Maj. Ramiz Bećirević’s debriefing statement (August 11, 1995)

Ramiz Bećirević was an important, but largely neglected, Srebrenica player. He was deputy commander of Sarajevo forces within the enclave and in the Spring of 1995, upon commander Naser Orić’s departure from the encalve shortly before it was overrun, Bećirević assumed command of 28th Division forces within it. In contrast to Orić, he was a professional military officer, untainted by imputations of corruption or war crimes. Bećirević was in overall command of the 28th Division breakout from Srebrenica to Tuzla in mid-July 1995 and his August 11 1995 debriefing to the Military Security Service Department of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Army 2nd Corps in Tuzla is of major interest. Maj. Bećirević discusses issues such as black market trafficking within the enclave (p. 4), the sham demilitarization of 28th Division forces in 1993 and subsequent illegal supplies of weapons to the enclave (p. 5), the considerable number (1,300 to 1,400) of “fallen soldiers” prior to July 1995 Srebrenica events who are officially unaccounted for and whose remains are possibly commingled with execution victims (p. 8), and about intense combat the 28th Division column engaged in during the breakout and the casualties it sustained (p. 14 – 16).  Significantly, Bećirević also states that “I had around 6,000 troops, without counting the troops from Žepa. There were not many women in the column, and I did not see a lot of children. Maybe there were about ten women.” (p. 14) His confirmation that he “did not see a lot of children” in the ranks of the column whence subsequently executed prisoners were eventually drawn should perhaps lead to a reexamination of the established “Srebrenica men and boys” meme. His report that at the time of Srebrenica’s fall he had “around 6,000 troops, without counting Žepa” under his command is obviously incompatible with the claim that the enclave was demilitarized and defenseless. A few months after the fall of Srebrenica, Maj. Bećirević died under unexplained circumstances.

Maj. Ramiz Bećirević’s post-Srebrenica debriefing:

Statement of Ramiz Bećirević