Klickovic et al: No Discrimination or Animosity in Evacuation Plans
10 March 2010 Gojko Klickovic contends that the Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina has "turned" the Universal Declaration on Human Rights into an indictment against him.
"The Declaration's provisions have been included in the indictment as crimes. It (the indictment) alleges that I was a member of a joint criminal enterprise, in collaboration with other members of the Serbian Democratic Party, SDS. I was involved in politics. As per this Declaration, I had the right to be so. I had the right to make alliances, be involved in politics and public life..." Klickovic said, presenting the Declaration on Human Rights as material evidence.
Klickovic, former President of the SDS Executive Board in Bosanska Krupa, and President of the wartime Presidency of the Serb municipality of Bosanska Krupa, Mladen Drljaca and Jovan Ostojic are charged with crimes committed in Bosanska Krupa municipality during 1992.
The indictment alleges that Klickovic participated, in collaboration with other SDS members, in a joint criminal enterprise, which began in the summer of 1991, with the aim of forming a Serb municipality of Bosanska Krupa in which "Serbs would constitute the absolute majority of the population".
Continuing the presentation of material evidence, Klickovic introduced a Plan for Evacuation of Population and Material and Technical Resources and Valuables from Krupa na Uni made in 1995. He said he presented the document in order to show "the pattern used for conducting evacuations".
"This is proof that the evacuation was conducted in line with plans, i.e. in line with the law. Civil authorities in the Serb municipality of Bosanska Krupa adopted plans for the evacuation of both Serbs and Muslims. This was their legal task. This is what civil authorities do. No discrimination or animosity were involved in making the plans," Klickovic said.
The indictment alleges that, "in line with a written order issued by Gojko Klickovic", Muslim civilians were forcibly resettled from Krupa town, Arapusa, Zaluge, Potkalinje, Veliki Dubovik, Velika Jasenica and Zalin villages to Bihac and the Sanski most area in May 1992.
The first indictee presented a proposal submitted by the wartime Presidency to the Command of the First Krajina Podgrmec Brigade on May 25, 1992. The document pertains to preparations for "cleaning the left bank of the Una". Among other things, it states that it was necessary to "demolish and destroy as many buildings as possible".
"The Prosecution exploits this document. This was a proposal submitted to the Brigade. It was left to the Brigade to decide what to do. There were no civilians on the left bank of the Una. The buildings were used as sniper positions. The document came as a result of all the other things that happened at the time. It was a reaction to those events," Klickovic said.
The next hearing is due to take place on March 16, when the Defence of the first indictee will continue presenting evidence.
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