MONUMENT UNVEILED TO HONOR KOVILJKA PAŠALIĆ, BRUTALLY KILLED BY MEMBERS OF SO-CALLED ARMY OF BiH

DOBOJ, SEPTEMBER 5 /SRNA/ — The suffering of Koviljka Pašalić, 57, who was killed in her home near the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Vozuća by a special unit of the so-called Army of BiH in late May 1993, will not be forgotten, although no one has been held accountable for the crime after 33 years despite the identities of the perpetators are being known.

Zoran Blagojević, president of the Zavidovići Association in Doboj, told SRNA that a monument to Pašalić was unveiled yesterday as a reminder of one of a number of unpunished crimes against Serb civilians.

Blagojević, a former chief of staff of the 4th Ozren Light Infantry Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, reminded of the killing of Koviljka on the night of May 28-29, 1993, saying that members of the so-called Army of BiH had slit her throat and taken it as a trophy.

"She was killed on a sofa, and the curtain above the window, which was splattered with blood, showed that she had been subjected to horrific abuse. All of this was documented during the investigation, which is why we still have photographs of the crime today," Blagojević said.

He pointed out the case was subsequently submitted to the former Doboj Public Security Centre for further action.

Given the circumstances and resources available at the time, Koviljka Pašalić was modestly buried at the monastery cemetery, with a cross that had deteriorated over the years. The local association therefore decided to build a monument 33 years later, with the support of Doboj City Administration.

Blagojević said the monument was intended to preserve the memory of the crime against a civilian who was killed in an especially brutal manner by members of the so-called Army of BiH, who have never been prosecuted despite their identities being known.

"The perpetrators left their signature on the monastery vestibule," Blagojević explained.

He pointed out that Koviljka was not the only victim that May in 1993 and reminded that the same special unit carried out an attack that evening in the hamlet of Jelčići, where they also killed 66-year-old Ranka Pavlović while she was preparing dinner.

Reconstructing the events, Blagojević said it had been established that the attacking forces had advanced to the Krstova position, from which they could observe the daily activities of the civilian population, which at the time was engaged in field work, and then waited until evening to launch their attack.