Today, as I lower my Srđo into the grave, I hope this evil will stop!

22 years ago, a group of members of the Army of Republika Srpska checked IDs at the Trebinje market. Among them was Bosniak Alen Glavović. They started beating and harassing him, writes the Patria news agency.

Srđan Aleksić, himself a member of the VRS, could not watch as his fellow citizen was beaten and rushed to his aid. Four of them then attacked Srđan with rifle butts. They beat him mercilessly. From the injuries sustained, Srđan fell into a coma and never woke up. He died on January 27, 1993. He was 27 years old.

His father Rade wrote in the obituary:

-He died performing his human duty.

On the day of the final farewell to his only son, Rade gathered his strength at the crowded cemetery and told those present:

-Young people, I am speaking to you, because there are most of you here. Look, all around are the mounds of your brothers. When, less than a year and a half ago, I lowered my Vujo into this grave, it was as if this evil started then. Today, as I lower my Srđo into this same grave, I hope this evil will stop... Today is unusually hard for me because many friends, acquaintances and fellow citizens come to express their condolences, and some of them also to say goodbye to me because they are leaving this city and may never return to it.

One of the attackers on Srđan died during the war, while the others were sentenced to 28 months in prison.

Alen Glavović now lives in Sweden, is married and has two children. Every year he visits Trebinje, Srđan's grave and his father.

Awards

Srđan Aleksić was posthumously awarded the Charter of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Velikih Drveta Street in Sarajevo was named after him fifteen years after Srđan's death.

The explanation stated:

- Without people like Srđan Aleksić and their heroic deeds, man would lose hope in humanity, and without it our life would have no meaning.

A passage in Zmaj-Jovina Street in Novi Sad was named after Srđan and a memorial plaque was placed in his honor, and in Pančevo there is also a passage bearing the name of Srđan Aleksić.

In 2007, RTS (Radio Television of Serbia) filmed and broadcast a documentary about Srđan Aleksić. The film is titled `SRĐO`.

The Trebinje theater Slovo performed a memorial performance "Epilogue" on December 28, 2008, which spoke about the life of Srđan Aleksić. During his lifetime, Srđan was a member of this theater. The play was directed by Predrag Ćurić, and the role of Srđan was given to the young Serbian actor Al Droubi Kristian.

On the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia, February 15, 2012, Srđan Aleksić was posthumously awarded the gold medal Miloš Obilić for demonstrated courage and an act of personal heroism, because in 1993, as a Serb from Trebinje, he stood up to protect his Bosniak neighbor from his own compatriots.