26th Anniversary of Victims in Uzdol


On the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, on September 14th, the parish of Uzdol, in the municipality of Prozor-Rama, celebrated another sad anniversary of the massacre of 29 Croat civilians and 12 HVO members. Mass was led by Msgr. Ilija Janjić, Bishop of Kotor.

The anniversary commemoration began with a brief reflection of the Cross, led by the son of this parish rev. Branko Juric. Representatives of the families of the victims, associations that came from the last war, the Croatian National Assembly, the Prozor-Rama Municipality, a delegation of the President of the Republic of Croatia, headed by General Milo Ćuk, a delegation of the Ministry of Veterans of the Republic of Croatia, delegation of 4th brigade from Split, and finally a delegation of the Armed Forces of BiH, laid wreaths and lit candles at the memorial centre.

Before the Holy Mass, led by Bishop of Kotor, Msgr. Ilija Janjić, the names of those killed in Uzdol and from this parish were read by rev. Branko. The parish priest, rev. Ivan Tomić, said in his greeting at the beginning of the Mass that one simply must love his homeland.

In his homily, Bishop Janjić mentioned that he was in Uzdol 12 years ago when he was called by the then parish priest rev. Milenko Džalto. He said he then felt it was a holy land; he felt that these mountains were the nature of God, which nurtured and domesticated people, and they had and still have their homes here today.

At the end of the mass, those present were greeted by Josip Prskalo, President of the Third Battalion Association, and Uzdol defenders.

Parish priest Tomić thanked the Municipality of Prozor-Rama, led by Mayor Dr. Jozo Ivančević, who with the parish hosted the anniversary.

At the end of the Mass, Bishop Janjić prayed for the dead at the Memorial Center.

It should be reminded that at the early dawn of September 14th 1993., members of the Independent Prozor Battalion of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, under the command of Enver Buza, raided the Križ, Zelenika and Rajići villages of Uzdol, killing 29 civilians - women, children and the elderly, and 12 members of the Rama Brigade of the HVO.