The 32nd anniversary of the dissolution of the “Museum” camp in Jablanica was marked

On Sunday, the Croatian Association of Homeland War Prisoners in Herzegovina-Neretva County (HNŽ) marked the 32nd anniversary of the dissolution of the “Museum” camp in Jablanica.

The commemoration was attended by former prisoners, their family members and members of the HNŽ Prisoners’ Association, representatives of associations stemming from the Homeland War, as well as representatives of Croatian political parties.

The commemoration began with the laying of wreaths and the lighting of candles in front of the “Museum” for all dead and deceased camp inmates, after which a holy mass was celebrated in the parish church in Jablanica.

Željko Mikulić, head of the Croatian Association of Homeland War Detainees in HNŽ, said that March 1, 1994 marked the end of imprisonment for many Croatian inmates and one of the most difficult periods during the war, when the exchange of detainees was carried out with the mediation of international organizations.

The Association points out that the commemoration of the anniversary is also an opportunity to preserve the culture of memory and testimony about the suffering of camp detainees, by recalling the conditions in which they lived and the experiences of forced labor, abuse and inhumane living conditions.

Mikulić recalled that over 600 veterans and civilians from the area of ​​Jablanica and surrounding towns passed through the “Museum” camp.

According to him, 88 members of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO), as well as more than 70 children, old men and women, were captured in the camp. The youngest child imprisoned there was only 28 days old, he said.

According to him, it is indisputable that the “Musej” camp was a camp for Croats because there are court verdicts in which the commission of war crimes has been confirmed, while some of those responsible have not yet been prosecuted.

The “Museum” camp in Jablanica was formed by order of the wartime Presidency of the municipality of Jablanica on April 15, 1993, when Croats were arrested and brought to the camp without any explanation of the reasons for their imprisonment.