Letter to the Prime Minister of the RS, Dr Vladimir Lukic (Prot. no: 611/93 dated 25 February 1993)

ONCE AGAIN I MUST RAISE MY VOICE AGAINST THE LATEST CRIMES AGAINST CATHOLICS IN THE BOSANSKA GRADISKA MUNICIPALITY

Dear Sir!

I have recently been receiving especially alarming news from my parishes in Dolina and Bosanska Gradiska in the Bosanska Gradiska municipality. The remaining Catholics, who comprise one-third of the former Catholic population of this area and who have, despite the months long ordeal and abuse, remained in their homes, are now yearning for help and for some form of protection for their lives, honour and property.

Every day and night; armed uniformed persons enter the homes of Catholics, either individually or in gangs, and physically abuse the residents, often violently evicting the owners with the intention of moving in themselves.

Individual “heroes” actually go so far to rape women and girls. There have been several reports of these cases. The latest rape took place on the night between 16 & 17 of this month in the village of Gornja Dolina and the victim was an elderly lady, T.J. who is over 60 years old. The rapists were soldiers, she reported the account to their superiors. I am not aware of what they did regarding the matter. However, it appears nothing constructive was undertaken as only a few days later (19 February this year) another soldier attempted a similar crime in the same village against S.J. It is only thanks to coincidence that the crime was not carried out to the end.

A week earlier (9 February this year) in Bosanska Gradiska, two armed, uniformed persons broke into the convent and threatened the nuns (elderly) in a most abhorrent manner - and after two hours of orgying they left taking two gas cylinders with them. Even though they threatened that they would return, once the sisters reported the incident, these same people never returned. However, other unidentified persons did, which certainly disturbed the sisters as these people intended to violently move into the convent.

During the night between 8 & 9 of this month, the subsidiary church of “St Anthony’s” in the village of Micije, in the Simici parish, was mined and extensively damaged.

Once again during the night between 24 & 25 this month, the “Birth of the Virgin Mary” church in Catrnja in the Bosanska Gradiska parish, was razed to the ground. In November 1992, it had been mined and seriously damaged and since then had not been fit for use. This time other surrounding sacral buildings were also damaged!

All these unsavoury events against the Catholic faithful are conducted as well thought out actions with the aim of ethnically cleansing these regions of members of the Catholic Church, here, where they have lived for many a century and have during these most recent conflicts shown to be extremely peace loving neighbours towards all those around them. This is a well known fact to everyone in the civil and military authorities and has often enough been publicly announced.

Following these latest horrific crimes against the Catholics in this municipality - the abduction and merciless murder of an innocent priest, the parish priest in Nova Topola, Father Ratko Grgic, as well as the bestial attack by armed persons against our elderly nuns in the Nova Topola convent or the abduction and killing of a church committee member in Bosanska Gradiska, Mr Marijan Vistica, as well as some dozen other innocent Catholics, or the forceful expulsion of two-thirds of the Catholics which has taken place in the last year or so, or the latest “actions” either conducted self-willingly (or by orders!) are an evident continuation of the crimes against Catholics with the intention that they will continue as long as the Catholics remain here. We have often requested, both my community and I myself, as well as my deputies, parish priests, deans etc. for the protection of our rightless and unprotected people. Unfortunately, the local authorities cannot or do not wish to protect us - which is evident from previous practice.

Is there anyone who can effectively help these completely unprotected and helpless and blameless people. Can their lives and property be protected and are they allowed to have a dignified life? Is there anyone who can prevent the further intolerable oppression of Catholics in the Bosanska Gradiska municipality? Can you and will you, personally, or for that matter anyone in the government of the RS, listen to us?!

I cannot but once again raise my voice against the repeated crimes against my faithful and at the same time forward an appeal to you, Mr Karadzic and to all political figures and institutions which can effectively stop the heavy injustice against innocent Catholics - and others - in the Bosanska Gradiska municipality!

I still believe that reason and humanity will be victorious, at least amongst the most responsible persons of our peoples amongst whom, of course, you yourself may be found!

We all await your positive reply!

Respectfully yours!

Dr. Franjo Komarica,
Bishop of Banja Luka

c.c.
1. President of the RS, Dr R. Karadzic
2. President of the RS parliament, Mr M. Krajisnik
3. Commander 1^st Krajina Corps, Gen.-Colonel M. Talic
4. Papal Nunciature - Belgrade
5. Secretariat of the Bishops’ Conference B-H - Sarajevo
6. Secretariat of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference - Zagreb

Next: DO OUR ORTHODOX BROTHERS TRULY WISH TO DESTROY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THESE REGIONS?