June 1992 | Voices from the Drina

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Serb forces have attacked the hamlet of Drum, near Vlasenica. More than 20 Muslim men have been killed in a few minutes. Only 3 men from Drum have survived, myself included. We’re being bused with the women of the hamlet to Sušica camp. Don’t know if I’ll make it out alive.

Family and I have decided to spend the summer in the forest, near Srebrenica. It’s safer. Less likely to be bombed to pieces by JNA planes or Serb shells. The forest is near my family’s village, which is all burnt out.

My God, I’ve seen our family home… it’s completely burnt down. It’s like my whole life has burnt down with it.

Those of us hiding in the forest are working the land at night, so we’re not seen by Serb troops. We have wheat and corn ready to pick. We’re bringing it back to help feed all of us refugees hiding in the forest.

NGO members visited Sušica camp today. Commander Nikolić hid most of the detainees from them. They were only shown ‘the healthy ones’.

Ibro and I have managed to make contacts with our pre-war colleagues on other frequencies. Some are nearby in free Tuzla, others are in besieged Sarajevo. We’re trying to connect people in Srebrenica with their loved ones.

Today in the Sušica camp, Ređo Čakisić, was tortured. The guards took him outside, where he was ordered to line up against a wall with his hands behind his back. Camp Commander Nikolić hit Ređo with his rifle butt and kicked him repeatedly.

I’m being detained at Rogatica’s Veljko Vlahović secondary school, with at least 1,000 other Muslims. I’m with my family. Our Serb captors are under the command of Rajko Kušić. The guards beat, rape and torture detainees on a daily basis. I don’t know if I or my family will survive this.

We’re hiding in the woods and I’m trying to see through my binoculars what’s going on. All the villages around us are under attack. Will keep you posted.

UPDATE: Just seen a group of Serb paramilitaries getting out of a car and entering a house in Bare hamlet.