remains of the victims, aged between 15 and 84, were exhumed from mass graves after the end of Bosnia’s 1992-95 war and identified by DNA analysis.

“It was so hard when they informed me that my father has been identified,” said Vanesa Mehmedovic, who is to bury her father Mevludin.

“However, since he is not with us in a way, I’m glad that his soul will finally find peace,” the 26-year-old added.

Almost 220 buses ferrying around 10,000 people converged on Srebrenica, while many more arrived in other vehicles, said organisers.

The commemoration was held amid fears of possible anti-Muslim violence due to Bosnian Serb anger with a UN court’s decision last week to clear the former commander of Muslim forces in Srebrenica, Naser Oric, of war crimes.

Refik Dervisevic, a massacre survivor, arrived in Srebrenica late Thursday after taking part in a 100km “March of Peace.” Some 2,000 people participated in the symbolic march from the village of Nezuk, near the eastern town of Tuzla, to Srebrenica — the route taken by many Muslims seeking to flee Serb forces.

“This is the third time that I am taking part in the march,” Dervisevic said.

At Friday’s ceremony, survivors and victims’ relatives were joined by Croat and Muslim members of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency — Zeljko Komsic and Haris Silajdzic.

The commemoration was not attended by any senior Bosnian Serb officials.—AFP