Bastah et al: Family tragedy
10 October 2008 A former detainee in Susica detention camp in Vlasenica speaks about the day when she lost her daughter.
Tima Lelo, who testified as a Prosecution witness at the trial against Predrag Bastah and Goran Viskovic, was captured and detained in Susica detention camp for 21 days in the summer of 1992. She claims that "Dragan Bastah, known as Tsar, transported" her and other Bosniak detainees "to Kladanj by truck".
"When they loaded us onto those truck, we were driving for some time, before the truck stopped and Tsar whistled, asking someone to come. Serbian soldiers then appeared. They took us off the truck and separated my little girl Nihada and about ten other girls. Nihada was 13. I have never seen her again. She has not been found. I have not even buried her," the witness said.
Predrag Bastah, known as Dragan or Tsar, and Goran Viskovic, also known as Vjetar, are charged with crimes against civilians from the Vlasenica area in the course of 1992. They are indicted for having participated in the murder, mental and sexual abuse, torture and forcible disappearances of Bosniak civilians.
The witness recognised the two indictees in the courtroom, adding that she saw Viskovic in Susica detention camp, when he was telling some soldiers to let the witness go to "Kladanj right away", because he knew her husband.
"As far as I know Goran is a good man. He tried to help me at that time. He also helped me later on. I came to Vlasenica after the war to sort out some paperwork. He helped me do that," Tima Lelo said.
Second Prosecution witness Bekir Lelo was 10 when the war broke out. He was taken to Susica detention camp, "together with his aunt Tima Lelo and granny", in the summer of 1992.
He said that, because he was just a kid, he could often "go out of the rooms" and hang out with guards. On one occasions he saw "Bastah 'Tsar' and Goran 'Vjetar', as well as detention camp manager Dragan Nikolic" taking his uncle Ibrahim Lelo away.
"Tsar and Goran were standing next to the detention camp door, while Nikolic was inside. They were dressed in camouflage uniforms. They were armed. They told Ibrahim that he was going to mow grass. However, he was never found after that. We have never heard any news about him," the witness said.
Witness Bekir Lelo recalled the day when his cousin Nihada was taken away, adding that, on that day, he "saw Tsar and Goran, among other soldiers, who were taking the girls away".
"Tsar was driving the truck. All of a sudden he whistled. Some soldiers came out of nowhere and took those girls away. Nihada Lelo and Munevera Kicic were among the girls. Tsar stood away from the truck, while Vjetar stood next to it," he said.
In the course of cross-examination Rade Golic, Defence attorney of indictee Viskovic, alerted the Trial Chamber about "the discrepancies between this and the previous statements" given by the witness.
The trial is due to continue on October 16, 2008.
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