Archive for straziste

Venice La Fenice Theatre to co-produce “The Bridge over the River Drina” opera

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , on March 27, 2013 by visegrad92

kult-andricgrad

Image: Superintendent of La Fenice Theatre Cristiano Chiarot, Emir Kusturica and Milorad Dodik.

On 26 March 2013,  the director of the La Fenice – Verdiana Theatre of Venice, Christian Chiarotto, signed a letter of intent for co-producing “The Bridge on the Drina River” opera in cooperation with Emir Kusturica. The opera is due to be played on 28 June 2014 in the newly built Andricgrad in Visegrad. 28 June marks St. Vitus Day in Serb Orthodox tradition marking the anniversary of the Kosovo battle in 1389.

 

This act by the La Fenice Theatre is problematic for several reasons:

 

  1. Cooperating with Emir Kusturica and Andricgrad under the blessing of RS President Milorad Dodik. Both figures are genocide deniers and have a record of criminal records.
  2. Andricgrad was built by Emir Kusturica and Republika Srpska partially on Bosniak land without the knowledge and approval of its rightful owners.
  3. The Visegrad Municipality has been terrorizing Bosniak returnees and denying Visegrad Bosniaks the right to build memorials for theirs victims. The latest case has been the Visegrad Municipality order to remove the genocide memorial at Straziste cemetery commemorating the victims of 1941-45 and 1992-95.
  4. Serb authorities in Visegrad have still not released the locations of mass graves where the estimated 600 missing Bosniaks from Visegrad are believed to be buried.
  5. All the mosques and other Islamic heritage in Visegrad were destroyed by Serb authorities. This heritage has been partially reconstructed by the Islamic Community without any help from the Serb authorities in Visegrad.
  6. Italian troops in World War Two have left a negative image of Italy and Italians among the Bosniak population due to their cooperation with the Serb fascist Chetnik forces. The Italian troops acted identically as to the Dutch UN in Srebrenica – in October 1943, the Italian troops surrendered the Visegrad enclave to the Chetniks and watched passively as thousands were massacred and the rest tried to flee over Mt. Sjemec towards Sarajevo.

 

Working with Kusturica and Dodik will bring more damage to La Fenice Theatre and Italy and any good. Instead it would be a good idea if representatives of the La Fenice Theatre along with the Visegrad Municipality representatives would visit Straziste cemetery and pay respect to the genocide victims buried there.

 

 

Visegrad Municipality plans to demolish genocide victim memorial

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , , , on February 28, 2013 by visegrad92

spomenik

On 21.02.2013., the Visegrad Municipality brought a decision to demolish the memorial for genocide victims in Straziste cemetery. This decision was brought in accordance with the decision of the Republika Srpska Ministry of Spatial Planning, Civil Enginnering and Ecology on 13.02.2013. brought a decision in which it turned down an appeal by the Islamic Community of Visegrad to the 2012 Visegrad Municipality decision to demolish the first monument for victims of
Visegrad genocide 1941-45 and 1992-95 located in Straziste cemetery in Visegrad.

The Straziste cemetery is vakuf land – property of the Islamic Community. According to BH State law, religious communities have autonomy over their property. Tearing down this monument is direct interference in the autonomy of the Islamic Community.

 

University of Graz honors Visegrad victims

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , on October 12, 2012 by visegrad92

The Institute for Slavic Studies, University of Graz posted on their website a press release and photo of the memorial at Straziste cemetery in Visegrad. In the press release, the Institute explains how the Institute director before the start of the symposium, laid flowers at the memorial on Straziste cemetery and how she  was forbidden to speak at the symposium.

We welcome the actions taken by the Institute and especially thank Prof. Dr. Renate Hasen-Kokorus for courage and defiance shown in Visegrad. 

Andric symposium concluded in Visegrad

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , on October 6, 2012 by visegrad92

From 4-6 Octonber 2012, a symposium titled “The Bridge over the river Drina” was held in the Culture hall in Visegrad. It was co-organized by the Institue for Slavic Studies, University of Graz and the Municipality of Visegrad. The offical website recommended Vilina Vlas(war-time rape motel for Bosniak women) as a hotel to stay for the guests. Eventhough it was firstly decided that Vilina Vlas should be the main hotel and sponsor of the symposium, after media pressure,  this was changed.

Protest letters to the Institute were ignored. Victim families and activists asked  representatives of the University to pay respect to Visegrad victims at Straziste cemetery. Letters written to Prof. Renate Kokorus and Prof. Branko Tosovic were ignored.

Prof. Kokorus  the day before the symposium, wrote to Mrs. Bakira Hasecic, president of “Women-victims of war”, clarifying certain issues about the symposium and informed her that she will visit Straziste cemetery and pay respects to Visegrad victims. At 8 o’clock on 4 October, Mrs. Kokorus layed flowers on the martyr monument on Straziste cemetery.

Prof. Branko Tosovic, who heads the Ivo Andric project at the Institute for Slavic studies at University of Graz, refused to pay respect to Visegrad genocide victims and ignored every single email sent to him.

Image: Prof. Branko Tosovic, refused to pay respect to Visegrad genocide victims. A disgrace to Institute for Slavic studies, University of Graz.

Višegradski Bošnjaci izbjegavaju kopanje šehida u mjestu zločina

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on March 19, 2012 by visegrad92

Pise: Avdo Huseinovic

Vojska Republike Srpske, pojačana dobrovoljcima iz Srbije i Rusije, malo gdje je koristila takve metode ubijanja i mučenja Bošnjaka kao u Višegradu od 1992. do 1995. godine. Masovna klanja, nabijanja na bajonet beba na Mostu Mehmed-paše Sokolovića, paljenja 150 civila, među kojima i tek rođenih bezimenih beba, masovna silovanja, ubijanja pa bacanja tijela u Drinu, prisiljavanja majki da otkupljuju svoju malodobnu djecu…

Sudbina Užica

Sve je to dio velikosrpskog genocidnog projekta u kojem je ubijeno oko 2.000 Bošnjaka ovog bisera na Drini, o čemu svjedoče i presude ratnim zločincima Milanu i Sredoju Lukiću, Željku Leleku, Mitru Vasiljeviću, Momiru Saviću, Bobanu Šimšiću, Nenadu Tanaskoviću…

Mnogi se danas plaše da Višegradu prijeti sudbina Užica, grada koji je imao 34 džamije i iz kojeg su zauvijek u drugoj polovini 19. stoljeća protjerani muslimani. Danas ništa u Užicu ne podsjeća da je to prije 150 godina bio grad s muslimanskim stanovništvem. Džamija nema, mezarja su odavno preorana, vakufska imovina oteta, gruntovne knjige uništene, a sjećanja izblijedjela. Od svega, na muslimane Užica, ponegdje u Bosni, samo podsjeća prezime Užičanin.

Hoće li se učestalom praksom da se ukop višegradskih žrtava ubijenih od 1992. do 1995. obavlja na mezarjima u Federaciji BiH Višegrađani odreći svoje babovine, tradicije, stoljetnih domova i tako u bližoj budućnosti ponoviti tragičnu sudbinu užičkih muslimana?

Udruženje građana “Ćuprija” je nosilac izgradnje budućeg Memorijalnog kompleksa Šehidsko mezarje Stražište, a projekt je već urađen i u narednim mjesecima ove godine započet će izgradnja ovog kompleksa. Plan je da se izgradi memorijalni centar kakav dolikuje šehidima, a posebnu težinu daje mu sama lokacija. Bit će to šehidsko mezarje u sklopu postojećeg mezarja, koje je najbliže Srbiji u gornjem Podrinju, a nalazi se pored samog magistralnog puta Užice – Višegrad.

Vidoje Andrić i Milan Lukić na otetom “passatu” ubijene porodice Zukić

Također, dio projekta sačinjava i izgradnja turbeta, na kojem će biti ispisana imena svih Višegrađana stradalih tokom agresije na BiH. Kako saznajemo, najveću prepreku kopanju višegradskih žrtava u mezarju Stražište stvaraju Višegrađani koji trenutno žive van Bosne i Hercegovine, a koji trebaju odlučiti o lokaciji ukopa svojih najbližih. Njihovo objašnjenje uglavnom glasi: “Neću da kopam svoje najbliže na četničkoj zemlji”.

Četnička pjesma

Posljednje subote ovog maja predviđeno je da u Stražištu budu obavljeni dženaza i ukop ekshumiranih višegradskih žrtava iz Perućca. Od 162 ekshumirane osobe, do sada je 30 porodica odlučilo da članove svojih porodica ukopa u Višegradu. Ostali su još neodlučni. Oko 40 NN tijela nije još identificirano, jer srodnici još nisu dali krv.

Prva ukopana žrtva u mezarju Stražište je Behija Zukić, žena koja je bila prva žrtva monstruma Milana Lukića. Ona i njen muž Džemail vratili su se iz Njemačke godinu prije agresije tek kupljenim “passatom” boje truhle višnje. U Višegradu su otvorili prodavnice i važili za jednu od imućnijih porodica. Zločinci Milan Lukić i Vidoje Andrić 19. maja 1992. ubili su Behiju, a Džemaila i sina Faruka odveli, dok su se kćerke uspjele spasiti. Posmrtni ostaci Džemaila i Faruka pronađeni su na lokalitetu Kurtalići i pokopani su prošle godine na Stražištu.

Oteti “passat” porodice Zukić kasnije će postati vozilo smrti kojim će po Višegradu divljati i u njega kupiti svoje žrtve monstrum Milan Lukić.

Rahmetli Behija je nabrzinu, zajedno s bračnim parom Sabitom i Sehijom Smajić, ukopana u Stražištu nekoliko dana nakon što je ubijena, a na dženazi se okupilo mnogo višegradskih Bošnjaka. Zbog četničkih bandi koje su tih dana započinjale svoj višegradski krvavi ples Behijin mezar je zbog brzine iskopa rake ostao iskrivljen. Dok je trajala Behijina dženaza, Lukić je u njenom otetom “passatu” zastao pored Stražišta, puštajući s kasetofona četničku pjesmu: “Muslimani crni mravi, došli su vam crni dani, nema Tita da vas brani”.

Pred kraj dženaze, na izlazu iz mezarja, pojavio se “tamić” iz kojeg su izašli četnici i počeli hapsiti ljude. Veliki dio njih uspio je pobjeći uzbrdo u šumu. Bio je to prvi javni lov na višegradske Bošnjake.

Među dosadašnjih 70, najmlađa bošnjačka žrtva ukopana u Stražištu je devetomjesečna beba Amela Ahmetspahić, koja je ubijena zajedno s majkom Medihom.

Behija i Džemail Zukić: Žrtve Milana Lukića 

- Kroz historiju, višegradski Bošnjaci su mnogo puta ubijani i bacani u Drinu. Prvi put smo sada, tokom pretrage Perućca, uspjeli pronaći njihove kosti. Do sada, nikada i nigdje nisu bile označene žrtve četničkih pokolja nad Bošnjacima Višegrada. Memorijalni centar Stražište bit će prvi spomenik u historiji koji će svjedočiti o stalnim, ponavljanim, četničkim genocidima. Ukop višegradskih žrtava u Stražištu prvenstveno je važan zbog historijskih razloga jer, ako u budućnosti u Višegradu ne bude grobova žrtava, to će, prije svega, koristiti velikosrpskoj propagandi – riječi su Hikmeta Karčića, aktiviste Udruženja “Ćuprija”.

Groblja su važna kao i staništa živih, jer nišani su nijemi svjedoci ubijenih Bošnjaka, a ako nema nišana i mezarja na mjestima zločina, onda će vrlo lako svoj prostor dobiti tvrdnja zločinaca – da zločina, ustvari, nije ni bilo.

To je naša babovina

Eso Hrustić je bez dvojbe odlučio svog oca Bešira ukopati u Višegradu.

- To što neki moji sugrađani govore da je to srpska zemlja i da zbog toga neće da svoje kopaju u Memorijalnom centru Stražište je neshvatljivo. To ne može nikada biti srpska zemlja, to je naša babovina. Mjesto rođenja. Roditelje ne biramo, to je Božije određenje. Moj rahmetli babo se rodio, živio i zločinačkom rukom ubijen u Dobrunu, i zato je moja životna želja da bude ukopan u Stražištu. Moja životna želja, od koje nikada neću odustati, jeste i da se vratimo u naš Višegrad. Ne mogu neke stvari da razumijem, izgleda da smo mi narod koji ništa ne zna o sebi, narod koji se izgubio. Ne možemo se tako olako odreći svog imetka. Gdje god u svijetu da živjeli, mi ćemo uvijek biti Bošnjaci iz Višegrada – kaže Hrustić.

Izvor: Dnevni Avaz, 18.03.2012.

Straziste Cemetery

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , on January 10, 2012 by visegrad92

Image: Straziste cemetery(Photo credits: Velija Hasanbegovic)

The Straziste cemetery is located in Visegrad on the left side of the main road towards Dobrun and Uzice.  It is the central Muslim cemetery in Visegrad. Judging by the old Ottoman tombstones, it can be said that Straziste is one of the oldest in Visegrad. It is a large cemetery – the perimeter is one kilometer long.  This cemetery is of great importance for Bosniaks for one more reason – the martyrs  of Visegrad are buried there.

Not all of the martyrs are buried in Straziste – some families decided not to bury there loved ones in Visegrad. Mainly because Visegrad is a Serb town today  and they do not wish to return to Visegrad anymore. Another reason is that in the years after the war, the Visegrad victim organization did not have a strong opinion on this matter nor did it understand the importance of burying the martyrs of Visegrad in Visegrad. As a result most of the victims were buried in Sarajevo, some in Gorazde and a few even in Visoko.

Today the opinion of some has changed and there are ideas that Straziste cemetery should be transformed into a memorial center for the genocide victims.

Building a memorial center for the victims would bring dignity back to them and satisfaction for the family members. Our hope is that Straziste would become the Potocari of Visegrad.

Image: Straziste cemetery (Photo credits: Berina Pekmezovic)

Safet(Jusuf) Smajlovic

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , on May 12, 2011 by visegrad92

Safet (Jusuf) Smajlovic

(1.7.1955. – 27.6. 1992)

Safet lived in Lasci near Visegradska banja. He worked as a mechanic in Garce, Visegrad.  He was last seen at the old railway station in Visegrad on 27.06.1992. with his family – his mother  Hajrija (Halima) Smajlović, his sons Senad (Safeta) Smajlović and  Kemal (Safeta) Smajlović and his wife Nesiba (Nesiba) Smajlović. The are all missing ever since.

* Safet’s body was retrieved from the Drina and buried in Slap. He was identified by DNA analysis and will be buried in Visegrad this year.

Ismeta Kurspahic survived!

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , on February 7, 2011 by visegrad92

Image: Ismeta Kurspahic

Ismeta Kurspahic (1960) was one of the members of the Kurspahic family  who was burned alive in Pionirska street massacre on 14.06.1992. This was a fact established by the Trial Chamber in the first instance judgment in the Milan and Sredoje Lukic case. However, last year DNA analysis proved that Ismeta was exhumed from a mass grave in Straziste cemetery in 2009.  Lukic’s defence quickly reacted to this new fact:

In the January 24 motion, Milan Lukic’s lawyers allege that Ismeta Kurspahic, who was found to have died in a house burning on Visegrad’s Pionirska Street, did not in fact “die in the manner and the place as alleged in the indictment, and as stated in the trial judgement”.

They state that the defence team received information from the Bosnian authorities – the details of which remain confidential – that show that Kurspahic “was alive after the date of the alleged Pionirska incident”. In addition, they say that her body was not discovered with other victims of the incident, and was located some distance from Pionirska Street.

“…[This] is strong evidence that in fact she did not perish in the manner concluded by the judgement, and thus the conclusions of guilt and sentence as to Pionirska are thus [a] discernible error,” the lawyers state.

This information was not available during the trial, which took place during 2008 and the first part of 2009, because Kurspahic’s remains were not exhumed until late 2009 and not identified until December 2010, the motion states.

Numerous witnesses named Kurspahic as one of the victims of the fire, but the Lukic defence claims that if this new evidence had been available during the proceedings, the judges would have found that those witnesses “were not witnesses of truth” as regards this incident.

Source: IWPR

Lukic’s defense was right about one thing: Ismeta Kursphaic was alive after 14.06.1992.

New evidence discovered by VGM shows that Ismeta was injured and treated at the Visegrad Health Center on 18.06.1992:

Image: Protocol of patients from the Visegrad Health Center dating 18.06.1992. Ismeta Kurspahic is noted under number 5473.

Under diagnosis the patient Ismeta Kurspahic was given the following medicine:

- Novalgetol ampula
- Jugocilin 2ml
- Gentamicin 120 mg
- Ultracorten ampula
She was given a lot of painkillers in large dozes. In the last column it is written that Ismeta was given injections and bandaged. Also it should be noted that a splint was found in the mass grave in Straziste were Ismeta was buried.
Image: The victim’s remains and a splint found at the Straziste cemetery.
Image: The mass grave in Straziste cemetery were Fadil Uzicanin, Aziz Hreljic and Ismeta Kurspahic were found.

Fadil Uzicanin-Aziz Hreljic

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , on December 19, 2010 by visegrad92

Image: Fadil Uzicanin, born 12.09.1955 in Visegrad.

Fadil Uzicanin was a Bosnain Army soldier who was missing in action during a battle in Holijaci on 30.04.1993.  His remains were exhumed  in October 2009 from Straziste cemetery in Visegrad. VGM wrote about the exhumation of 3 bodies in 2009. Fadil was 38 years old when he disappeared. How Fadil managed to end up from Holijaci(a settlement near Visegrad) to Straziste cemetery is still unknown. It is suspected that Fadil was injured in battle and caught by the Bosnain Serb Army.

Image: Aziz Hreljic

Aziz Hreljic born on 15.03.1940 in Visegrad, was 52 years old when he was abducted from his house in Visegrad on 22.06.1992.

There was also a third woman identified. We will write about her as soon as we get more information.

More:

+ Exhumation at mass grave in Straziste

Straziste mass grave – Part 2

Straziste Mass Grave-Part 2

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , , , on November 1, 2009 by visegrad92

strazisteA

Image: Straziste mass grave, Visegrad, Bosnia&Herzegovina.

This new mass grave was located in Straziste cemetery. The site was covered with garbage. Among the remains of Bosniak victims were roof tiles, rubbish and especially lime. Information about this mass grave was given by local Serbs: a dying Serb who was witness to the disposal of these bodies.

Read more about it here and see the Part 1 set of pictures here.

strazisteB

Image: Straziste mass grave, Visegrad, Bosnia&Herzegovina.

strazisteC

Image: Straziste mass grave, Visegrad, Bosnia&Herzegovina.

strazisteD

Image: Straziste mass grave, Visegrad, Bosnia&Herzegovina.

strazisteE

Image: Straziste mass grave, Visegrad, Bosnia&Herzegovina.

strazisteF

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