Anniversary of the Massacre at Alipašino Polje Marked: The Aggressor Killed Six Children and Seriously Wounded Six More

(Patria) - A delegation of the Sarajevo Canton laid flowers and paid tribute at the site of the massacre in Bosanska Street, number 4, at Alipašino Polje. At that location 31 years ago, an aggressor's shell killed six children, while the same number were seriously injured.

On that fateful day, the following were killed: Indira Brković (11 years old), Jasmina Brković (4 years old), Mirza Dedović (8 years old), Danijel Jurenić (10 years old), Nermin Rizvanović (12 years old), and Admir Subašić (8 years old).

Addressing those present on behalf of the Sarajevo Canton delegation, which also included assembly deputies Jasmin Šaljić and Vedrana Vujović, the representative of the Ministry of Transport, Mirzet Sarajlić, said that today we remember one of the darkest moments in the history of the siege of Sarajevo.

"31 years ago, a shell was fired from positions of the Army of Republika Srpska that took the lives of six children and wounded six more of our young fellow citizens, who were sledding... By marking this sad day, we not only pay tribute to the murdered children, but also send a message that we will not forget. These places of remembrance are not only reminders of suffering but also warnings for the future. This warning is simple: never allow such crimes to happen again, neither here nor anywhere else," stated Sarajlić.

Assembly deputies of the Sarajevo Canton Vujović and Šaljić, and the Mayor of Sarajevo Predrag Puharić paid tribute

He reminded that Sarajevo survived the longest siege of the modern era, a siege that made no distinction among its victims - it did not choose age, gender, religion, or nationality. More than 12,000 lives were lost, among them 1,601 children. These numbers, as he stated, should not deceive us, and each of them represents a name, a face, a story, and immense grief for the families.

"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. The verdicts are important, but they are not sufficient in themselves. Justice is not only in punishments; justice is also in acknowledging the truth, in the fight against denial, and in our unwavering determination to teach new generations about these events. Speaking of justice means speaking of the future as well. 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 negate the past; it sabotages the future. That is why we must insist on the truth, because only through truth do we build trust, and trust is the foundation of any shared life," Sarajlić emphasized.

In a statement to the media, Fikret Grabovica, president of the Association of Parents of Killed Children of Besieged Sarajevo 1992-1995, said that at this location on this day in 1994, one of the most serious crimes against children during the siege of the city was committed.

"The criminals killed six and wounded six children here during their play. They were riding sleds, not combat vehicles. All of this sufficiently shows that the criminals intentionally killed children, both here and in many other places. This is confirmed by the three shells fired, to confirm the crime they committed," stated Grabovica.

He emphasized the importance of fostering a culture of remembrance, so that young people know what happened during the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He expressed outrage at the impunity of the criminals and the lack of indictments for the horrific crimes against children during the siege of the city.

In addition to the Sarajevo Canton delegation, flowers were laid and tribute paid by family members, friends, neighbors, and representatives of associations and institutions.