Murdered by Karadzic's thugs? The fate of the "Saviour of Zepa" remains an unsolved mystery – yet one more tragic story from Eastern Bosnia

On the occasion of the 13th anniversary of the fall of the former UN safe area of Zepa in Eastern Bosnia on 27 July 1995, Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker / Society for Threatened Peoples is anxious to remind the international community about the disappearance of the enclave's commander, Avdo Palic. A letter being sent out on Monday by the organisation's General Secretary Tilman Zülch calls on the Federal Government of Germany and the other nations of Western Europe and North America to seek urgent clarification of Palic's fate, .

Zepa, a village with an original population of 2400, sits in a deep gorge on the Drina river that forms the boundary between Bosnia and Serbia. In 1992/1993 approximately 30.000 Bosnian Muslims fled their homes in the surrounding ethnically cleansed towns and villages of the Drina valley to seek shelter there, protected by high mountains and defended by a force of approximately 2000 men. The communities they left behind had been the scene of genocidal crimes perpetrated by Serb troops. After Zepa was declared a demilitarised safe area under the protection of a UN force of Ukrainian soldiers, the majority of the refugees were evacuated to central Bosnia. Some 6500 people remained behind in the valley. The provisions supplied by the UN were inadequate, Medical care was minimal and numerous amputations were performed by untrained volunteers. For months the UN troops blocked communications with the rest of Bosnia, more than 80 km away. A radio set powered by the pedals of an upturned bicycle served as Zepa's only link with the outside world. Many of the refugees had to live in makeshift dwellings made of pine branches and earth . Most of the village's housing had been destroyed.

After the fall of Srebrenica and the massacre of the men and boys from the town, Commander Avdo Palic succeeded in negotiating with the Serb Army high command a postponement of the occupation of the enclave until 27 July 1997. The evacuation of women, children and elderly to central Bosnia was carried out on 24 and 25 July. On 27 July a final convoy carrying 802 women and children was stopped as Zepa was over-run. Several men hiding on board were removed and taken away.

Avdo Palic had already ordered the approximately 2000 men and boys in the enclave to hide in the impenetrable surrounding mountains. During final negotiations concerning their fate, Palic was arrested, in full sight of the Ukrainian soldiers. He was sighted later in the prison of Vanekov Mlin but has been missing since then. 850 men fled across the Drina into Serbia. Approximately 800 more were arrested and detained in camps in the Bosnian municipalities of Rogatica, Han Pjesak and Foca or succeeded in reaching government-held territory at Kladanj. Up to 40 inhabitants of Zepa were killed during the Serb occupation of the enclave. The prisoners held in Serbia were eventually evacuated to the USA, Australia and Ireland under Milosevic's orders.

The precise number of victims among the safe area's original inhabitants and the refugees who sought shelter with them is still unknown. The names of approximately 350 of the former are known.