MEMORANDUM ON WAR CRIMES
AND CRIMES AND GENOCIDE IN EASTERN BOSNIA
(COMMUNES OF BRATUNAC, SKELANI AND SREBRENICA)
COMMITTED AGAINST THE SERBIAN POPULATION
FROM APRIL 1992 TO APRIL 1993

Introduction

The Serbian population inhabiting the part of eastern Bosnia called Podrinje (the Drina river valley) comprising the communes of Bratunac and Srebrenica, and of late also the commune of Skelane is subjected to constant pressures and a depopulation process.

Since a long time ago, one could say for centuries, the Drina river has marked, the frontier between the Serbian state, stretching along its right bank and the various states that replaced one another under various occupations on its left bank and in the region of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Invariably, all occupying powers in the past sought, without much regard for the means employed, to move and remove the Serbs from Bosnia farther away . from its border with Serbia. This lies at the root of the intensified cleansing of the Serbian population from these territories. A consequence of the intensified ethnic cleansing in Podrinje is the almost radical alteration of the national structure of the population with Serbs accounting for a lower and lower share.

Ethnic cleansing, repeated persecution and the destruction of everything Serbian, starting from the people themselves, to their settlements and property makes us duty-bound to tell everyone who is interested in our fate about it.

It goes without saying that the documents we have available are neither complete nor final. The war is still not over, the suffering of the people continues, and new victims are falling every day here. However, what is already known, what has happened over this period of less than a year, has the proportions of a human and material disaster unseen even by those who witnessed past wars. It is therefore incumbent on us to testify about that catastrophe, at least with what documentation we possess at the moment, which we managed to collect under quite difficult conditions.

SURVEY OF PREVIOUS CRIMES

In the two last world wars alone the number of civilian victims among the Serbs in Bosnia-Herzegovina was unmatched by any European people in the same period in proportion to their size. As throughout the previous, decades under Austro-Hungarian rule the Serbs would not accept to be its subjects, at the outbreak of the 1914 war they were declared arch-traitors. Court processes began throughout Bosnia immediately thereafter.

From these parts or from what then was the Srebrenica district, about 20 Serbs were convicted for arch-treason. They were all eminent men from this region. Two of them were Orthodox priests. The fate of the archpriest Milan Petkovic is in point of fact symbolic of that of many Serbs from Bosnia and from this particular region. He spent the First World War serving a prison sentence, he survived that war, but not the next one. In the second world war he was arrested again, taken to Dahau and ended his life in a gas chamber.

Those Serbs who were not tried at staged processes and sent to prison were subjected to other methods of annihilation and. persecution. Under the Austro-Hungarian rule several thousand Serbian families either fled or were banished. Apart from the authorities, local Moslems and Croats comprising the (paramilitary) formations of the Green cadre and the Shutz corps directly expelled these people. Few of these exiles retuned after the war.

The most cruel method of deportation was to camps. Such notorious camps for Serbs from Bosnia were Arad, Sapronyek, Nezyder... In Arad alone, to which the first transport set out in August 1914, almost 200 people of Serbian nationality from the Srebrenica district lost their lives. In addition to adult men, civilians, children, women ,the elderly and whole families perished.

After all these persecutions, according to the first population census taken after the war and the creation of Yugoslavia, the Serbian population was reduced to only about 50% of the total number of inhabitants of the Srebrenica district, i.e. territories covered today by the communes of Srebrenica, Bratunac and Skelane.

The new war was to bring a new exodus.

Almost the same occupiers and their, also the same, collaborators saw to that. The Srebrenica district as in fact the rest of Bosnia-Herzegovina were given in WWII to the Hitlerite creation of the Independent State of Croatia headed by its Poglavnik Ante Pavelic.

It is not possible to make a list of Serbian victims in the Srebrenica district either. Estimates range between 3,000 and 6,000 persons. Some testimony is provided by monuments erected in purely Serbian villages and in churchyards where the names of the sufferers are inscribed. Such inscriptions could have been found in more than 20 Serbian villages up to this latest assault on the Serbian people openly launched by the Moslems in the spring of 1992. Even on the monument in Srebrenica itself , in which after WWII the Moslems accounted for the majority, the names of 145 killed Serbs, of which 36 children under 7, are written. The genocidal campaign against the Serbian people left in its wake burned and razed to the ground almost all Serbian villages and all villagers who did not manage to escape were killed , very often in a bestial way. Ustashi and Domobran (home guardsmen) Croatian-Moslem fascist legions destroyed and devastated the villages of Zalazje, Brezane, Ocenovici, Srpska Kamenica, Zivkovici, Sikiric , Zljebac, Srpski Pribidoli , Podravanje, Fakovici, Kravica, Zabukovci, Banjevici, Slapaslnica, Popovici ... (It is also in this area that Drinjaca was, from which Pavelic was sent by his faithful Ustashi as Malaparte writes in his novel "Skin" a present of a keg of gouged out Serbian eyes). Already at the beginning of 1942 there were virtually no Serbs in the Srebrenica district except for few who managed to survive hidden in the mountains and in camps in the woods.

During the years of the Second World War the Srebrenica district was ethnically cleansed of Serbs and belonged wholly to the followers of Islam.

The results of the genocide against the Serbian people in the Srebrenica district became evident after WW II and the renewal of Yugoslavia. Once dominant in numbers, the Serbian people found itself in a minority after WWII hardly reaching one third of the total number of inhabitants.

It is important to note that in Yugoslavia, after the wars and the irrefutable crimes against the Serbian people not denied by anyone in peace either, no records of the victims or of the criminals were established. Most of the perpetrators of these genocidal acts went free. In the Srebrenica district only about 15 so-called collaborators of the occupying forces were registered of which only some were given symbolic sentences and served some time in prison. We would not be mentioning this if new butchers and killers were not being recruited afresh from the same families (the family Kamenica, from Jaglici, the family Salikovic from Biljaca, or the family Zukic also from Biljaca).

CRIMES AGAINST THE SERBS IN 1992 AND 1993

The aim of the terror the Serbs are now exposed to is the same as during the previous wars. It is to expel now and for all the Serbs from these regions. That is why every attack on the Serbian villages leaves in its wake only desolation, burned buildings, looted and destroyed property, destroyed monuments, cemeteries and churches.

All the attacks so far were as a rule thoroughly prepared, they systematically mounted and carried out by large numbers of well-armed men. The target were initially smaller Serbian hamlets in nationally mixed villages, then isolated Serbian villages surrounded by Moslem ones, and finally the remaining Serbian settlements.

It seems that even the days when attacks take place are not left to chance. It is hard to believe that Orthodox festivals and family patron saint days (St. George's Day, St. Vitus' Day, St. Peter's Day, Christmas) when villagers are celebrating or days when they are busiest working on their farms are chosen for no reason whatsoever.

This tactics has been confirmed by all subsequent events.

The first victims of attacks on Serb territories and the Serbian people were the hamlets of Gniona in the commune of Srebrenica and of Bljeceva in the commune of Bratunac on May 6, 1992. (on St. George's Day), followed by attacks on other Serbian villages, and on January 7 , 1993 (Christmas), the last large Serbian villages in the vicinity of Skelane and Bratunac were run over and destroyed. Even before the autumn of 1992 the commune of Srebrenica had been almost completely ethnically cleansed of Serbs. The following Serb settlements in that commune were destroyed and burnt down: Blazijevici (133 inhabitants of Serb nationality), Bebuljice (52), Bozici (152), Brezani (271), Brezovica (64), Bujakovici (166), Cicevci (180), Gaj (187), Gladovici (538), Godjevici (33), Gostilj (113), Kostolomci (234), Krnjici (114), Medje (130), Obadi (684), Orahovica (334) Osredak (195), Podravanje (413), Postolje (107), Pribidoli (207), Pribojevici (124), Radosevici (201), Ratkovici (338), Toplica (254), Viogor (99), Zabokvica (590) as well as all Serb hamlets in nationally mixed villages.

The Serbs started fleeing Srebrenica itself as early as Apri1, and already by mid-May the town was ethnically clean. Only some ten older persons are there today (if they are still alive).

A particularly massive exodus started after May 8 and the killing of Goran Zekic, Serb deputy to the then Assembly of Bosnia- Herzegovina. His car was waylaid by the Moslems and riddled by fire in the immediate vicinity of Srebrenica. After that the remaining Serbs in the city had to flee for their 1ives. Hardly anyone managed to take away even the bare minimum of personal belongings. The Serb population of Srebrenica and its surroundings is now in exile and this commune has been cleansed of the Serbian nation.

Only three Serb villages have remained: Crvica (475), Lijesce (97) and Petrica (135). Of a total of 9390 Serbs who used to live in this commune, only about 860 have remained ( in addition to the mentioned villages this figure includes the inhabitants of Skelani), or a symbolic 9%.

The same fate befell the villages in the commune of Bratunac. Exceptions are only the villages of Dubravice (398 iahabitants of Serb nationality), Jelah (23), Krasanovici (155), Pobrdje (196), Polom (436); Rakovac (25S), Repovac (458) and Slapasnica (446) which have managed to survive and are today, besides the villagers, inhabited by a certain number of refugees from the surrounding destroyed Serb villages. The Serbs have not been expelled from two communal centres Bratunac and Skelani, places on the banks of the Drina river. Of a total of about 11,500 Serbs in the commune of Bratunac only 5,391 or about 47% were not driven out of their homes. After all the cleansings carried out so far the Serbs account for only 16% of the total population of this commune.

Testimony of the jihad campaigns of conquest are the almost totally destroyed villages of Banjevici (38 inhabitants of Serb nationality), Biljaca (17), Bjelovac (238), Bljeceva (71), Boljevici (415), Brana Bacici (236), Fakovici (115), Hranca (152), Jaketici (102), Jezestica (502), Kravica (353), Lipenovici (235), Loznica (132), Magasici (353), Mlecva (196), Mratinci (218), Opravdici (434), Sikiric (201), Stanatovici (206), Tegare (222), Vitkovici (200), Vranesevici (211), Zagoni (480) and Zlijebac (377).

The collective perpetrators of these crimes are Moslem military or paramilitary units, call them whatever you will, but in any case they are formations of bands comprising predominantly villagers from the surrounding Moslem villages and, in much smaller numbers, comers and mercenaries from the country or abroad. All the attempts of the Serbs who formed their own, usually small in number and poorly armed village guards, to defend these villages were unsuccessful.

The destruction of villages

It is almost impossible in such a brief survey to mention all the attacks, burning down and looting of Serb villages. As we have seen almost one hundred settlements with Serb population are in question. We nevertheless believe that a description of the desolation of just some of those villages and hamlets can be compelling evidence of their epopee. What happened to them is in some ways typical of the fate of the other settlements. If differences do exist, they mainly concern the names of the attackers, the perpetrators of the crimes, but not the final outcome of their attacks. And this final outcome are always killed people, plundered property, burned and destroyed villages.

The following examples testify to that:

BLJECEVA (commune of Bratunac), a village with an overwhelming Moslem majority in the total population (Moslems - 532, Serbs - 71) The attack on this village marked the beginning of a series of attacks by Moslem chauvinists on compact Serb settlements in the commune of Bratunac. The attack took place on May 6, 1992. The following were killed: Kosana [woman] (father Novak) Zekic, born in 1928 [64 years old], whose throat the attackers slit in her own house; Milan ([father' name] Milko) Zekic, died of the consequences of wounding and Gojko ([father] Lazar) Jovanovic, an [75 year] old man born in 1917, also died of injuries sustained during the attack. That part of Bljeceva has been abandoned by the Serb population who fled the village and are now living in exile. Their property was plundered and taken away to the surrounding Moslem villages and their houses burned. The direct, collective perpetrators of the attack are Moslems from surrounding Moslem villages and from Bljeceva itself, among whom their leader Hasib Ibrahimovic, and Fuzo Dzelic, Meho Cosic, Ismet Jasarevic, Sacir Memisevic and Ibran Muratovic have been recognized.

GNIONA (commune of Srebrenica), a hamlet of the predominantly Serb village of Gostilj (113 Serbs, 35 Koslems). The attack was made also on May 6, 1992. That was the first burned down and razed Serb village in the commune of Srebrenica. The attack was made by Moslems from the neighbouring village of Potocari under the command of Naser Oric, the leader of Moslem fundamentalists from Srebrenica. The victims of the attack were Lazar (Milivoje) Simic, born in 1936 from Studenac, a guest at his friends' family festival (St. George's Day) and Radojko (Rajko) Milosevic, born in 1928, from Gniona, an ill and almost blind man who was celebrating St. George's Day. Radojko Milojkovic was set to fire alive and burned in his house, before the very eyes of his wife and the villagers who had fled to the nearby woods. Testimony on the tragedy of this village is given by Marko Slijepcevic and Miladin Vukadinovic (Statements on page 81) . The direct perpetrators that have been recognized are mainly their neighbours Rifat Korovic, Ibro Mujkanovic, Ibro Osmanovic, Behadin Mujkanovic.

OPARCI (commune of Srebrenica) a Serb hamlet of the 'village of Brezovica in which Moslems are the majority population (64 Serbs, 462 Moslems). The hamlet of Oparci was attacked on June 1, 1992 and six villagers of Serb nationality were killed on that occasion: Dragic ([father's name] Dragutin) Ilic, born in 1939,the brothers Ratko ([born in] 1942) and Ugljesa (1939) Ilic (father Momcilo), Zivojin (Cvijetin) Petrovic (1917), Milorad (Drago) Petrovic (1923) and Dikosava (Drago) Petrovic (1932) whose throat was slit. All Serbian houses, 22 of them, were burned down. The attack on the hamlet and the crimes were committed by Moslems from Brezovica and the neighbouring villages of Mosevici, Skenderovici, Pirici and Zapolje. Their leader Akif Ustic was identified as well as Huso Salihovic, Eajrudin Halihodzic, Abudlah Alic alias "Dule" from Brezovica itself, Sevdalija Begic from Pirici and Velkaz Husic. Miloje Petrovic from the same village testifies to the crimes.

RATKOVICI (commune of Srebrenica), a Serb village with 338 inhabitants, attacked on June 21, 1992, when 18 villagers were killed - five women and three older men between 64 and 71 years of age: Obren (Vojislav) Bogicevic (1932), Stanoje (Vladislav) Stanojevic (1949), Desanka [woman] (Rade) Stanojevic, burned in her house, Nikola (Todor) Stanojevic (1958), Radenko (Milorad) Stenojevic (1940), throat slit, Vidosava [woman] (Luka) Djurid (1930), Vidoje (Obrad) Rankic (1928), Milutin (Obrad) RankiC (1944), Ranko (Obrad) Rankic (1933), Vinka [woman] (Filip) Maksimovid (1927), Dragomir (Milorad) Maksimovic. (1949), Radomir (Milorad) Maksimovic (1942), succumbed to torture, Cvijtta (Risto) Milanovic (1925), Novka [woman] (Milorad) PavloviC (1945), Bora (Drago) Prodanovic (1941), Zivana [woman] (Petar) Prodanovic (1966), Milovan (Joso) Pavlovic (1919) and Milan (Stojan) ' Jakovljevic (1920). The Moslem families of Pozdanovic, Medic, Podkorjenovica, Martic, Osrnanovic,are guilty of the crimes, attack and looting and the individuals recognized are Mehmed, called "Kadic" after his mother's maiden name from Dedici, and Hiajrudin Osmanovic from Podkorijen. Obren Pavlovic and Zarja Prodanovic testify to the ordeals of the village of Ratkovici.

LOZNICA (the commune of Bratunac), predominantly a Serb village (132 Serbs, 22 Moslems), attacked,looted and burned down by the Moslems in several instances, and had a large number of victims. The most severe attacks were on June 28 and December 14, 1992. From the beginning of the Moslem campaign this village lost 31 villagers or almost a fourth of the total number of Serb inhabitants (23.4%). The following lost their lives: Nebojsa (Petko) Vucetic ([born in] 1972), Jovan (Gavrilo) Milovanovic (1930), Srecko (Radivoje) Milovanovid (1943) , Miloje (Mitar) Damjanovic ( 1971), Djordjo (Milisav) Filipovic (1949), Zivan (Vladimir) Pilipovic (1954), [woman] Verica (Zivan) Filipovic (1975), Radovan (Milan) Lukic (1950), Milenko (Nedeljko) Nikolic (1963), Milorad (Misa) Rancevic (1960), Svetozar (Sreten) Vucetic (1957), [woman] Jelena Stojanovic (1952), [woman] Jelena (Zivojin) Stanojevic (1953) , Drago (Miladin) Jovanovic (1962), Milic (Vidoje) Ilic (1972), Todor (Milovan) Nikolic (1951), Slavomir ( Radivoje) Damnjanovic (1971), Nedeljko (Svetozar) Damnjanovic (1959), Dragan (Dragoljub) Filipovic (1969) , Dragoljub (Mlisav) Filipovic (1942), Milan (Petko) Jovanovic (1948), Djoko (Petko) Jovanovic (1956), Milos (Veselin) Jovanovic (1928), Zeljko (Vojislav) KneZevic (1966), [woman] Kristina (Ceda) Lukic (1948), Bojan Milkovski (1938), Madjen (Bozidar) Petrovic ( 1958), Midorag (Bogdan) Petrovic (1948), Boro (Krsto) Todorovic (1949), Milenko (Radovan) Vucetic (1975) and Radovan (Savo) Vucetic (1943). In the attacks carried out so far, surviving villagers identified the following attackers: Alija (Mujo) Ibric, alias Kurta, Besim (Avdo) Salihovic, Bidan (Avdo) Salihovic, Regid (Rahman) Sinanovic, Sadik (Salih) Zukid, Bajrudin (Alija) Begzadib, Ramiz (Idriz) Kamenica, Munib (Idriz) Kamenica, Esma (Ibis) Kiverid, Hajrudin (Hilmo) Malagid, Midhad (Edhem) Salihovic, Adil(Avdo) Salihovic, Edhem (Ramo) Salihovic, Fikret (Edhen) Salihovic, Muriz (Rahman) Sinanovic, Rifet Salihovic, Edhem (Ramo) Salihovic, Eulija Zukie, Rifet Daubasic, Hasan Daubasic, Mirsad Malagid, Medo Elalagic, Senada Sinanovic, Omerovid called “MiS” (The Mouse). The following witnessed the attacks and the carnage in this village: Stanoje Milanovic, Vitomir Vucetic, Zvonko Filipovic, Mileva Miladinovic, Slavka Matik, Nedjo Petrovic, Janja Simic, and Stoja Petrovic. (statements on pages 82 to 89 and 114.)

BREZANI (commune of Srebrenica), predominantly a Serb village; 271 Serbs, 5 Moslems; attacked on June 30, 1992, when 19 villagers of Serb nationality were killed: Radovan ([father's name] Djole) Petrovic ([born in] 1923); Milos (Rade) Novkovic (1956), found with head cut off and buried like that, [73 year old woman] Dostana Lazic ([born in] 1919), Djuka (Pavle) Lazic ( 1935), Vidoje (Pavle) Lazic (1937), crucified and burned, [woman] Kristina Lazic, burned in her house, Milenko (Ilija) Dragicevic (1974), Ljubomir (Milenko) Josipovic (1975), Milos (Vlado) Krstajic (1937), Pero (Vlado) Krstajic (1935), Stanko (Luka) Milosevic, Vidoje (Milovan) Milosevic (1974), Milivoje (Dragisa) Mitrovic (1930), Stanoje (Milivoje) Mitrovic (1963), Milisav (Mika) Rankic (1947), burned in his house, Dragosav (Milisav) Rankic (1974), burned in his house, Mirko (Milisav) Rankic (1972), also burned in his house, Milomir (Vladislav) Stevanovic (1946), Dragan (Stjepan) Stjepanovic (1961). The village was burned and destroyed. All the cattle were taken away and there were over 200 cows alone. The attack on Brezane was led by Hakija Meholjic, Akif Ustic and Hugo Balinovic and Vehbija Jahic, whose father was an Ustashi in the past war too’, was also identified. Milorad Marjanovic from the same village testifies about the attack. (Statement on page 90.)

ZAGONI (commune of Bratunac) a village with a majority Serb population (480 Serbs, 103 Moslems). Attacked several times and fared like the village of Loznica. The attacks of July 5 and 12, 1992 had especially tragic consequences when over 20 villagers were killed: [53 years old woman] Ljubica ([father's name] Milovan) Milosevic ([born in] 1939), Milos (Jovan) Milosevic (1932), Rada (Ilija) Milosevic (1968) who was massacred, Cedomir (Blagoje) Tanasijevic (1942), Rajko, (Sreten) Gvozdenovic (1927), Dragoljub (Miladin) Gvozdenovic (1954), Blagoje (Milorad) Gvozdenovic (1944), Rada (Radoje) Gvozdenovic (1973), [80 years old woman!] Mileva (Milorad) Dimitric ([born in] 1912), Marko (Mitar) Dimitric (1974), Matija (Stevan) Jaginski (1940), Miodrag (Ilija) Malovic (1943), Mihajlo (Jefta) Mihajlovic (1951), [38 years old woman] Dusanka Paunovic (1954) killed by a sledgehamer, Milovan (Mirko) Dimitric (1962), Miodrag (Jakov) Jovanovic (1952), DuSan (Zivojin) Milosevic (1963), Djordja (Aleksa) Milosevic (1934), Vidosav (Branko) Milosevic (1968), Dragisa (Milko) Milosevic (1963), Miodrag (Milko) Milosevic (1970). Villagers from the surrounding Moslem villages took part in the attack on Zagoni and the following were identified: Muriz Muratovic, Meho Oric, Idriz Muratovic, the son of Nurija Muratovic nicknamed "Spica", Zulfo Tursunovic; an ex-convict, convicted of murder and now one of the commanders, Ramo Babajic, etc. The village was looted and burned. These events were witnessed by: Tatomir Gvozdenovic, Miladin Gvozdenovic, Dragan Gvozdenovic, BoZana Gvozdenovic and Goran Krstic, all of them from Zagoni. (Statements on pages 92 to 98.)

KRNJICI (commune of Srebrenica), predominantly a Serb village (114 Serbs, 11 Moslems), attacked and destroyed on July 5, 1992. Sixteen villagers were killed on that occasion: Boban ([father's name] Spasoje) Lazarevic ([born in] 1965), Sredoje (Nedeljko) Jovanovic (1947), Miroslav Jovanovic, Dragutin (Milos) Dimitrijevic (1961), Srpko (Novak) Aksic (1972), Rade (Petko) Trimanovic (1961), Rados (Mirko) Maksimovic (1968), Milenko (Risto) Maksinovic, Milos (Ostoja) Milosevic (1961), Nebojsa (Zoran) Milosevic (1975), [woman] Milja Micic, [80 years old man] Vaso Poraca ([born in] 1912), his throat was slit, Ilija Simic, Veljko (Milisav) Simic (1953), Vlajko (Petar) Vladic (1934) and [woman] Soka Vujic who was fomd killed by a pitchfork.

ZALAZJE, a hamlet in the hediate vicinity of Srebrenica, 39 persons were killed in the attack on July 12, 1992: Svetozar ([father's name] Cvijetin) Lakic ([born in] 1951), Dusan (Slobodan) Blagojevic (1946), Radinka (Dragomir) Cvjetinovic (1952), massacred, Ivan (Ranko) Cvjetinovic (1953), Svetislav (Tadija) Dragicevic (1949), Zeljko (Milorad) Giljevic (1970), Nedeljko (Desimir) Gligic (1948), Ljubisav (Nikola) Gligoric (1962), Aleksa (Milos) Gordic (1945), Slobodan (Milan) Ilic (1946), Milisav (Sreten) Ilic (1957), Luka (Ljubomir) Jeremic (1927), Ratko (Milos) Jeremic (1969), Marko (Ratko) Jeremic (1965), Radovan (Ratko) Jeremic (1963), Milovan (MaliSa) Lazarevic (1946), Momir (Stanko) Lazarevic (1955), Branislav (Aleksandar) Pavlovic (1947), Gojko (Yugoslav) Petrovic (1963), Dragomir (Borisav) Rakic (1957), Svetozar (Cvijetin) Rakic (1951), Momcilo (Ljubomir) Rakic (1949), Miodrag (Ljubomir) Rakic (1959) , Mile (Momcilo) Rakic (1966), Branko (Gojko) Simic (1959), Petko (Gojko) Simic (1963), Miladin (Vojin) Stanojevic (1929), Miroljub (Radivoje) Todorovic (1961), Radivoje (Bogoljub) Tomic (1950), Miladin (Rade) Tubic (1955), Radisav (Radovan) Vasiljevic (1963), Radisav (Radovan) Vasiljevic (1965), Bosko (Zivojin) Vujadinovic (1951), Vaso (Zivojin) Vujadinovic (1954), Nedeljko (Bogdan) Vujadinovic (1947), Dragomir (Miiovan) Vujadinovic (1947), Milovan (Slavoljub) Vujadinovic (1948), Dusan (Vaso) Vujadinovic (1940). The attack was carried out by Moslem paramilitary formations and territorial defence units under the command of Naser Oric. The other identified participants were Zulfo Tursunovic, Akif Ustic, Hakija Meholjic. Witness Velisav Vasic. (Statement on p. 99.)

MAGASIC (commune of Bratunac), a village with approximately the same number of Serbs and Moslems (353 Serbs, 292 Moslems). The Serbian part of the village was attacked several times, the most severe attacks on July 20 and 25, 1992. The following villagers were killed: Stojan ([father's name] Zivorad) Popovic (1967), Zivko (Vojislav) Cvjetinovic ([born in] 1950), [woman] Ljiljana (Dusan) Ilic (1975), [woman] Zorka (Marko) Ilic (1947), [woman] Milenija (Milorad) Ilic (1944), [woman] Ljubinka (Petar) Ilic (1952), Marjan (Radomir) Ilic (1963), [woman] Ljubica Milanovic, [85 year old man] Blagoje (Pero) Popovic (1907), [73 years old woman] Leposava (Risto) Popovic (1919), [woman] Ljubica (Zivorad) Mirkovic (1942), and Cvijetin (Nikolija) Djuricic. Six women yere killed in those two attacks. Among the attackers the villagers recognized : Meho Osmanovic, Saban Osmanovic, Camil Hasanovic, Senahid Avdic, Ramo Babajic, Hajrudin Osmanovic, Nedzib Osmanovic, Hajro Osmanovic, Heho Osmanovic, Mehidin Smailovic and others. Witnesses of this attack are: Vinka Bozic, Radomir Ilic, Rosa Bozic, Milka Bozic. (Statements on pages 101 to 104.)

JEZESTICA (commune of Bratunac), one of the larger purely Serb villages in this region (502 inhabitants of Serb nationality). The village was attacked on August 8, 1992. On that occasion fire was set to 55 Serb houses and nine villagers were killed: Vojin ([father's name] Rade) Bogicevic ([born in] 1929), Andjelko (Ljubomir) Mladjenovic (1965) body buried without the head, which was cut off and taken away by the attackers, Dragan (Ljubomir) Hladjenovic (1960), [woman] Savka (Obren) Hladjenovic (1931), Sreten (Milos) Rankovic (1962), Milan (Vlado) Rankovic (1935), [woman] Savka (Nedeljko) Stjepenovic (1951), [73 years old man] Milosav (Obrad) Stjepanovic (1919) and Srbo (Savan) Djuric (1944). The larger part of the village was plundered and burned. The second attack on this same village, i.e. on its remaining hamlets, took place on January 7 (on Christmas), 1993, when the following were killed: Radomir (Vujadin) Jovanovic (1959), Bosko (Mika) Djukanovic (1928), [woman] Nevenka (Risto) Djuksnovic (1946), Ivan (Vlado) Djukanovic (1954) and Krsto (Vlado) Djukanovic. Among the attackers the villagers recognized: Enver Alispahic, Hamdija Alispahic, Humin Adenovic, Bekto Kanenica, Dzemail Kamenica, Avdo Kamenica, Ramiz Kamenca, Munib Kamenica, Kemal Hehmedovic "Kemo" and Huso Zukic and Mustafa Zukic: Rade Stjepanovic and Rajko Jovanovic testify about the attacks on the village (statements enclosed, pages 105 to 108).

FAKOVICI (commune of Bratununac), a village with a predominant Serb population (115 Serbs, 33 Moslems), attacked on October 5, 1992, when 19 villagers were killed: [woman] Desanka ([father's name] Radoje) Bozic ([born in] 1924), [woman] Olga (Milovan) Markovic (1935), [woman] Slavka (MiloVan) Markovic (i931), Cuba NikoliC, [82 years old man] Danilo Djuric (1910), Miroslav (Milan) Ivanovic (1973). Radoje (Savo) Markovic (1941), Radomir (Stevo) Markovic (1939), Petko (Milovan) Nikolic (1954), Milovan (Sreten) Nikolic (1923), Radovan (Jovo) Savic (1965), Milomir (Blagoje) Subotic (1959); Milovan (Vlado) Djokic (1936), Sreten (Mileta) Djokic (1938), Djoko (Nedoljko) Djokic (1955), Svetozor (Sreten) Djokic (1965) and Vidoje (Radovan) Djukic (1954). The village was destroyed, robbed and burned. 0nly the desecrated church remained standing. The following participated in the attack on this village Akif Ustic, Esma Kivuric, Nasir Mamutovic, Ibrahim Hujkic. Witness: Zikic "Drago", postman in the village, (statement enclosed p. 109).

BOLJEVICI (commune of Bratunac), a Serb village (415 inhabitants of Serb nationality), attacked on the same day as Fakovici, i.e. October 5, 1992. The following were killed in that attack: [woman] Milja Despotovic, [woman] Petra Prodanovic ([born in] 1927), [woman] Stojka (Jovan) Stjepanovic (1922), [woman] Stanija Vasic (1930), Radovan (Sreto) Djukic (1922), Milutin (Ljubisav) Ristic (1940), Zarija (Novica) Ristic (1929), Vladan (Manojlo) Vasic (1929). The people killed were mainly old people guarding their homesteads, tending their cattle and looking after the holdings of their neighbours. Most of the population abandoned the village on account of constant threats by Islamic nationalists. Today it is an ash heap. Even the old men were killed. The villagers who survived identified the following attackers: Nasir Mamutovic, Ibraim Mujkic, Aris Ridjic. Witnesses: Radovan Ristic and Stojan Djokic.

BJELOVAC (commune of Bratunac), predominantly a Serb Village (238 Serbs, 51 Moslems), the fiercest attack was on December 14, 1992. On that occasion the village suffered massive human and material losses and is today mainly abandoned and deserted. In these Moslem attacks the following lost their lives: Zlatan ([father's name] Milenko) Bogicevic ([born in] 1975), Miodrag (Ilija) Cvijic (1972), Slobodan (Vitomir) Vitorovic, Stevo (Nedjo) Pilipovic (1951), Milisav (Ilija) Ilic (1957), Milun (Miso) Ilic (1939), [81 year old woman] Zlata (Milos) Jovanovic (1911), [woman] Radenka Jovanovid (1974), [woman] Vida (Radivoje) Lukic (1933), Miroslav Marincevic (19651, Radivoje (Ilija) Matic (1937), [35 years old woman] Gordana (Radivoje) Matic (1967), [33 years old woman] Snezana (Radivoje) Matic (1965), Mirko (Petko) Miladinovic (1971), Cedo (Petko) Miladinovic (1975), Slavko (Cedo) Milutinovic (1963), Slobodan (Ratko) Nedeljkovic (1970) , Mirko (Krsto) Petrovic (1920), Mirko (Milan) Petrovic (1972), Mitar (Ostoja) Savic (1954), Radovan (Sreten) Tanasic (1923), Rajko (Zika) Tomic (1955), Milorad (Zivorad) Tosic (1972), Zoran (Tomislav) Trisic (1968). The attack on Bjelovac took place at the same time as the already mentioned attack on Loznica, i.e. Loznicka Rijeka and Sikiric. These are neighbouring villages and the attackers are mainly the same ones. According to the testimony of the survivors the following attackers were identified: Alija Ibrid "Kurta", Hidan Salihovic, Besim Salihovic, Resid Sinanovic, Sadik Zukic, Haris Ahmetovic "Hari", Hajrudin Begzadic, Dzemail Kamenica, Ramiz Kamenica, Munib Kamenica, Esma Kiveric, Hajrudin Malagic, Midhat Salihovic, Adil Salihovic, Edhem Salihovic, Fikret Salihovic, Muriz Sinanovic, Rifet Salihovic, Edhem Salihovic and Mulija Zukic. Witnesses of the attack on this village are: Stoja Petrovic, Slavoljub Rankic and, Mira Pilipovic. (Statements enclosed, pp. 114 to 120.)

SIKIRIC (commune of Bratunac), a village with a negligible Moslem majority, 201 Serbs and 241 Moslems. Attacked like Loznica and Bjelovac on December 14, 1992. The victims of that attack were: Zivojin ([father's name] Blagoje) Ilic ([born in] 1928), [woman] Radojka (Kosta) Ilic (1935), Desimir (Nikodin) Matic (1928), Radovan (Bogosav) Mitrovic (1948), Srecko (Bogosav) Mitrovic (1946), Milomir (Bogoljub) Nedeljkovic (1940), Ljubisav (Obrad) Nedeljkovic (1925), Ratko (Svetislav) Nedeljkovic (1946), Slobodan (Miladin) Petrovic (1976), Dusan (Rade) Prodanovic (1931), [woman] Obrenija (Miladin) Rankic (1934), Zlatan (Ranko) Simic (1961), Zivadin (Svetolik) Simic (1946), Radisav (Svetolik) Simic (1937), [woman] Grozdana (Vasilije) Simic (1931), Dragisa (Branko) Stevanovic (1966), Radenko (Savo) Stojanovic (1973), Milomir (Ljubisav) Tanasic (1939), Milan (Petar) Tanasic (1957), [woman] Obrenija (Obrad) Trigic (1931), Novak (Srecko) Vuksic (1931). The perpetrators of these murders, looting and burning, have mainly already been listed. They are the attackers on the neighbouring villages of Loznica and Bjelovac. They are also identified by name by the witnesses Milisava Nikolic, Gvozdenija Matic, Ratko Nikolic and Predrag Nedeljkovic in their statements (enclosed, p. 121 to 131)

KRAVICA (commune of Bratunac) a purely Serb village (353 inhabitants of Serb nationality). The village was attacked on January 7 ([Orthodox] Christmas), 1993 and the following were killed: Milivoje Zivanovic, Slobodan ([father's name] Jovan) Bogicevic ([born in] 1945), Radojko (Ljubomir) Boqicevic (1954), Vojislav (Ljubomir) Bogicevic (1949), Ratko (Marko) Dadic (1954), Miladin (Dusan) Dolijanovic (1963), Negoslav (Mikailo) Eric, Kristina (Nikola) Eric, Pajkan (Paja) Gavric (1963) , Vladislav (Mirko) Janjic (1948) , Stojan (Mitar) Jovanovic (1948), Ratko (Dragomir) Miladinovic (1959), Djordjo (Dragomir) Miladinovic (1958), Gordan (Cvijetin) Nikolic (1958), Milovan (Todosije) Nikolic (1946), Milovan (Risto) Ostojic (1949), Mitar (Risto) Ostojic (1934), Dusan Petrovic, Risto (Kosta) Popovic (1920), Kostadin (Risto) Popovic (1947), Gojko Radovic, Rade (Ljuba) Radovic (1976), Dragan (Dragosav) Radovic (1968), Vaskrsije (Djordje) Radovic (1956) , Milan (Radovan) Stevanovic (1973), Vasilj (Petar) Todorovic (1955), Lazar (Kostadin) Veselinovic (1935), Stanoje (Stanko) Djokic (1941). Kravica too is today a devastated village which was not the case even during the fiercest German and Ustashi destructive campaigns in World War II. The surviving villagers and defenders of this village recognized the following among the numerous attackers: Zulfo Tursunovic, Nezir from Glogova, ex cattle hustler, Ohran's son Huso, Saban Music and others. Rajko Nikolic and Milorad Nikolic (statements on pages 126 and 132) testify about the attack which took place on January 7, 1993.

As already mentioned, the fate of these 16 villages is typical of the other destroyed Serb villages in this region. All of them were the victims of sudden attacks by their neighbours from the nearby Moslem vi11 ages.

The pliqht of the villagers

It is not yet possible to establish the exact number of killed people of Serb nationality. I t is estimated that up to March 1993 about 1,200 people were killed, and the number of injured and wounded, also according to estimates, ranges between 2,800 and 3,200 persons. Many of the injuries and wounds were caused by the frequent shelling of the remaining Serb villages, of Bratunac and Skelani, of many hamlets, as well as by sniper fire and numerous step mines, of which civilians are the victims.

Many of the killed were buried after the bodies were pulled out by family members and villagers abandoning the village, several tens of bodies were delivered by the Moslems to the Serbian side for burial, while others remained on the ashes and ruins of their homes or somewhere nearby and there met their deaths. However, since the Moslems took these villages and their surroundings they have become inacessible and there is no possibility to find the bodies of the killed Serbs. Since many were killed already during the summer it is hardly likely that they will ever be buried. It will perhaps be possible only after the war is over to ascertain the number of victims who have remained on Moslem territory for whatever reason, and who have been killed as prisoners or detainees, as well as their identities. It is difficult to maintain accurate records because due to the circumstances records are kept in a number of places, among which there are barely any regular traffic links. Thus, for instance, part of the commune of Srebrenica is linked with the commune of Miliec, another with the commune of Skelani, and yet a third one with the commune of Bratunac.

The same pertains to the places of burial. Most of the victims were buried in Bratunac, then in Skelani and in Serbian villages which are still free. Some of the victims have been buried in places vhere they were killed and quite a few were buried in Yugoslavia, in Bajina Basta, Ljubovija and villages on the right bank of the Drina river. The Drina is the grave of some. Current needs and obligations, reduced only to the struggle for bare survival, prevent both civilian and military authorities from undertaking a count of the victims.

Despite all this, that which is accurately known and has been established and to a certain extent medically processed, testifies to the massive tragedy of the Serbian people in these areas.

The list given below contains. the names of 648 victims or about a half of the people of Serb nationality killed there so far. Even as we write this memo the toll rises every day. This is why this document should be seen as initial, incomplete, providing only partial information on the annihilation of the Serbian people and its property in the territories of the communes of Srebrenica, Bratunac and Skelani. A final document wili be drawn up when conditions permit.

The attached list of victims contains the : a) name, father' s name and surname, b) year of birth, c) place of residence, before death, d) place of death. We should perhaps mention that in addition to the above, the following is also known for most of the victims: place of birth, occupation, number of family members, cause of death, medical findings on external examination of the body, direct or indirect perpetrators of the crime, witnesses. In addition, their national and religious affiliation is known, but with a few exceptions, only Serbs of the Orthodox faith are in question.

The list has been made chronologically, by month and date of death, this providing insight into the scope and pace of the attacks of Moslem bands on Serb territories. Attention should perhaps also be drawn to the fact that not only were Serb settlemtiits destroyed, but also whole families in some villages were wiped out.

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