Published: November 15, 1999
View the Original Newsletter: Iskra-46.pdf
About This Issue
Iskra No. 46 is a powerful and emotional issue dedicated to Vukovar, the city that became the heart of Croatia’s suffering and resilience. Published near the anniversary of the city’s fall, the issue reflects on the meaning of remembrance, justice, and dignity in post-war Croatia. It also celebrates the opening of the Croatian Embassy in Ottawa, marking a triumph of unity and perseverance among Croatians in Canada.
The issue blends sorrow with pride — mourning the losses of war while celebrating the milestones of independence and community achievement.
Editorial: Remembering the Fallen
Editor-in-Chief Valentina Krčmar opens her letter with reflections on Memorial Day and the Croatian defenders who gave their lives for freedom. She recalls listening to Siniša Glavašević’s haunting radio broadcasts from Vukovar, memories that still echo each year around mid-November.
“We live because of those who gave their lives. The only way we can thank them is to carry their memory within us and never forget their sacrifice.”
She dedicates this issue to Vukovar and its defenders, calling them heroes of our present, and also celebrates the success of the Ottawa Embassy opening — a lasting monument to Croatian unity abroad.
Feature: “Vukovar – How Long Must We Endure?”
One of the most moving pieces in this issue is an unsigned article about the painful reality of post-war Vukovar. The writer reflects on how little justice and dignity the city has received since its “peaceful reintegration.”
Despite the return of thousands of displaced residents, Vukovar remains scarred — not only physically, but morally. The author describes the horror of a white marble monument to Chetnik fighters erected near a Croatian cemetery, forcing survivors and families of the fallen to face their tormentors’ symbols every time they visit graves.
“They murdered our fathers and sons — and now we are told to respect their monument. How long must we live like this?”
The article questions how a nation can be asked to coexist with such injustice, criticizing international appeasement and the Croatian government’s passive stance toward Vukovar’s humiliation.
“How can a mother who lost everything walk past that monument? How can a Vukovar child grow up surrounded by the names of those who destroyed their home?”
This raw, emotional testimony captures the anguish of survivors and the unresolved moral wound that Vukovar represents.
National and Diaspora News
Alongside Vukovar’s reflections, the issue reports on:
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The grand opening of the Croatian Embassy in Ottawa — attended by Ambassador Andrija Jakovčević, dignitaries, and hundreds of proud Croatian-Canadians.
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The deteriorating health of President Franjo Tuđman, whose hospitalization raises concern across the nation.
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Updates from Croatian clubs across Ontario, including Hamilton, Mississauga, and Kitchener, showing the vitality of the diaspora.
Krčmar celebrates the embassy’s completion as “a monument to unity — built by ordinary people who gave what they could, and by a community that never lost faith.”
Reflections: Lessons from Vukovar
The issue closes with a deeply personal message: remembrance is not enough — action and truth must follow.
“If we allow monuments to killers and streets named after the JNA to remain, what message are we sending to our own people? Respect for our heroes must come first, or no one else will respect us.”
Through this emotional appeal, Iskra No. 46 urges readers to keep Vukovar’s memory alive — not just through tears, but through courage, unity, and the defense of truth.
