Milka Drljo's husband Andrija, son Ivan and seven other family members, including her brother-in-law and cousin, were killed 30 years ago in Trusina, near the central-Bosnian town of Konjic. Every anniversary is very difficult and emotional for her and she says every April 16th is the most difficult day of the year for her.

“Thirty years ago, I lost my husband and son and nine other Drljo family members. The husband was 46 years old, and the son was 22. Shells started falling, we were captured, so they kidnapped us in the house, and drove us out to shoot us. Ahmici and Trusina massacres happened on the same day, and Trusina is not mentioned at all as much as Ahmici crime is but a crime is a crime,” said Milka Drljo.

Wreaths and lit candles were laid at the memorial today. Wreaths were laid by family members, relatives, friends of the murdered, representatives of parties gathered around the Croat National Assembly (HNS) in BiH, and numerous other organizations and associations.

Marko Romic spoke about the importance of marking this anniversary in the village of Trusina, in front of the Association of Volunteers and Veterans of the Homeland War, where 15 civilians and members of the Croat Defence Council (HVO) were killed, saying that Trusina should be a reminder so that no crime should ever happen anywhere else.

“Today is the sad 30th anniversary of the crime that happened here. It’s important to preserve the memory of this crime so that it never happens anywhere else. We need to think about how to arrange our life and interpersonal relationships so that such evils never happen again,” said Romic.

Federation (FBiH) entity Parliament’s House of Peoples Speaker Tomislav Martinovic said that this is an unpunished crime, and called on the competent institutions to finally solve this case and find the perpetrators.

“I am using the opportunity to request, on behalf of the families of those killed and the victims, that competent institutions resolve this case, that they find the perpetrators so that the victims may rest in peace,” said Martinovic.

Trusina trials

on April 16, 1993, members of the Army of the Republic BiH killed 22 Croat inhabitants of that village, civilians and members of the Croat Defence Council. The crime took place in the morning hours of April 16, 1993, and it was committed by members of the special purpose unit “Zulfikar”.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced Edin Dzeko to 13, Rasema Handanovic to five and a half, and Mensur Memic to 10 years in prison for the said crime. Nedzad Hodzic was sentenced to 12 years and Nihad Bojadzic to 15 years in prison.

Dzevad Salcin and Senad Hakalovic were legally released from responsibility for the crimes.

Zulfikar Alispago was also accused of the crime in Trusina, but the trial was stopped due to his health condition.