Pupovac: The uprising in Serbia was legitimate, but crimes must not be silenced

In Srbu, on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the uprising against the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), President of the Serbian Democratic Party (SDSS) Milorad Pupovac addressed attendees at a gathering organized by the Serbian National Council (SNV) and the Association of Anti-Fascist Fighters and Anti-Fascists of the Republic of Croatia (SABA). Speaking in front of a crowd that included political figures, cultural representatives, and former leaders, Pupovac emphasized that the armed resistance launched by Serbs in Srbu and Drvar over 85 years ago was a legitimate act of defiance against the state terror of the NDH. He described the uprising as a justified response to the systematic persecution and extermination policies implemented by the Ustaše regime under the protection of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Pupovac detailed how the NDH, within its first hundred days of existence, enacted nearly 30 laws aimed at socially excluding, physically eliminating, and erasing the identities of Serbs, Jews, and Roma. According to him, none of these legal provisions recognized human rights, civil liberties, or minority protections. Instead, they established mechanisms for punishing individuals who opposed the regime, particularly those deemed politically progressive or anti-fascist among Croats. The laws were designed to uphold the so-called “honor” of the Croatian nation while systematically marginalizing and suppressing other groups. He further outlined the brutal methods employed by the NDH authorities during this period, including mass arrests, the establishment of concentration camps, execution sites, and the systematic killing of Serbs, Jews, Roma, and anti-fascist Croats. These acts of violence began as early as April 10, 1941, with the Ustaše using terror in all its most savage forms, intimidation, looting, arson, beatings, rape, and murder, as a means of enforcing racial, religious, ethnic, cultural, ideological, and philosophical divisions. Pupovac highlighted the massacre of approximately 500 women, girls, children, and elderly people in the area of Donji Lapac, which occurred at the beginning of July 1941. He stated that the Serbs of Srbu rose up against such state-sponsored terrorism, and according to historical theory and practice, their actions constituted a legitimate form of resistance. This perspective underscores the complex narrative surrounding the uprising, which is viewed both as a heroic stand against oppression and as a conflict marked by mutual atrocities. The speech also acknowledged the negative aspects of the uprising, particularly the retaliatory crimes committed by the rebels against civilian populations in Brotnja and Boricëvac. Pupovac noted that these acts of vengeance targeted both Croatian and Muslim communities, leaving behind destruction of homes and churches. He argued that remembering these events is essential for a complete understanding of the suffering caused by the Ustaše regime. Without acknowledging these darker chapters, he suggested, the collective memory of the horrors inflicted would remain morally incomplete. Before the main session, participants laid flowers at a partisan cemetery, symbolizing remembrance and respect for those who fought against fascism. Speakers included Anja Šimpraga, a parliamentary representative of SDSS and deputy president of SNV, and Juraj Krstulović, president of the association of anti-fascist fighters in the Split-Dalmatia County. Other notable attendees included Franjo Habulin, president of SABA; Zoran Pusić, president of the Anti-Fascist League of Croatia; Rajka Rađenović, representing the Council of the Serbian National Minority of the Zagreb County; former president Stipe Mesić; and Šime Mudrovčić, a member of the Sixth Lika Division. The event concluded with a tribute to the historical circumstances and legacy of the uprising, emphasizing its enduring significance in the region’s shared history.