25th Anniversary of the Death of Six Children in Alipašino Polje Marked

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - A delegation of Sarajevo Canton led by the Minister of Justice and Administration of Sarajevo Canton Lejla Brčić, chairs Smiljana Viteškić, Danijela Kristić, and representatives Arijana Memić and Damir Nikšić laid flowers today at the site of the massacre in Bosanska Street at number 4 in the „C“ phase of the Alipašino Polje settlement, in memory of the six murdered Sarajevo children, thus marking the 25th sad anniversary of their deaths.

At that location on January 22, 1994, three grenades fell, from whose explosive effects were killed: Jasmina Brković (1989), Mirza Dedović (1986), Admir Subašić (1986), Danijel Jurenić (1983), Indira Brković (1982) and Nermin Rizvanović (1981), while six others were wounded.

Children's joy on that cold, snowy day turned into tragedy. Cheerful children's voices fell silent in a second. The siege of Sarajevo had already been going on for almost three years, and the children decided that day to enjoy the winter joys a little. They were sledding and playing happily. Then, around 1:40 PM, three grenades were fired from the aggressor's positions in Nedžarići. One child was killed by the detonation while running towards the entrance of his building, and all others were killed by shrapnel.

On this occasion, Minister Brčić also listed individually how old each child whose youth was unfortunately cut short would be today.

This year, as every previous year, Dževad Brković recited a prayer for his daughters and laid flowers, accompanied by his two sons born after the prematurely extinguished lives of Indira and Jasmina. The mother, this year as in previous years, was not able to come to the site of her girls' deaths due to health reasons. Grief and pain are visible on Dževad's face, but dignified, in silence, with tears in his eyes, together with his boys he laid two bouquets, one for Indira, the other for Jasmina, but also for all other murdered Sarajevo children, because he wants to preserve the memory of his two princesses and all innocent Sarajevo victims. He does not speak about his most difficult life ordeal, because there are no words with which he could express all his pain and sorrow for his dearest girls.

„I am very sad and there are no words to describe how I feel. Here one of the worst crimes committed during the war occurred, children were killed while playing, children who defied war and hatred with laughter and play. I appeal to all citizens to attend these sad anniversaries in as large numbers as possible, so that we may preserve the memory of these innocent victims from oblivion,“ said Fikret Grabovica, president of the Association of Parents of Killed Children of Besieged Sarajevo 1992-95.

Flowers were also laid at the site of the tragedy by delegations of the Novi Grad Municipality, the Association of Civil War Victims, representatives of the local communities of Alipašino Polje, the “AntiDayton Movement”, and neighbors and friends of the deceased.