GRAORAC: DURAKOVIĆ ACQUITTAL - OUTRAGEOUS DECISION, UNACCEPTABLE TO SERBS

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, MAY 28 /SRNA/ – The decision of the Appellate Chamber of the Court of BiH acquitting former commander of the 43rd Brigade of the so-called Army of BiH, Ramiz Duraković, of charges of war crimes against Serb civilians in the Čajniče area is outrageous and absolutely unacceptable for the Serb people, said Isidora Graorac, the head of the Republika Srpska Organisation of Families of Captured, Fallen Soldiers and Missing Civilians.

Graorac told SRNA that this is another piece of bad news for Serbs from the Court of BiH, especially for Serb families whose relatives suffered during the war, particularly those from Čajniče. "To acquit someone who led an operation with the explanation that he was not aware of the criminal acts taking place is extremely outrageous, ambiguous, and clearly supports the notion that no one is held accountable for crimes against Serb civilians or soldiers," Graorac stressed. According to her, the Court of BiH has thereby definitively decided to turn away from the Serb people and judgments that would be fair and in accordance with the law. She said that even someone with no legal background would find it difficult to believe the explanation for acquitting a person who commanded a military operation in which civilians were killed, let alone legal professionals or family members of victims who closely follow war crimes trials. Graorac pointed out that, unfortunately, the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of BiH will never change their positions and that this decision is merely a continuation of their previous rulings. Graorac emphasized that Serbs will never accept Duraković’s acquittal. "What remains to us is faith in God’s justice or, ultimately, a complete reorganisation of the Court of BiH, which is unlikely," Graorac said. The Appellate Chamber of the Court of BiH today acquitted former commander Ramiz Duraković of charges of war crimes against Serb civilians in the Čajniče area in 1993, stating that it had not been proven that he had knowledge of the crimes committed. Presiding judge Amela Husić said that it was undisputed that the crimes had occurred and that Duraković had commanded the operation, but that it was not proven he was aware of the killings and setting the houses on fire. The injured party, Miloš Pijević, whose house was burned down, was referred to civil proceedings regarding his compensation claim. In the first-instance ruling, the Court of BiH had sentenced Duraković to three and a half years in prison for war crimes against Serb civilians in the Čajniče area in 1993. The initial judgment found him responsible for the killing of Darinka Pijević and setting the homes of Rajko and Miloš Pijević on fire.