Karadzic: Scared and Apathetic Civilians
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Schmitz, who worked as a nurse with the Doctors without Borders in Srebrenica and Potocari at that time, confirmed that the wounded and sick from the Srebrenica hospital were evacuated from Potocari on July 17, 1995.
The witness said that, on July 13, 1995 she invited one of the local staff members of the Doctors without Borders to join the others in a small hospital in the UNPROFOR Base in Potocari, but he refused and stayed with his family.
A representative of the Prosecution then showed an identification card, confirming that the person was a member of the Doctors without Borders, which was found in one of the mass graves containing remains of the Srebrenica victims.
Karadzic, the then President of Republika Srpska and Supreme Commander of its armed forces, is charged with genocide against more than 7,000 Bosniak men in the days that followed the occupation of Srebrenica by the VRS on July 11, 1995 and the persecution of tens of thousands of women, children and the elderly.
Schmitz said that seven able-bodied Bosniak men, who worked for the Doctors without Borders, were allowed to leave Potocari, along with her and the doctor who led the mission, despite the fact that VRS officers objected to it for a certain period of time.
Following the fall of Srebrenica, there was not enough food and water for civilians in Potocari. They were scared and apathetic, the witness said.
During the cross-examination Karadzic, who represents himself at this trial, asked Schmitz if she knew that he gave permission for local members of the Doctors without Borders to leave Potocari together with international members.
Yes, they left with us, but I did not know that you issued the permission, the witness said, confirming that VRS officer Momir Nikolic told her that those Bosniaks were pardoned.
In 2003 Nikolic, the then Security Officer with the VRS Bratunac Brigade, admitted guilt before the Tribunal, for persecuting Bosniaks from Srebrenica. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He testified against Karadzic and other Bosnian Serb officers and politicians, who were charged with Srebrenica genocide.
Responding to the indictee’s suggestions, Schmitz confirmed that most people had gone to Potocari before the VRS entered Srebrenica on July 11, 1995. When asked if it was true that local residents wanted to leave, she said: I got an impression that they had to leave, as they could not stay in front of the VRS, whose forces were progressing ahead.
Schmitz said that, prior to being taking away by a Serb soldier, a Bosniak man handed over his one-year old daughter to her on July 13, saying that her mother had been killed. Later on the girl was evacuated to Tuzla with a convoy organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Upon her arrival in Tuzla, it turned out that her mother was alive.
Following the examination of Schmitz, the trial of Karadzic continued behind closed doors with a testimony by witness KDZ-391.
Closed sessions represent the highest level of witness identity protection before the international court at The Hague.
In addition, Karadzic is charged with persecuting Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, terrorizing civilians in Sarajevo by long-lasting shelling and sniping activities and taking UNPROFOR soldiers hostage in the period from 1992 to 1995.
