Blog 03: The Bosnian “Safe Havens": Zepa

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Blog 3: The Bosnian “Safe Havens": Zepa

 
During the Bosnian War (1992–95), Žepa became one of three Bosniak enclaves in eastern Bosnia surrounded by the Army of the Republika Srpska (VRS), along with Srebrenica, a short distance downstream, and Goražde farther upstream, after other towns such as Foča, Bratunac and Zvornik were taken by the VRS. In 1993, the town was declared a United Nations safe area and had a small Ukrainian Army unit of UNPROFOR peacekeepers stationed there. The military commander of the enclave was Colonel Avdo Palić, who disappeared soon after the town was captured by the VRS on 25 July 1995. According to eyewitness accounts, he was murdered at the orders of VRS General Ratko Mladić. 116 Bosniaks were killed in the takeover. After the fall of Zepa, thousands of the enclave's mostly Muslim people have being expelled from their homes to the Bosnian-held cities of Kladanj and Zenica under the auspices of the United Nations despite the United Nation resolutions to protect these area.
Following advise of the Dutch consul of the Dutch embassy in Sarajevo, we won't visit Zepa due to the bad road after the strong winter with heavy snowfall.

 

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