Mostar, September 20, 1997 (IKA) — Bishop Ratko Perić of Mostar, Vicar Luka Pavlović and Don Željko Majić visited the hospital in Mostar on the morning of September 19 following the explosion of a car bomb in that city. They spoke with the director of the hospital, Dr. Zoran Antunović , who informed them about assistance provided to the wounded. After visiting the bomb victims, the bishop and his colleagues visited the site of the explosion, where they were informed of the consequences by the chief of the Mostar Police Force, Jadranko Lovrić.
The Diocesan Ordinariate of Mostar issued the following statement, signed by Don Luka Pavlović:
“The terrible explosion that struck part of the city of Mostar shortly before midnight of last night, September 18, had very serious spiritual and material consequences: twenty-nine persons were wounded, some seriously, fifty-six apartments were destroyed and one hundred twenty seriously damaged. A hundred automobiles were either destroyed or damaged, and there was severe damage to the neighboring hospital, the police station and a neighboring school building. Thousands of persons have been profoundly agitated. The rectory and Chapel of St. John on Split Street were severely damaged. In this tragic event, about which we still do not know the final outcome, thank God, not a single person was killed.
Although we in this city have had more than our share of undesirable and inevitable incidents as a consequence of the war, this terrible explosion reminded us again of the war years, when we had almost become accustomed to daily detonations and deaths. This explosion jeopardizes human hopes that various human agreements have brought peace to this city, that the recent municipal elections will be a landmark in finding a healthy solution for the administration of the city and its inhabitants. and that people have begun to live without fear, on the level of human dignity, desiring honest work and peaceful sleep. We extend our sympathy to all who have been affected by this unexpected destruction. This deliberately set explosion, that created a large crater and damaged everything surrounding it, betrays the ruthless character of the perpetrator of this attack against the city of Mostar.
The local Catholic Church, via its diocesan Caritas and the parishes of Mostar, in cooperation with those responsible in the city, wants to meet with those who have been the most afflicted and those who are in the greatest need, in order to help make their lives normal as soon as possible. As we pray to God to comfort the wounded and the distressed, we urge those responsible in the city to use all legal means to protect the inhabitants of Mostar from similar crimes.”