Pelemis and Peric: Commander’s Absence

Milan Stanojevic, who appeared as a Prosecution witness at the trial for genocide committed in Srebrenica, was the former Commander of the First Battalion with the Zvornik Brigade. He said that in July 1995 Momir Pelemis was acting commander while Slavko Peric was assistant commander for security.

“Whenever I was away, Pelemis had all competencies that I usually had. The next person in line of responsibility was my security officer Peric,” the witness explained.

The indictment charges Pelemis and Peric with having “planned, ordered and helped” others murder about 1,200 Srebrenica residents, who were originally detained in “Kula” school building in Pilica, and at a military farm in Branjevo, and murder about 600 men who were detained in Pilica Center in Zvornik Municipality on July 15 and 16, 1995.

Despite the fact that the witness was not able to specify the dates, he claimed that he was “assigned” to Bratunac in the period when the massacre was committed. He said he returned to the zone of responsibility of the First Battalion “in the vicinity of Pilice village” “a few days later”. At a meeting with his Staff he asked for information on the current activities of the Battalion.

Stanojevic said that Pelemis and Peric told him that “the Battalion did not participate in any extraordinary activities”. They did not mention any detainees. He did find out that “some maniacs” had mistreated drivers by the school building in Pilica and stopped Slavko Peric on one occasion.
 
“The day I returned from military operations, I passed by Branjevo. On the part of the farm which was used for harvesting, I saw multicolored cloths and some other unusual stuff by the farm. I called the Brigade Staff and asked for an explanation. However, they told me that this was not my responsibility, advising me to let it go,” Stanojevic said.

During cross-examination the witness said the farm in Branjevo was not owned by the First Battalion, but was used to grow food. He said no soldiers were ever deployed at the farm.

“It was only after the end of the war that I heard about the murder of some people. Actually some people in my town said that, but, officially, I do not know anything about it,” the witness concluded.
 
The next hearing is due to take place on April 24, when the cross-examination of this witness will be continued.