Voices from the Drina | Bosnian Genocide Education

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Had a productive discussion over dinner with UNPROFOR representative Cedric Thornberry. I expressed my satisfaction that Bijeljina has been liberated by our brave Serb men in uniform.

We’re leaving Bosna. We heading for Hungary. But we’ll need to pass through Serbia first. Other Bosniaks have done this. Inshallah we’ll get there ok.

We’ve been stopped a few kilometres outside Vlasenica. A group of Serbian men dressed in WWII Chetnik caps and armbands, with rifles, are stopping us. I’m terrified.

Chetnik man told us to turn back. They’re claiming that Muslims have “occupied” Vlasenica and will shoot at anyone who passes. This is a blatant lie. We’re the ones being attacked. But we had no choice but to listen and turn back. We’re trapped in a Bosna that is burning.

Talking with parents about what we think is really happening in Vlasenica. We reckon whatever has been happening to Han Pijesak and the other settlements along the Drina must be happening to Vlasenica. God help us.

🧵 I’ve just witnessed something chilling. We stopped at a motel after having been turned back by Serb forces dressed in Chetnik attire. We were being escorted by a Bosniak policeman named Fadil. He’s just been sacked by his Serb colleagues.

We were sat downstairs in the motel and suddenly the room filled with Serb policemen. One of the policeman put his walkie-talkie on speakerphone. The voice coming through presented himself as the ‘deputy commander of the police station in Vlasenica’.

He spoke directly to Fadil: “Fadil, come down here to surrender your weapon and car. That would be best for you. That’s the only thing you can do.” Fadil looks to his Serb colleagues in the room for support, but gets none.

We’ve returned to Han Pijesak (nearest town to Stoborani village). We’re convinced Fadil will either be arrested or dead by now.

BREAKING: Vlasenica has been ethnically “cleansed” overnight. Former JNA troops and extremists from the SDS party have carried out the atrocities. The perpetrators wore nylon socks around their heads.