Ribic survived a brutal attack by Serbian paramilitaries, who believed him dead and buried him with his family, but he escaped and was later saved by Serbian soldiers who refused to return him to his attackers.

The Ribic family had previously fled to Serbia to escape ethnic cleansing but returned to Bosnia, where they were ultimately killed in the Skocic massacre, a significant crime against the Roma during the Bosnian war.

The suffering of the Roma community during the war has been largely overlooked, with a recent study highlighting their persecution, and calls for justice remain unfulfilled, reflecting a historical pattern of neglect.

• In New Book, Massacre Survivor Gives Voice to Roma Loss During Bosnian War. In: Balkan Insight. 17.06.2026. https://balkaninsight.com/2026/07/17/in-new-book-massacre-survivor-gives-voice-to-roma-loss-during-bosnian-war/btj/