Kamičani: Collective Funeral Prayer for Seven Victims of the Prijedor Crime

(Patria) - A collective funeral prayer for seven identified victims of the crime in Prijedor and the Sana valley was held today at the Kamičani Memorial Center in Kozarac.

The prayer, led by Reis-ul-ulema Husein-ef. Kavazović, was attended, in addition to the families of the victims, by representatives of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, representatives of state institutions, as well as thousands of citizens from all parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the diaspora, who came to pay their respects to the martyrs.

Speaking on this occasion, Reis-ul-ulema Kavazović said that this place testifies to how destructive the power of hatred is when it overcomes faith and clouds reason.

– In an evil time, evil people disfigured the beautiful face of man and betrayed the universal values of the spirit upon which God created people. They paved the way for hatred, inciting crimes, turning man against his neighbor and friend. Particular bitterness is caused by the obvious fact that all this took place under the blessing of people who, by their calling and mission, should have done everything to nip evil in the bud – said the Reis-ul-ulema.

He also pointed to the need for persistence in the search for truth, emphasizing that we have the right to it and the obligation to make the whole world aware of it.

– We must not stop demanding justice for the criminals, because in their punishment lies, as the Qur'an says, life for the survivors and hope that a similar crime will not be repeated – added the Reis-ul-ulema.

Those who love Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Reis-ul-ulema emphasized, want to give hope to new generations of its sons and daughters to live in peace and unity.

– Time will show, and this is also spoken of in the Qur'an, that those who believe and do good, and who advocate for truth and show patience, will prevail. Therefore, let us remember today, and tomorrow do everything in our power so that the crime from Prijedor never happens to anyone – he said.

At the end of his address, among other things, the Reis-ul-ulema called on people in the local community to take on civilizational responsibility on behalf of new generations, with a clear message that it is time for "the murdered children of Prijedor to receive recognition from the city authorities that they existed. It is time for the recognition of the crime committed against them."

The victims for whom the funeral prayer was held are: Sušić Ismet, born in 1931; Čelić Edin, born in 1967; Čelić Semir, born in 1968; Čikotić Mehemed, born in 1960; Zečić Mirsad, born in 1967; Bajrektarević Kasim, born in 1922; and Alagić Omer, born in 1930.

After the funeral prayer, the victims of the crime in Prijedor will be buried in different cemeteries, in accordance with the wishes of their families.

Prior to the funeral prayer, a commemorative program was held, during which representatives of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and survivors of the camps addressed the gathering, and an exhibition of photographs of the victims' clothing from the Prijedor camps was presented.