32nd anniversary of the murder of civilians in Hamdije Kreševljakovića street near number 47 marked

(Patria) - By laying flowers and paying tribute at the massacre site, families of the murdered, students of Primary School Malta and Primary School Kovačići, and delegations from the Canton of Sarajevo and the Municipality of Centar marked the 32nd anniversary of the murder of seven civilians in Hamdije Kreševljakovića street near number 47.

32 years ago, a 120 mm mortar shell fell at this location, and its explosive force killed seven and wounded four of our fellow citizens. The projectile was fired from the aggressor positions of the Army of Republika Srpska, which were located in the Hladivoda area.

The murdered were: Staka Aksentić, Zekrija Dacić, Ibro and Sead Plakalo, Igbal Redžić, Dženan Smajić, and Elmedin Zimić.

The Minister of Education and Upbringing of KS, Naida Hota-Muminović, stated that by marking this sad day, we are not only paying tribute to the murdered fellow citizens but also sending a message that we will not forget.

"Memorial sites are not just reminders of suffering and tragedy, but also warnings for the future. It is a simple admonition: to do everything to never allow such crimes to happen again. Sarajevo survived the longest siege of modern times, the siege by the Army of Republika Srpska, which made no distinction in killing - everyone was there, of all ages, faiths, or nationalities. In the longest encirclement of our city in modern history, more than 12,000 people were killed, including 1,601 children. These are huge numbers that we must not utter lightly, because each one represents a name, a face, a story, and the immeasurable grief of families," said Minister Hota-Muminović.

She added that justice is our debt to the victims.

"For the crimes committed in Sarajevo, international courts have convicted only a small number of those responsible - Stanislav Galić, Dragomir Milošević, and Ratko Mladić. Verdicts are important, but they are not enough on their own. Justice is not only in punishments; justice is also in acknowledging the truth, in fighting against denial, and in our unwavering determination to teach new generations about these events. To speak of justice is also to speak of the future. Bosnia and Herzegovina must be built on the ideas of peace, coexistence, and mutual respect. There is no stable future without truth. Denying such crimes does not only deny the past; it sabotages the future. Therefore, we must insist on the truth, because only with truth do we build trust, and trust is the foundation of any coexistence," said Minister Hota-Muminović.