28 November 2006
News
Samardzic: Victims cried in vain
BIRN BiHThe Appellate Council has heard the audio testimonies of girls who had been held in Karaman's House.
Until 1992, when protected witness 'L'was 15 years old, she lived in the Rataje village of the Foca municipality. According to her testimony– first heard during the first instance proceedings - Nedjo and Zoran Samardzic, together with Milenko Trifkovic, then took her to the so-called Karaman's House.
"What happened in Karaman's House can be described by a single word - rape," 'L' said, adding that there were a number of rapists and that the accused Nedjo Samardzic raped her on several occasions.
"The first rape is deeply etched in my memory. Nedjo took me to a room and ordered me to take my clothes off. I started crying and begged him, and he just told me that I was crying in vain," protected witness 'L' said.
She said that most of the rapes happened during the night, when soldiers visited the house. She also alleged that the accused's brother, Zoran Samardzic, was among the attackers.
'L' remained in Karaman's House until 21 March 1993, when she was exchanged.
Witness 'G' said that she had not reached the age of 13 when she was taken by force to Zoran Samardzic's apartment. She was held there together with two other girls for four months.
She said that Nedjo Samardzic often came to the apartment, where he had raped the other two girls, but not her.
"All of us lived in fear. We had todo what they told us," 'G' said, adding that Nedjo Samardzic personally took her to his apartment in Miljevina after four months.
According to the indictment, in August 1992 Nedjo Samardzic held 'B.J.' in custody in his apartment in Miljevina and sexually abused her. On one occasion he forced 'G', who was under age, to watch him rape 'B.J.'
"He forced me to take off all of my clothes and stand in a corner. He told me to watch while he was raping'B.J.'. She just cried," witness'G' said.
Subsequently, in November 1992, Nedjo Samardzic took her to Karaman's House, where she stayed until 23 March 1993.
"I did not know what Karaman's Housewas, but I heard it was hell," witness 'G' said. She stated that all of the girls in Karaman's House were raped.
Protected witness 'K' was brought to the Karaman House on 2 August. There, she was held and raped for three months.
"Nedjo raped me once in a very brutal way. He made me take off his clothes and then raped me. Afterwards he boasted to his brother about what he had done and he raped me, too," the witness said.
According to her, also in Karaman's Housewas the 12-year-old 'A.B.', who was raped by Nedjo Samardzic.
"Nedjo boasted that he took her virginity. When they brought her she had her dolls with her to play with. She did not know what was waiting for there," said 'K', who was exchanged on 5 March 1993.
Nedjo Samardzic is charged with bringing the 12-year-old 'A.B.' and the 15-year-old 'L' and 'K' to Karaman's House,where he raped them.
The Appellate Council will continue thetrial on 29 November.
"What happened in Karaman's House can be described by a single word - rape," 'L' said, adding that there were a number of rapists and that the accused Nedjo Samardzic raped her on several occasions.
"The first rape is deeply etched in my memory. Nedjo took me to a room and ordered me to take my clothes off. I started crying and begged him, and he just told me that I was crying in vain," protected witness 'L' said.
She said that most of the rapes happened during the night, when soldiers visited the house. She also alleged that the accused's brother, Zoran Samardzic, was among the attackers.
'L' remained in Karaman's House until 21 March 1993, when she was exchanged.
Witness 'G' said that she had not reached the age of 13 when she was taken by force to Zoran Samardzic's apartment. She was held there together with two other girls for four months.
She said that Nedjo Samardzic often came to the apartment, where he had raped the other two girls, but not her.
"All of us lived in fear. We had todo what they told us," 'G' said, adding that Nedjo Samardzic personally took her to his apartment in Miljevina after four months.
According to the indictment, in August 1992 Nedjo Samardzic held 'B.J.' in custody in his apartment in Miljevina and sexually abused her. On one occasion he forced 'G', who was under age, to watch him rape 'B.J.'
"He forced me to take off all of my clothes and stand in a corner. He told me to watch while he was raping'B.J.'. She just cried," witness'G' said.
Subsequently, in November 1992, Nedjo Samardzic took her to Karaman's House, where she stayed until 23 March 1993.
"I did not know what Karaman's Housewas, but I heard it was hell," witness 'G' said. She stated that all of the girls in Karaman's House were raped.
Protected witness 'K' was brought to the Karaman House on 2 August. There, she was held and raped for three months.
"Nedjo raped me once in a very brutal way. He made me take off his clothes and then raped me. Afterwards he boasted to his brother about what he had done and he raped me, too," the witness said.
According to her, also in Karaman's Housewas the 12-year-old 'A.B.', who was raped by Nedjo Samardzic.
"Nedjo boasted that he took her virginity. When they brought her she had her dolls with her to play with. She did not know what was waiting for there," said 'K', who was exchanged on 5 March 1993.
Nedjo Samardzic is charged with bringing the 12-year-old 'A.B.' and the 15-year-old 'L' and 'K' to Karaman's House,where he raped them.
The Appellate Council will continue thetrial on 29 November.
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