Written by: Vesna Bešić/Aa.com.tr
It has been 30 years since the monstrous crime committed on June 1, 1992 in the area of Bijelo Potok near Zvornik by members of the RS Army and MUP.
The massacre in Bijelo Potok represents the murder of Bosniak civilians committed on June 1, 1992 in Bijelo Potok by members of the Republika Srpska Army and paramilitary formations. About 675 men and boys from several villages in the Zvornik municipality were separated from their families and then killed. Their bodies were buried in various mass graves throughout Podrinje, reports Anadolu Agency (AA).
To date, the remains of around 245 victims have not been found.
Muamer Džananović, a research associate at the Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law at the University of Sarajevo, has been working with his colleague Elvedin Mulagić on a scientific research project for six or seven years, the end result of which will be the publication of at least one study, i.e. a book about the crimes committed in Zvornik. in the period from 1992 to 1995.
He reminded that the crimes in the city center started as soon as Serbian units took control of the city on April 8, 1992.
"Serbian forces occupied Kula Grad on April 26, when crimes continued to be committed in the wider area of the Zvornik municipality. After Kula Grad was occupied, in the following period the Serbian army focused on occupying the entire Zvornik territory. Crimes were committed daily in different places . From crimes in the wider area of Snago, Kamenica to crimes in Grbavci, Glumina, Jusići, Drinjača, Tršić, Skočić. Between 50 - 100 people were killed in all these villages. These are brutal mass crimes that accompanied the extermination of the civilian population." explained Džananović.
As he said, the population was tortured in the Zvornik camps, raped and physically tortured in various other ways.
Džananović said that there was no place for Bosniaks in Zvornik, and those who were "only" expelled fared best.
"The end of May is very important, when it comes to Zvornik. Orders were issued to systematically expel women, children and the elderly towards Kalesija and other free areas, and to detain men in camps. This resulted in crimes in Jusići, and especially in the wider area of Drinjača, Kostijerevo, Sopotnik... In that period, from May 26 to 27, the population of Divič was expelled, as well as Bijelo Potok, we are talking about 15 or 20 villages that are perceived by the public as villages of Bijelo Potok So, on May 31st, that gathering was finished, about 6,000 civilians in the village of Klisa," explained Džananović.
As he said, it is generally accepted among the families of the victims and among the people of Zvornik, as well as the general public, that the crimes against the residents of Đulić, Klisa, Kučić Kula, Kitovnice, Šetić, Dardagan, Duraković, Hajdarević, Lupo, Bijelo Potok, Čališman, Radava, Sjenokosa, Kaludran, Tršić, Jardan, Đin, Mrakodolo, Mahmutovića, Ramić, Tahić, Hamzić and surrounding hamlets, carried out mainly from June 1, 1992 to June 8, 1992 in Klisa, Bijelo Potok, Zvornik camps where most were killed captured civilians.
In fact, all those crimes in the memory culture of the Bosniaks of Zvornik are linked to the day and location of the beginning of the crime and persecution on June 1 in Bijeli Potok, they call the crime "White Stream".
"The first of June is the day when families were separated from their men of military age in the town of Bijeli Potok, among whom there were also older minors. When the dawn of June 1 dawned, the population in Klis got ready to move to Sapna, tanks appeared and very a lot of troops. Soldiers broke into houses, shot, threatened and directed people towards the village of Bijeli Potok, which is two or three kilometers from Klisa. The population in a column, five or six thousand of them, headed towards Bijeli Potok on a macadam road. First the murder happened in Klisa in the morning," Džananović pointed out.
He emphasized that on that day and in that locality, the captured Bosniaks were separated from their families and that was actually where they saw each other for the last time.
"There was a lot of army in Bijeli Potok. As the population arrived in Bijeli Potok, men, of military age as well as older minors, were separated from women, children and older men. The crime is called and recognized as a crime in Bijeli Potok because that families were separated there," said Džananović, stating that some murders took place there as well.
As he said, the men were transported in trucks to the Karakaj Technical School Center, and the women and children to Memići, that is, Kalesija.
"About 700 Bosniaks are crammed into a very small room in Karakaj. It was a very hot day, they had no water and they were exhausted. About 20 men died as a result of suffocation. According to the statements of some witnesses, the heating was even turned on in the room in order to suffered as much as possible. The next day, they were moved to some other rooms. From the first day, torture, brutal beatings and killings were carried out," said Džananović.
The crimes of persecution, detention, torture and killing were predominantly committed from June 1 to June 5 in the "TŠC Karakaju" camp, when a large number of Bosniaks were killed.
"They were there until June 5th, and after that, at least 400 hundred Bosniaks were transferred to Pilica. On June 8th, they were transported to a private slaughterhouse known as 'Gera's slaughterhouse.' ", said Džananović.
As he said, the murders of Bosniaks in that area lasted from June 1 to June 8, 1992.
"The fact is that over 600 Bosniaks who were taken from Bijeli Potok were killed. When we talk about the crime 'Bijeli Potok', it is really one of the most massive crimes committed in the period 1992-1995. The largest number of victims of Bijeli Potok were found in the secondary mass grave Crni Vrh, one of the largest mass graves in which more than 600 victims were found. The remains of nearly 250 murdered Bijeli Potok Bosniaks have never been found. All male members of some families were killed. Some lineages were severed, four were killed each , five sons, fathers...Nazija Beganović, who died, had six sons and her husband killed. She did not live to find the remains of her loved ones," explained Džananović.
He is of the opinion that those responsible for this, as well as for numerous other crimes, have not been prosecuted.
"It seems to me that it is not in the focus of the investigative and judicial authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The fact is that in several cases, practically against all the leaders of the political and military leadership of the RS, crimes in Zvornik, including this one in Bijelo Potok, were mentioned." added Džananović.
Photo: Nihad Ibrahimkadić - Anadolu Agency (AA)