The International Roma Genocide Remembrance Day / Samudaripen, August 2nd, was solemnly marked this year with a commemoration at the Roma cemetery in Uštica near Jasenovac. The event was organized by the Croatian Romani Union “KALI SARA” and Member of Parliament Veljko Kajtazi.
Before the start of the program many guests, including representatives and presidents of the Roma National Minority Councils, representatives of state institutions and local government, members of the diplomatic corps and the Roma community from eight European countries, as well as many other interested individuals and organizations, laid wreaths at the memorial plate and paid their respects to the Roma victims.
Member of Parliament Veljko Kajtazi addressed the audience and began his speech by emphasizing that the construction of the Roma Memorial Center in Uštica is one of the greatest successes of the Roma community in Croatia. He thanked the members of the Croatian Romani Union “KALI SARA”, Roma National Minority Councils, and Roma representatives, pointing out that they represent the Romani core in Croatia, responsible for all joint successes. He thanked the Croatian Government and the Office for Human Rights and the Rights of National Minorities for their continuous support, as well as the Town of Novska and its community companies, the Municipality of Jasenovac, the Ministry of Interior, and all other institutions that have been supporting the successful commemoration for years.
As part of the ceremony, wreaths were laid by Roma representatives, led by Suzana Krčmar, the president of SRRH “KALI SARA”, as well as official envoys to the President of the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Parliament, and the Government of the Republic of Croatia, respectively, joined by the IHRA delegation. The laying of wreaths was preceded by religious ceremonies.
During the commemoration, guests from Italy, Santino and Genaro Spinelli, played the compositions Gjelem, gjelem and Spinelli’s original composition Murdevele. Edis Galushi, an actor and professor of English from Kosovo, performed a scene from his monodrama titled August 2nd, 1944.
The commemoration, which was also broadcast by Croatian Radiotelevision on its fourth channel, ended with the solemn opening of the Alley of Roma Victims, the Park of the Righteous, and the monument to Hajrija Imera Mihaljić, the only Roma woman declared “Righteous Among the Nations”. These sites are now part of the memorial area at the authentic location of the former Ustasha camp.
