The President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik attended the commemoration of 82 years since the crime against Serbs in Garavice near Bihać and said that 15,000 Serbs were killed because they were of the Orthodox religion, that they were killed by their neighbors, Muslims and Croats, and said that it is the greatest revenge – memory and existence of the Republic of Srpska.
“Later, these same people became important representatives in the former state. That is why the memorial has been neglected and desecrated”, said the President of Srpska.
The President of the Republic stated that Garavice must not disappear from the collective memory of the Serbian people and pointed out the shameful attitude of the local and cantonal authorities towards that place in Bihać, as shown by the neglected and desecrated memorial that reminds of the murdered Serbs in the NDH 82 years ago.
“We see the shameful attitude of the local and cantonal authorities towards this place, only until a few years ago this was a landfill and a garbage dump. If we did not come here, it would not even be mowed. That speaks about them, not about us”, said the President of Srpska.
The President Dodik said that a plan was implemented in Bihać to kill and displace Serbs, and now the intention is to make the Serb people forget about that suffering.
The President of the Republic pointed out that in the former state they wanted to hide the suffering of the Serbs, so they wrote on the monument that they were victims of fascism, even though they were exclusively Serbian victims.
“Men, women and children were brought down in columns to erase the Serbian name. Garavice must not disappear from the collective memory of the Serbian people. There is an idea to make a movie. It is the best guardian of the story of the suffering of the Serbs in this area”, said the President Dodik.
The President of Srpska said that the suffering of other peoples is also terrible, such as in Srebrenica, where, as he stated, a mass crime took place.
“There is a parallel. They want to make a myth out of it, and here, where three times as many people died, they are trying to put it into oblivion. That is not fair. It happened in the same century. You cannot separate the suffering from the complete chaos of the last century”, it was emphasized by the President of the Republic.
The President of Srpska pointed out that more Serbs died in Garavice than Bosniaks in Srebrenica, but that this is not enough for this day to pass without provocation.
“Today, there are some people here who record everything and send it to portals, so that they can make a living. Today, there are no Serbs in this place, and that speaks volumes about the intentions towards the Serbs”, said the President Dodik.
The President of the Republic pointed out that there are no representatives of the international community in Garavice, nor representatives of the local authorities to show respect for the victims.
“We are trying to get permission to build something here, but we cannot get it. We will remain committed to this place and will try to build a memorial chapel with the names of all the victims with our Church”, it was emphasized by the President of Srpska.
The President of the Republic of Srpska emphasized that he will try to place Garavice on the highest level of collective memory of the suffering and genocide committed against the Serbs.
“Since there is no genocide here, not even in Jasenovac, but in other places where you think it was, then it was. I am proud of these people who come here. Year after year we come and show that we are not ready to give up. We will be here next year as well”, said the President Dodik.
The President of Srpska pointed out that this crime was not known or studied in the former state.
“It is the same in Brod on the Drina River. Even today there are those who think it should have been that way. We will no longer allow a blow to our country and our rights”, said the President of the Republic.
The President of the Republic of Srpska reiterated that there is a border in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that the responsibilities are clear.
“As a member of the Serbian people, it hurts me that there is no dignified sign for the Serb victims. Muslims and Croats commemorate the suffering with dignity. It will always be like that, and we will do our best in the Federation”, said the President Dodik.
