University of Adelaide: Genocide denier professor Roger Byard
January 31, 2022.
The University of Adelaide
The Hon. Catherine Branson AC QC
Dear Hon Catherine Branson AC QC,
Dear Members of Council,
Only mere two decades ago a genocide was perpetrated in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Srebrenica genocide acknowledged by verdicts of the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, verdicts of several national courts and and recognized by the European Parliament, Canadian Parliament, Australian Parliament and the US Congress and Senate among many other world institutions. That this event occurred is a historical fact.
The fact that genocide happened on the European continent yet again, after the shameful events of the preceding century and despite the great efforts taken to prevent such tragedies, is a cause of great concern.
One of the stages of genocide is its denial. Genocide Denial is an integral part of the continuation of the crime.
Presently one of the professors associated with the University of Adelaide – professor Roger Byard, is publically denying genocide in Srebrenica. He coauthored an academic study denying genocide in Srebrenica.
Professor Roger Byard holds the George Richard Marks Chair of Pathology at the University of Adelaide. He is affiliated with your educational institution and his actions made your university an active participant in the Bosnian genocide. Furthermore, it made your University an active participant in the new crisis in Bosnia and Hercegovina that this genocide-denial study helped inflame.
We are asking you, as the head of an esteemed institution to state the official position of the University of Adelaide regarding the Genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the activities of professor Roger Byard.
Besides genocide denial being a moral, ethical, academic and civilizational concern, this issue is also of legal concern for all U.S. entities (academic and business ones) dealing with your University due to the sanctions by the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed on Mr. Milorad Dodik and his associated entities. As a credible and renowned University,
the University of Adelaide stances ought to uphold basic human rights, promote peace and mutual bridge-building between countries and intra-ethnic groups, among other positive activities. Failure to do so in the case of the Bosnian genocide denial publication discussed in this letter will result in the further dissemination of the details regarding this incident before the Western governments and other credible institutions and academics, which could ruin the reputation of your institution. We truly do not wish nor want this to happen. We hope and believe that the University of Adelaide leadership will do what is right and take the issue discussed in this letter seriously by taking appropriate measures. The Institute for the Research of Genocide of Canada will eagerly wait to hear back from the University of Adelaide and looks forward to future areas of potential collaboration.
Respectfully,
Dr. Emir Ramic
Director
The Institute for the Research of Genocide Canada