President Milanović in Kusonje: Croatia Was Defended by a Small Number of Brave People
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended a commemoration marking the 29th anniversary of the massacre of Croatian defenders in Kusonje. After laying a joint wreath in front of the Chapel of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kusonje, President Milanović said that Croatia had demonstrated magnanimity during the Homeland War.
“Dear families of the fallen and killed Croatian defenders, it’s not the same to die in battle, even in an armed insurrection against one’s own homeland, but to kill prisoners is not and must not be permitted. It’s not the same. The Croatian State, in this last war and actually the only war of our and my generation, has demonstrated magnanimity. “There were mistakes, but there was also magnanimity in adopting the Amnesty Act because all those who had taken part in the insurrection against Croatia but had not committed war crimes were pardoned, and that was a lot of people,” President Milanović noted.
“This country has always owed its freedom to a small number of people”, he underlined and added that a small number of people with arms fought for Croatia. “These men were caught in an ambush, were surrounded and shot at, and when forced to surrender, those who survived were tortured and killed”, the President stated. He added that under the Amnesty Act those who shot were covered by the amnesty, while those who tortured were not. “That is magnanimous. That is a huge concession, not everyone does that. Perhaps our citizens are less aware of that. Perhaps they’re less aware of this crime in Kusonje, which was one of the first traumatic events of this kind in our war”, President Milanović said. “This is where the real war broke out, when it became clear that there is no going back, that there is no going forward, that we are where we are, and that we must wish to go forward. At that moment going forward seemed a remote possibility and that is why we owe it to a small number of brave people. It came at a high cost”, he added.
President Milanović talked about the regions in Croatia that had seen the war, and said that as a rule there are more houses than people. “Houses are being sold, and no one wonders why. And when we pass through Novska, which once had many more inhabitants, regardless of faith and nationality, yet today there is practically no one”. “Had there not been a war, had there not been an aggression and attacks against Croatia, it wouldn’t look like that. It’s not because we’re poor, stupid or unorganized and that we don’t know how to lead our country, but because that war has changed and destroyed much more than what we can see at this moment. Croatia has paid a huge price”, the President noted.
“As a State we have demonstrated great magnanimity and this is taken for granted, as something normal”, he underlined. “The pardon and the decision not to prosecute most of those who took up arms against the Croatian State, not everyone can do that. That was not a position of force, that position was weaker but morally stronger. That’s why the moral strength of this place is that it will always remind future generations of Croatian people, soldiers and police officers that this country, our Croatia, was saved and made possible by a very small number of people with arms in their hands. And this always comes at a high cost, this is something that should be repeated on and on. Someone will be proud of this, like myself and most people, and others just have to realize this fact”, President Milanović stated.
“Eternal glory and gratitude to all those who have fallen and those who were killed! Justice will once be served. Prosecuting authorities don’t take this lightly, but sometimes it’s hard or practically impossible to substantiate things after so many years. Croatian judicial authorities don’t protect the perpetrators of these crimes. A lot of time has passed and I’m sure that this Government will do all it can, primarily for your sake but for its own as well. And we should hope that it will be successful,” President MIlanović said in concluding his address at the commemoration marking the 29th anniversary of the massacre of Croatian defenders in Kusonje.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dražen Volarić