THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, March 24 (Hina) - In the trial of former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) General Pavle Strugar before the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, retired JNA Admiral Miodrag Jokic said on Wednesday that the JNA forces that
attacked Dubrovnik in the autumn of 1991 were resisted by poorly armed Croatian troops.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, March 24 (Hina) - In the trial of former Yugoslav
People's Army (JNA) General Pavle Strugar before the UN war crimes
tribunal in The Hague, retired JNA Admiral Miodrag Jokic said on
Wednesday that the JNA forces that attacked Dubrovnik in the autumn of
1991 were resisted by poorly armed Croatian troops.#L#
"Our opponent was not a strong armed force, but poorly armed
paramilitaries," Jokic said in his capacity as a witness for the
prosecution. The attack was carried out by the JNA Second Operations
Group which Jokic said was armed with heavy artillery that often
proved inconvenient in clashes against the Croatian troops.
Describing the combat disposition of JNA units, the witness said that
Dubrovnik's Old Town, proclaimed by UNESCO as a world cultural
heritage site, was pounded by JNA artillery battalions and batteries
using 130mm guns, 152mm and 122mm howitzers and 120mm mortars.
Jokic also explained the organisational and command structure of the
JNA forces, mentioning problems with discipline and cases of looting,
arson and incidents caused by JNA soldiers.
He confirmed that the JNA had targeted hotels sheltering refugees,
saying that such attacks were necessary to neutralise "firing points
near the hotels".
Responding to questions by prosecutor Susan Somers, Jokic said that
the purpose of the JNA operation was "a naval and land blockade of the
city", which was eventually imposed at the end of October 1991. "It
was then that big problems started, because it was hard to keep so
many men under control" after the fighting stopped and a cease-fire
took effect, the witness said.
"It was hard to stop plunder, arson, consumption of alcohol,
uncontrolled use of weapons, including artillery, and violent and
vengeful behaviour," he added.
The prosecution showed a number of orders which Jokic had issued to
strengthen discipline. Jokic said the orders had been carried out only
partly because of a small number of military police and a low level of
training of reservists and volunteers.
A dozen original JNA documents and orders obtained by the witness were
admitted as evidence.
Jokic is scheduled to continue his testimony on Thursday afternoon.
(Hina) vm