05.10.2013.
Memorial Service for Jajinci Victims
The state commemorative ceremony dedicated to preserving the memory of tens of thousands of prison camp inmates brutally executed in the period from 1941 till the liberation of Belgrade in October 1944, was held at the Memorial Park "Jajinci" in Belgrade today, with full state and military honours. At the former execution site, where more than 60,000 people, mostly Serbs, Roma and Jews were killed in different ways during the three years of war, wreaths were laid by the Serbian President, Tomislav Nikolic, the diplomatic corps, the City of Belgrade, the surviving inmates and their descendants, representatives of associations of Roma and Jews and veterans' organizations.
The commemoration was attended by the Speaker of the National Assembly Nebojsa Stefanovic, Defence Minister Nebojsa Rodic, Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Diković, diplomatic, military and diplomatic representatives from more than forty states and many citizens.- The shooting site in Jajinci was the final destination for death row prisoners, especially from the notorious camps in Banjica, the Old fairgrounds, Gun depots and other prison camps in the former Yugoslavia, and those sentenced to death on summary conviction. This is a tragic place where the greatest number of people in all of Nazi-occupied Serbia were killed. Only a dozen of innocent prisoners managed to escape, and give evidence of crimes committed by occupiers in their madness – President Nikolic pointed out recalling that we owe it to our own and other victims to preserve the memory of their suffering as an eternal flame that will be burning in our hearts with the same fervour.
Nikolic pointed out that Serbs are peaceful, accurate, fair and righteous people, but today's generation, regardless of the errors of its predecessors, can not allow nationalist ambitions of a nation in its population expansion to be realised.- As Orthodox Christians, we love our close ones, our neighbours, and do not think of them bad, but the boundaries of that love are determined by threats to our lives and existence. United in order to survive, Serbia would not allow anyone to snatch any of its inalienable parts away from it. Serbia is not powerful enough to wage wars, but is smart enough to negotiate – the Serbian President said.
- It's hard to go forward with the huge burden of the past, even harder to forgive, but it is necessary in order to go forward. We must not forget that for the victims to have their peace, and not to repeat ever again – Nikolic warned adding that only the tireless efforts and passionate concern of responsible individuals, putting personal interest aside, will bring us on the path to which we aspire, and these are the preservation of the territorial integrity and a better life for all the citizens of Serbia.- On behalf of the innocent victims of the pogrom there would be appropriate, perhaps, be utter only these words: Long live Serbia! – President Nikolic said.
The gathering was also addressed by a former prisoner of the Banjica camp Ljubomir Zecevic.- Jajinci have always been and will continue to be an invaluable history classroom that keeps us abreast of the truth about the atrocities committed by the occupying forces in Serbia and about all crimes in previous wars – Zecevic said, noting that recidivism of Nazi-fascist ideology are splashing over the political stages in many countries in Europe, and even our country is not spared. He pointed out that only united anti-fascist and democratic public around the world can be embankment against severely criticizing right-wing and revenge seeking ones.
- Fascism never again – Zecevi said in several languages.
At the end of the event, the art programme titled "Sermon on Life and Death" was performed.
In Jajinci, on the occasion of marking the 20th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade, at the former execution site, a memorial park with a monument, erected on the site of the largest tomb on the firing range was opened. At the top of the monument there is the white dove as a symbol of peace.
