The Association for Social Research and Communications (UDIK) informs the public that on Sunday, October 25, 2015, will organize activity to mark the anniversary of the horrible crimes committed at Kazani pit where have been tortured, killed and dumped Serbs and Croats from Sarajevo. Half-hour activity will be carried out on the square fra Grga Martic in front of the Sacred Heart Cathedral at noon.
The aim of the activity is to remind the citizens of Sarajevo to this terrible crime committed by members of the 10th Mountain Brigade of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina under the command of Musan Topalovic Caco. Topalovic is considered responsible for the murder of Croatian and Serbian civilians in Sarajevo who have been tortured, killed and dumped in the pit in Kazani. During the previous exhumations at Kazani, 29 people’s remains were found. 14 soldiers of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina were sentenced to 10 months to six years in prison for the killings in Kazani. Topalovic was killed the day after his arrest while attempting to escape.
The city of Sarajevo has a political and moral responsibility of dealing with this crime and it is unworthy to deny or keep silent when it comes to this crime. Because of the oblivion and negation, the crime at Kazani seems even greater crime. City of Sarajevo is also a city of Bosniak’s victims during the siege and it should condescend to express the deepest respect for the victims. Attempt to justify this crime offends innocent victims.
We remind that in 2014 UDIK marked the anniversary of the crime committed at Kazani pit which was debated in the public but also opened up many issues related to this crime. In addition, UDIK’s activity was a big motivation for the civil society to begin actively seized of the matter of Kazani which UDIK seems optimistic when it comes to the process of genuine reconciliation and understanding this responsibility in Sarajevo.
The Association for Social Research and Communications (UDIK) helps post-Yugoslav societies to establish the rule of law and to accept the legacy of massive human rights violations in order to identify the criminal responsibility of perpetrators, to meet justice and prevent the repetition of such crimes. It is the affirmation of the value of an open civil society, with clearly defined priorities in terms of promotion and protection of human rights, as well as youth involvement in social and political processes through peace activism.
