MINIĆ: LEAVE EVIDENCE ON THE SUFFERING OF INNOCENT SERB VICTIMS

BANJA LUKA, MAY 29 /SRNA/ – Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Minić assessed that the round table on support for women victims of war, held today in Banja Luka, is highly significant because it contributes to documenting the suffering of innocent Serb victims.

"Suffering has neither a national nor a religious designation, but it is important that it is known that the Serb people also suffered," Minić told the press in Banja Luka ahead of the round table "Support for Women Victims of War in Accordance with the Istanbul Convention".

He emphasized that the Government supports such activities, whose goal is to preserve the truth for future generations in order to prevent such crimes from repeating.

Director of the Republika Srpska Gender Equality Center Maja Vekić said that the rights of women victims of war from Republika Srpska had long been neglected, but that this injustice was corrected in 2018 through the adoption of law on their protection.

"The Republika Srpska Government's commitment to supporting women victims of war has been demonstrated through granting public-interest status to the Association of Republika Srpska Women Victims of War," Vekić said.

Head of the Association of Republika Srpska Women Victims of War, Božica Živković-Rajilić, noted that the international community recognized Bosniak and Croat victims, while Serb victims were not mentioned by anyone.

"That is why we formed the association, but also with the goal of reaching every woman victim of war, which received strong support from the Republika Srpska Government by granting us significant rights," Živković-Rajilić said.

She added that the round table is an opportunity to review ways to expand rights and support for women victims of war in line with the Istanbul Convention.

"Our association now has 809 members; our task is to leave behind a legacy and the truth so that future generations can rely with confidence on our statements and testimonies," Živković-Rajilić said.

Serbia's Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue Demo Beriša said that Republika Srpska and Serbia should jointly preserve the truth about Serb war victims.

"We are here to encourage war victims, women who above all experienced torture that left extremely severe trauma in their lives. We would like to encourage them to tell the truth, which should serve as a warning that such things must never happen again in this region," Beriša said.