Prijedor marks Day of White Armbands, demands monument for murdered children

In Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Day of White Armbands was observed on May 31, a somber commemoration of the 1992 decree that forced non-Serb residents to identify themselves with white flags and armbands. The central event honored the memory of over 3,000 non-Serb civilians killed, including 102 children, and renewed demands for a monument dedicated to the youngest victims of the war.

The commemoration began with a gathering at the proposed site for the monument in the Old Town, followed by a procession to the city square. There, 102 roses, each bearing the name of a child killed in the Prijedor region, were laid. Organizers from the civic initiative "Because it concerns me" stated that the day serves as an act of remembrance for victims of war crimes and a warning against the consequences of discrimination, persecution, and violence.

Fikret Bačić, speaking on behalf of the parents of murdered children, appealed again to local authorities for permission to build the monument. "We stand here with you every year with a white armband on our arm and repeat the request to erect a monument to the murdered children of Prijedor," Bačić said. "We have the support of people who come every year and the media that mark this date, but it has not been enough for the local authorities to issue a permit for the construction of the monument."

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We stand here with you every year with a white armband on our arm and repeat the request to erect a monument to the murdered children of Prijedor. We have the support of people who come every year and the media that mark this date, but it has not been enough for the local authorities to issue a permit for the construction of the monument.

Bačić directly addressed Prijedor Mayor Slobodan Javor, urging him to "take responsibility towards future generations and allow the permanent commemoration of the suffering of children." He questioned the narrative of the city's defense, asking, "Yesterday, representatives of the local authorities marked the Day of Defense of Prijedor, and no one mentioned the murdered children. What did they defend Prijedor from? Did they defend the city from my Nermina and Nermin?"

The Day of White Armbands has for years brought together survivors, families of the victims, human rights activists, and citizens from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. They pay tribute to the fallen and emphasize the need to confront the past and build a culture of remembrance based on facts and respect for all victims.

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Yesterday, representatives of the local authorities marked the Day of Defense of Prijedor, and no one mentioned the murdered children. What did they defend Prijedor from? Did they defend the city from my Nermina and Nermin?