By Mark Plavetic
November 18th and the 20th are days of painful memories for Croatians around the world where 33 years ago Vukovar, a port city on the edge of Danube in the Srijem region in Slavonia, was captured by the JNA and Serbian paramilitary forces comprised of Chetnik extremists. At least 1,739 people were killed, mainly civilians and 2,500 wounded, over 22,000 non-Serbs forcefully displaced and more than 1,700 are still missing during the 87-day siege which started a bloody war that will test the Croatian resilience for independence.
On November 18, the memory of the dead is still commemorated by at least 120,000 people from across Croatia and around the Croatian diaspora who marched in a precession through Vukovar from the National Memorial Hospital “Dr. Juraj Njavro” to the Memorial Cemetery of the Victims of the Homeland War. Mass was held at the Chapel of Christ the Martyr King by the Vukovar parish of St. Filip and Jakov where Archbishop of Đakovo-Osijek Djuro Hranić, where he gave a beautiful sermon about Croatia’s recognition in the international community as a light from Christ not failing his children in the face of despair.
During the procession when there were at least 2,717 young people in attendance to the procession and wore white T-shirts with the names of the Vukovar defenders and civilians who were killed. The last commander of the Vukovar defense, Branko Borković, was amazed to see the huge turnout of young Croats joining the march. He said “It is very important to us because we want the story of Vukovar from 1991 to be passed on to the younger generations.
The mayor of Vukovar, Ivan Penava, also commended on the young Croats in an emotional speech, “each year there are fewer participants from the Homeland War, but what comforts us is the increasing number of young people on the streets of Vukovar. This proves that the memory of Vukovar is alive and has been successfully passed on to younger generations, giving us hope for a better future.”
These words from Mayor Penava and Borković truly speak about the patriotism, faith, and love for the Croatian homeland that the young people still cherish. Many children during the siege of Vukovar were forced to shelter into basements and sellers of the homes with family members due to the bombing all over the city. Now, children are seen walking the streets with Croatian flag draped around their backs and holding red lanterns on window stools. All these gifts would have been lost if it weren’t for the Croatian defenders and their resilience against overwhelming odds. These images of hope along with the images of war and suffering resonate with the great progress Vukovar has made since its tumultuous siege. These images of young people serve as symbols of hope for the Croatian and resilience and determination along with the most prominent symbol of the war the Vukovarski vodotoranj (Vukovar Water Tower).
During the start of the siege on August 25, 1991, at least 10,000 shells were reported to have stuck the city of Vukovar along thousands of homes, churches and religious buildings and public schools were targeted. During Ambassador Herbet Okun’s visit to Vukovar on November 19, he commented that the city was “completely shattered” and resembled like Stalingrad from World War II, hence the term used by historians as Croatian Stalingrad. Whether this is true or not, one can’t deny that the devastation left on Vukovar by the JNA artillery destroyed the city and in complete ruins. Serbian nationalists called this murderous campaign a liberation, but all they have claimed was a pile of ruined homes, lives shattered, and evidence to the world of Milošević’s unjust and monstrous war machine.
According to Ante Nazor’s book The Croatian War for Independence, the number of Croatian armed defenders did not exceed at least 1,800 to 2,000 which included policemen, National Guardsmen, and volunteers from various parts of Croatia. JNA forces during the siege had at least 37,600 troops, 670 tanks, and Serbian territorial defense units numbering 9,582.
After 87 days the Croatian defenders surrendered the city of Vukovar on November 18 and Borovo Naselje (Vukovar Borough) surrendered on November 20 to the JNA. At least 1,739 people were killed mainly civilians and 2,500 wounded, and over 22,000 non-Serbs forcefully displaced and more than 1,700. At least 2,792 people were taken prisoner in Vukovar in 1991 and tortured and taken to concentration camps in Serbia and various occupied areas near Vukovar. On November 20th at least 266 people including hospital staff and patients were taken from the Vukovar Hospital and massacred in Ovčara farm and various locations near Vukovar where the youngest victim was 16 years old and the oldest was 76 years old. During the same day when Vukovar fell, another massacre occurred where at least 48 people were reported killed in the village of Skabrnja near Zadar by JNA forces.
The Remembrance Day for the Victims of Vukovar was declared a national holiday on November 18,1999, by the Croatian Sabor and since then crowds through Croatia march in a procession to honor the fallen defenders and civilians. Each year the marchers are getting younger, and families are becoming larger. Mothers like Zeljka Mitrovic Juric have raised the voices of her experiences witnessing the atrocities committed by the JNA when she was six years old and her image crying in a light blue coat after witnessing her friend being murdered by JNA soldiers has served as powerful images of the effects of war. Now 34 years, she is mother with a daughter she among many mothers are dedicated in sharing her story with her memoir, Moja rijeka suza, to show her child and future generations how Croatia was formed and how freedom was created.
These images of children including oral history of the destruction the artillery brought to the city are seen as testimonies of brutality that resulted to the Croatian Homeland War. They still serve to educate young Croatians and Croatians in the diaspora how the Croatia forged its independence. Although Vukovar fell along with Vinkovci and Bogdanovci, the city’s fall resembled Croatia’s willingness to defend itself until death which slowed the momentum of the JNA from gaining more territories. The defenders, including the many heroes, including war correspondent Siniša Glavašević, Dr. Vesna Bosanac, and Croatian commander Blago Zadro, are remembered by their selfless courage and sacrifice for Croatia to buy time to rearm itself throughout the region and reform their armed forces. Vukovar’s fall also brought Croatia’s independence to be internationally recognized by many countries, including the United States. May Croatia continue to protect the next generation and preserve its memory of resilience with hope and optimism.
Photo: Mate Capin
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