Several survivors' associations of Bosnia's 1991-95 war held a news conference on Wednesday to condemn the Nobel Committee's controversial decision to award their literature prize to Austrian writer Peter Handke, as he is known for one of the few Western intellectuals who had supported Serbia's late strongman Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s.

“With this decision, you have gravely insulted the victims of the genocide, prison camp survivors and victims of rape and torture,” the letter read.

The Vice-President of the ‘Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Enclaves’ association, Kada Hotic, pointed out that a genocide took place and that this fact must be accepted by the world as a lesson, so it would never happen again. She added that she is disappointed with the Nobel Prize Committee’s decision and that it was a sign “that fascism never disappeared.”

“You gave Handke the award, although you knew that he openly supported and justified the wartime policy of Slobodan Milosevic, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic between 1992 and 1995,” the letter said.

The speakers said that the members of the Nobel Prize Committee have deserved to be declared persona non grata at the 25th commemoration ceremony of the Srebrenica Genocide next year.

“Why are you hiding behind Peter Hanke? You could have awarded Slobodan Milosevic, posthumously, or Radovan Karadzic or Adolf Hitler, as an award to him means an award to other fascists who have committed a planned destruction of civilisation,” it said.

The letter asks of the members of the Nobel Prize Committee to publicly and unequivocally condemn Handke’s stances on the crimes committed in Bosnia and in that way “maintain their own humane and intellectual honour, as well as the reputation of the Nobel Prize.”

“Or else the Mothers of Srebrenica, as signatories of this letter, will testify for your names will be added to the list of genocide deniers at the 25th commemoration event of the genocide in Srebrenica,” it said.

The letter was signed by 11 associations, including those gathering families whose members went missing during the war, families of genocide victims and former prison camp inmates.