Tuzlanska Kapija Victims Commemorated, Families Disappointed at Lack of Justice

The twentieth anniversary of the biggest tragedy in Tuzla’s history was observed with the laying of flowers in the Alley of Youth during a commemorative ceremony in Tuzlanska Kapija.

On May 25, 1995, a grenade fired from Ozren killed 71 people and wounded 124 more. Families of the victims, survivors and representatives of municipal and cantonal authorities laid flowers in the Alley of Youth today, in remembrance of the 71 victims.

The only person who’s been sentenced for the attack is Novak Djukic, currently at large.

Esma Slijepcevic’s son Asim was 20 years old when he was killed during the grenade attack. She told BIRN that she’d had a son for twenty years, and has been without him for the same number of years.

“He was killed two days after his 20th birthday. If he were alive, he would have turned 40 on Saturday. He was a very hard-working and responsible boy,” Slijepcevic said.

Zineta Hidanovic’s grief hasn’t abated either. Her son Alem was also killed during the attack, at the age of 19.

“If he were alive, he would have had a family, a son or a daughter, and I would have had grandchildren his age. That wasn’t our fate. The pain is the same, or even bigger than before,” said Hidanovic, crying.

“The perpetrators are, unfortunately, awarded. Justice is a dead letter. We, the parents, can’t do anything but suffer. Djukic isn’t the only one responsible. The institutions that released him should be ashamed. They have let us, the families, down after so many years of struggle,” Hidanovic said.

Bahra Hasanovic’s son Senad was also one of the victims of the Tuzlanska Kapija attack. He was killed after he managed to escape from Srebrenica, which was occupied at the time. Her other son, Jasim, was unable to flee Srebrenica. He was killed in 1993.

“I neither sleep nor eat. The grief is getting bigger and bigger every day,” Hasanovic said.

Tuzla mayor Jasmin Imamovic spoke at the commemorative ceremony, and said the fact that only one person had been sentenced for the attack was shameful.

“It is shameful that Djukic was sentenced to only 20 years in prison. It is shameful that the Bosnian state court, despite being warned of the fact that he would flee, allowed him to leave the prison and thus failed to prevent his flight,” Imamovic said.

Actors from Tuzla’s national theater read the names of all the citizens of Tuzla who were killed from 1992 to 1995.

The following persons were killed at Tuzlanska Kapija on May 25, 1995: Suzan Abulismail (15), Edina Ahmetasevic (20), Elvis Alagic Enko (17), Admir Alispahic (24), Lejla Atikovic (14), Asmir Bakalovic (19), Adnan Beganovic (16), Damir Bojkic (27), Indira Boric (36), Ilvana Bosnjakovic (17), Elma Brguljak (20), Lejla Bucuk (16), Sanja Cajic (17), Selma Causevic (17), Amir Cekic (21), Samir Cirak (18), Almasa Cerimovic (19), Zada Dedic (20), Razija Djedovic (19), Amir Djapo (20), Suzana Djusic (14), Amir Djuzel (26), Muris Fatusic (15), Ago Hadzic (20), Hamdija Hakic (48), Senad Hasanovic (26), Semsa Hasicic (20), Alem Hidanovic (19), Nedim Hodzic (30), Hasan Hrustanovic (25), Adnan Hujdurovic Kindze (18), Elvira Huric (16), Almir Jahic Bato (18), Azur Joguncic (24), Sandro Kalesic (2), Franc Kantor (24), Damir Kurbasic (20), Vanja Kurbegovic (17), Vesna Kurtalic Veca (15), Sulejman Mehanovic (28), Pera Marinovic (37), Nenad Markovic Neso (19), Amira Mehinovic (21), Edin Mehmedovic (19), Edisa Memic (19), Adrijana Milic (17), Neset Mujanovic (20), Edin Mujabasic Mony (21), Samir Mujic (28), Elvir Murselovic (23), Saban Mustacevic (29), Dijana Ninic (20), Selma Nuhanovic (17), Indira Okanovic (16), Rusmir Ponjavic (20), Raif Rahmani (22), Fahrudin Ramic (34), Nedim Rekic (27), Jasminko Rosic (32), Nihad Sisic (19), Armin Sisic (19), Senahid Salamovic (25), Edhem Sarajlic (20), Jasminka Sarajlic (23), Asim Slijepcevic Asko (20), Savo Stjepanovic (25), Jelena Jezidzic Stojicic (44), Ilinka Tadic (53), Azur Vantic (19), Mustafa Vukovic (23), Adnan Zaimovic Garo (27).