Korićanske Stijene Commemoration Urges Justice and Permanent Memorial

The annual commemoration of the Korićanske Stijene massacre reinforces court findings and reminds people of the truth. Seid Omerović, President of the Association of Camp Detainees in Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasized the need for institutional support. He noted growing youth interest in the event but also stressed the need for legal recognition for camp detainees and a permanent memorial at the site. Omerović warned that without these, the 224 victims risk becoming mere statistics. He believes spreading truth and justice is essential for a healthy state.

On August 21, 1992, Serbian forces, specifically Prijedor police, killed approximately 200 men at Korićanske Stijene on Vlašić mountain. Victims were taken from the Trnopolje camp and Tukovi. They were ordered out of buses, made to kneel at a cliff's edge, and then shot. Court rulings also confirm hand grenades were thrown onto their bodies.

Munevera Avdić, from the "Vrbanja" organization for war victims' families, highlighted the importance of continuing this commemoration across generations. She urged judicial institutions to resolve the issue of over 7,000 missing BiH citizens. Avdić also advocates for a permanent memorial at Korićanske Stijene.

Several organizations, including Udruženje logoraša “Prijedor ‘92” and Savez logoraša BiH, organized this year's event.

Darko Mrđa, a former Prijedor police officer, received a 17-year sentence from the Hague Tribunal for this crime. Ten Prijedor police officers also received long prison sentences from the BiH Court. Saša Zečević, Radoslav Knežević, and Marinko Ljepoja each got 23 years. Zoran Babić received 22 years. Milorad Škrbić and Dušan Janković got 21 years each. Other convicted officers received sentences ranging from 8 to 15 years.