Bill > ACR120

Introduced Session

This concurrent resolution recognizes the Srebrenica genocide in the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in which more than 8,000 Bosnian citizens, mostly Bosniaks, were killed as part of a broader program of ethnic cleansing during the Bosnian War. The Bosnian War arose as a consequence of the wider Yugoslav War. Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence following the breakup of Yugoslavia and a statewide national referendum in which Bosnians affirmatively voted for independence. The Srebrenica genocide resulted from a systemic and premeditated campaign of ethnic cleansing, following the declaration of independence by Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the decades following the genocide, courts of national and international jurisdiction have handed down verdicts confirming the program of ethnic cleansing in the Srebrenica genocide and sentencing those involved in the atrocities of the genocide. In 1993, the United Nations designated Srebrenica as a safe area and deployed United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) peacekeepers to maintain the town as a demilitarized zone. Despite the presence of UNPROFOR peacekeepers, the perpetrators advanced into Srebrenica and forcibly removed thousands of Bosniak civilians. Over 8,000 Bosniak civilians were executed as part of a broader offensive to incorporate Srebrenica into a mono-ethnically dominated territory. Thousands of Bosnian civilians were subjected to rape and sexual abuse, and thousands more were permanently displaced. Following the tragic events at Srebrenica, United Nations members, spearheaded by American diplomatic leadership, held peace negotiations at a conference in Dayton, Ohio in November 1995 to seek an end to the Bosnian War. On November 21, 1995, the Balkan States of Servia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and United Nation representatives signed the Dayton Accords, which officially marked the end of the Bosnian War. Although the Dayton Accords marked the end of the Bosnian War, the Srebrenica genocide has left a lasting effect on survivors. Perpetrators of the genocide attempted to conceal their crimes by relocating victims' remains from primary mass-grave sites to hidden secondary locations. In the three decades since the genocide, thousands of remains have been recovered, though some only in part. Hundreds of victims remain missing and searches continue. The Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina serves as a memorial to honor the victims of the Srebrenica genocide. The Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center serves as the resting place for victims of the Srebrenica genocide. Annual burials are held at the memorial site to commemorate these tragic events and honor the victims and their families. In 2005, the United States House of Representatives officially recognized the Srebrenica genocide. In May 2024, the United Nations adopted July 11 as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide. Despite overwhelming historical and forensic evidence, and widespread legal recognition, many revisionists and deniers continue to minimize or ignore the facts of the genocide. It is therefore fitting that New Jersey formally recognize the Srebrenica genocide in support of justice and accountability for the thousands of victims whose lives were taken and the thousands more who were forcibly displaced. By doing so, New Jersey affirms its commitment to preserving the historical memory of the tragedy and preventing future atrocities like the Srebrenica genocide.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Shama Haider (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee (on 02/19/2026)

Official Document