Croatia Marking the 32nd Anniversary of the Škabrnja Massacre
Numerous residents paid their respects to the fallen Croatian defenders and the slain citizens of Škabrnja by walking “step by step” with dignity and piety
By walking step by step in the Column of Remembrance and the laying of wreaths on Saturday, 18 November, 2023, honour and respect were paid to the victims of Škabrnja on the occasion of commemorating the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Homeland War and the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja.
In the Column of Remembrance, the multitude walked to the memorial monument at the cemetery of St. Luke, where the delegation of the Community of Associations of Croatian Civilian Victims of the Homeland War laid a joint wreath on behalf of all delegations.
At the beginning of today’s observance of the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja, at the commemorative ceremony, it was pointed out that a crime that was committed in Škabrnja on that day must never be forgotten.
The envoy of the President of the Republic of Croatia, the Vice-President of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and the Minister of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković, said that it is necessary to live in peace without forgetting the sacrifices made by Vukovar and Škabrnja and all those who lost their lives. “We shall remember it with particular gratitude, hoping that it never happens again. Thanks and eternal glory be to them,” Butković said.
Together with the bishop of Šibenik, Msgr. Tomislav Roglić, retired bishop Msgr. Anto Ivas, and many priests, the Archbishop of Zadar, Msgr. Milan Zgrablić, presided over the concelebrated Mass for all those who lost their lives in the Homeland War in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
During his homily, Archbishop Zgrablić said that Škabrnja is proud of its heroes and that their story should be a constant reminder of the importance of community, freedom, and peace. He added, “We pray to God in this Eucharistic celebration for all the souls that perished in Škabrnja, for all the souls of the veterans and civilians that died in Vukovar and in the Homeland War. We also pray for the families of all those who have been injured or gone missing.”
The families of the fallen servicemen and civilian victims, along with officials from all the associations established following the Homeland War, placed wreaths at the foot of the Central Cross at the memorial at the St. Luke local cemetery. After that, wreaths were also laid by the delegation of the President of the Republic of Croatia, led by the representative and Head of the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Orsat Miljanić, and the delegation of the Croatian Parliament, led by the representative of the President of the Croatian Parliament and representative in the Croatian Parliament, Ante Sanader. They were followed by a delegation of the Croatian Government headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and the Minister of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković. A member of that delegation was also the representative of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence, acting Secretary General in the Ministry of Defence Petar Barać, representatives of military units, the delegation of Zadar County, the Municipality of Škabrnja, and others.
The large number of people in attendance at the Škabrnja victims’ memorial clearly showed how important it is to preserve the memory of the Homeland War and its victims. On 18 November 32 years ago, 43 civilians and 15 Croatian defenders were murdered. After the war, mines and explosives claimed the lives of six locals. By the time the community was liberated in 1995 in Operation Storm, 86 people had been killed in Škabrnja. Children laid a rose for each victim as a memory of the sacrifice made while their names were read.
