Military Command

Editor's Note: A Yugoslav Army log book, signed by the regional military commander -- an Army colonel -- appears to confirm that troop reinforcements were sent to Cuska three days before the attack. American RadioWorks got a copy of a decree signed by that same Yugoslav army colonel announcing the imposition of martial law in Pec and neighboring districts in late March. The decree established a governing emergency council and gave the Army absolute authority in the region, including in Cuska. These documents and statements from the fighters we interviewed refute Yugoslav army assertions that its units were not involved in attacks on civilians.

 

 

Decree Document


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Translation of Yugoslav Army Colonel's Decree
Editor's Note: Comments in brackets have been added for clarification.

MILITARY SECRET
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

1st Command, Military Division, Pec
Strictly Confidential, no. 612-1
March 30th 1999.

For the normal functioning of life
And work in the zone of responsibility
Of the Military Division of Pec,
*

ORDER.


As per the Order of the Supreme Commander, concerning the declaration of
martial law and the movement of a part of the population from zone of responsibility of the Military Division of Pec, and for the purpose of the correct functioning
of everyday life in the Pec Zone,

I ORDER:

1. – All republic [governmental] and municipal organs are to be placed under the command of the Pec Military Division. This applies to the following municipalities: Pec, Istok, Klina and Dacane. The Djakovica garrison Headquarters is responsible for the territory of the Djakovica municipality.

2. – A [emergency] council is to be formed for the Pec municipality, and is to comprise the following (these headquarters are to be considered superior to the headquarters of the Istok, Klina and Decane municipalities): - The headquarters commanding officer: commander of the Pec MD [military division]
- The deputy commanding officer: Jovo Popovic, chief of Pec division,
and Silvan [illegible] Radovic, chief of Pec municipality executive
council
- Staff members in the area of vital concern to the daily functioning:
a) – For supplying food to the public: Tomo Bijelic, CEO of DD "17. November", and as his deputy Nebojsa Tomovic, chief
of the section for market inspection.
b) For public health:
Hospital chief of staff Dragutin Vujosevic, MD, the director of Pec
health department, and as his deputy hospital chief of staff Vojislav
Popovic, MD.
c) – For public works and cleaning in the case
of attacks:
Slobodan Vlahovic, CEO of the public communal enterprise, and as his
deputy Milivoje Zdravkovic, chief of building department.
d) – For economic/business/market matters:
Prof. Dr. Slobodan Jokic, CEO of "Zastava" and as his deputy
Danilo Medenica, CEO of "Pecka Pivara" [Pec Brewery]
e) – For the supply and distribution of oil derivatives: Zivkovic
[illegible], CEO of "Jugopetrol", and as his deputy Branko Lazovic,
"Jugopetrol" gas station manager.
f) – For distribution of public information:
Dragana Zecevic, editor in chief of radio station "Metohija", and as her deputy Vesna Davic, RTS correspondent.
g) – For justice:
Radomir Gojkovic, chief of Pec Municipal Court, and as his deputy,
Miladin Popovic, District Attorney.
h) – For collection of material goods damaged as a result of attack:
Branislav Vukovic, coordinator of the financial police, and as his
deputy Nebojsa Davic, chief of the department of market inspection of
the Pec municipality.
i) – For public transportation:
Rados Radulovic, CEO of DD [stock company] "Autoprevoz", and as his
deputy Novica Antic, traffic inspector.
j) – For the care of persons displaced by the attacks:
Tomislav Lakicevic, secretary of the municipal SPS organization, and as
his deputy Olga Obradovic, director of the social services center.
k) – For public order, peace and stopping criminal activities,
handling of fire emergencies and others: MUP [Ministry of Internal
Affairs]--The chief of Pec MUP and deputy chief of Pec police department.
3. – In Istok, Klina and Decane municipalities the same headquarters are
to be set up under the command of commanders of VTO [territorial defense militia] and in the municipality of Decane under the command of the president of the
municipal council Milivoje Djurkovic. The aforementioned are responsible
for issuing written orders concerning the establishment the headquarters in
their respective areas of responsibility, which are to be submitted to
me on March 31st 1999, no later than 16:00 hours.
4. – The chief of Pec MUP [police department] will with this order
regulate public security, order, prevention of theft, damaging of
building structures, mistreatment of citizens, prevention of possible
arson, and eradication of all criminal activities, and will present [the
order] it to me in written form on March 31st 1999, no later than
16:00 hours.
5. Head of the NO section will with this order regulate the question of
the protection of civilians from the air attacks (air raids, informing,
placing people in shelters) and other questions for protection of
civilians, and will present it [the written order] to me for inspection
on March 31st 1999, no later than 16:00 hours.
6. – Headquarters staff from the Pec municipality are to report to me
daily at 09:00 about problems and suggestions for their solution, as
well as occurrences that may have a negative influence on the
population’s defense capability.
7. – Headquarters commanders of Istok, Klina and Decani municipalities
will report to me daily at 11:00 o’clock regarding the question from
item 8 of this Order.
8. – In commanding the headquarters in Pec, Klina, Istok and Decani
municipalities, the following persons from the Pec military division are to be engaged:
Major Ranko Gojkovic, Reserve Major Ilija Dasic, [illegible] Bulatovic
Dejan, [illegible], Milan Ivicic, and [illegible] Radoslav Arsenijevic.
9. – This order goes into effect on March 31st 1999 at 08:00 o’clock and
it is to be strictly observed until it is repealed. In the case
of non-observance or neglect in the execution of the assignments from
this Order, military law of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will apply.

DA/AE

COMMANDER
Lieutenant Colonel
Dusko D. Antic
[signed]

[stamp] Pec Military Division

 
 
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