Bukovica engleski.qxd - Fond za humanitarno pravo

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Bukovica engleski.qxd 15.3.2003 13:53 Page 12 12 Bukovica tenegrin towns was impermissible, and that they had to be disarmed. 16 Up until then the Montenegrin government had claimed that there were no paramilitary groups in the republic. That there were became evident at the Pljevlja meeting when President Bulatović criticized the authorities for failing to disarm paramilitaries. The weekly Monitor reported that the republic’s Minister of Internal Affairs did not deny that some ”strange army“ had passed through the town under police escort. 17 He admitted it had been agreed that the passage through Pljevlja of this outfit would be swift. He further said it was impossible to completely ”disarm citizens who like guns, in fact it is dangerous because people, including paramilitaries, are reluctant to give up their weapons.“ The weekly noted that the minister avoided saying which outfit had been involved. 18 Who made up these paramilitary groups was indirectly revealed by VJ General Milan Djokić, the commanding officer of the Pljevlja garrison. Saying that it was not the Army which had betrayed the people but vice versa, 19 General Djokić announced that ”under great pressure by citizens,“ he would start ”handing out arms to those who are prepared to defend the country.“ 20 Although President Bulatović told the general that weapons could distributed only by a decision of the High Defense Council, Montenegrins wondered what were the criteria for being considered trustworthy enough to be issued with arms and whether their government was 16 ”Security Without Protection,“ Monitor, Podgorica, 15 May 1992. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid. 20 Ibid
Bukovica engleski.qxd 15.3.2003 13:53 Page 13 Humanitarian Law Center really in control of the situation. The Muslim population became increasingly anxious and fearful. Reacting to a report in Monitor 21 on the lawlessness and rampaging of the paramilitaries, blowing up of Muslim property in Pljevlja, and the local authorities’ refusal to respond to questions by the press, Pljevlja Police Chief Milan Paunović and the security chief for Pljevlja and Žabljak municipalities, Radoman Purić, called a news conference to deny the ”allegations of some media.“ Paunović and Purić claimed that all citizens enjoyed equal protection and that the law enforcement agencies were investing maximum efforts to ensure the safety of all. 2.1. Disarming paramilitary groups In late July 1992, the Yugoslav High Defense Council, Montenegrin Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Second Army Command took a decision to disarm all paramilitary groups. At a cafe in Pljevlja on 15 and 16 August, SRS member and Chetnik Vojvoda 22 Milika ”Čeko“ Dačević had his men turn over their weapons. A few old M- 48 rifles and a number of trophy weapons were handed in, with TV cameras and photojournalists memorializing the ”spectacular arms surrender.“ The federal government and the High Defense Council dispatched the Special Forces of the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs to Pljevlja in the summer of that year to disarm the paramilitaries and obviate inter-ethnic conflicts. Its commanding officer, Milorad Davidović, said that there were those in both the Montenegrin and Muslim communities who were not pleased with the pres- 21 ”Investigation Is Underway,“ Monitor, Podgorica, 18 July 1992. 22 Vojvoda, highest rank in the Serbian Army at the time of World War I. 13
Page 1 and 2: Bukovica engleski.qxd 15.3.2003 13:
Page 11: Bukovica engleski.qxd 15.3.2003 13:
Page 63 and 64:
Bukovica engleski.qxd 15.3.2003 13:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
show all

Bukovica engleski.qxd - Fond za humanitarno pravo

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?