In Vlasenica, the 20th collective funeral prayer was held

(Patria) - The 20th collective funeral prayer for the victims of the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Vlasenica area was held today at the Rakita Martyrs' Cemetery in Vlasenica.

At this collective funeral prayer, Ahmo Kavazović was buried, and the funeral prayer was led by the Tuzla Mufti, Dr. Vahid-ef. Fazlović.

Mufti Fazlović stated on this occasion that preserving the memory of the martyrs is an obligation towards them, their families, and the Bosniaks of this region.

„We come here every year, we gather in a large congregation, we come in devotion and with great respect for all our martyrs, their families, and we leave with a lesson.

Martyrs are in a high and honorable place with the Lord because of their great sacrifice, because of their deeds. They gave the most a human being can give for values, defending the lives of the innocent, their homes and homeland, honor and freedom, their faith.

That is an eternal lesson. We learn from it, we must continue to preserve the values for which they fought“, said Mufti Fazlović.

He stated that every gathering at this place is a new, strong call to institutions to perform their duties.



„We still have a large number of missing persons, whose whereabouts we do not know, martyrs for whom we have not held funeral prayers. That is our great sorrow.

Therefore, we appeal to the institutions, but this is also a call to all those in whose name genocide and crimes were committed, to be clear in acknowledging the genocide and to be clear in condemning the genocide and crimes against Bosniaks“, said the Mufti.

Ahmo Kavazović was 44 years old when he was killed in the Vlasenica area in 1992. He was first captured in the hangars of the Sušica camp, from which he was taken with a larger group of prisoners at the end of May and liquidated.

His remains were exhumed from a mass grave at the Sušica site, which was discovered in September 2000.

„Today we bury my uncle. He was killed after being a prisoner in the Sušica camp. He was taken from his home with the words that they were only taking him to give a statement. After that, all trace of him was lost.

What happened happened in 1992, part of the family could not leave this area, they survived the worst ordeals that occurred during that period. It is very difficult to speak today because we are reminded that this man is no longer here.

We hoped that we would find his bones and that he would find peace. It is important to remember, and to leave the legacy of remembrance to new generations“, said Lejla Kavazović.

The day before, in all the mosques of the Vlasenica Islamic Community, a tevhid was recited for the souls of the martyrs, and a promotion of the book "And They Were Just Children" by Dr. Husejin Omerović was held.

For crimes in the Vlasenica municipality, Dragan Nikolić Jenki was finally sentenced to 20 years by the Hague Tribunal, and in the Court of BiH, Predrag Bastah Car was sentenced to 22 years and Goran Višković Vjetar to 18 years in prison.