Karadzic: Anarchy in Brcko
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Markovic, former member of the Serbian Crisis Committee, denied that Bosniak and Croat civilians were deported from the town. He blamed paramilitary formations of the Party of Democratic Action, SDA, and Croatian Democratic Community, HDZ, for the breakout of the war in Brcko.
He said that, due to the paralysis of local authorities and anarchy in the town, criminals and paramilitary formations took over the control over the town centre. The witness said that order was established only after a special police unit had arrived, adding that, acting on a request by the local Serb authorities, the unit forced the paramilitary formations to leave.
Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska, is charged with the persecution of Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, genocide in Srebrenica, terror against civilians in Sarajevo and taking UNPROFOR members hostage. The indictment alleges that Serb forces deported the local non-Serbian population from Brcko.
During the cross-examination the Hague Prosecution presented the witness with documents, indicating that Serbian paramilitary forces came to Brcko after having been invited by the Crisis Committee, but the witness said that he does not know about it. He confirmed that paramilitary formations robbed people, broke into apartments and confiscated vehicles.
When asked whether he heard about crimes in Luka detention camp in Brcko, Markovic said: We heard about it… people spoke about it around the town, but none of us were officially informed about it.
He said that he heard that former policeman Rajko Cesic committed crimes in Luka. After having admitted before The Hague Tribunal that he killed ten prisoners in Luka, Cesic was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Responding to the Prosecutions questions, Markovic said that Bosniaks were the majority in Brcko prior to the war and that the town was predominantly inhabited by Serbs after the war. However, he mentioned that Bosniaks were still the majority in the Brcko municipality area. The witness confirmed that Brcko was of strategic importance to Serbs, because it was in the interest of the Serbian people to connect Krajina and Serbia.
Savo Bojanovic, former judge with the Military Court in Bijeljina, testified in defence of Karadzic at this hearing. He said that the Court worked according to law and that it was not influenced by military or civil authorities.
Bojanovic said that he tried Serbs who committed crimes. As examples, he mentioned the murder of two prisoners in Bijeljina committed by Republika Srpska Army, VRS, members in February 1993 and the rape of two Bosniak women, which was charged upon two Serbs.
During the cross-examination Prosecutor Ann Sutherland confronted the witness with the fact that he released the two Serbs, who were suspected of the rape of Bosniak women, as well as the murder, from custody. While confirming her allegations, Bojanovic said that the release from custody did not mean that the suspects were acquitted of charges.
Commenting on the murder of Bosniak prisoners in Bijeljina, the Prosecutor suggested that in his capacity as an investigative judge, Bojanovic could have easily determined the identity of the perpetrators, instead of issuing a warrant against unknown perpetrators, members of VRS.
It is not a court, but prosecution bodies, which search for perpetrators. We issued the warrant, the witness said.
When the Prosecutor said that the Military Court in Bijeljina tried VRS members mostly for theft and that none of them was tried for war crimes, Bojanovic said that proceedings are initiated by the prosecution, not by the court.
The trial of Karadzic is due to continue on Wednesday, March 6.
