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Croatia. Army

Commemoration of Varivode Massacre Highlights Unconvicted War Crimes in Croatia

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Twenty-nine years ago, on September 28, 1995, nine Serb civilians were brutally killed in the village of Varivode, Sibenik hinterland, in an atrocity committed by members of the Croatian Army. The victims, aged between 55 and 84, were killed in their homes, which displayed white flags, after the Croatian government had assured them protection before Operation Storm. The commemoration, led by the Serb National Council (SNV) and the Municipality of Kistanje, marked the anniversary of the heinous crime, with SNV President Milorad Pupovac calling for equal treatment of all war victims, regardless of nationality. Despite the humanitarian guarantees given to the Serb civilians, no one has been convicted of the crime, with Pupovac attributing the lack of prosecution to insufficient evidence and false witnesses. The commemoration also highlighted the ongoing issue of unconvicted war crimes in Croatia, with Vesna Terselic, head of Documenta - Center for Dealing with the Past, expressing concern about the inefficiency of investigative procedures and the conspiracy of silence among participants.

Key Takeaways:

  • The murder of nine Serb civilians in Varivode on September 28, 1995, remains unpunished, with no one convicted of the crime.
  • The victims, aged between 55 and 84, were killed in their homes, displaying white flags, after the Croatian government had assured them protection before Operation Storm.
  • The lack of prosecution is attributed to insufficient evidence and false witnesses, as stated by SNV President Milorad Pupovac.
  • The commemoration highlighted the ongoing issue of unconvicted war crimes in Croatia, with Vesna Terselic expressing concern about the inefficiency of investigative procedures.
  • Documenta - Center for Dealing with the Past head, Vesna Terselic, read the names of the victims and called for equal treatment of all war victims, regardless of nationality.
  • The commemoration was attended by envoys of the president, the prime minister, and the parliament speaker, as well as local officials.
  • Milan Grubic, a Serbian Orthodox priest, led a religious service, and wreaths were laid by representatives, including the president's envoy Melita Mulic and the parliament speaker and prime minister's envoy Darko Nekic.
  • A former head of Documenta - Center for Dealing with the Past expressed concern about the current social climate, where the victory of the Croatian Army in Operation Storm is celebrated, ignoring the 600+ civilians killed during the operation.
  • Vesna Terselic believes the "Ustasha ideology is openly glorified," and the police and state prosecutors should respond more decisively.

Statistics:

  • Nine Serb civilians were killed in Varivode on September 28, 1995.
  • The victims were aged between 55 and 84.
  • Operation Storm resulted in the deaths of over 600 civilians in August 1995.
  • The Ustasha ideology is openly glorified in the current social climate in Croatia.

Sources:

  • Hina - Croatian Press Agency (no date mentioned)

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