Memic et al: “Calamity” in Trusina

Mijo Andjelic, former Assistant Commander for Logistics with the Herceg Stjepan Brigade of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, in Buturovic Polje, Konjic municipality, told the Court that he issued documents to civilians from Trusina who had survived the shooting, after they had been exchanged.

“Women who came from Trusina told me who had been shot. They asked me to issue death certificates for their family members who had been killed.

“They said that Ivan, Andrija and Zdravko Drljo were among the men who had been killed,” the witness said, adding he heard that they had been shot by ABiH members.

Responding to questioning from the defence during cross-examination, Andjelic said that the women had mentioned a person nicknamed “Struja”, but he did not know if he had saved a boy named Dragan Drljo by telling him to run away.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin, known as Struja, Senad Hakalovic, Nedzad Hodzic, Nihad Bojadzic and Zulfikar Alispago with having participated in an attack on Trusina village on April 16, 1993, when 18 civilians and four HVO members were killed.

The State Prosecution considers that Alispago was Commander of the Zulfikar Special Purposes Squad with the Main Command Headquarters of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bojadzic was his Deputy, while Memic, Salcin and Hodzic were members of the Squad and Hakalovic was a member of the Neretvica 45th Mountain Brigade with the ABiH at that time.

The witness told the Court that he was in Buturovic Polje on April 16, 1993, when he heard, over radio communication, that “a calamity” had hit Trusina, but he did not know what the scope of the event was.

“HVO members who stood sentinel in Drenovica at that time informed us about it. One of them told us that some people had been killed. Our Commander deployed older members of our unit to that area to stand sentinel, ordering the younger members to try to win back Trusina, which had been occupied by ABiH,” the witness said, adding their attempt was unsuccessful.

The cross-examination of witness Mijo Andjelic was interrupted because indictee Alispago said he had a backache so he was not able to follow the trial.

“I am asking the Court to postpone the trial, because I have a backache and I have many questions for this witness. The physician told me it would not be advisable for me to sit down for more than two hours at a time. I lie in bed all the time. I can no longer bear the pain,” Alispago said.

The Trial Chamber rendered a decision ordering a medical assessment of Alispago. On the basis of the findings, it will decide when the trial will continue.

According to the State Court’s official schedule, the next hearing should take place on December 20.