Report from the Conference - THE OMARSKA MEMORIAL DEBATE

Notification from the conference in Banja Luka

Roughly translated from a posting on the Kozarac forum at http://kozarac.ba - please add any better translations in the comments below

31.11-1.12.2005 was held a conference with regard to a memorial centre in Omarska relating to memories of events that took place in the Omarska camp between 24.5.1992 and the end of August 1992.

Nusreta Sivac spoke about events that took place in the camp, sentences handed down at the Hague tribunal, and how many perpetrators of Omarska and Prijedor have been indicted and how many are waiting for verdicts.

Muharem Murselovic spoke of his experiences and what he saw in the camp, and Rezak Hukanovic told the story of his experiences in the White House alongside his under-age son.

Emsuda Mujagic spoke on behalf of "Through Heart to Peace", an organisation that since 1999 has been organising an annual conference in Kozarac and visiting the former camps of Omarska, Trnopolje and Keraterm every May - visits that have become a tradition.

Afterwards the project's ideas resulting from 6 months work by 4 groups were presented:

An in-principle solution was presented, which is not finalised but has been worked up over the last 6 months by the 4 working groups. This is to do with the area around the White House as a central place where the most horrific crimes were committed. This idea will be changeable once more people get involved - i.e. survivors and the families of the missing, which will be facilitated.
A presentation regarding access to the memorial centre.
The safety of the area and the memorial centre itself in which the project will be implemented will involve representatives of Mittal and survivors. But also this suggestion is left open for better suggestions on security in terms of the memorial. Other former buildings of the camp were not discussed, but left for some other time.
The next step will be the implementation of the solution. It will be made possible for those who want to get involved to do so, and for the diaspora to do so over the internet, and for all other interested parties to contribute in a positive manner and join with the local organisations in Prijedor.
at the beginning of the next year a committee will be founded with several members that will lead the building of the memorial centre, and later on it will manage it. The committee will have a Mittal member because the entire construction of the memorial is to be funded by them.
Religious leaders will be invited to contribute and other individuals to play a part in this project.

Useful Links

Na Bosanskom

Background

The Memorial Project

The Debate

Notification from the conference in Banja Luka