Today, the Civil Alliance (GA) will form a Network of activists dealing with war crimes committed in Montenegro, among whom will be activists for human rights and transitional justice and family members of victims of war crimes.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Kaluđerski laz war crime, in which members of the Yugoslav Army (VJ) killed at least 15 Albanian civilians who, fleeing the war in Kosovo, tried to find salvation in Montenegro.
The GA said that even after a quarter of a century, responsibilities have not been determined and no conviction has been brought for that war crime that happened near Rožaj, in the village of Kaluđerski laz, when civilians, including children, women and the elderly, were killed.
"Although the murders were committed in several locations, the entire case is named after the village of Kaludjerski laz, where six people were killed on April 18, 1999," the statement said.
The first indictment, as stated by the GA, was filed in 2008, that is, nine years after that crime.
"Commander of the First Battalion of the Third Light Infantry Brigade of the Podgorica Corps of the Second Army of the VJ, Petar Strugar, along with seven other people, members of the Third Company of the First Battalion, was acquitted of responsibility after the first-instance verdict in the trial for the crime in Kaluđerski Laz before the High Court in Bijelo Polje," it says. in the statement.
As the GA said, appeals from the prosecution, as well as an appeal from the lawyers of the injured parties, were sent to the Court of Appeal.
The non-governmental organization (NGO) recalled that a year later the Court of Appeal issued a verdict rejecting the appeals as unfounded and confirming the acquittal of the High Court.
GA is organizing a commemoration of that war crime again this year, i.e. the laying of flowers in Kaluđerski Laz at ten o'clock.
After that, as said by that NGO, a commemoration will also be held in Novi Selo, Kosovo, at 12 o'clock, where the remains of some of the victims are located.
"A very important activity with which we will conclude this event is the meeting at which the Network of activists dealing with war crimes committed in Montenegro will be formed, among which activists for human rights and transitional justice, as well as family members of victims of war crimes, will be recognized." says the statement.
The GA said that the event is part of the "Culture of memory for a brighter future" project, which is supported through the regional project "EU support for building trust in the Western Balkans", with the financial support of the European Union.
The regional project is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.
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