No Possibility to Demilitarise Srebrenica Enclave

During the cross-examination, Mladic’s Defence attorney Branko Lukic presented the witness with documents of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, indicating that at least “4,000 rifles” were present in Srebrenica in the summer of 1995.
 
Confirming that the Dutch UNPROFOR Battalion’s task was to demilitarise Srebrenica, Rave said that “blue helmets” did all they could to do it, by collecting “a large quantity” of weapons from ABiH. However, he explained that UNRPFOR did not have a mandate to search for weapons and search houses.
 
“In the end it proved that it was not possible to demilitarise the enclave,” the Dutch officer said.
 
General Mladic (70), the then Commander of the Republika Srpska Army, is charged with genocide against about 7,000 Muslims and the persecution of thousands of women and children from the Srebrenica enclave.
 
When asked whether he knew under what circumstances Naser Oric, Commander of ABiH forces in Srebrenica, left the enclave and whether UNPROFOR helped him, Rave said that the international forces did not help him leave. He specified that he spoke with Oric for the last time in March 1995 and that he disappeared after that.
 
The Hague Tribunal acquitted Oric, in 2008, of war-crime charges.
 
The then Sergeant Major Rave denied the Prosecution’s allegations that UNPROFOR took the side of the ABiH during the VRS’ attack on Srebrenica in July 1995. “The Dutch Battalion was in a war against the VRS,” Defence attorney Lukic said.
 
“Yes, because we were attacked… We tried to protect ourselves and the population… But, we did not declare war against anybody,” Rave said.
 
Presenting a statement given by general Mladic in Potocari on July 12, 1995, the Defence said that Muslims from Srebrenica wanted to leave the enclave willfully, but Rave denied the allegation.
 
At the end of the witness’ testimony presiding Judge Alphons Orie said that indictee Mladic made an inappropriate gesture towards Rave and requested the Defence to investigate that.
 
As the hearing continued, prosecutors presented the judges with another Dutch Officer, who served in Srebrenica in July 1995.
 
Leendert van Duijn said that, in his capacity as Commander of a Dutchbat Squad, he tried to stop the VRS advancement towards Srebrenica with two armored transporters on July 9, 1995. Artillery fire opened by Serb forces made him withdraw, while VRS tanks attacked other Dutch units as well.
 
As he said, Van Duijn saw the separation of Muslim men from women and children in Potocari on July 12, 1995. He said that the men were escorted by Serb soldiers. General Mladic was present near the UNPROFOR compound that day. Van Duijn spoke to him.
 
General Mladic is also charged with the persecution of Muslims and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, terror against civilians in Sarajevo by an artillery and sniper campaign and taking UNPROFOR members hostage.
 
The trial of Mladic is due to continue on April 25.