Written by: Dr. sc. Zilha Mastalić Košuta, research associate of the Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law, University of Sarajevo
The Day of Remembrance for the Murdered Children of Sarajevo in Sarajevo Canton is celebrated every May 9. In addition to the Day of Victory over Fascism, from May 9, 2009 to May 9, 2019, Sarajevo Canton commemorated the murdered children of Sarajevo in the part that was under siege in the period 1992-1995. On May 9, 2009, the Memorial to the murdered children of the besieged Sarajevo in 1992-1995 was opened. and then mayor Alija Behmen promised this opening on Victory Day over fascism.
In 2020, the Day of Remembrance of the Murdered Children of Sarajevo was celebrated on May 5. As of this year, it was decided that Memorial Day would no longer be May 9 and was replaced by May 5. This change was brought about by the Sarajevo Canton Government. The reason for this change is the explanation that it is necessary to designate a special day for the Day of Remembrance of the Murdered Children of Sarajevo, given that there are many events and activities on May 9 in the Canton of Sarajevo, especially around the celebration of Victory Day over Fascism. Representatives of the KS Government invited the Association of Parents of Murdered Children of Sarajevo 92-95. to express themselves about the change of Day by offering them the days between May 2 and 9, when Sarajevo Canton Days are celebrated. Of the days offered, the association determined that day to be May 5.
Apart from the victory over fascism, May 9 does not have a special specificity that would be associated with the murdered children of Sarajevo in the period 1992-1995. If we take a historical look at the crimes against children in that period, neither the Fifth nor the Ninth of May were chosen with a certain characteristic of reminding exactly what that Day is celebrated, i.e. to the murdered children of Sarajevo. By researching the events and murders of children in Sarajevo, there are two murders of children committed on May 9, 1992 - in Skenderija Street 56, Centar Municipality, the girl Nina Dedović was killed while playing and several children were wounded. On the same day, a girl, Zuhra Lingo, was killed in Kamenica Street 61h. Both were killed by a grenade. On May 5, there were no recorded child murders.
However, the determination of the Day of Remembrance for the Murdered Children of Sarajevo was not related to these crimes or any crimes against the children of Sarajevo in the period 1992-1995. The question arises whether in the Canton of Sarajevo, but also in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the dates of remembrance of the victims should be determined in this way? Can such determination of the date lead us to consequences that will be much more expressive in 10, 20 or more years, when questions arise as to why May 5th is the Day of Remembrance for the Murdered Children of Sarajevo if on May 5th we do not have, until now, any investigated murders children nor are there any characteristic features related to what he wants to remind? Is it realistic for the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina to determine the dates according to the activity calendar of the Sarajevo Canton and classify them, that is, "cram them" in the period from May 2 to 9 without specific specifics of what that day should have? What to answer to those from Bosnia and Herzegovina and to all others who ask why May 5 is commemorated as the Day of Remembrance for the Murdered Children of Sarajevo, and the logical question is: And what happened on May 5? How to explain to tourists, researchers and all others who are interested in the war history of Sarajevo in more detail. Can this work in the hands of those who attacked this city and kept it under siege?
On the other hand, there are a number of events that could be associated with the Day of Remembrance of the Murdered Children of Sarajevo. Remembrance Day can be linked to the first murders of children in Sarajevo and choose a common day with the association of the first victims. (Aida Zelić, wounded by a bullet on March 31, succumbed to the consequences of her wounds on April 5, Samir Mišić killed by a bullet on April 5, Nadir Skikić killed by a grenade on April 21, baby Belma Ćutuk killed in shelling of the maternity hospital on April 23, Midhat Zornić killed by a grenade on April 24 . of April). Therefore, the Day of Remembrance can be March 31, when the first child in Sarajevo was seriously wounded, and on April 5, he succumbed to his injuries. Or April 5, the day of the death of the first child, and the death of the boy Samir Mišić also happened on that day. A joint date in April could be chosen to commemorate the first victims of the siege.
Remembrance Day can also be associated with the date of the largest number of children killed in one day. Like on June 26, 1993, when seven people were killed, six of whom were children (Sanjin Rustenpašić, Sinanudin Šećerović, Belma Zijadić, Nihada Ćatić, Almir Poturić, Senad Pliska and an adult girl, Velida Muftić). A grenade was fired at the children playing from the position of the Sarajevo-Romania Corps of the Army of the Republika Srpska (SRK VRS). Or on January 22, 1994, when three grenades were fired at children sledding in Klare Cetkin Street in the municipality of Novi Grad by the SRK VRS. Then six children were killed (sisters Indira and Jasmina Brković, Admir Subašić, Nermin Rizvanović, Danijel Jurenić and Mirza Dedović).
Newly born babies were also targeted with grenades, and the "Zehra Muidović" maternity hospital was shelled on several occasions. The maternity hospital suffered the most severe and terrifying shelling on May 26-27, 1992, when due to heavy shelling there was a power outage in the incubator where there were three newborn babies who died. Memorial Day can be linked to this event and be May 26.
The Day of Remembrance of Murdered Children could also be associated with one day of the month when statistically the largest number of children were killed in Sarajevo, that was August 1992.
There are also legal international documents to which this Day can be linked, namely the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted on November 20, 1989 by the General Assembly. It entered into force on September 2, 1990. This Convention is of great importance, especially from a legal point of view, because it is a type of law, or rather a contract that legally binds all those who sign or ratify it.
The proposals listed here as possible dates for determining the Day of Remembrance for the Murdered Children of Satrajeva are based on the following criteria: 1. the first attack and wounding of a child 2. the first death of a child 3. the largest number of children killed in one day and in one place 4. the burned maternity hospital as a symbol births of life and death of babies 5th international documents on the rights of the child. In addition to these few highlights, there are a number of other dates that can be linked to the Day of Remembrance of the Murdered Children of Sarajevo, which would make a lot of sense to be more acceptable than the one officially chosen - May 5.
The Day of Remembrance of the Murdered Children of Sarajevo should be a date that is characteristic and refers to the crimes that took place in Sarajevo in the period 1992-1995. The criterion for determining the date of commemoration and commemoration of such and similar events from the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina must be tied to the historical events that determine what that Day commemorates. What does May 5th remind us about the murdered children of Sarajevo? Unfortunately, there are many choices in determining the Day of Remembrance for murdered children, not only in Sarajevo, but also in all other war-torn cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond.
On the other hand, there are persons and institutions that have been thoroughly researching such events and who need to be included and consulted when deciding on such events. At the Institute for Crime Research of the University of Sarajevo, there are researchers who have been researching topics from the war history of Bosnia and Herzegovina for years, publishing professional scientific articles and books, organizing roundtables and domestic and international conferences, and writing their master's and doctoral theses on these topics. Thanks to the previous results of the Institute, the names were also written on the "Memorial to the murdered children of Sarajevo" in the Great City Park in Sarajevo.
However, the Institute was not consulted nor was any expert opinion sought regarding the determination of the date that would be marked as the Day of Remembrance for the Murdered Children of Sarajevo. By not involving professional and competent persons and institutions in such processes, we will face, and are already facing, consequences that in such cases will be inevitable and devastating.