Bukvik Region Victims Awaiting Justice for 21 Years

During an anniversary of the wartime killing of local residents from the Brcko municipality’s Bukvik region, it is repeated, once again, that nobody has still been tried for the murder of 65 and deportation of 2,500 local Serb residents even though 21 years have passed.

Several tens of men and women were killed in an attack by the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatian Defence Council, HVO, on Bukvik and nearby villages on September 14 and 15, 1992.

Rada Dragicevic, whose brother Zivan and two cousins Cvijetin and Gojko Radic were killed on September 14, 1992 is resentful at the work of the Brcko District Prosecution.

“Although we keep saying the same things for 21 years, nobody has been indicted, although it is known who killed them. My brother was wounded. He could have survived. Everything is known, but the Prosecution has not done anything. The same thing happens year after year,” Dragicevic says.

Janko Kerezovic, who is now 84, lost his brother Djordje and sister-in-law Cvijeta in the attack on Bukvik. Wiping his tears, he says that he is alone and has no other relatives.

“I feel sorry for losing my brother. I can never forget that. Nobody has been tried for killing him. I do not know whose fault that is,” Kerezovic said.

Branislav Dukic, President of the Association of Detainees of Republika Srpska, announced that the Association would not give up its requests for the processing of responsible persons, whose names are known to judicial institutions.

Being dissatisfied with the past work of the Prosecutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Brcko District, as well as the slow pace at which crimes against the Serb population are being processed, former detainees and victims from the Bukvik region have submitted evidence available to them to the War Crimes Prosecution of Serbia as well.