The Zenica massacre happened on 19 April 1993, shortly after noon. Several shells fired from the Croatian Defence Council’s positions located in Putićevo village, about 16 km (9.9 mi) west of Zenica, killed 16 and injured over 50 civilians in a large crowd.[1][2]
| Zenica massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Croat–Bosniak War | |
| Location | Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Coordinates | 44°11′54″N 17°54′44″E / 44.19833°N 17.91222°E |
| Date | 19 April 1993 |
| Target | Bosniaks |
Attack type | Mass killing |
| Deaths | 16 |
| Injured | >50 |
| Perpetrators | Croatian Defence Council (HVO) |
| Motive | Anti-Bosniak sentiment |
Attack
editAt the time, there was significant commercial activity in the center of the city, with about two to three thousand men, women and children in the area ultimately hit by shells.[citation needed]
The exact number of shells fired at the center of Zenica is not known though estimates place the number at nine shells shot from the Croatian Defence Council’s howitzers.[3][4][5][6] A total of six shells hit the target, three series of two. The first attack began at about 12:10 local time, the second one with two shells at 12:24, and the final two shells at 12:29.[7]
Aftermath
editICTY charged HVO's general Tihomir Blaškić for the crime. There are two different claims about source of the fire: charge in the Blaškić process claims there were HVO's positions in Putićevo,[8] while defence claimed that shelling perpetrator were Serbian forces from mountain Vlašić.[8]
The Trial Chamber acquitted general Blaškić of all counts of the charges by which he was accused of the crime.[8]
Memorial park
edit
In order to remember the people killed after the crime of 19 April 1993, city square in Zenica became known as Stone Sleeper (translation of Kameni spavač, name of Mak Dizdar's work); it is a memorial park with large curved memorial sculpture with names of killed Zenicans, one fountain and memorial plate referring to Dizdar.[citation needed]
Also, the date of massacre is commemorated as a civilian victims' day of Bosnian War in Zenica.[9][10][11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Proces protiv Blaškića: Granatiranje Zenice
- ^ "Na današnji dan 1993. godine u centru Zenice ubijeno 16 civila". 19 April 2019.
- ^ "Foto: tužno sjećanje na masakr nad Zeničanima 19. aprila 1993". 19 April 2021.
- ^ "VIDEO Poginulo 15, ranjeno 50 civila: 23 godine od masakra u Zenici za koji niko nije odgovarao". nap.ba. 19 April 2016.
- ^ "Ratni 19. april 1993. – Masakr u Zenici". veterani.ba. 19 April 2019. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020.
- ^ "Izvršen masakr u Zenici". Historija.ba.
- ^ "IV. Attacks on Towns and Villages: Killings: 9. The Shelling of Zenica". www.icty.org. Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ^ a b c "Tužilac protiv Tihomira Blaškića". un.org. 3 March 2000. Archived from the original on 30 December 2003.
- ^ "Obilježen Dan civilnih žrtava rata Zenice". www.aa.com.tr.
- ^ "Obilježen Dan civilnih žrtava rata Grada Zenica". www.zenica.ba.
- ^ "Dan civilnih žrtava rata: U pripremi monografija ubijenih građana Zenice". Radio Sarajevo.
