Deportation of Bosniaks from Prozor
This post is also available in: Bosnian
Eniz Gorancic said that, following the fall of Prozor under the control of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, he left Skrobucani village, Prozor municipality, together with a group of men, and headed towards the territory controlled by the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH.
“HVO stopped us in Pajici village. They invited military policemen from Prozor, who took us to the Fire Brigade house,” Gorancic said, adding that they were held there for one day.
The witness said that, while they were in the Fire Brigade house, Nikola Maric examined and beat men. Gorancic was examined by a Franjo Krizanac and Jozo Mestrovic.
“Nikola watched me being examined. I did not see that he hit anybody,” the witness said, adding that all of them were also taken to the Police Station in order to be examined. As he said, after that they were allowed to go to their original destination.
The witness said that he saw his family when they were deported from Prozor municipality in August 1993.
Nikola Maric, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, is charged in 25 counts with having participated in murders, torture and other inhumane acts in Prozor municipality from November 1992 to October 1993.
Witness Smajo Motika said that he was captured in Skrobucani village in April 1993 and taken to the Police Station in Prozor together with about 15 or 20 other men. They were held there for about 15 days before being returned to the village.
Motika said that he was then detained in the Secondary School Centre before being taken to Gabela detention camp.
Third Prosecution witness Ahmet Motika also watched the taking of men from Skrobuccani village. At this hearing he said that he was hiding in the woods, because he was afraid of being killed or burnt, but, while he was in that forest, he could see what was happening in the village.
“Of course I saw him. He had a gun. I also recognised Ivo Milicevic,” the witness said, when asked by the Prosecution whether he saw indictee Maric in the village on that day and whether he was armed.
He said that about 30 HVO soldiers were present in the village, but he did not see what Maric was doing.
According to the witness’ testimony, his brother Smajo as well as Serif Motika, Muharem Sljivo and others was arrested in the village on that day, while four civilians, including a disabled man born in 1930, were killed.
The witness said that several civilians were killed in neighbouring Paros village as well.
When asked by the Prosecution whether he left his house voluntarily in August 1993, the witness said: “No way. I did not do it voluntarily. HVO expelled us”.
The trial is due to continue on November 27.
