MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR VICTIMS OF USTASHE TERROR IN TRNJAK AND DONJA DUBICA

ODŽAK/ŠAMAC, DECEMBER 7 /SRNA/ - A memorial service was held and wreaths were laid at a monument to 800 residents of the villages of Trnjak and Donja Dubica, 333 of whom were children under 15 years of age, in the federal municipality of Odžak, who were killed by the Ustashe in World War II.

The memorial service was held in the Memorial Church in Trnjak also for people killed in the past Defense Patriotic War – four from Trnjak and 29 from Donja Dubica. Representatives of the Municipality of Šamac, the Šamac Veterans' Organization and representatives of the Dubičani Natives' Association laid wreaths at the monument in Donja Dubica. The representative of the Dubičani Natives' Association Milan Stanišić, a war invalid, has said that he comes every year to pay his respects to a large number of victims from World War II, and pointed out that they should always meet and pay their respects to the victims. Milivoje Jelić from Donja Dubica, who was imprisoned in a camp at a school in Odžak during the past Defense Patriotic War, told SRNA that there were about 1,000 Serbs in the camp and that they were beaten every day. He says that he is satisfied that the Memorial Church was built, adding that it is also a sign of gratitude to his comrades, whom he remembers with sadness and who should never be forgotten. The president of the Šamac Veterans Organization Radovan Zoranović has said that this monument to the victims in Donja Dubica is a warning to future generations that they should preserve and nurture their traditions, that they should forgive, but never forget what happened. Savo Vujičić, who was the president of the construction committee for the construction of the Memorial Church dedicated to St. Apostle Paul in Trnjak and the author of the book "Trnjak", told SRNA that the construction of the Memorial Chapel was helped by the municipality of Šamac, residents of Trnjak and Donja Dubica who live in the Diaspora, but also residents of the surrounding municipalities, and numerous other donors. During World War II, 693 Serbs lived in Trnjak, 601 of whom, including 143 children, were killed on December 6 and 7, 1944. The remaining 92 villagers were not home at the time and thanks to that they survived. Around 30 Serbs live at present in the villages of Struke, Trnjak and Donja Dubica in the FBiH.