A memorial service was held yesterday in the village of Čavaš, Popovo Polje, one of the largest execution sites of Serbs in this part of Herzegovina, for 101 residents of this village whom Croatian fascist troops Ustashas killed and threw into a pit 80 years ago.

The Mihićs, Miloševićs, Mijatovićs, and the Miletićs were among the Serb families killed on the occasion.

More than two-thirds of the residents of this village were killed then, and the parish priest of Ljubinje, Saša Kojović, served the memorial service next to the memorial ossuary in the presence of their descendants.

Kojović said that all the martyrs of Herzegovina, including the martyred population of this village, were included in the diptych of saints this year.

Šćepo Milić from this village, who lives in Canada, attends the memorial service for victims every year. In this crime, he says, he lost 14 members of his immediate family.

Vlajko Miletić says that it was a terrible crime when the village was destroyed, 101 of the 150 villagers were killed, that is, everyone that happened to be there.

“Both old and young, everyone was killed and thrown into the pit in the most ferocious way. My grandfather lost his wife and four children. Entire families perished,” said Miletić.