Mother Safa unveils memorial to her murdered son Samir Mišić: It feels like yesterday to me

A memorial to the murdered 16-year-old XX class cadet Samir Mišić was unveiled on the grounds of the Police Academy in Vraca, with the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina removed from the monument by his mother Safa, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

The flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina that covered the memorial was handed to her by the Mayor of Novo Sarajevo Municipality Nedžad Koldžo and the Minister of Interior of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Aljoša Čampara.

Samir was killed on 5 April 1992, and was only buried on 14 April at the Bare cemetery. The funeral prayer was attended by seven elders who lowered him into the grave, while none of his family members managed to come from besieged Rogatica.

Samir's mother listened to all those who spoke about that fateful 5 April and the attack on the Police Academy, about Samir's bravery, who died without a weapon in his hand at the hands of the aggressor.

- A lot of time has passed, it's been two decades since Samir died and we have waited to make this monument. It feels like yesterday to me, that's how it seems, and so much time has passed. Thank you to the people who made the monument, so that generations come to remember what once happened and to protect our Bosnia and Herzegovina - said mother Safa.

Samir's brother Jasmin said that nothing can bring Samir back, but this monument itself is a great contribution to history because this event is indisputable and it is a fact that he then laid down his life in defense of the school for training personnel.

- It is an honor for us that all state and police honors have been paid to the late Samir. Death cannot be separated from the suffering of these professors, directors, it is truly an honor in this sad situation that has followed us for 24 years that we are present today. It is very important that generations after us who will live know what happened and become acquainted with the facts.

Jasmin recalled the day they learned that Samir had been killed.

- We followed the news in the media, when we heard about Samir's death we tried to get to Sarajevo, but there were barricades and fighting was going on almost everywhere - said Jasmin.

Former director of the Police School in Vraca, Husein Balić, in a very emotional speech, recalled that fateful 5 April.

- Samir went on a journey that day from which there was no return. I, along with my associates and course participants, was captured in Pale, Sokolac. We survived difficult moments and when we were released, I only thought about how to bury Samir. At the Bare cemetery on 14 April, without family members, I lowered Samir into the grave, threw the first shovel of earth and the last handful of earth on his grave. These are difficult moments for all of us.

Balić said that lost youth is another symbol of besieged Sarajevo and speaks of what Sarajevo went through in the aggression.

- If Samir were alive today, he would be 40 years old, a family man. If it weren't for us defenders, perhaps this place would bear a different name today and be in some other entity. Our contribution to the defense of Sarajevo must never be forgotten - said Balić.

Samir Mišić was posthumously awarded the Golden Police Badge.

According to official records, the attack on the school was ordered by the then Deputy Minister of the Interior of the Republika Srpska, Momčilo Mandić. The Special Unit of the Ministry of Interior of the Republika Srpska took part in the attack. At that moment, there were about 840 students, professors, course participants in the school... About 400 students were under 18 years of age. The attack on the school began shortly after 3 p.m. The students were captured in the elementary school "Radojka Lakić" near the Police School. Serbian police officers then killed a second-grade student of the 20th class of the Police School, 16-year-old Samir Mišić from Rogatica.