SERBS WILL NEVER GIVE UP FIGHT FOR TRUTH AND DIGNITY OF VICTIMS

BANJA LUKA, OCTOBER 10 /SRNA/ – Slobodan Župljanin, Head of the Republika Srpska Senior Officers Organisation, told SRNA that commemorating the day of remembrance for Serbs who were killed during the defence of the western Krajina municipalities in the autumn of 1995 represents a lasting historical and humanitarian obligation to the victims, noting that Serbs would never abandon the fight for truth and the dignity of the victims, despite the lack of justice for these horrific crimes.

Župljanin said that the truth about mass graves, such as the one in Mrkonjić Grad, and the brutal taking of innocent lives must be passed on to future generations.

"By bearing witness to the heroism of the Republika Srpska Army and our population, who defended the western borders of Republika Srpska during those most difficult days, we send a clear message that Serb victims will never be forgotten and that Republika Srpska remains the eternal guarantor of our people’s freedom and survival," Župljanin declared.

He stated that the crimes committed against Serb civilians and soldiers by regular Croatian Army forces, the Croatian Defence Council /HVO/, and the so-called Army of BiH in the 13 municipalities of western Krajina bear clear signs of deliberate ethnic cleansing and an attempt to eradicate the Serb presence in these areas.

Župljanin said that the Serb population failing to return to their centuries-old homes points to the continuation of a policy aimed at erasing everything with Serb prefix in these territories

"Judicial proceedings for crimes committed against Serbs have not taken place, while the case initiated against Atif Dudaković, the former commander of the Fifth Corps of the so-called Army of BiH, has been repeatedly delayed by the Court of BiH," Župljanin recalled.

Today, Mrkonjić Grad will commemorate the 31st anniversary of the offensive against 13 municipalities in western Krajina and the crimes committed against more than 2,000 Serbs by members of the Croatian Army, the HVO, and the so-called Army of BiH.

During the offensive against the 13 municipalities in western Krajina, the armed forces of Croatia, the HVO, and the so-called Army of BiH expelled 120,000 Serbs from their centuries- old homes.

No one has yet been held accountable for the crimes committed.

The largest mass grave was discovered in the Orthodox cemetery in Mrkonjić Grad, where 181 bodies were exhumed.

Among the 2,214 people killed were 753 Serb civilians, 149 of whom are listed as missing, as well as 1,461 members of the Republika Srpska Army, 79 of whom are still listed as missing.

The agression was carried out from July to October 1995 against 13 municipalities in the territory of Republika Srpska in western Krajina: Grahovo, Glamoč, Kupres, Šipovo, Srbobran, Jajce, Ripač, Drvar, Petrovac, Ključ, Krupa na Uni, Sanski Most, and Mrkonjić Grad.