Borovac – destroyed Bosniak village

Image: Bosnian Muslim village Borovac in Visegrad, torched and destroyed by Bosnian Serb Army 1992. Pictures by Elvis Komic©

Barimo massacre victims

We earlier wrote about the Barimo massacre which occured in August 1992 in Visegrad. Barimo is a village in the Visegrad municipality. In August 1992, Bosnian Serb Army attacked Barimo which was inhabited mostly by elderly people, while the rest were hiding in forests or managed to escape to free territory. At least 26 Bosnian Muslim men, women along with a few children were massacred in their homes or executed and buried in a mass grave on the river banks of the Drina.

Image: A monument built by family members commemorating the massacre.

Image: Ćamila Beha, 1941, wife of Bego Beha

Image: Hadžira Bosankić, 1913

Image: Hanka Halilović, 1900, murdered while she was praying.

Image: Muša Bosankić, 1940

Image: Sabaheta (Bege) Beha, 1968

Image: Hidajeta (Bege) Beha,1976

Image: Samardžić  Munira, 1927

Image: Samardžić Smail,  1912

Read more:

+ List of Barimo victims

+ Eliticide in Visegrad

+ Destruction of mosques in Visegrad

+ What is Visegrad Genocide?

Post-war Visegrad population

Image: Burnt down Bosniak houses in Borovac near Visegrad. All of Visegrad’s Bosniak population was expelled and murdered during the genocide. Photograph credits: ©Elvis Komic

According to the census taken before the genocide in 1991 the municipality had a population of 21,199: 62.8% of Bosniak ethnicity, 32.8% Serb and 4.4% classified as others. Today the population is almost cut in half, all Bosniaks were expelled or murdered from the municipality. A few elderly returnees are seen in surrounding villages.

One part of Visegrad’s pre-war Serbs left for Serbia or other countries in Europe. Some left because they actively took part in the ethnic cleansing of Bosniaks, others left because they witnessed horrible crimes and thus do not want to live in that town. For example, Branimir Savovic, the SDS Crisis Committee President now lives in Serbia along with a few other high-ranking Visegrad Serb officials. Mile Lukic, Milan’s father who also took part in the persecution of Bosniaks, along with his wife lives in Obrenovac. A few dozen other direct perpetrators live with their families in Serbia. At least two perpetrators live in France, one mentioned a couple of times in the Zeljko Lelek case.

But this does not mean that war criminals do not live in Visegrad anymore. Miladin Milicevic, member of the Visegrad municipality war presidency and former Mayor of Visegrad, lives and works in Visegrad. The man who ran the Vilina Vlas rape motel lives as a pensioner in Visegrad. A few other direct perpetrators work in the State Border Police, Police station Visegrad, State Police “SIPA” etc.

Some Serbs who did not agree with the Municipality policy left Visegrad  when they had the opportunity to. For example, a Serb women, who was a witness in the Vasiljevic case VG 115, left Visegrad in 1994. She was a crucial witness of the murders of Medo Mulahasic and an elderly many Kahriman.

The  largest number of Serbs left Visegrad because of the economic situation in Visegrad and Eastern Bosnia. Every year the number of children in classes is smaller and smaller. Anyone who had the opportunity to leave – left. When a pre-war citizen of Visegrad today walks through Visegrad, he or she can recognize only a few people.

Many Serbs were tricked into leaving their pre-war homes in the Federation and moving to parts of Republika Srpska. A large number of Serbs from Sarajevo and Konjic were re-settled in Visegrad. They were promised new homes and jobs by the SDS-government in 1996 after the Dayton Peace Treaty.

Serbs from several villages in the Konjic area were naive enough to re-settle in Visegrad and other towns in Eastern Bosnia. According to Glas Srpske, a fascist newspaper published in Republika Srpska, around 1.500 Serbs from Konjic villages Bijela, Borci, Ostrožac, Čičevo, Glavatičevo, Bradina, Blace, Donje Selo, Kula etc. re-settled in Visegrad in 1996.

It is important to note, that these Serbs from Konjic were not forced to leave their homes but instead did so on a voluntary basis believing the SDS leadership’s promise of a better life and a creation of an all-Serb state.

Edited: 6.01.2010

Genocide against Bosniaks in Visegrad 1941-1945

Image:Yugoslav Royalist Forces commonly known as Chetniks, slaughtering a civilian in this undated picture.

Bosnian Muslim villages in Visegrad destroyed and  cleansed 1941-45: Part I

Gornje and Donje Štitarevo: Around 283 Bosnian Muslims were massacred by local Serbs, members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. The following families were completely cleansed from the village: Arnauti, Pite, Ferhatovići, Musić,Gaka etc. For crimes committed in this village,thanks to a survivor Nurko Cocalić, three local Serbs were  prosecuted by a Court in Sarajevo: Dušan Vasiljević, Milomir Gogić and  Zdravko Popović.

Rujište: Local Serbs massacred around 65 Bosnian Muslim neighbours including 22 women and children. The main perpetrators were Petar and Milorad Lukić. Entire Muslim families were cleansed from Rujište: Čavkušić, Liske and  Smajlović.

Menzilovići: Local Serbs massacred around 21 Bosnian Muslim neighbours in March 1942. Several Muslim women were raped including a pregnant women Hata Menzilović. The main perpetrators were: Milan Glišić, Rade and Milan Lindo, Blagoje Sapoljnić, Đoko and Ilija Marković, Miroslav Kargan and Zorka Papić.

Stari Brod: Local Serbs and members of Milan Nedić’s Army at the beggining of 1943, gathered surviving Bosnian Muslims civilians, most of whom were women and children, from surrounding villages: Gornje Štitarevo,Vlahovići,Pozderčići, Kapetanovići, Sendići, Prelovo, Omeragići, Presjek, Gostilja etc. These civilians were brought to Stari Brod village where they were barricaded in a house and two stables and burnt alive. A Bosnian Serb Jovan Gogić from the village Blace, admitted that he witnessed this crime.

Omeragići: Around 42 Bosnian Muslims were massacered by their Serb negibours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. One group of Bosnian Muslim men were excecuted in a forest called ”Duboko” and ”Hrtar”. Another group was excecuted in Zvekara cave. Some women and children were burnt alive in live pyres in Stari Brod.

Image: Ćamka Murtić(village Gostilja) and Safa Halilović(village Sase), raped and slaugthered by Bosnian Serbs from Visegrad, 1941. Picture taken by Sejdo Grabovic.

Kurtalići: Around 21 Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two.The main perpetrator of his crime was Đoko Marković. Both witnesses of this masscare, Nurif and Mehmed kurtalić, were murdered in Kurtalići in 1992 by Bosnian Serbs.

Mušići: Around 60 Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two.The perpetrators of this crime included: Lazar Đurić, Stjepan Dikić, Ilija Marković, Luka Đurić and a women Zorka Papić. Ćamila Bosno, a Bosnian Muslim, witnessed when Zorka Papić beat to death her Muslim neigbhour Halima, who is Ćamila’s aunt.

Pozderčići: Around 39 Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. Their property was looted by neigbouring Serbs. The main perpetrator of this crime was Ratko Mitrašinović who led a group of Chetniks from neighbouring Serb villahe Kragujevac. The remaining Bosnian Muslim civilians – women and children, sho survived this crime were later taken to Stari Brod where all were burnt alive in  live pyres.

Kupusovići: Around 61  Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. The main perpetraors were : the Mitrašinović brothers and Miloš Miličević. Aleksa Vojinović from Serb village Blace, kidnapped Hasna Kupus whom he raped and then murdered. The mosque in Kupusovići was completely destroyed and its stone was used in the construction of a church in Blace.

Koritnik: Around 47 Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two.  Yugosla historian Vladimir Dedijer in his book ”Crimes against Muslims 1941-1945”, documented the testimony of one survivor Mehmed Kurspahic who witness the horrific torture of Mehmed Spahic.

Image: The Mehmed-pasa Sokolovic Bridge, blown up by German Nazi troops.

Žlijeb: Around 109 Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. During the first attack in November 1941, most of the village’s populaion fled to Višegrad, but later returned due to garantees from Serbs and most importantly from the Italian Fascist army command in Višegrad. Almost all men who returned to Žlijeb were massacred. The village was left wih 33 widows,100 orphans and almost 15 families were left without a single member. The perpetrators of this crimes were: the Mitranović brothers from Kragujevac village, Ilija Mitrašinović, Miloš Miličević, Petronije Knežević, Sredoje Knežević-Ivankić, the Radovanović brothers from Odžak village,Radoje Novaković from Odžak village etc.

Klasnik: Around 171 Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. During the first attack in November 1941, around 26 men were massacred,  most of the village’s populaion fled to Višegrad, but later returned due to garantees from Serbs and most importantly from the Italian Fascist army command in Višegrad. Bosnian Muslims were called to the Chetnik HQ to report and receive a security not for safe passage through their controlled area. Around 29 men went to report and never returned. Since most of the families were left without their menfolk, there was no one to protect them. The Chetniks used this situation for a raping spree. Dozens of  Muslim women in Žlijeb village were raped.

Kapetanovići: Around 55  Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. In March 1942, Rade, Sredoje Novaković and Vitomir Krstić from Pozderčići and Milija Radovanović from Odžak gathered around 18 Bosnian Muslim men to take them to the Chetnik command in Odžak to receive a security not for safe passage through their controlled area. After a failed escape attempt, the remaining men were taken to Mount Rogopek and excecuted. Thanks to Nusret Kapetanović, a orphan from Kapetanovići, Rade and Sredoje Novaković and Vitomir Krstić were arrested and sentenced to 20 years prison.

Resnik: Around 102  Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. According to witness accounts, several Muslim girls and women were raped.

Kamenica: Around 112  Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. The main perpetrators of this crime were : the Gudović brothers, the Vujkić brothers and Lazo Stjepanović from Paočića village. In a live pyre in the house of Bećo Bosno, around 26 women and children were burnt alive. Two Bosnian Serb neighbours Petar Lukić and Božo Ivanović raped Muslim women Šehrija Pjevo and Šefku Dudević. Several Serbs were reported to Police authorities after the war but no action against them was taken.

Mala Gostilja:  Around 43  Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serb neighbours and members of Yugoslav Royalist Forces(Chetniks) in World War Two. It should be noted that a Serb women Radina Andrić, wife of Ratko Andrć warned Muslims from this village that the Serbs were planning to massacre Muslim men and thus saved a large number of men.

Image: Brigadier Charles Armstrong with Yugoslav Royalist Army General Draze Mihailovic, responsible for genocide against Bosnian Muslims in Eastern Bosnia, near Visegrad 1943 . Mihailovic overlooked the attack on Visegrad and the slaughter of around 3,000 Bosnian Muslims in and around Visegrad. A number of British and American intelligence officers were present during the occupation of Visegrad and witnessed the massacre of Bosnian Muslim civilians.

Source: Krvava Ćuprija na Drini, Mustafa Sućeska, DES, 2001. Mr. Sućeska is a World War Two Visegrad Genocide survivor.

Prof.Darko Tanaskovic – Supporter of Genocide

Image: Darko Tanaskovic, professor of Oriental Studies at the Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade.

Darko Tanaskovic, through his articles and interviews helped in the dehumanization of Bosniaks and thus mobilized masses to perpetrate the genocide against Bosniaks in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Darko along with other fascist Orientalists in Serbia scared the Serb population with the threat of ”lslamic Fundamentalism”. He regularly presented  Bosnian Muslims as a threat and refered to them as ”poturice” a pejorative term referring to converts to Islam.

”In a series of articles that they wrote for daily and weekly publications, as well as for the army paper Vojska, professors Darko Tanasković and Miroljub Jeftić regularly presented Islam as backward and violent. A special theme, however, was the betrayal of the Bosnian Muslims, who had allegedly converted to Islam. At the time of the most virulent anti-Muslim campaign in late 1991 and early 1992, i.e. when it was becoming clear that Bosnia-Herzegovina would not remain in Milošević’s ‘Yugoslavia’, Tanasović interpreted the Bosnian Muslims’ appeal to Turkey for help as ‘their furtive return to the old-time position of poturice [converts from Christianity to Islam]’: for the Serbs, he recalled, poturice were ‘worse than Turks’. Tanasković warned: ‘To threaten the Serbs with Turks is even worse and more ominous than to threaten them with Germans.’ The notion of Islamic fundamentalism as the greatest threat to Yugoslavia, far more important than Serb-Croat relations, was assiduously promoted . There were warnings about the realization of Islamic ideas in the Sandžak and Bosnia, although the main stress was on the Albanians. They spoke of the danger of Albanization, which led inevitably to the obliteration of Christian churches, graveyards and population, the building of mosques, and spread of the Muslim way of life.”

Source: ‘We shall take vengeance on the Turks’ by Sonja Biserko, http://www.bosnia.org.uk/bosrep/report_format.cfm?articleid=3111&reportid=171

In post-Milosevic era, Darko Tanaskovic has returned to scare(once again), the Serb population of the ”Wahhabis” in B&H and Sanjak region in Serbia. It should  be noted that Prof.Darko Tanaskovic also takes active part in genocide denial of the Srebrenica genocide.

He wrote the Preface entitled “Terrible, but Beneficial Truth“,  for a book written by his good friend Prof. Milivoje Ivanisevic, entitled: The Chronicle of our Cemetery  or A word about suffering of the Serbian people of Bratunac, Milici, Skelani and Srebrenica. Prof. Ivanisevic himself is a outragest Bosnian Genocide denier, condemed by the Hague Tribunal:

”Without going to details of the article, I would like to state that the piece in question represents shameful denial and relativisation of the facts that this court has established beyond reasonable doubt about the genocide committed in Srebrenica.”

(International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Press Release, March 14 2007)

Beco Filipovic – The XX Century Man

In 2009 Bosnia  and Herzegovina was left without one  unknown man who was treated in a cruel by life – Beco Filipovic. Beco, who was 86 years old when he died,  survived three concentration camps: Mathauzen(World War Two); Goli Otok(Tito’s Yugoslavia) and Ušće near Doboj(Bosnain Serb concentration camp during the Bosnian Genocide).

Luckily, a documentary film has been made commemorating Beco. It is directed by Haris Prolić and has a superb title: The XX Century Man.

Rest In Peace

Bećo Filipović(18. 12.1923. – 2. 2. 2009.)

ICTY Orders Zuhdija Tabakovic Into Custody

Image: Zuhdija Tabakovic. Credits: ICTY

Zuhdija Tabakovic, a former policeman from Visegrad, who is charged before the Tribunal with contempt of court, has been transferred to The Hague and has been ordered into custody.

The custody decision notes that on December 18 Tabakovic was transferred to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY, at The Hague. Tabakovic will make his first appearance before the Tribunal on December 22 this year.

The indictment against Tabakovic was filed with the Hague Tribunal on October 30 this year. It was confirmed on November 17. Its content has still not been made public.

Available data suggests that Tabakovic is charged with contempt of court in connection with the trial of Milan and Sredoje Lukic.

In July 2009 the Hague Tribunal pronounced a first-instance verdict, sentencing Milan Lukic to life imprisonment and Sredoje Lukic to 30 years in prison for crimes committed in the Visegrad area.

The Defence of Milan and Sredoje Lukic presented first-instance verdict appeals. The case is currently before the Appellate Chamber of the ICTY.

In November this year the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered a number of prohibiting measures against Tabakovic, including, among others, a ban on leaving his place of residence or traveling outside of Sarajevo Canton and an obligation to report regularly to the police station. Under this decision, his personal identification and travel documents were temporarily confiscated. However, on December 15 this year the Court rendered a decision canceling the prohibiting measures.

Source: BIRN

Image: A child from Visegrad during victim families protest.

Euro 1,000 in Exchange for False Testimony

The Hague Tribunal charges Zuhdija Tabakovic with having taken money
in return for false testimony at the trial of Milan and Sredoje Lukic.

The indictment, which was confirmed in November this year, alleges
that Tabakovic agreed to give a false statement against the Lukic
cousins in exchange for one thousand Euros.

In July 2009 the International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia, ICTY, pronounced a first-instance verdict, sentencing
Milan Lukic to life imprisonment and Sredoje Lukic to 30 years in
prison for crimes committed against Bosniaks in Visegrad.

The Lukic cousins appealed the verdict. The case is now being
considered by the Appellate Chamber of the ICTY.

In November this year the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered a
number of prohibiting measures against Tabakovic, including, among
others, a ban on traveling outside of Sarajevo Canton and an
obligation to report regularly to the police station. The decision was
subsequently changed and the measures were terminated. On December 18,
2009 Tabakovic was transferred to the Hague Tribunal.

He made his first appearance before the judges on December 22 this
year, when his indictment was read. His Defence attorney Steven Powles
called on the Court to read the indictment at a closed session. The
Court accepted his proposal, so the public was excluded from this
hearing.

The confirmed indictment alleges that, on October 18, 2008 Tabakovic
met Jelena Rasic, a member of Milan Lukic’s Defence team, in Sarajevo.
Rasic allegedly offered him money for signing “a previously written
statement”. He accepted the offer.

“Zuhdija Tabakovic read the statement. He knew he would give a false
statement by signing the paper. Tabakovic did not witness the events
described in the statement. He does not have any information about
them, but still he agreed to sign the statement,” the indictment
alleges.

The second count contained in the indictment charges Tabakovic with
having “agreed”, as abetted by Jelena Rasic, “to find two more men,
who will sign the previously prepared statements”.

“In exchange for signing those statements, each man was given Euro
1,000 from a person named Dragan, who works with Jelena Rasic. Zuhdija
Tabakovic was present in the Novi Grad municipality building in
Sarajevo when they signed the statements and took the money,” the
Hague Prosecution’s indictment alleges.

Zuhdija Tabakovic was a policeman in Visegrad before the war.

A person guilty of contempt may be sentenced by the Tribunal to a
maximum of seven years in prison or fined up to 100,000 Euros.

Source: BIRN

———————————————————————————————–

VGM Editor’s note:

SHAME ON YOU ZUHDIJA!

Institutionalisation of Genocide

♦What is Visegrad Genocide?

The Višegrad genocide was an act of ethnic cleansing and mass murder of Bosniak civilians that occurred in the town of Višegrad in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, committed by Bosnian Serb Army and Police forces at the start of the Bosnian War during the spring of 1992. Over a period of four months, Bosniaks were murdered, tortured, raped and publicly humiliated on a daily basis in Visegrad’s streets, in the victim homes and in concentration camps.

Here are several confirmation notes given by Visegrad Municipality authorities to Bosniaks in 1992. This include: confiscating legally own weapons, travel permits and a signed oath of loyalty.

Image: A confirmation note issued to a Bosniak by Sluzba Javne Bezbjednosti – Public Security Station; a official security authority in Bosnian towns.  This note signed by war criminal Zeljko Lelek confirms that on 21.04.1992, Zeljko Lelek “temporary” confiscated a legally own weapon(a hunting rifle) from this Bosniak.

Image: A travel permit issued to a Bosniak by the Sluzba Javne Bezbjednosti(SJB) and signed by its Chief Risto Perisic. Permit was issued for business reasons on 22.05.1992. Bosniaks could not enter or leave without Visegrad authorities permission.

Image: A signed oath of loyalty to the “Serb Municipality of Visegrad” whereas the undersigned shall respect all decisions and orders from the “Serb Municipality of Visegrad”; the “War Presidency of the Serb Municipality of Visegrad” and all other organs. The oath of loyalty was given purpose of security of the undersigned and his/her family. This statement was signed by a Bosniak civilian and by Miladin Milicevic, a member of the Visegrad War Presidency. Several dozen Bosniak families were forced or tricked into signing this “oath of loyalty”. In this family specifically, only one person managed to survive.

Read more on Visegrad Genocide:

+ Visegrad SDS Crisis Committee

+ What is Visegrad Genocide?

+ Mehmed-pasa Sokolovic Bridge: A Monument to Genocide

+ Eliticide in Visegrad

+ Destruction of Mosques in Visegrad Municipality

Mehmed-pasa Sokolovic Bridge:A Monument to Genocide

Image: Mehmed-pasa Sokolovic Bridge built by the Ottomans. Hundreds of Bosniaks(Bosnian Muslims) were murdered and thrown off the bridge into the Drina River by Bosnian Serbs. Picture Copyright © Velija Hasanbegovic

♦Witness X(Zeljko Lelek case, Court of Bosnia&Herzegovina):

“Zeljko Lelek, Mile Joksimovic and Vlatko Pecikoza arrived almost at the same time at the bridge. Lelek was in a taxi driven by Bosko Djuric. They took out two women out of the car, both were in their early 20s, one was carrying a five to six month old baby. Vlatko grabbed the baby from her and said ‘Let the baby have some fresh air’. He took it and threw it up in the air. Lelek was holding a knife and caught the little body on it,” the witness said, adding that Joksimovic then forced the mother to lick the child’s blood “in order to stop the bleeding”.

♦Witness KB(Zeljko Lelek case, Court of Bosnia&Herzegovina):

“I saw them bringing two older people whose hands were tied. One was wearing a French beret on his head. They lined them up by the water and forced them to go into the water. When the water was up to their waist, the men started shooting. People fell down and I was sick from watching it,”

♦Witness Hasan Ajanovic(Vasiljevic, Lukic case):

“Lukic told us to wade out into the water,” he said, interviewed by telephone from a Western European country that he insisted not be identified. “I did not hear the first shot, I suspect because Lukic’s gun had a silencer. But I heard the screams and then the other shots. Meho’s body fell on top of me. I lay with my face in the sand until night. I swam across the river and escaped. The water stank of death.” (Source)

Image: From Joe Sacco’s “Gorazde: A Safe Area”

♦Witness Mesud Cocalic:

“The bodies were often slashed with knife marks and were black and blue,” he said. “The young women were wrapped in blankets that were tied at each end. These female corpses were always naked. We buried several children, including two boys 18 months old. We found one man crucified to the back of a door. Once we picked up a garbage bag filled with 12 human heads.”(Source)

♦Witness Hasena M. :

“watched them put my mother and sister astride the parapet, like on a horse. I heard both women screaming, until they were shot in the stomach. They fell in the water – the men laughing as they watched. The water went red.” (Source)

Image: From Joe Sacco’s “Gorazde: A Safe Area”

♦Witness Hasnija Pjeva:

“If the Drina River could only speak, it could say how many dead were taken away,”(Source)

Sentence to Milan and Sredoje Lukić

Source: Pescanik

01.08.2009.

On the 20th of July 2009 Court Chambers of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) with Patrick Robinson as a Presiding Judge, has sentenced Milan Lukić for a life term of imprisonment and his cousin Sredoje Lukić to a prison sentence of 30 years. Milan and Sredoje Lukić were sentenced for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Bosnian Muslims in the Eastern-Bosnian town of Višegrad during the period from June 7th, 1992 until October 10th, 1994. Milan Lukić was found guilty for: persecution, murder, extermination, inhumane acts and cruel treatment as crimes against humanity and war crimes, while Sredoje Lukić was found guilty for committing and aiding and abetting crimes of: persecution, murder, cruel treatment and inhumane acts.

Milan Lukić has committed the above named crimes in connection with six separate incidents :

1.      Killing of 5 Bosnian Muslim men on the bank of River Drina on or about June 7th, 1992;

2.      Killing of 7 Bosnian Muslims in “Varda” furniture factory on or about June 10th, 1992;

3.      Burning alive 59 people (including women and children) in a barricaded house in Pionirska street in Višegrad on or about the June 14th, 1992;

4.      Burning alive at least 60 people (women and children included) in a barricaded house in the Višegrad settlement of Bikavac on or about June 27th, 1992;

5.      Beating of prisoners in Uzamnica prison-camp during the time period from August 1992 until October 1994;

6.      Murder of Hajra Korić in or about June 1992.

Sredoje Lukić was found guilty for two separate incidents:

1.     Burning alive of 59 people (including women and children) in a barricaded house in Pionirska street in Višegrad on June 14th, 1992;

2.     Beeting of prisoners in Uzamnica prison-camp in the time period from August 1992 until October 1994.

Although Sredoje Lukić was indicted for the fire in the Bikavac settlement as well, Court Chambers decided that Prosecution had not proven ”beyond reasonable doubt” that Sredoje Lukić was present during the burning of people in the Bikavac settlement.

Court Chambers concluded that Milan Lukić has personally killed at least 130 people and Presiding Judge Patrick Robinson who characterized Lukić’s crimes as “callous and vicious disregard for human life” has stated in an oral explanation of Judgment that: “In the all too long, sad and wretched history of man’s inhumanity to man, the Pionirska street and Bikavac fires must rank high. At the close of the twentieth century, a century marked by war and bloodshed on a colossal scale, these horrific events stand out for the viciousness of the incendiary attack, for the obvious premeditation and calculation that defined it, for the sheer callousness and brutality of herding, trapping and locking the victims in the two houses, thereby rendering them helpless in the ensuing inferno, and for the degree of pain and suffering inflicted on the victims as they were burnt alive.”

It should be mentioned as well that the indictment did not include two cases of abduction and killing — once 16 and second time 18 Muslim and one Croat civilian (who were citizens of FRY[1] at that time) — in 1992 and 1993 in the townships of Sjeverin and Štrpci. Because of the crime in Sjeverin, Milan Lukić was already sentenced by the Belgrade District Court to 20 years imprisonment.

Reactions to the judgement

Although reports about the Judgment instantly became breaking news and dominated most prominent media in the country for days, silence from the most senior state officials — most of all from the President Boris Tadić and from Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković and other Ministers — was conspicuous. Especially so in light of the fact that in a majority of previous cases when ICTY has passed judgments: none of these dignitaries missed an opportunity to comment on them[2]. In spite of that, mid-ranking state officials, representatives of the judiciary and other prominent public figures expressed their support for the judgment – either in total, or somewhat reserved. In that sense spokesman of the Serbian War crimes department Bruno Vekarić stated that the ICTY judgment in the Milan and Sredoje Lukić case represents “[ICTY Chief Prosecutor] Serge Bramertz’s legal victory”, and that it meant “justice for victims”, whereas Dragoljub Todorović who acts as legal representative of the families of abducted passengers from the train in Štrpci, has stated that it is not clear to him why [former Chief Prosecutor] Carla Del Ponte did not include the crimes in Sjeverin and Štrpci in the indictment because there was more than enough evidence for that”. The statement of Vice-President of Sandžak Democratic Party Meho Omerović that ”Serbian national television – RTS should publish the information about the real nature of the crime and not only about the sentence” should be also considered. Support to the judgment was also expressed in readers’ comments at numerous websites: many expressed their exasperation at the gravity of crimes committed and their belief that justice for the victims was done with this judgment.

Albanians and Naser Orić and they are sentencing Serbs the harshest way. Not a single Serb has gotten away”[3].

Official of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Borislav Pelević: ”If ICTY could increase Veselin Šljivančanin’s sentence from 5 to 17 years, and with the same evidence and witnesses acquit Naser Orić, who -according to UNHCR -­is responsible for the death of 3.267 Serbs, than it is clear that this is anti-Serb Tribunal[4]“.

Kurir daily in its issue on of July 22nd, 2009 published a text under the headline ”Injustice” which contains an emotionally intonated confession of Milan Lukić’s sister Draginja Baltić. Stereotypes about ”anti-Serbian tribunal” on the basis of which Milan Lukić was sentenced are prevailing.

The Pravda daily on the same day carried a text headlined ”Serbs were victims in Eastern Bosnia as well”, which characterized the judgment as politically motivated and one-sided, whereas the ICTY is depicted as a Tribunal which is problematic and established ”to prosecute Serbs only”. This standpoints were supported with statements by some opposition leaders such as Aleksandar Čotrić (Serbian Renewal Movement – SPO), Borislav Pelević (SNS), Dubravka Filipovski (New Serbia), Zoran Nikolić (Democratic Party of Serbia) and others.

One should also highlight comments by some of the visitors of web-sites like Politika[5] and Press daily newspapers, and not just because of the fact that many of them reflect direct support to Milan and Sredoje Lukić, and in various ways justify their acts, but because of the fact that both these newspapers are known for their closeness to the Government of Serbia.

Press daily:

Yes the sentence would be small because you are thirsty of Serbian blood; if there is justice, beasts like Haradinaj and Naser Orić would get the same sentence … All of this is a farce which doesn’t serve truth and justice but to cover up the bombing of our state and taking away our territory. If there is any comfort for Lukić that is the fact that Drina is no longer border of between Serb people. (Mitar July 21, 2009, 01:10)

I can’t see any beasts, I see only heroes! Death to the ICTY, freedom for Šešelj!! (anonymous July 21,2009, 01:57)

They frame us as guilty again, justice for Milan!! He is a hero and bastards from The Hague and domestic fools and traitors are presenting him as villain! (Anonymous July 21, 2009, 04:04)

Many thanks to Milan and Sredoje on everything what they gave to the Serbian people, some alleged crimes will never make real Serbs to forget what two of them did for the Serbian people, they were defending Serb children from Croatian and Muslim hordes of evil while some of them who are condemning them today were in America and other countries which were killing our children (Djindjić, Tadić, Dinkić)! Thank you both of you, brothers! You were dying for Serbia and Serbia repays you like this, after all, there is God who sees the treason of our holy country and everything which is orthodox, [he will punish them] the way he punished Djindjić for atrocities against the Serbian people! (Uros July 21, 2009, 04:10)

And I can see only people who were defending their own people, what should they have done – to stand aside and look how Naser Orić is killing, haven’t they? (anonymous July 21, 2009, 11:04)

Politika daily:

Mixer, Jul. 21, 2009, 14:19

And how much did Orić and Islamic terrorists from Kosovo get for murdering a couple of thousand on they own doorstep; all of them were kids, women and civilians. What they get will reflect the face of ICTY and Serbia. How many years for terrorism and war crimes someone in Serbia who belongs to other nationality for much bigger atrocities would get? If that Lukić is guilty and if he did something like that, he deserves punishment, but at present ICTY is not in a state to pass judgments, and Serbia even less. Neither in Serbia nor in The Hague was there someone who was found accountable for war crimes against Serbs. Consequently, another innocent victim of Serbia has fallen in the name of Government of Serbia and its accession to the EU. It is horrible to be a Serb. Yet again time has Serbia shown to Serbs who love their own people and state that there is no place for them. At the same time a message was sent to those who may intend in the future to defend their state and people, what is waiting for them. Both Serbian and The Hague courts.

Aleksandar Karinkton, Jul. 22, 2009, 09:57

Milan Lukić is a hero he saved Višegrad from Muslims and Muslim fanatics who were raging through the streets of the above named town, they even mistreated innocent bystanders of another nationality. The man is completely innocent.

Outlook:

The Milan and Sredoje Lukić verdict clearly demonstrates that unbiased reporting — if and when void of politicking stereotypes — on the nature and magnitude of crimes tried before the ICTY, can provoke emotional and compassionate reactions and unequivocal condemnation of those crimes. However, a large number of politicians, analysts, journalists and intellectuals still persist on ICTY’s anti-Serb conspiracy, and thus divert attention from what really happened and prevent a sincere confrontation with the recent past. Should Serbia’s political elites continue to flirt with crimes committed in the name of Serbdom, public opinion will be anesthetized — and partly radicalized — to the extent that those crimes will become acceptable irrespective of their monstrous character, as numerous reactions to this verdict vividly show. It is in such an atmosphere that further developmen of democrartic institutions and uphold of human rights can hardly be expected.

YUCOM, Human Rights and Democracy Violation, Weekly Newsletter No.42

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[1] Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

[2] The most characteristic case was the ”Vukovar tree” when the ICTY Appeals Chambers had increased the sentence to Collonel Veselin Sljivancanin from 5 to 17 years of imprisonment, whereupon not a single one of the most senior officials missed an oprtunity to condemnd the judgment. The same reaction happend when Naser Oric was acquited.

[3] Glas javnosti daily July 21st, 2009.

[4] Glas javnosti daily July 21st, 2009.

[5] As regards Politika, it should be noted that this newspaper is published by a house partly owned by government, and is under their direct influence.