Pelemis and Peric: Commandos in Pilica
Two witnesses testify in defence of Momir Pelemis at the trial for genocide committed in Srebrenica and say that members of the First Battalion with Zvornik Brigade neither knew about nor participated in the murder of detainees in the Cultural Center in Pilica in July 1995.
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Vujadin Djuric, former member of the First Battalion with the Zvornik Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS, testified at the trial and said he learnt about the murder of Srebrenica residents from the media, adding he was ashamed of the crime.
“Not one member of Zvornik Brigade was present in Pilica in July 1995! We found out about the murder of detained Srebrenica residents when we heard media reports about it, but it was over by then. I do not know who killed all those people, but I remember people saying it was done by ‘commandos’, i.e. members of the Tenth Reconnaissance Squad,” Djuric said.
Djuric testified for the Defence of indictee Momir Pelemis, who replaced Djuric as Assistant Commander with the First Battalion in 1994.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Momir Pelemis and Slavko Peric, former Assistant Commander for Security with the same Brigade, with having participated in the murder of several hundreds of Srebrenica residents in the Cultural Center in Pilica and on Branjevo military farm in July 1995.
During the course of cross-examination Djuric repeated his earlier statement that village residents in Pilica, Zvornik municipality, disapproved of the killing and bringing detainees to the school building in July 1995, adding they were still ashamed of what had been done.
“The village has been besmirched and nothing can be done to change it. All of us who come from that area are still ashamed, although, as I said before, we are not guilty. People who were bought there from other places, commandos, they committed the murders,” Djuric said.
Djordje Vidakovic, former Assistant Commander for Morale with the First Battalion of the Zvornik Brigade, also testified for the first indictee’s Defence, saying the murders of Srebrenica residents could only have been committed by “professional soldiers”.
“I do not believe that any Pilica resident could do something like that. The crime was committed by professional soldiers. We were just ordinary people caught by the war,” Vidakovic said.
During the course of cross-examination Vidakovic confirmed that the First Battalion did not know about the murders committed in Pilica in July 1995, adding he remembered that, for a short time after the event the village residents were upset, as nobody approved of such a crime.
The witness said that Pelemis, as Deputy Commander, was a true professional, adding that many Battalion members did not like him because he “came from Tuzla and had a university degree”.
The trial is due to continue on October 11.
Djuric testified for the Defence of indictee Momir Pelemis, who replaced Djuric as Assistant Commander with the First Battalion in 1994.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Momir Pelemis and Slavko Peric, former Assistant Commander for Security with the same Brigade, with having participated in the murder of several hundreds of Srebrenica residents in the Cultural Center in Pilica and on Branjevo military farm in July 1995.
During the course of cross-examination Djuric repeated his earlier statement that village residents in Pilica, Zvornik municipality, disapproved of the killing and bringing detainees to the school building in July 1995, adding they were still ashamed of what had been done.
“The village has been besmirched and nothing can be done to change it. All of us who come from that area are still ashamed, although, as I said before, we are not guilty. People who were bought there from other places, commandos, they committed the murders,” Djuric said.
Djordje Vidakovic, former Assistant Commander for Morale with the First Battalion of the Zvornik Brigade, also testified for the first indictee’s Defence, saying the murders of Srebrenica residents could only have been committed by “professional soldiers”.
“I do not believe that any Pilica resident could do something like that. The crime was committed by professional soldiers. We were just ordinary people caught by the war,” Vidakovic said.
During the course of cross-examination Vidakovic confirmed that the First Battalion did not know about the murders committed in Pilica in July 1995, adding he remembered that, for a short time after the event the village residents were upset, as nobody approved of such a crime.
The witness said that Pelemis, as Deputy Commander, was a true professional, adding that many Battalion members did not like him because he “came from Tuzla and had a university degree”.
The trial is due to continue on October 11.
D.E.
