The Coalition for RECOM: The information about the mass grave in the village of Medevce, in the municipality of Medvedja, should be verified

The Coalition for RECOM: The information about the mass grave in the village of Medevce, in the municipality of Medvedja, should be verified

31.8.2018.

On the occasion of the International Day of  Missing Persons, the Coalition for RECOM invites the competent authorities of the Republic of Serbia to determine the accuracy of the information about the existence of a mass grave in the village of Medevce, 30 metres from the Leskovac–Prishtina road, 1.5 km from the Mutivode border crossing point, in the   security zone towards Kosovo, about 300 metres away from KFOR units.

According to the received information, with the message that it relates to a “contribution to solving the fate of the missing,” at that location, during the construction works of a facility for  police use, in September 2001, a military trencher dug out and broke four bodies which had been buried in an unmarked spot next to the Leskovac–Prishtina road. A white Nike sneaker was on the foot of one broken leg; also found were red children's boots, a pair of jeans, rubber gloves, and a piece of soft fabric. The civilian police, stationed in containers in the direction of an old house near the road, stopped any further excavation. One police officer used the trencher to cover the body parts and other items of clothing with soil, and levelled the ground. Within 40 minutes, a black Mercedes arrived at the location of the mass grave carrying General Vladimir Lazarević, accompanied by  Stojan Konjikovac, Chief of Staff of the 549th Motorised Brigade, and they were followed by two jeeps with soldiers in black uniforms and  Dr. Martens-type black boots.

General Lazarević, convicted by the ICTY for crimes against humanity, retired General Konjikovac, as well as the Chief of Security Chief of the 549th Motorized Brigade, Miljan Veličković, have the information about the location in Kosovo from which the bodies were transferred to Serbia, and what happened with the bodies, whether they were moved to another location or destroyed.

The Coalition for RECOM invites individuals who have data and information on mass graves and destruction of the mortal remains of war victims, to come forward and help clarify the fate of the other 10,281 people who disappeared in connection with the 1990s wars in the area of​ the former SFRY.