MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD AT ST. MARK'S CHURCH IN BELGRADE FOR SERBS KILLED IN OPERATION STORM

BELGRADE, AUGUST 4 /SRNA/ - A memorial service was held at St. Mark's Church in Belgrade to mark the 31st anniversary of the pogrom against Serbs from Croatia during the Croatian Army and police's criminal Operation Storm, in which around 2,000 people were killed, and more than 200,000 were expelled from their ancestral homes.

In his sermon, Father Tomislav Krčmar said that today's prayer should bring comfort and that everyone should strive to do good deeds, following the example of the Lord. "If we act wrongly, it is difficult to expect good fruits. I wonder what someone who sows the seeds of persecution expects to reap, what mercy they expect?" Father Krčmar said. He stressed that, as Christians and Orthodox believers, Serbs should bring the seeds of peace to prayer. "Only in this way does this sad remembrance become a future, and thus a prayerful hope. We should all leave this service carrying the seeds of peace, faith and hope," Krčmar said. Following the memorial service, tribute was paid to the victims and wreaths were laid at the monument to Serb victims of the wars in the former Yugoslavia, including a wreath on behalf of the Republika Srpska Representative Office in Serbia. The Belgrade City Administration once again supported the organization of the commemoration this year. The memorial service, organized by the Suza Association of Families of the Killed and Missing, was attended by the families of those killed and expelled, members of parliament, representatives of Serbian government ministries, refugee and other Krajina associations, the Serbian Armed Forces, Commissioner for Refugees Nataša Stanisavljević, and Belgrade Mayor Aleksandar Šapić. The central commemoration of the Day of Remembrance for all Serbs killed and expelled in the Croatian-Muslim pogrom against Serbs from Republika Srpska Krajina and Republika Srpska in 1995 will be held in Mrkonjić Grad this evening. The commemoration is organized by the committees for the preservation of the tradition of liberation wars of the governments of Republika Srpska and Serbia. A Day of Mourning is being observed in Republika Srpska to mark the 31st anniversary of the suffering of Serbs in the Croatian military-police operation Storm, during which more than 1,904 Serbs were killed, and more than 220,000 were expelled from the areas of Banija, Lika, Kordun and northern Dalmatia.