The remains of two victims from the past war will be buried at a collective funeral in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The burial ceremony will take place on July 20 at the Kamičani Memorial Center in Kozarac. These victims were killed in 1992 in the Prijedor region, and their remains were recently discovered in mass graves.
The Institute for Missing Persons of BiH spokesperson, Emza Fazlić, confirmed that the remains belong to Ferid Sikirić and Izet Mešić. Ferid Sikirić, born in 1960 in Hambarine, Prijedor, was killed in 1992 in the Omarska camp. His remains were found in 1998 in the Hrastova Glavica mass grave and will be buried in Hambarine. Izet Mešić, born in 1960 in Prijedor, went missing in May 1992. His remains were unearthed in 2001 at the Jakarina Kos site and will be buried at the Skela cemetery.
According to Fazlić, the Šejkovača identification center still holds the remains of 220 victims from the Bosnian Krajina region, with 60 of them identified using DNA analysis. The remaining remains are currently undergoing identification processes at various stages.
The search for the remains of around 850 victims in the Krajina region is ongoing, with 500 of them still listed as missing in the Prijedor area. The identification and burial of these victims aim to provide closure to their families and commemorate their lives lost during the war.
The collective funeral serves as a somber reminder of the atrocities committed during the conflict. It brings together communities and provides an opportunity for remembrance, healing, and justice. The Kamičani Memorial Center holds a significant place in the collective memory of the war, serving as a symbol of the pain and suffering endured by the victims and their families.
Efforts to identify and properly bury the victims of the war continue to be of utmost importance. By laying these victims to rest, it offers a sense of closure for their loved ones and contributes to the healing process of the communities affected by the war.
The discovery and burial of these remains shed light on the dark chapter of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s history. It serves as a reminder of the need for justice, accountability, and continued efforts to find and identify the remaining missing persons from the war.
The Institute for Missing Persons of BiH, along with other organizations and institutions involved in this crucial work, are committed to ongoing efforts to locate, identify, and bring closure to the families impacted by the war. These collective funerals provide an opportunity to honor the memory of the victims, console the bereaved, and reinforce the importance of preserving the historical truth for future generations.
As Bosnia and Herzegovina moves forward, it remains essential to confront the past, acknowledge the suffering, and ensure that the victims are never forgotten. The process of accounting for the missing and providing a dignified burial is an essential step toward healing the wounds of the past, fostering reconciliation, and building a more peaceful future for all.
