Memorial marks anniversary of the Staro Gracko massacre of 14 Serb farmers
A memorial service was held in Staro Gracko, in central Kosovo, to mark the 9th anniversary of the killing of 14 Serb farmers killed while harvesting the crop in their fields.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Thursday, July 24, 2008
Nine years later, the perpetrators are yet to be brought to justice.
After the memorial, the head of the Serb Orthodox Church in Kosovo Bishop Artemije said that the massacre was a big blow to or the families and had also raised the issue of survival of the Serbs in the village.
"Those of you who stayed on won the biggest victory over our enemies, because had the villagers left then it would have been the biggest reward and joy for the criminals," said Artemije.
The head of Serbia's Coordination Center for Kosovo Zvonimir Stević said the organizer and perpetrators must be punished, and that the public should be informed about the full truth on the massacre, "which would provide the necessary prerequisites for the future coexistence of the Serbs and Albanians".
Stevic recalled that the bloodbath in which 14 Kosovo Serbs were murdered shortly after the arrival of the NATO forces in the province "was one of the most cruel crimes in a series of crimes committed against Serbs in Kosovo since the deployment of the UN mission and Kfor.
