KARAN: NEVESINJE RIFLE - LASTING SYMBOL OF RESISTANCE AND SERB DIGNITY

BANJA LUKA, JULY 9 /SRNA/ - Republika Srpska President Siniša Karan said that the first Nevesinje Rifle /uprising/ was one of the most significant events in the history of the Serb people, becoming a lasting symbol of resistance, dignity and an unwavering desire to decide their own destiny without foreign tutelage and an occupying force.

"The Nevesinje Rifle bears witness to the courage, perseverance and chivalrous spirit of our ancestors, who throughout the centuries were prepared to defend their homes and their right to live in peace and freedom," Karan told SRNA on the occasion of the 151st anniversary of the first Nevesinje Rifle.

He pointed out that the Serb people have never sought to conquer the lands of others, nor have they threatened others, but have always been determined to preserve what belongs to them.

It was precisely such an attitude towards their roots, unity and national identity, Karan said, that enabled the preservation of an authentic Serb identity despite numerous historical challenges.

"Today, it is our duty to nurture a culture of remembrance and to pass on to younger generations the truth about the feat of the Herzegovinian rebels, whose sacrifice has left an indelible mark on the history of the Serb people," the President of Republika Srpska emphasized.

He emphasized that the institutions of Republika Srpska will continue to support the commemoration of this and all other significant historical events of importance to the republic, because preserving historical heritage and collective memory is one of the foundations of Serb national identity.

"By preserving the memory of the Nevesinje Rifle, we preserve the values that have sustained us through the centuries — unity, perseverance, dignity and the responsibility to defend this heritage and pass it on as an eternal pledge to future generations," Karan said.