veličina fonta

verzija za štampu

copyright

pošalji komentar

Bundalo et al: Anticipation

Bundalo i ostali

10 October 2008  A witness from Kalinovik tells the Court how her husband was taken away, adding that she is still waiting for his return or to hear some news about him.

In June 1992 all men in Mjehovina village, in Kalinovik municipality, were informed that they had to enter for civil duty. Protected Prosecution witness C said that all those who responded to the invitation were detained in the school building and then in "Barutni magacin" ("Gunpowder Depot").

Witness C's husband was among the men, who were detained on June 26, 1992. As she found out later, he was taken from "Barutni magacin" in "an unknown direction and killed".

"I lost my husband, my home, everything. All I want to do is to find and bury him. I still do not know what had happened to him," witness C said.

Ratko Bundalo, Nedjo Zeljaja and Djordjislav Askraba are charged with having participated in the murder, torture, rape, forcible disappearances, property destruction and detention of Bosniaks in "Miladin Radojevic" school building and "Barutni magacin" in the Kalinovik area in the course of 1992.

Witness C said that most Mjehovine residents left the village, because they realised that they "could no longer live there". However, she stayed there, just like 11 other neighbours, because she was told that "should I leave, my husband would not return alive".

"I believed that they would release them, but they did not. Later on, when I visited my husband in 'Barutni magacin', I remember that Djordjislav Askraba guarded him. Askraba, who was accompanied by Zeljaja and Savo Crnjak, once came to the village, and took Serifa Hadzic away," witness C said.

In the course of her testimony the witness recognised Zeljaja in the courtroom, claiming that he was "the chief of police" in Kalinovik.

Witness C was among a few surviving Mjehovina residents, who were detained on June 10, 1992 and taken to "Miladin Radojevic" school building in Kalinovik. In late August 1992 she was exchanged and released.

In the course of cross-examination of this witness Djordjislav Askraba said that her statement consisted of "many pre-arranged stories".

Second Prosecution witness G testified under protection measures as well. He claims to have been captured by a person named Cifo Mandic and Sasa  Cerovina on April 24, 1992, adding that he was then taken to the police station in Kalinovik, where he saw Zeljaja, and then to the school building
in Kalinovik.

"I saw Zeljaja in the police station corridor, when I was brought there. As far as I can remember policemen guarded us in the school building, where I stayed for 12 days, before being transferred, just like 71 other men, to 'Barutni magacin'," witness G said.

Witness G said that, during the course of his detention in "Barutni magacin" he "frequently saw" Askraba, who "supervised the guards" and gave orders to other guards to take away the detainees, who "volunteered" to perform some works.

As they were going back, after having performed some works in Avtovac on July 18, 1992, witness G managed to jump off the vehicle, in which six other detainees and guards were, and ran away into the woods. After having walked for a long time, he reached the free territory.

The trial is due to continue on Friday, October 17, when the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina will examine witness F, who will be apprehended by the State Investigation and Protection Agency, SIPA, because he refused to appear before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.