23 Years Since the Goraždevac Massacre: Serbian Children Executed in Broad Daylight — Still No Justice
On 13 August 2003, a group of Serbian children and teenagers from the enclave of Goraždevac were swimming and playing on the banks of the Bistrica River, just a few kilometres from Peć in Kosovo and Metohija. It was a hot summer day. Without warning, unknown attackers opened fire from the bushes with automatic weapons — most likely Kalashnikovs — firing a total of 87 rounds into the group of roughly 28–50 young people.
Nineteen-year-old Ivan Jovović was killed instantly. Twelve-year-old Pantelija “Panto” Dakić died of his wounds in hospital. Four others were seriously injured: Bogdan Bukumirić (14, hit by seven bullets), Marko Bogićević (12), Dragana Srbljak (13), and Đorđe Ugrenović (20). Survivors have described the attack as an execution in broad daylight. One recalled thinking the first shots were firecrackers from a nearby barbecue; within seconds, children were falling, bleeding, and screaming.
UNMIK Police Commissioner Stefan Feller and UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri publicly promised they would “turn over every stone” to find the killers. Approximately 75 witnesses were interviewed and around 100 houses searched. A reward was offered. Early reports pointed toward the nearby Albanian village of Zahač as the direction of the attack. Some families later said they heard names of possible perpetrators circulating in the area. Yet no suspects were ever formally identified or charged.
By 2010–2011 the investigation was closed by EULEX for “lack of evidence.” In 2018 the case files were handed over to Kosovo institutions. Twenty-three years later, there are still no indictments, no trials, and no accountability. Survivors continue to live with permanent physical injuries and deep psychological trauma. Bogdan Bukumirić has said he believes someone is shielding the perpetrators and that the wound in his soul has never healed. Dragana Srbljak has spoken of lifelong mobility problems and shattered dreams.
This was one of the most brazen ethnically motivated attacks on Serb civilians after the arrival of international forces in 1999. It occurred amid reports of planned Serb refugee returns to the area. The international community condemned the crime at the time, yet the complete failure to deliver justice stands as a lasting indictment of both the initial investigation and the subsequent transfer of responsibility.
Seven months after the massacre, large-scale riots by Kosovo Albanians erupted in March 2004, during which 35 Serbian churches were destroyed, many houses were burned, and 4000 Serbs were expelled from their homes. The lack of punishment for the crimes encouraged further violence.
The blood of Ivan and Panto, and the suffering of the wounded children, still cry out for truth. After 23 years of empty promises and closed files, the perpetrators remain free. Justice delayed this long is justice denied.
#Goraždevac #BistricaMassacre #JusticeForIvanAndPanto #Kosovo #UnpunishedCrimes
БАНДО ЈЕДНА НЕОПЈЕВАНА!!!
На дан када се сваки Србин широм свијета са тугом присјећа стравичних призора из злочиначке војне акције „Олуја“ у Хрватској, Влада Црне Горе је одлучила да пошаље представника на ПРОСЛАВУ тог стравичног догађаја у Книн.
Има ли дна? Имате ли образа, бандо неопјевана? Има ли једног јединог човјека у вашим редовима да каже: „Па немојте, људи, да славимо протјеривање 200.000 страдалника са својих огњишта“?
Пуна су вам уста Срба када се приближе избори. Тада сте одједном сви Срби, тада се не може прићи црквама од вас и вашег моралисања, а заправо у свима вама чучи мали стидљиви усташа. Не знам шта више да кажем, јер овакве људе човјек не може ни увриједити - они образа стида и немају.
Вјечна слава измученом српском народу који је пострадао у „Олуји“, посебно дјечици која су убијана у избјегличкој колони, са играчкама у рукама, а црногорској Влади - вјечна срамота.
НЕЋЕМО ВАМ ОВО ЗАБОРАВИТИ!
Uoči obeležavanja trideset jedne godine od hrvatske operacije "Oluja", porodice nestalih poručuju - vratite nam naše najmilije, predugo čekamo. U toj vojno-policijskoj akciji ubijeno je ili nestalo oko 2.000, a proterano više od 220.000 Srba. https://t.co/PVDR0Jcn4v #rtsvesti
Republika Srpska Memorial Center site is live - I am shocked I didn’t know about this. The documentation of Serbian suffering is overwhelming. I’ve been reading and watching for 3 hours now. Please share. 🙏🏼☦️
https://t.co/ghu9xG4mzE
Miroslav Filipovic was a croatian Franciscan priest and an ustasa military chaplain who committed horrific atrocities at the Jasenovac concentration camp during world war 2.
~ Данас је Национални дан сећања на жртве Холокауста.
Дан сећања за нас Србе на Јасеновац, Градишку, Јадовно. Дан сећања на све оне који се и даље налазе бетонирани испод меморијалног центра Јасеновац. И такође дан да се сетимо свих оних који покушавају то сећање да угасе.
Њима у инат сетимо се само једне чињенице и питајмо их увек:
"Аушвиц је имао површину 40 км2, а Јасеновац 240км2. Шест пута више.
Зашто?"
Почивајте у миру.
Today is Remembrance Day of the victims of the Croatian Ustasha genocide in #Jasenovac where in the period from 1941. to 1945. more than 700 000 people, mostly Serbs, but also Jews, Roma and others, were brutally murdered.
Never forget!
Свети Николај код Такера Карлсона
У недавном гостовању у једном од најугледнијих и најпознатијих подкаста на свету, оног који води амерички новинар Такер Карлсон, свештеник Џосаја Тренам је говорио неколико минута о Светом Николају Охридском и Жичком, једном од највећих
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🇷🇸🇪🇺BREAKING: EU Leaders Refused to Attend Memorial for Massacres of Serbs and Jews in WWII Committed by Croatian Nazis!
Today, Serbs gathered in Donja Gradina (Republika Srpska) to honor the memory of more than 800,000 Serbs and Jews who were brutally killed in concentration camps and in their own homes by Croatian Nazis, known as the Ustaše.
Representatives from the United States and Israel attended the commemoration.
EU leaders were also invited, but they refused to participate