PRIJEDOR - KAMIČANI: Collective funeral for four more murdered victims on Saturday

(Patria) - The Organising Committee for the commemoration of July 20, the day of remembrance for the terrible war crimes with elements of genocide in Prijedor and the Sana valley, today at a press conference in Sarajevo confirmed that everything is ready for the collective funeral and commemorative gathering in Prijedor. This year, the funeral prayer will be performed for four murdered victims: Musić Badema, Musić Nazifa, Aliju Envera and Forić Aljiju, and it will be led by the Grand Mufti of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Husein-ef. Kavazović.

Regarding activities in the field of culture of remembrance, the President of the Organising Committee, Mufti of Bihać, hafiz Mehmed Kudić, took the opportunity to remind of the importance of remembering the committed crimes.

"On these occasions, we also try to send a message that we will strive to ensure that the name of everyone who was unjustly killed is remembered," said Mufti Kudić.

During his address to the media, Mufti Kudić also spoke about activities related to the future Memorial Centre.

"We have received a location permit for the future Memorial Centre Kamičani and we expect to start implementing some activities on this matter by the end of the year," said Mufti Kudić.

The procession with the coffins of the martyrs will depart on July 19, 2024, from the Identification Centre "Šejkovača" near Sanski Most, passing through Sanski Most, Ključ, Bosanski Petrovac, Bihać, Bosanska Krupa, Bosanska Otoka, Bosanski Novi, Prijedor, and will arrive in Kamičani in the late afternoon hours.

The schedule of the procession's arrival in the mentioned towns and places will be available to citizens and the public. At the musalla in Kamičani on July 19, between evening and night prayers, a suitable religious programme will also be held.

At the press conference, member of the Organising Committee Dr. Mujo Begić also spoke, reminding that the facts and official figures speak of the scale of the crime and its systematic planning in this area.

"Prijedor is a place that marked the area of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the largest number of camps and detention sites. We found the remains of victims in ten municipalities and three different countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia," said Dr. Begić.

Mirsad Duratović, a member of the Organising Committee, spoke on this occasion from the perspective of a former camp inmate about the testimony of the people of Prijedor and its contribution to the prosecution of crimes.

"War crimes were testified to by camp inmates and surviving victims, which contributed to the investigative process itself. Everything they did and said contributed to more than fifty verdicts being handed down against the military and police leadership of the RS. This amounts to more than 1,000 years of total sentences for them, which speaks to the scale of the crime,"
Duratović reminded.

The religious programme on July 20 begins at 12:15, after which the funeral prayer will be performed.