ŽUPLJANIN: NEVER FORGET CRIME AGAINST SERBS IN ZALAZJE

BANJA LUKA, JULY 11 /SRNA/ – Republika Srpska and the Serb people must never forget the crime committed against Serbs in the village of Zalazje on St. Peter's Day /Petrovdan/ in 1992; such tragedies must be commemorated with increasing intensity every year, said Slobodan Župljanin, the head of the Organisation of Senior Officers of the Republika Srpska Army /RSA/.

Župljanin told SRNA that the Zalazje massacre on St. Peter’s Day 1992 was a war crime against civilians and prisoners of Serb ethnic background, which the perpetrators have yet to be brought to justice for. "The victims have not seen justice, although all victims, regardless of their ethnic background, equally deserve justice, hope, and accountability," Župljanin added. He stressed that this is especially expected by the victims’ descendants, who must never be forgotten, particularly given the fact that the crime occurred on a major Orthodox holiday. "On that day, members of the so-called Army of BiH, under the command of Naser Orić, attacked Zalazje and the nearby village of Kunjerac, killing 69 innocent villagers - 37 civilians and 32 prisoners of war - who had no chance to defend themselves," Župljanin pointed out. He emphasized that this was another "bloody" St. Peter's Day that Republika Srpska and the Serb people must never forget. On the contrary, such commemorations must become increasingly stronger and more dignified every year, to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice and the victims can finally rest in peace. According to him, it is sad that no one else in BiH or in the so-called international community shows empathy or respect for these victims. He stated that constant and increasingly strong reminders are necessary to ensure all victims are treated equally, with due respect, just as the Serb people show respect for victims of other ethnic groups. "Only in this way can we achieve sustainable coexistence and life in a shared, even if fragile, BiH. Anything else will lead BiH down a path of no return," Župljanin concluded. Zalazje, the municipality of Srebrenica, tomorrow marks the 33rd anniversary of the suffering of 69 Serb civilians and soldiers in this village, as well as in Sase, Biljača, and Zagoni, in the Bratunac area. In addition to 69 killed and a large number wounded, 22 Serbs went missing on that tragic St. Peter's Day. Out of the 22 missing, 10 were accidentally found and exhumed on June 10, 2011, from a mass grave in Zalazje, during the search for missing Bosniaks. The remains of the victims were identified more than a year later and buried on St. Peter's Day in 2012, while two were exhumed, identified, and buried earlier. Ten people are still missing, with their traces lost in a prison located at the former Srebrenica police station. None of the captured survived. No one has been held accountable for their killings.