Families of Bosnian Serb war victims protest at BiH Court demanding justice

Members of veterans' organizations and families of war victims from Bosnia’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity gathered in front of the Court of BiH to express their dissatisfaction with the acquittal of former Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina commander, Sakib Mahmuljin and the process of prosecuting crimes against ethnic Serbs, asking the judiciary to step up its work.

The first-instance war crimes verdict against former Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina commander, Sakib Mahmuljin, was revoked by the Appellate Chamber of the Court of BiH last month.

Mahmuljin was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison. Prosecutors accused him of failing to prevent war crimes against prisoners of war and ethnic Serb civilians in the area of Zavidovici in 1995 although he had the power to do so as commander of the 3rd Corps of the RBiH Army and that he did nothing to punish the perpetrators.

Head of the Women victims of the war association in the RS, Bozica Zivkovic Railic, said that victims felt humiliated because of the verdict against Mahmuljin, but also because 26 years after the war, many war crimes cases have not been initiated by the judiciary.

“No one has been convicted for numerous crimes in Podrinje, western Krajina municipality, no one mentions the crimes committed in the area of Kupres,” she said.

She said that families of victims are not satisfied with the work of the judicial institutions of BiH and are praying and demanding that “trials for Serb victims be initiated.”

“So that we don’t spend the rest of this life without getting a small piece of justice from this Court,” she said.

Veselko Pejic from Vozuca said that a great war crime had taken place against people who were defending their homes, and among the victims was his father Milos, whose body was never found.

“I am not interested in political views or options. I came here as a person and to point out that this is the 21st century and we are still searching for our loved ones,” he said, adding that one of the other protesters is still looking for his son, who was 19 or 20 years old at the time he disappeared.

“There are more such mothers. These mothers will die soon. We are biologically disappearing. Who will receive justice here?” he said.

“Every mother is a mother, every mother's heart aches for the child the same. I came to ask why my father is gone, why can't I get his remains to bury him?” said Pejic, adding that this is a question he would like to ask Mahmuljin directly.

“I would like to see all people identified and found, regardless of religion or nation, we are all facing the same problem. We all want a Bosniak, Croat and Serb mother to find a child,” he said, adding, “I have to find my father while I'm alive.”