Enver Lemes, who lost his father Zuhdija Lemes in the genocide that took place in Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995, is preparing to bury 4 bones belonging to his father, which were found in 3 mass graves, today.
Lemes, who lives in the capital Sarajevo, lost his loved ones on the forest road that he took with his father and brother to reach the safe zone in the summer of 1995.
Speaking to AA correspondent, Lemes stated that he was a high school student during the war in 1992-1995 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"The war was the most difficult period of my life. We were living off the donations. Sometimes only flour was helping, sometimes salt. There was nothing else," Lemes said.
Lemes explained that they were surprised by the fall of Srebrenica, which was declared a "safe zone" by the United Nations (UN), at that time.
"We all thought that nothing would happen to Srebrenica, but we saw Serbian troops enter the city. We had to leave the city to save our lives, but everything happened very quickly and without coordination," Lemes added.
"I DID NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO SAY GOOD BYE TO MY MOTHER"
Lemes stated that they were walking along the forest road with his father Zuhdija and his brother Muriz.
"My mother stayed in Potocari. We decided to take the forest road to reach the safe zone. I didn't have the strength to say goodbye to my mother. Somewhere along the road were 10,000 male civilians," Lemes said.
Lemes stated that the road is quite difficult, mined, dangerous and full of Serbian soldiers.
"We tried to carry the wounded and pull the dead off the road. We didn't have medical equipment. We drank water in the streams, but poison was also thrown into the water. Those who drank the poison had hallucinations, moving uncontrollably and stepping on mines. It's complete chaos," Lemes added.
Lemes said that they move mostly at night and said:
"One night there was someone carrying a lantern among us, but it was very strange. None of us had a lantern. These people went to a beech tree and suddenly the tree fell. It was probably pre-made. The tree fell on the people and Serbian soldiers started to come around, who opened fire on us. This took half an hour. I was sure most of us were dead."
"ONLY 4 BONES OF MY FATHER FOUND"
Stating that he did not see his father and brother after the night the tree fell, Lemes said, "In fact, they had survived the attack. We decided to form a larger group and proceed to the safe zone. I left them by a tree so I could find more people. They were gone when I returned."
Emphasizing that the Serbs, who introduced themselves as "guides", were infiltrating the Bosniak civilians advancing through the forest road, Lemes said, "I think my father and brother came across one of these guides. In a later image, my father is seen being taken prisoner. They were probably killed later as well."
Stating that his brother was identified in 2008, Lemes said, "Bone remains of my father were found in 3 mass graves. We buried my brother before. This year, we decided to bury my father. Only 4 bones of my father were found. We also want to bury these 4 bones so that my father will be a tombstone. Let it be known that he was once alive. Let's know that we have a father."
Lemes, of his father, whom he remembers with tears, "He worked hard. We didn't spend much time with him. He wanted to leave us a good life."
30 GENOCIDE VICTIMS WILL BE BURIED AT THIS YEAR'S CEREMONIES
At the commemoration and funeral ceremony to be held on July 11 this year, 30 more genocide victims will be buried.
After the occupation of Srebrenica by the Serbian troops under the command of Ratko Mladic on July 11, 1995, the civilian Bosniaks who took refuge with the Dutch soldiers within the United Nations (UN) were then handed over to the Serbs.
Allowing women and children to reach the area controlled by Bosniak soldiers, the Serbs massacred at least 8,372 Bosniak men in forested areas, factories and warehouses. The murdered Bosnians were buried in mass graves.
After the war, the victims whose bodies were found in mass graves in the efforts to find the missing are buried with a ceremony held at the Potocari Memorial Cemetery on July 11 every year after identification.
While there are 6,721 graves of genocide victims in the Potocari Memorial Cemetery, this number will rise to 6,751 on July 11.