Karadzic: Film Made in Srebrenica
This post is also available in: Bosnian
It was said before The Hague Tribunal, that journalist Zoran Petrovic-Pirocanac made the video recording of the bodies of killed Bosniaks on July 13, 1995, while he was passing by the warehouse in Kravica by car. Petrovic’s movie, which was made in the area between Srebrenica and Bratunac, was analysed in detail by Hague Prosecution investigator Tomasz Blaszczyk during his testimony at the trial of Radovan Karadzic.
The witness said that the movie depicted Bosniak men, who were detained in a white house in Potocari, after having been separated from women and children by members of the Republika Srpska Army, VRS. Author Petrovic commented on the scene by saying: There were some attempts to smuggle men, possibly including some criminals, on convoys.
According to the charges against Karadzic, Serb forces killed about 1,000 Bosniaks from Srebrenica in the warehouse in Kravica on July 13, 1995. Karadzic, former President of Republika Srpska and supreme Commander of VRS, is charged with genocide against more than 7,000 Bosniak men from Srebrenica and the persecution of their families in the days that followed the occupation of the enclave by VRS forces on July 11, 1995.
The indictment alleges that the men were transferred from the white house to locations in the vicinity of Zvornik, where they were shot. Petrovic recorded, with his camera, piles of packs, bags and other objects, which the Bosniaks had to leave in front of the house. Karadzic is charged with the persecution of Bosniaks and Croats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and other crimes committed in the period from 1992 to 1995.
Petrovic’s movie depicts the surrender of tens of Bosniaks in the vicinity of Konjevic polje. Blaszczyk explained that those men had tried to break through the barriers around Srebrenica through the woods and reach Tuzla. The recording further depicts columns of men, who were dressed in civil suits, carrying the wounded and injured men and coming down from the surrounding hills, while bursts of gunshots were heard and Serb soldiers called on Bosniaks to surrender.
At several points during Petrovic’s movie one can see groups of captives sitting on the ground alongside the main road.
Besides that, Petrovic recorded the taking of Bosniak women and children from Potocari. In one of the buses he recorded a 90-year old lady and five-month old baby, among others. This is the last group, right? Petrovic asked someone during the movie and an unidentified person gave an affirmative answer.
While recording members of the Dutch Battalion of UNPROFOR in Potocari, Petrovic said that the Dutch have the task to make the transportation of Bosniaks from Srebrenica better.
The movie depicts Srebrenica, after having been totally emptied, as well as a few dead bodies of civilians left lying in the streets Blaszczyk said.
Petrovic previously testified about his movie before The Hague Tribunal at other trials. A transcript of his earlier testimony was included as evidence at Karadzic’s trial.
The trial of Karadzic is due to continue on Thursday, January 26 with the cross-examination of Blaszczyk.R.M.
