JASENOVAC MARKED JASENOVAC, Apr 25 (Hina) - The 54th anniversary of the breakthrough of the final group of survivors from Jasenovac, a Croatian concentration in World War Two, was marked in Jasenovac on Sunday with a commemoration to
the victims of Ustashi terror. On behalf of the Croatian government, homage to the victims of the breakthrough and those killed at the camp was paid by Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic, who said, "the victims ask us to realise the principle of truth and fairness and to punish the culprits." There is no fair peace unless those responsible for the killings are held accountable, Separovic said, and recalled "all victims of Jasenovac and Bleiburg and the calvaries, but also of Ovcara, Vocin, Dubrovnik and Skabrnja." "May all those victims help freedom and the state flourish in peace. May they not separate us, but bring us together. Let's forgive, and not forget," he said. A Croatian Pres
JASENOVAC, Apr 25 (Hina) - The 54th anniversary of the breakthrough
of the final group of survivors from Jasenovac, a Croatian
concentration in World War Two, was marked in Jasenovac on Sunday
with a commemoration to the victims of Ustashi terror.
On behalf of the Croatian government, homage to the victims of the
breakthrough and those killed at the camp was paid by Justice
Minister Zvonimir Separovic, who said, "the victims ask us to
realise the principle of truth and fairness and to punish the
culprits."
There is no fair peace unless those responsible for the killings are
held accountable, Separovic said, and recalled "all victims of
Jasenovac and Bleiburg and the calvaries, but also of Ovcara,
Vocin, Dubrovnik and Skabrnja."
"May all those victims help freedom and the state flourish in peace.
May they not separate us, but bring us together. Let's forgive, and
not forget," he said.
A Croatian President's envoy, General Janko Bobetko, said "crimes
everywhere must be prevented," while another presidential envoy,
Slobodan Lang, expressed his gratitude to Jasenovac for "teaching
me there are no moments of weakness, nor of accepting weakness."
The president of the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Fighters of Croatia,
Ivan Fumic, expressed wonder at the fact that "53 years since WW2,
there are individuals and groups in Croatia who legally and without
any consequences deny the Ustashi crimes, praise the order of the
Independent State of Croatia (1941-1945), its leaders and symbols,
and ascribe their crimes to the anti-fascists."
"We are witnesses to the statements of such individuals even on
Croatian Television, in the daily press, publishing, not to mention
the fabrications in textbooks," said Fumic.
Speaking on behalf of the Coordination of Jewish Communities in
Croatia, president Ognjen Kraus stressed, "this place (Jasenovac)
must remain a lasting monument to the Ustashi genocide and a warning
to the future and to humanity."
"May it testify to the truth that took place. It cannot be erased and
there is no reason to hide it. It must be admitted to. It must be said
who is guilty of the genocide," Kraus said, adding "history teaches
us there is no collective guilt or responsibility, just personal
ones."
The surviving inmates and numerous delegations in attendance were
also addressed by Milivoj Kujundzic on behalf of the Croatian
parliament, representatives of the surviving inmates, Serb
organisations in Croatia, the Romany, the Alliance of Anti-Fascist
Fighters of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the Fighters' Organisation of
Slovenia.
(hina) ha