THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, April 8 (Hina) - Protected witness B1486 testified about the expulsion of 10,000 Bosniaks from the village of Janje near the northern Bosnian town of Bijeljina at the trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan
Milosevic before the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague on Tuesday.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, April 8 (Hina) - Protected witness B1486
testified about the expulsion of 10,000 Bosniaks from the village
of Janje near the northern Bosnian town of Bijeljina at the trial of
former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic before the U.N. war
crimes tribunal in The Hague on Tuesday. #L#
Wrapping up the presentation of evidence in the part of Milosevic's
trial referring to crimes committed in Croatia, the prosecution
started calling first witnesses to testify about events in Bosnia-
Herzegovina.
Witness B1486, a resident of Janje, spoke about the occupation of
the village by late war criminal Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan's troops
on April 3, 1992, and their introducing curfews, plundering the
villagers' property, destroying mosques and deporting local
residents.
According to the 1991 census, the village had 10,023 Muslim, 217
Serb and around 270 Yugoslav, Croat and other inhabitants.
Although there were no armed conflicts and killings in the
beginning, by the end of 1994 only 200 Muslims remained in the
village due to night raids and other forms of intimidation, the
confiscation of farming machines, cattle and houses, and forced
mobilisation.
"Armed incidents and crimes ensued after the arrival of a large
number of Serb refugees, and police did nothing to protect the local
Muslim population," the witness said.
The deportation of some 4,000 villagers was organised by special
Bosnian Serb police forces, who confiscated the villagers'
jewellery, money and other valuables. More than 4,000 residents
left the village using their own channels, via Serbia, and
emigrated to foreign countries, while more than 1,000 people ended
up in camps on Mt. Majevica, the witness said, adding he had been
deported in September 1994.
Cross-examining the witness, Milosevic tried to prove that what he
was referring to as deportations was actually population exchange.
Commenting on the destruction of mosques, Milosevic said the
Bosnian Serb authorities had condemned the desecration of
religious facilities, but the witness rejected his claims.
The witness said that 80% of Janje's pre-war residents had returned
to the village to date.
(hina) rml