When friends become enemies, and a local mayor becomes more important than the murdered children of Sarajevo

By Amra Vrabac

Today, the local issue of recalling a mayor in Sarajevo has almost completely diverted attention from the RS regime's falsified lists of murdered children of Sarajevo, not the one from the east that emerged during and after the aggression. The institution that published the names of Sarajevo's murdered children at the hands of the Serb aggressor today issued an explanation that only confirms that the child victims of besieged Sarajevo have been misused in the worst possible way.

For the families of Sarajevo's murdered children, yesterday was again 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995. Because of a perfidious lie, they had to dig through death certificates, medical documentation, and archives again, proving that their children, brothers, sisters, and friends were killed in besieged Sarajevo while playing, waiting in line for water, bread, or sleeping...

Yesterday, we did not hear any reaction from the ruling parties that would, at least on paper, oppose the regime of lies in Republika Srpska. We did not hear it today either. There was no threatening letter from the 'trojka' [coalition of SDP, NiP, and NS] as when they respond to their 'imaginary opponents'.

Today, only the Mayor of Sarajevo, Benjamina Karić, reacted. She received and spoke with members of the families of Sarajevo's murdered children.

The Mayor of Sarajevo clearly stated today that lies and fabrications will not pass.

„After the shameful attempt from Prijedor, when during the commemoration of 'Oluja' [Operation Storm], the photo of a Bosniak refugee from Žepa was presented as a Serb victim of 'Oluja' in Croatia, now come the forgeries about the murdered children of besieged Sarajevo. Today I met with Miroslav Lukić, Danijela Šahat, and Dejan Malešević, whose brothers were killed during the siege of Sarajevo, and whose names appeared on the lists of murdered children in Republika Srpska. When they were killed, Marko was 11 years old, Damir was 17, and Igor was 8 years old. The City of Sarajevo stands with the families of the victims, and we will use all legal means to ensure that all those who have misused innocent victims, the murdered youth of Sarajevo, are held accountable,“ Karić stated.

Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željko Komšić, also called on Chief Prosecutor Milanko Kajganić to finally start doing his job and prosecute the most serious war crimes, including the murder of children, instead of trying to equate the aggressor and the victim by filing indictments against members of the Army of RBiH.

Instead of paying tribute to the murdered children of Sarajevo, some today counted these and those children again, reopening never-healed wounds. But Sarajevo will remember these and such people. It is one thing to be a good host, and another to let someone trample you in your own home.

Today, a local mayor became the topic of the day, today 'civic Sarajevo and the other Sarajevo' were divided, and the murdered children of Sarajevo were forgotten. Because, you know, reconciliation is important, and for all three sides to find a common denominator.

In the case of the murdered children of Sarajevo, there is only one denominator – the Serb-Chetnik aggressor. And when those who are currently struggling over one mayor in front of their partners from both sides, without simultaneously apologizing on behalf of someone else, finally say that, then perhaps we will believe that they are capable of representing us somewhere in the institutions.

Because as long as the recall of a mayor by yesterday's coalition partners makes you enemies, how do you truly see the real enemies who are getting stronger.

Throughout history, Sarajevo has remembered numerous conquerors and traitors. But those who betray murdered children have nothing to hope for.