Salvation Found in Forest

The Prosecution witness, who testified under the pseudonym of A-3, said that all members of his close and broader family were killed in Prozor municipality in July 1993. As he said, the murders happened during an “intrusion” by members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO into Skrobucani, Heljdovi and Munikoze villages.

“About 15 civilians were killed and more than 50 houses burnt in villages in that area. My father, mother, brother, aunt and three uncles were among the victims. So many years have passed since, but I have only found my brother’s remains,” witness A-2 said, explaining that he survived because he was hiding in a forest all the time.

As he said, he did not know who killed his family members, but he heard that members of the HVO’s “Kinder” Squad “entered the villages and set them on fire”.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Zeljko Jukic, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, with having participated, along with other members of HVO and the Croatian Army, HV, in the persecution of Bosniak civilians, murders and forcible disappearances of the Bosniak population from Prozor municipality from July to September 1993.

Protected witness A-2 testified at the hearing today as well. He was hiding in a forest in July 1993, when HVO members attacked Heljdovi village and set all houses on fire.

“The village was completely destroyed. There were no local residents, but they captured a minor boy, who had to tell them where we were. The local population was the captured in the forest and transferred to Prozor, while 32 of us, men, saved ourselves by running deeper into the forest,” witness A-2 said.

When asked by the Defence whether he could name any of the HVO soldiers who were present in his village in July 1993, the witness answered negatively, because he did not know any of them by name.

The trial is due to continue on March 14, when the Prosecution will examine three more witnesses.