DAY OF MOURNING IN REMEMBRANCE OF VICTIMS OF USTASHA GENOCIDE

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 27 /SRNA/ - Today is a Day of Mourning in Republika Srpska in remembrance of the victims of the Ustasha genocide committed against Serbs, Jews, and Roma in the Independent State of Croatia from 1941 to 1945.

The decision to proclaim the Day of Mourning was made by the Republika Srpska Government, which called on all republic authorities and organizations, local self-government bodies, public enterprises, institutions, and other organizations to lower flags to half-mast and adjust cultural and sports events, as well as television and radio programming, in accordance with the spirit of the day. A memorial service will be held at the Donja Gradina Memorial Area near Kozarska Dubica today for the victims of the Ustasha atrocities committed at the Jasenovac concentration camp. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the breakout of the last group of Jasenovac camp inmates and the closure of the infamous Jasenovac Concentration Camp. The breakout of the last group of camp inmates took place on April 22, 1945, with the aim of telling the entire world the horrifying truth about the atrocities committed within the Jasenovac Concentration Camp system and its largest execution site, Donja Gradina. The Jasenovac Concentration Camp was established in August 1941 and consisted of five camps. The village of Donja Gradina was incorporated into the camp system. The Ustasha forces used a ferry to transport inmates across the Sava River for execution at Donja Gradina. Today, the mass graves at Donja Gradina — 105 burial fields — bear witness to these crimes. According to the Donja Gradina Memorial Area, around 700,000 victims perished at the infamous Jasenovac concentration camp during World War II, including 500,000 Serbs, 40,000 Roma, 33,000 Jews, and 127,000 anti-fascists. Among the victims were also 20,000 children.