Karadzic: Taken to Shooting Location with Uncle

Armin Bazdar told The Hague Tribunal that members of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS captured his family and other residents of Seljani village on June 3, 1992 and took them to “Veljko Vlahovic” school building in Rogatica.

The witness said that, about two months later the men were transferred to Rasadnik place, while the women were taken for an exchange.

“Three trucks transported us to Rasadnik on August 4, 1992. We spent nine days in two small rooms and we performed forced labour. In the morning hours on August 15 twenty seven of us were transferred to a meadow in Duljevac village. Out of those men, I was the only one who survived the shooting,” Bazdar said.

Radovan Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska, RS and supreme commander of the RS armed forces, is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and the violation of the laws and customs of war, as well as the persecution of the non-Serb population from 20 Bosnian municipalities – Rogatica being one of them.

As he continued testifying, Bazdar said that, upon their arrival on the meadow in Duljevci, they were met by members of the “Beli orlovi” (“White Eagles”) paramilitary formation, adding that he was sent to the shooting location together with his uncle Sukrija Omeragic, who was killed that day.

“My uncle told me that they were going to shoot us. I held him by his hand when the shooting started. I remember that a few of us begged them not to shoot at us. I remember that I fell down after having been shot on my left arm. I then saw my uncle falling next to me,” the witness said, adding that Dragoje Paunovic, known as Spiro, shot at the prisoners.

In 2006 the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina pronounced a second instance verdict, sentencing Dragoje Paunovic, known as Spiro, to 20 years in prison for crimes in Rogatica, including the shooting of 24 civilians on a meadow in Duljevci.

Speaking about the shooting that took place in Duljevci, the witness said that, after the soldiers had left, he ran away to the woods, where he stayed for more than 18 hours before being able to get to the positions held by the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bazdar, whose both arms were injured, is 60% disabled now.

At this hearing indictee Karadzic cross-examined witness Sefik Hurko, who began testifying on September 2 this year.

During the course of cross-examination, Hurko spoke about the torture and humiliation he was subjected to during his two-year detention in Rogatica, explaining to the indictee that he never belonged to any military unit and adding that he was taken to Rasadnik detention camp, near Rogatica as a civilian.

“Let me tell you, Karadzic: ‘I was never member of any unit’. I was member of a working squad, but I never had a gun. I do not know about any Serbs being murdered in the neighbouring villages. I can speak about being held in detention. I know nothing else,” the witness explained.

At the beginning of this hearing protected witness KDZ 606 completed his testimony during a closed session.

The trial is due to continue on September 6 this year, when witness Bazdar will be cross-examined.

D.E.