Vitez: Why is there no memorial for 54 tragically killed Bosniak children?

(Patria) - During the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992-1995, a large number of Bosniak civilians were killed in the municipality of Vitez, including at least 54 children, according to data from the Bosnian Book of the Dead (IDC Sarajevo).

Despite documented facts and numerous victim names, there is no memorial or monument in the city center that would permanently commemorate the deaths of these children and civilians.

The siege of Stari Vitez and Bosniak villages in the Lašva Valley was accompanied by shelling and sniper fire on civilians, which led to the deaths of numerous civilians, including children. For a long time after the war, city symbols of remembrance reflect certain parts of the war rather than all civilian victims, which openly raises the question of public recognition and remembrance of the tragedies that occurred in the area.

In Vitez, right in the center, stands the "Osmica" memorial dedicated to eight children of Croatian nationality who were killed on June 10, 1993, in a projectile explosion on a children's playground.

In front of the Municipal building and in other public places, there are monuments and memorial plaques that are regularly used for commemorations and remembrance of members of the Croatian Defence Council, the very ones who committed crimes against Bosniaks in Vitez.

However, for Bosniak civilian victims - especially children killed in the municipality of Vitez - there is no similar memorial in the city space.

There is no monument for Bosniak victims in the city center, while memorial plaques mostly exist in villages and suburban areas. There are no street names, nor other markers that remind us that Bosniak children were killed in this area. Visitors therefore have no insight into the suffering of the Bosniak people in Vitez. Local activists and community members emphasize the need for a memorial in the city center, on which the names of all children would be inscribed (Bosniak children were killed by snipers, burned in the mass killings and Ahmići, and died from shelling of the civilian population by the HVO), thereby permanently preserving the memory and truth about the events during the war.

List of Bosniak children killed in the municipality of Vitez (with birth and death dates)

1. Amir Ahmić (03.11.1978 – 16.04.1993)
2. Alma Ahmić (19.08.1977 – 16.04.1993)
3. Sead Ahmić (14.01.1993 – 16.04.1993)
4. Semir Ahmić (07.05.1985 – 16.04.1993)
5. Šuhreta Ahmić (17.03.1987 – 16.04.1993)
6. Elvis Arnaut (16.06.1985 – 16.04.1993)
7. Edin Čerimić (27.09.1976 – 16.04.1993)
8. Elvedin Čerimić (07.09.1979 – 16.04.1993)
9. Sanela Čerimić (30.06.1986 – 16.04.1993)
10. Samir Mrkonja (06.08.1976 – 16.04.1993)
11. Adis Salkić (28.12.1978 – 16.04.1993)
12. Adisa Salkić (20.08.1981 – 16.04.1993)
13. Melisa Salkić (31.01.1985 – 16.04.1993)
14. Nermin Salkić (10.10.1982 – 16.04.1993)
15. Senad Salkić (22.01.1979 – 16.04.1993)
16. Elvis Šehić (12.02.1983 – 16.04.1993)
17. Alisa Zec (27.03.1982 – 16.04.1993)
18. Faruk Abdić (28.09.1977 – 26.06.1993)
19. Damir Bešo (20.05.1977 – 19.02.1994)
20. Denis Bešo (27.10.1983 – 19.02.1994)
21. Muamer Bešo (18.06.1983 – 27.05.1993)
22. Namir Bešo (20.05.1977 – 19.02.1994)
23. Mahmut Bilal (16.01.1975 – 23.07.1993)
24. Mirsad Čejvan (14.08.1986 – 06.09.1993)
25. Mustafa Džananović (13.08.1981 – 17.03.1993)
26. Mevludin Džidić (20.07.1975 – 11.10.1993)
27. Adis Gradinović (27.05.1985 – 13.10.1993)
28. Redžib Horić (22.05.1976 – 09.05.1994)
29. Rusmir Kovačević (06.08.1976 – 10.10.1993)
30. Emina Mujezinović (29.09.1984 – 24.07.1993)
31. Bahrudin Mujkić (03.05.1978 – 14.07.1993)
32. Selma Mujkić (29.12.1975 – 30.06.1993)
33. Anel Muratović (25.06.1980 – 27.05.1993)
34. Šerifbeg Omanović (21.10.1976 – 1993)
35. Almasa Sarajlić (08.07.1981 – 24.07.1993)
36. Rusmir Sarajlić (28.03.1978 – 16.10.1994)
37. Besim Sivro (16.11.1976 – 24.06.1993)
38. Mirhad Smajić (25.05.1978 – 15.07.1993)
39. Muharem Smajić (10.08.1975 – 22.05.1993)
40. Emir Šehić (26.09.1991 – 28.11.1993)
41. Zaim Tahirović (25.10.1980 – 25.02.1994)
42. Merhunisa Varupa (19.05.1989 – 14.01.1994)
43. Dževad Džafić (18.02.1975 – 08.09.1993)
44. Nermin Grabus (08.02.1975 – 13.07.1993)
45. Salih Kovačević (15.02.1975 – 12.06.1993)
46. Sabahudin Pezer (25.12.1975 – 17.04.1993)
47. Nermin Kazić (11.05.1975 – 23.07.1993)
48. Admir Palić (29.11.1975 – 13.10.1993)
49. Amela Topalović (03.03.1991 – 16.04.1993)
50. Mahira Mujčić (06.04.1986 – 07.1993)
51. Elvedin Musić (07.03.1975 – 26.09.1993)
52. Amir Mujić (25.08.1975 – 28.12.1992)
53. Eldin Bektaš (12.07.1981 – 07.05.1994)
54. Edin Kavazović (04.05.1977 – 08.08.1995)