Thousands Attend Funeral of Bosnian Genocide Convict Ratko Mladić in Belgrade
The streets of Belgrade welcomed an unexpected crowd after the death of Ratko Mladić, the former Bosnian Serb commander condemned for genocide and labelled the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’.
At 84, Mladić passed while serving a life sentence in a United Nations prison in The Hague, following a nine‑year trial that confirmed his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre that killed approximately 8,000 Bosniak men and boys.
Hundreds of believers, veterans and patriotic supporters arrived early to light candles and listen to a choir, forming a solemn procession outside St. Luke church where his coffin lay in state. Flags bearing his portrait were draped over the coffin and carried by six soldiers upon its arrival in Serbia on a government aircraft.
Official officials, including the defence minister and minister of justice, stood with families inside the church, while the Serbian Orthodox Patriarch emphasised that Mladić’s name remains etched in the prayers of many faithful Serbs.
The funeral sparked intense debate. The European Union condemned any attempt to glorify a war criminal and highlighted the importance of confronting historical crimes. In contrast, many Serbs see Mladić as a national hero, with supporters even displaying a tifo depicting him during a recent football match between Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade.
For others, especially survivors from Bosnia, the funeral was a painful reminder of wartime atrocities. A mother from Sarajevo, whose nine‑year‑old son was killed during the siege, expressed her horror at the ceremony taking place in Belgrade and called for Mladić’s legacy to be erased from memory.
The event highlights the challenges faced by post‑conflict societies to let their histories heal while underlining the deep political divides that persist across the region. The funeral of Ratko Mladić remains a stark reminder of how collective memory can shape politics and reconciliation for years after the wars are over.
