Thousands mourn war criminal Ratko Mladic in Banja Luka despite private funeral order

Thousands of Serbs gathered in the streets of Banja Luka on Sunday to mourn Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb commander who had been convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The crowds, which included families, veterans and nationalist activists, marched in silence toward the city’s main square, carrying flags and banners that displayed the phrase “Mladic is a hero.” The event was held in the early hours of the morning, after the government had announced that the funeral would be a private affair for Mladic’s family.The decision to keep the funeral private came at a time of growing tensions across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Serbian government had previously announced that it would not allow the death certificate to be released, citing a desire to protect the dignity of the deceased and respect family wishes..

Nevertheless, the event attracted significant media coverage, with state-owned broadcasters providing a sympathetic narrative that framed the gathering as a tribute to a “freedom fighter” who had stood up for Serb interests during the conflict. This coverage was criticized by human rights organisations and many in the international community for glorifying a man who had been found guilty of committing atrocities against Bosnian Muslim civilians.Mladic’s life and the circumstances surrounding his conviction have long been a source of division in the region. During the 1990s, he commanded the Bosnian Serb Army, which was responsible for the Srebrenica massacre in July 1995, when more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were executed..

Mladic was arrested in 2001 and spent eight years in pre-trial detention before the International Criminal Tribunal sentenced him to 40 years in prison in 2017. He was released on parole in 2023 after serving 20 years of his sentence. The release sparked outrage in the western part of Bosnia, where many families still mourn the loss of relatives killed in the war.In the city of Banja Luka, a small minority of residents watched the procession with a mixture of emotions..

Some spoke to reporters, expressing gratitude that the state had allowed a respectful funeral to take place, while others described the sense of betrayal they felt at the celebration of a man who had been held accountable for crimes that had devastated their communities. “It feels like they are rewriting history,” a local resident told a journalist, his voice trembling. “We want to remember the truth, not a propaganda narrative that paints him as a hero.”The funeral itself, which took place in a modest church that was not officially sanctioned by the Serbian Orthodox Church, was attended by a handful of dignitaries, including a minister of foreign affairs and a local police commander..

Despite the limited official presence, the event drew a larger crowd than the government had anticipated, with thousands lining the streets to pay their respects. The procession ended at the gravesite where Mladic’s remains were interred, and a short speech was delivered by a local nationalist leader, who spoke of loyalty to Serbs and the need to “remember the sacrifices made for our people.”In contrast to the celebratory tone of the gathering, the media coverage outside the region painted a very different picture. Several international newspapers reported on the funeral as a potential flashpoint for renewed ethnic tensions, noting that the presence of state ministers could be seen as an endorsement of a figure condemned by international law..

Human rights activists and former Bosniak survivors of the war called on the Serbian government to condemn Mladic’s actions publicly and to use the platform to promote reconciliation. “We cannot allow this to become an excuse to celebrate a war criminal,” said an activist from the Sarajevo-based organization Human Rights Watch. “It undermines the hard-won peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a brief statement following the funeral, stating that the event had been carried out in accordance with the wishes of Mladic’s family and that the government had not endorsed any extremist ideology..

The statement also emphasised the importance of “respecting the dignity of all those who are grieving.” However, critics argued that the statement failed to address the broader context of Mladic’s crimes or the implications of his funeral for regional stability.Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s government, led by a coalition of Bosniak and Croat parties, condemned the event as a provocation. A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the funeral as “an attempt to glorify a criminal who has inflicted immeasurable suffering on innocent civilians.” It also called on Serbia to take a more responsible role in addressing its past, including cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to ensure that no former war criminal remains unaccountable.International observers have warned that such public displays of reverence could inflame inter-ethnic tensions and undermine the fragile peace that has existed in Bosnia and Herzegovina since the Dayton Agreement of 1995. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that “the glorification of war criminals can erode trust and create a sense of injustice among affected communities.” He urged both Serbian and Bosnian authorities to promote a narrative of accountability and reconciliation, rather than one that celebrates a man whose actions have been widely recognised as a grave violation of human rights.In the days that followed, several Bosniak-led NGOs organised community meetings to discuss the impact of the funeral on inter-ethnic relations..

They called for a joint memorial that would include all victims of the war, regardless of ethnicity. “Only through collective remembrance can we hope to heal,” said one organisation’s spokesperson. “If we ignore the suffering of millions, we risk repeating the same mistakes.”The funeral of Ratko Mladic has thus highlighted the continuing legacy of the Bosnian war in the region’s politics and public life..

While the Serbian government maintains that the event was a private family affair, the presence of state officials and the media coverage it received have turned it into a symbol of ongoing divisions. As Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia move forward, the international community will watch closely to see whether both countries can address this painful chapter of their shared history with dignity and responsibility..