Karadzic: Mladic Asked for Buses

Witness Skrbic, who was Mladic’s Assistant for Mobilisation at that time, said that, on that evening somebody conveyed Mladic’s order to him, telling him to “mobilise 15 buses” and send them to the football stadium in Bratunac.

Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska, RS and supreme Commander of its armed forces, is charged with genocide against more than 7,000 Bosniak men from Srebrenica and the persecution of thousands of women, children and the elderly following the occupation of the enclave, which was protected by the United Nations, UN, but the VRS on July 11, 1995.

According to The Hague Prosecution’s charges, Karadzic is charged with persecuting Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, terrorising civilians in Sarajevo by a long-lasting shelling and sniping activities and taking members of the UN “blue helmets” hostage in the period from 1992 to 1995.

Over the course of his trial Karadzic, who is defending himself, has said, on several occasions, that the evacuation of Bosniaks from Srebrenica was done on a voluntary basis and that they asked to be evacuated at a meeting with General Mladic in the Fontana hotel, Bratunac on July 12, 1995.

A recording made during that meeting was included in the case file as Prosecution’s evidence. The recording depicts Mladic telling representatives of the Bosniak population that they could decide whether they would “survive or disappear”. After that they accepted to leave the town.

Mladic is awaiting his trial, before The Hague Tribunal, for genocide, crimes against humanity and the violation of the laws and customs of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina to begin.

According to the charges against Karadzic, the VRS transported Bosniak men by buses to Bratunac on July 12 and 13, 1995 and to other locations in the vicinity of Zvornik on the following day. It then organised shooting of those men at those locations. Women and children were transported by buses to Kladanj, which was then under the control of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

When Karadzic asked him during the cross-examination if he had received information, suggesting that Bosniaks from Srebrenica were forced to leave, witness Skrbic answered negatively.

Also, je said that he did not hear about the crimes in Srebrenica at that time, because he was involved in other things. “I believe that nobody ordered those murders, but I do not deny that they happened,” Skrbic said.

Responding to indictee’s suggestions, Skrbic confirmed that Karadzic tried to dismiss Mladic at least twice in an attempt to gain bigger control over the VRS, but he failed due to the resistance by members of the VRS Main Headquarters.

The trial is due to continue on March 12.R.M.