GRAORAC: NO END IN SIGHT TO SEARCH FOR MISSING SERBS

BANJA LUKA, SEPTEMBER 15 /SRNA/ - President of the Republika Srpska Organisation of Families of Captured and Fallen Soldiers and Missing Civilians Isidora Graorac said today that there is no end in sight to the process of searching for missing Serbs and called on the institutions of Republika Srpska to work towards resolving this issue.

"Republika Srpska must take responsibility for resolving this humanitarian issue and provide families with the peace they need," Graorac told SRNA on the occasion of the September 15 observance of the Day of the Fallen and Missing of Republika Srpska.

She recalled that the process of searching for missing Serbs has been at a complete standstill since 2008, when the BiH Missing Persons Institute was established and responsibility for this work was transferred to the BiH level.

She noted that during the 18 years of the BiH Missing Persons Institute’s existence, the remains of only 83 people have been found and identified, while Republika Srpska is still searching for 1,608 missing persons, including 351 women and 10 children - a total of 975 civilians and 608 Serb soldiers.

Graorac pointed out that this is the most important issue that has remained unresolved more than 30 years after the war, with no end in sight.

"Families do not know the fate of their loved ones. They have been living with immeasurable pain for years," Graorac stressed.

According to her, the remains of their loved ones are hidden in mass and individual graves, or their whereabouts are unknown.

Yesterday, on the occasion of the Day of the Fallen and Missing in Republika Srpska, a memorial service was held at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, followed by the laying of wreaths at the central memorial to those killed in the Defensive-Patriotic War.