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Although most part of the witness’ testimony was closed to public, witness KDZ 340 said during the course of cross-examination that he transferred his family across the River Drina to Serbia one day prior to the breakout of the conflict on April 8, 1992 due to a huge fear and tensions that could be felt in Zvornik.
“A few days prior and after the breakout of the conflict in Bijeljina mutual distrust was present in the town. Neither Serbs trusted Muslims, not the other way round. Everyone evacuated their families across the River Drina. Serbs and Muslims alike,” the witness explained.
Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska, RS and Serbian Democratic Party, SDS, is on trial before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia , ICTY for genocide, crimes against humanity and the violation of the laws and customs of war committed in the period from 1992 to 1995.
He is charged with having participated, in collaboration with members of SDS and crisis committees, as well as paramilitary units, in a joint criminal enterprise with the aim of persecuting the non-Serb population from Zvornik and 19 other municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina .
During the course of cross-examination Karadzic tried to prove that the wartime events happened because the Serb population was endangered at the local level. According to his allegations, the mobilization of Serbian forces was not ordered by him, but by local authorities. He said that those authorities had command responsibility for what had happened.
The witness was not able to respond to Karadzic’s allegations.
“I would not know that. I know that I responded to an invitation for mobilization, which I received from the Crisis Committee. I do not know who issued that order,” the witness said.
The trial is due to continue on Monday, August 22, 2011, when a new Hague Prosecution witness will give a statement.
D.E.
