Blood and Vengeance, One Family's Story of the War in Bosnia 0393046516

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I I

)

oltE FAiltLY'f

troRY

OF THE WAR IN BOf NIA ((c(

CHUCK f UDETIC

@ PENGUIN BOOKS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chuck Sudetic covered the collapse of Yugoslavia and the war in Bosnia lor The New York Times from 1990 to 1995. He studied English, iourqalism, and Slavic languages at Ohio State University and Indiana University and was a Fulbright scholar in Yugoslavia during 1984 and 1985. His story on the Srebrenica massacre for Rolling Stone magazine was a finalist for a Nationai Magazine Award in I996. His articles have also appeared inThe Economist, Das Magazin (Z,uich), arrd Transitions Magazine (Prague). He lived in Belgrade for eight years before the Milo5evi6 regime refused to renew his journalistic accreditation and forced him to leave the country. He now lives in Montreal.

Praise f.or Blood andYengeance Chosen as a New YorkTimes Notable Book of 1998 and as a Book of the Year by PublishersWeekly andTheWashingtonPost

"A narrative so rich and strong it not only describes the crime but dares to explain

itanddoessowitheloquenceanddignity....Magnificent...ahugecontribution to the literature of the Bosnian

war."

-The

New York Times Book Reyiew

"Richly documented and enthralling. . . Blood andVengeance reads like a great

novel."

-San

Francisco Chronicle

"The triumph olBlood andVengeanca is that it can make an American reader howl and cower in just the same way as those Muslim widorvs. Sudetic has produced a book that simultaneously provides a historical panorama . . . and a minutely observed account of how the conflict ravaged a single family." Chicago Tribune "Dozens of books have come out about the Yugoslav wars but there must be plenty of readers who deep down are still baffled as to why Yugoslavs did this to themselves. Blood and Yengeance is the book for them. . . . This ii one of the best books in English to come out of the Bosnian conflict so far." Economist

-The

"This exploration of a familyt experience during the Bosnian war provides unique and harrowing insight ir.rto Bosnian Serb-Muslim relations. . . . Extraordinary . . . rich in illuminating detail . . . Sudetic's tale of one family's struggle for survival is an essential and lasting contribution.' Kirkus Reyiews, starred review

"Brilliant . . . shows in rich detail how the forces of historicai propaganda and suspicion produced a bloody rhythm of attack and retribution in Srebrenica and its surrounding York Review of Books

villages."

-New

"Of all

the- reporters who covered the Bosnian war, none saw more clearly, dug more deeply or reported more acutely than Chuck Sudetic. Now with Blood ani Vengeance, he has done nothing less than write the defining narrative of the Bosnian conflict. It is an extraordinary achievement."

-David Rieff "world

leaders told us the Bosnia genocide was too complex for outsiders to do much about it when it was happening. Chuck Sudetic tells quite a different story in

this fiercely reported and chilling book. Thking us across history with one Muslim family, a family he is related to, he unravels the complex and makes it not only clear

but

intimate.'

Sydney Schanberg

"Chrrck Sudetic's writing shoves you onto the lront line of Europe's most recent-and most avoidable-war from page one and doesn't letyou liave. you will live and breathe Bosnia until the very last page. This is a book that desperately needs to be

read."

-Sebastian Junger

I

To my father and mother i Liilii, i Sari, i Azri od Glogonjskoga rita do Parme do Brajton Bida i Senjaka, pa i skroz nazad

)

\

CONTENr'

ielik

Family Tree xu

N4ain Characters

xf PBOLOGUE xxix

P.qnr

Olr

DYING EMPIRE', DEADI.Y MYIHJ 7

Panr

f wo

FROM THE BONE' OF PRtNCf T.AZAR TO THE WELI--FED DEAD 73

Plnr f Hnrr .KAD TAD, KAD IAD . . . , 135

Penr

Fovn

THE MAP WAR 65

yiii

Contents

Panr Frvr A PLACE 'ATE215 Panr NDON'T

'HOOI

trx

THE PIANO PLAYERT

I I

I

251

EPILOGUE t995 729

t996 BB 1997

)49 I!

Sources

t t

363

Bibliography )79 Acknowledgments

I

l8t Index I

385

Photographs appear following page r9o. Maps appear on pages x-xi,2,3, 116, 166, z5z.

0

When I'm asleep, dreaming and lulled and warm,They come, the homeless ones, the noiseless dead. While the dim charging breakers of the storm Bellow and drone and rumbie overhead, Out of the gloom they gather about my bed. They whisper to my heart; their thoughts are mine.

-Siegfried

\ I

Sassoon "Sick Leave," ryr8

rRiha6

B,anj a

a

B

o

Luka

SN AND

HERZEI Mostar a

Bijeljinar

\

a

T[rzla

Srebrenica

]VINA a

Sarajevo

a

MAIt{ CHARACTER'

Abdi6, Fikret (AB-deetch, FEE-kret)-A communist-era director of an agricultural enterprise who was responsible for a $5oo-million financial scandal. Leader of a N4us]im faction in northwestern Bosnia. i\4uslim member of the Bosnian presidency after

r99o elections. Carried on trade with the Serbs and Croats before forming a private army and rising against the mostly Muslim army of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ahmetagi|, Fehim (AH-met-ag-eetch, FAY-heem)-Grandson of Mullah \4edo Ahmetagii. Survivor of Zvekara killings in r94r. Ahmetagi6, Hussein-creat-grandson of N4ullah Medo Ahmet agi(.. HodL.a at K'pusovi6i mosque until the late r98os. Left after dispute over water with Branko MitraSinovii.

Ahmetagi6,Ibro (EE-bro)-Son of N4u11ah Medo Ahmetagii and father of Fehim Ahmetagii. Survivor of Zvekara killings in r94r. Ahmetagi6, Meho (l\4AY-ho)-Grandson of N4ullah N4edo Ahmetagii, survivor of Zvekara killings in r94r.

Ahmetagi|, Mullah Medo (MED-o) Self+aught Muslim holy man from Mahoviii, a hamlet iust down Mount zvijezda from Kupusoviii. Staunch supporter of the Serbian monarchy after world War I. District president during the period behveen the hvo world wars. Said to have received the star of Karadfordje, the highest medal awarded by the Serbian king. Burned alive by Serbian chetniks during worid war II with his wife and other family members.

Akashi,Yasushi-special Representative of Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali to the UN military force in the former Yugoslavia lrom December 1993 to October 1995.A staunch opponent ofair strikes. Almir, Hodia (Al--meer)-A N{uslim faith healer from

a

village near Tuzla.

Andrii,Iyo (ANN-dreetch, EE-vo)-Nobel Prize-winning

novelist who wrote about Bosnia. Born in the town of Travnik to Catholic parents, and lived in vi5egrad under the care of a Muslim woman. Wrote the novelBridge ontheDrinaaboutlife in Visegrad from the building of the famous stone bridge to the beginning ofWorld War I.

xvi

MainCharacters

Annan, K_of -Head of peacekeeping operations for the UN during most of the Bosnian war. Later elected secretary-general of the UN. A1'di6, Aviliia (AHV-deerch, AHV-dee-ya)-Farher of Hiba Glik, the wife of Huso celik. Former member of the SS's Handzar Division, a quasi-military unit used as a special police in Yugoslavia from 1943 to the end of the war. Avdi6, Husniia (HOOS-nee-ya)

-The

morher of Hiba

Glik.

Bayezid, sultan*The son of sultan Murat. Fought at the Battle of Kosovo, where his father was killed. B ed irofi6,

Ramiz (beh-CHtrER-o-veetch, ROM-eez ) Acting commander of the Muslim military forces in Srebrenica after Naser orii's -departrire from the safe area in the spring of 1995. Former head of the communist national guard in Srebrenica.

Bildt, carl-Former prime minister of sweden. co-chairman of the International Peace

conference for the former yugoslavia after the departure of David owen in

1995.

Bouhos-Ghali, Boutros-Secretary-general of the uN during the Bosnian war.

Brankwi6, Diurilie (BRAHN-ko-veetch, fooR-iry)-A serbian despot who ruled

over Srebrenica twice in the fifteenth century. Married to a Greek woman named ]erina, often referred to as Jerina the Damned.

Briquemont, Francis-'lhe Belgian general who commanded the UN military force in Bosnia from Ceneral Morillon's departure in 1993 to early 1994. July

Broz, losip-See Tito.

iavkuii6,Haitiird-(cHAHv-koo-sheetch, ha-lEE+ah)-Daughter of Hasib Gvku5ii. Friend of Sead Glik and boyhood lore of Miran Lukif. From the village of Kapetanoviii, just below Kupusoviii.

dvkuii6,Hasi6 (HAH-seeb)-Farher Lived in Steyr, Austria. Friend of the

of Hadzira Gvkusii and friend of Huso

Lukii family.

Glik.

&vkuii6,Ismef (EES-met)-Husband of Latifa criiL. Llved in Kamenica, a hamlet about an hour's walk from Kupusoviii toward the northwest on Mount zvi4ezda.

*t;t

, ,+it

Glik.

?ry!, Molln,

"

(Kozi6) (cHELeek, AyE-ka)-wife of Hasan

Aydo (AHV-doe)-An older brorher of Huso Austria.

(*lik, ndin(ED-een)-son olPaja andzlariiacrrik.

Glik. Mother of Huso

Glik. Bor., in

ry37. Lives

in

Born in 1994 in Srebrenica.

i,elik, Esad (ESS-ahd)-An older brorher of Huso Gllk. izlik,Gordana(GoRE-dahn-ah)-FormerlyGordana inlaw. Married Hamed Celik ln 1989.

Todorovii. The authort sister-

i-clik, Hamed (HoMM-ed)-Husband of Gordana Todorovii, son of Huso Glik.

Main Characters xvii Left Kupusoviii to work as a fruitpicker near Belgrade in 1987. Left Yugosiavia in to 1992. Lived in Austria for a year before reioining his wife and children and moving Canada in 1993.

i.Uk,glbo

(7odi6) (HEE-bah)-Wife of Huso

61ft.

h4other of Hamed, Sead, Paia,

and Sanela.

(nltk, ttuibo (HOOY-boh)-A co1le,mp9rjry.of Mullah SrUr., Glit . The father of Salih Celik and great-grandfather of Huso Crlik'

(nlik,Huro(HOO+o)-Son

of Hasan and Ajka

Glik.

Husbar,d of Hiba 61ik. Fath.r

of Hamed, Sead, Paia, and Sanela Crlik.

i-elik, lusuf (YOO-soof)-The first cousin of Huso Giik's children. Found Chetnik knife inside a cave beside the

Glik

house.

61ft. Married name is Latifa Gvku5i6. dlik,Mir"o (MEER-za)-Son of Paia andZlatiiaGlik. Bo* in ViSegrad in r99o. (nllk, Munoh saban (N4ooLah sHAH-bahn) -A stranger who bought Kupusoviii

cruk,rot6o(lah-TtrA-fah)-sister

of Huso

with bags of gold ducats after the occupation of Bosnia byAustria in 1878. Built next to Juz-bin s mosque.

a

house

Glik n"d grandnrother of Huso R".r",rrried into the Kupus family after her husband,s death during world war I. Died near Srebrenica during world war II.

inlik,Nom(NAH-zah)-Third

Gtit

.

l"t

Saban to marry Salih

wife of Mullah Srbr.,

6lik.

inllk, poio(Pltr-ah)-The youngest son of Huso and Hiba Glik. Husba., d of Zlatiia Glik r"d father of Edin and Mirza. inl;k, So6h(SAHJeekh)-The grandfather of Huso 61ik. Mairied Mullah Srba,,'s third wife, Naza. Killed during World War I near Srebrenica'

(rllk,

Sollt (SAHJeekh)-A brother of Huso Glik. Named after his grandfather killed during World War I. Left the family after World War II and moved to Croatia.

iulik, Soliho (sa-LEE-ha) - See Muratagii, Saliha' ahksanela (sah-NELL-ah)-Married name Sanela Halilovii.

Youngest child and

only riaughter of Huso and Hiba Crlik. Wife of Muhamed Halilovii' Son of Huso and Hiba Glit . L.ft f"pusovi6i after returning the Adriatic coast of Croatia in a shipyard as a laborer until on from the army. Worked on a merchant ship' Now iiving in Canada' laborer as a taking a position

(-elik,

Sead(SAY-ahd)

-

i.llk,ZtoUio(ZlAl-ee-yah)-Wife

of Pala

Glik.

I\4other of Mirza and Edin. From

OdZak.

Chirac, lacques-President of France. Shifted French policy toward Bosnia in 1995. Churkin,VitalT-Russia's special envoy to the former Yugoslavia in 1993 and 1994. AFrench general who replaced General Wahlgren UN military forces in the former Yugoslavia in July 1993' Cot,

lean-

as

commander of the

\

xviii

Main Characters

de I'apresle,

Bertrand-AFrench general who took over the UN military forces after General cot's departure in 1994. Lieutenant General Rose,s superio, r., ih. uN military chain of command. devere Ha1es, Gu7-British deputy to Lieutenant Generar Briquemont of Bergium in 1993. Offered to remove Naser Orii from Srebrenica. Deli6,Rasim (DELL-eetch, RAS-eem)-commander of the mostly Musrim army of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Deli6, sead (DELL-eetch, SAy-ahd)-commander of the Bosnian army,s Tuzla. Corps.

Deronii|,Miroslav (DARE-ohn-eetch, MEER oh+iav)-The

head of the Serbian De-

mocratic Party in Bratunac. Participant in the roundup of Muslim men in Bratunac in r99z' Head of the civilianAffairs committee of Srebrenica after the townt fall in r995. Dudi6,16ro (DUDE-eetch, EE-broh)-The commander of the zgznd Brigade in Srebrenica. Respected by Muslim men as a fighter and as an officer who worlld not take unnecessary risks.

(DUKE-eetch, RAI-koh)-Head of a mining company in the vilrage of Financed the Serbian Democratic party. Friend oiRadoua.,'K aradLi6.. Eagleburger, Lawrence*The u.S. deputy secretary of state under the Bush adminiskation' Reputed to be washington's most knowreigeable person on yugosravia. En6, Anilieliia (AlR-eetch, ann-JElLee-yah)-The morher of Nego and Golub Erii. went to Belgrade and obtained an audience with Tito to beg hiir to commute her

lu!