FILIPOVIĆ: FAMILIES OF THE KILLED SEEK JUSTICE FOR SERB VICTIMS OF UPPER PODRINJE

FOČA, JULY 24 /SRNA/ – The families of the killed in the Upper Podrinje region are seeking justice for crimes committed against their loved ones during the Defensive-Patriotic War, expecting the responsible ones to be punished, as a large number of civilians, including children, were killed.

Janko Filipović, the head of the Foča Municipal Organisation of Families of Captured, Killed Soldiers and Missing Civilians, told SRNA that a trial is currently underway before the Court of BiH for crimes committed against Serbs in Bursići, Hadrovići, and Klisure on August 8, 1992; in Jošanica, where 56 people were killed; and in the Čajniče area, where 11 Serb civilians were murdered. He noted that eight Serbs were killed in Bursići, Hadrovići, and Klisure, the oldest victim being a 90-year-old woman. "In Jošanica, 56 women, children, and elderly people were killed, the oldest being an 88-year-old man, among whom were three children aged two, seven, and ten," Filipović recalled. He added that in the villages of Šapići, Trpinje, Trojan, and Ponikve in the Čajniče area, 11 Serb civilians were killed, the youngest being a 14-year-old child. According to him, all these villages were deep within territory controlled by the Army of Republika Srpska, with the attacks by the so-called Army of BiH targeted only civilian areas, without any territorial gains. Filipović stressed that the families of the murdered are hoping for a fair trial and expect the Court of BiH to act professionally. However, he believes the court process will be lengthy, as the prosecution listed over 400 witnesses and 1,200 pieces of material evidence in the indictment. He reminded that the Atlas of Crimes against Serbs, published by the Republika Srpska Research Centre of War, War Crimes and racing Missing Persons, clearly illustrates the attackers' intent. According to the Atlas, as he explained, civilians were killed using both firearms and white arms, bodies were burned, prisoners were taken to Goražde, and Serb property was looted and burned. Before the Court of BiH, proceedings are ongoing for crimes committed against Serbs in the Foča, Višegrad, and Čajniče areas against Ferid Buljubašić, Ahmet Sejdić, Radiša Sobo, Ševko Glušac, Zakir Jamak, Bahrudin Muhić, Adem Fehrić, Mustafa Poljo, Enver Kustura, Muhamed Lisko, Sakib Čakar, Izet Sejdić, and Munir Nal. They are accused of these crimes as former commanders and members of the so-called Army of BiH. The indictment includes crimes committed in the Foča, Višegrad, and Čajniče areas between August 1992 and February 1993. One of the charges accuses Sejdić, in his role as commander of the Višegrad Territorial Defense forces, of ordering and participating in attacks on the villages of Klisure, Bursići, and Hadrovići in the Višegrad municipality, during which eight Serb civilians were killed, with others being wounded or captured.