RADIĆ: BiH PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IGNORED CRIMINAL COMPLAINT OVER WAR CRIME ON MAJEVICA

LOPARE, JULY 28 /SRNA/ - The president of the Lopare Veterans' Organization, Risto Radić, told SRNA that the BiH Prosecutor's Office has turned a deaf ear to a criminal complaint over a war crime committed by the so-called Army of BiH against four Republika Srpska Army soldiers who were in an ambulance and were killed on Mount Majevica on August 19, 1992.

Radić explained that members of the so-called Army of BiH had ambushed the clearly marked ambulance in the Grabik area, firing an "Osa" shoulder-fired rocket launcher at the vehicle, which had its emergency beacon activated. Inside were two wounded Republika Srpska Army soldiers, the driver and a medic.

He pointed out that the ambulance was completely destroyed in the attack and that the bodies of the slain Republika Srpska Army soldiers were almost completely charred beyond recognition.

"No action has yet been taken on the criminal complaint filed with the BiH Prosecutor's Office ten years ago against those who carried out the war crime and those who ordered it," Radić said.

A memorial fountain and a memorial house have been erected at the site. The remains of the Pinzgauer ambulance were initially preserved and repainted, but over the years they have once again been left exposed to corrosion and deterioration after the vehicle was destroyed by fire.

"The vehicle was burned out, and restoring its protective coating again would likely amount to nothing more than sandblasting, without any lasting results. That's what people in this line of work have told us," Radić explained.

Given that the site is difficult to access, where a memorial service is held once a year on the anniversary of the deaths, Radić also confirmed that maintenance is problematic due to the inaccessible terrain and the forest road leading to the monument, which can only be reached by an off-road vehicle.

"We have tried to maintain and repair this road, but the problem is that the local water supply line for the village of Piperi runs along it, and machinery cannot be used on the road because it could damage the local water supply," Radić explained, adding that the grass around the monument is mowed from time to time.

He said that the Lopare Veterans' Organization has information indicating that members of the Second Tuzla Brigade of the so-called Army of BiH committed this war crime.

"We hope that justice, although slow, will eventually be achieved for those who committed and ordered the crime on Majevica," Radić said.

He said that Serbs are disappointed with the work of the BiH judiciary when it comes to prosecuting war crimes committed against the Serb people during the war in BiH.

He recalled the case of captured Serbs from the Majevica village of Breze who were burned with a soldering iron in the village of Rapatnica near Zvornik.

He pointed out that the commander of the unit that committed this war crime was sentenced to only three years in prison, which has led to widespread disappointment among Serbs regarding the prosecution of war crimes.