Waited in Line for Water: 32nd Anniversary of the Suffering of Sarajevans in Isevića Sokak Marked

(Patria) - Alongside representatives of numerous other institutions and associations, a delegation of the Sarajevo Canton today laid flowers at the site of the massacre at the memorial in Isevića Sokak street, number 23. At that spot 32 years ago, a shell was fired from aggressor positions, killing eight people and lightly and seriously wounding 19 others. Those killed were: Ahmet Ahmetspahić, Jasmina Kajanija, Asim Lačević, Azra Lačević, Senad Lagumdžija, Bajro Pinjo, Aferdita Sadikaj and Jasna Šarić.

Addressing those present at the anniversary commemoration, the Minister of Justice and Administration of Sarajevo Canton, Darja Softić Kadenić, said that today we remember one of the darkest moments in the history of the siege of Sarajevo.

"Thirty-two years ago, from the positions of the RS army on Borije, a shell was fired that took the lives of eight of our fellow citizens at this spot, while 19 were wounded. Those innocent people stood in line for water as symbols of the daily struggle for survival in a city under siege. By marking this sad day, we are not only paying tribute to the victims; we are sending a message that we will not forget. These places of remembrance are not only reminders of suffering but also warnings for the future. This warning is simple: that we never allow such crimes to happen again, neither here nor anywhere else," said Minister Softić Kadenić.

As she reminded, Sarajevo survived the longest siege of the modern era, a siege that made no distinction among its victims, that did not choose age, gender, religion or nationality.

"More than 12,000 lives were extinguished, among them 1,601 children. These numbers must not deceive us, because each of them represents a name, a face, a story and immense grief for families. Justice is our debt to the victims. For the crimes committed in Sarajevo, international courts have convicted only a small number of those responsible - Stanislav Galić, Dragomir Milošević and Ratko Mladić. The verdicts are important, but they are not sufficient in themselves. Justice is not only in punishments; justice is also in acknowledging the truth, in the fight against denial and in our unwavering determination to teach new generations about these events," emphasized Minister Softić Kadenić.

As she added, speaking about justice also means speaking about the future. She stressed that Bosnia and Herzegovina must be built on the ideas of peace, coexistence and mutual respect.

"There is no stable future without truth. Denying such crimes does not only negate the past; it sabotages the future. That is why we must insist on the truth, because only through truth do we build trust, and trust is the foundation of any shared life," stated Minister Softić Kadenić.

She told those present that their presence sends a message that we persevere over hatred, that we choose solidarity and that we reject oblivion. As she added, these places of remembrance are also places of hope - hope that future generations will live in a Bosnia and Herzegovina that respects its past, accepts the truth and builds a shared life on the foundations of justice and reconciliation.

"May the memory of these victims guide us towards a better and more just future," concluded Minister Softić Kadenić.