DID YOU KNOW?  -- Three years before the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide, Serbs torched Bosniak villages and killed at least 3,166 Bosniaks around Srebrenica. In 1993, the UN described the besieged situation in Srebrenica as a "slow-motion process of genocide." In July 1995, Serbs forcibly expelled 25,000 Bosniaks, brutally raped many women and girls, and systematically killed 8,000+ men and boys (DNA confirmed).

05 December, 2010

OUR HERO JASMIN KLIČIĆ, BOSNIAN 'TERRY FOX'


Jasmin Klicic (just turned 26, happy birthday!) from Bihac is a true Bosniak hero. Born and raised in a military family (father and mother both served in the 5th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina during the siege of Bihac) he has been a prominent voice for the victims and survivors of the Srebrenica genocide.

Jasmin is known for embarking on a 700km-long -- cross-Bosnia walk -- to raise awareness of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide. Each trek took 9 hours a day for 19 long days! He did it twice! Currently, he is successfully recovering after surviving "hit and run" by a drunken driver. To honor Jasmin Klicic, the Srebrenica Genocide Blog is proud to include him in our list of exceptional heroes, side by side with Dr. Nedret Mujkanovic,  Jean-René Ruez, Mustafa Sacirovic, and Zulfo Tursunovic. We wish Jasmin a speedy recovery and a long-happy life!

Update from Bosnia's Federal News Agency (FENA):

/ TRANSLATION / Jasmin Klicic from Bihac, known for his long treks from Bihac to Srebrenica and along the border of Bosnia-Herzegovina, is successfully recovering after being run over by a female driver in a drunken state. 

At Klicic residence -- a celebratory atmosphere. Although still in bed recovering from fractures and contusions, Jasmin is celebrating his 26th birthday.

While in hospital, he was visited by many people from nearby border cities. Even today, people from Bihac still cannot believe that Jasmin is still alive, especially because the place of the accident still shows the furrows of the wheels of the jeep that run over him.

"The worst thing was that after she hit me with her jeep, she attempted to escape from the place of the accident, while I was trying to pull myself out, under the vehicle, and fight for my life. It's something that bothers me. In the hospital I couldn't sleep, because I was afraid I might die," says Jasmin.

He's trying not to think negative and hopes to get well soon. Jasmin is planning a new 700km-long trek to Srebrenica in 2011!

posted by Srebrenica Genocide at 2:55 PM