Golden Lilies for ‘Investigation of the Week’: What is soaked in blood must not be forgotten!

(Patria) - The heroes of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina made an immeasurable contribution to the defence of the homeland against the aggressor's evil, and the bravest among them were awarded the highest recognition, the Golden Lily.

According to records from 31 December 1995, 5,360 women defended Bosnia and Herzegovina in the ranks of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thirteen of them are recipients of the highest wartime award, the 'Golden Lily'. One of them is Dževada Tataragić – Trešnjo, who spoke on the Hayat TV show 'Investigation of the Week'.

What is soaked in blood must not be forgotten. I gave as much as I could until my injury stopped me. I was undergoing treatment. My greatest wish was to return to my fellow veterans. They told me I would be a burden if I returned, but I didn't feel that way. I don't feel as good anywhere as I do there. I never felt like a burden. I never wanted to leave, and I don't want to leave now – said Tataragić – Trešnjo.

During the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Edin Haračić managed to destroy six tanks in three days. Often on the internet we can see footage from world battlefields, and we see people in sneakers and without any equipment destroying armoured vehicles. Something similar happened in 1993.

We too were mostly caught by such aggression in tracksuits, sneakers, jeans. I am also one of those who went as a volunteer. We improvised. A parallel can be drawn – how much Ukraine is being helped with vast amounts of weaponry, and how difficult it was for us due to the embargo imposed on us and how little weaponry we had – says Haračić.

They say Fahrudin Ćatović rose from the dead. After three clinical deaths he remained alive, and his health condition managed to stabilise. After his last wounding, Ćatović woke up in the morgue.

Such were the circumstances given that at that time there was an attack on Igman and Bjelašnica and wounded were arriving from several sides. During that period we had problems with medical supplies. The stocks were probably quickly exhausted. I was exhausted and often fell into clinical death. They say you don't get out the third time, but I somehow managed – said Ćatović.

Another recipient of the 'Golden Lily' who stood up to defend Bosnia and Herzegovina with courage and heart is Zlata Gazibara. From Slovenia, she walked half the way to fight in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I am still a citizen of Slovenia. I was working in Slovenia at the time. The situation was difficult. I left everything and set off. I crossed half the way on foot. I transferred myself. It was a state of war. It was hard to get there. I am from Krajina. I set off with the soldiers. They told me there are no women in the army, but to try. It was hard for me. They thought I was a spy. Later, when everything was proven, they accepted me – recalled Gazibara.

The war caught Dževada Tataragić – Trešnjo in Foča. After finishing her shift at work in Višegrad, Dževada headed to Foča for Bajram to her father. However, barricades were set up.

I could no longer return. After seven years I got a job. It was hard for me to leave it. The director told me to return as soon as the barricades were lifted, otherwise I would lose my job. My father didn't let me return. The Montenegrins entered Foča and what happened happened. We crossed the Drina in boats. I remembered my grandmother's words 'don't go alive into their hands'. It was total chaos – says Tataragić – Trešnjo.

Haračić knew how to shoot due to his previous experience in the JNA. As he says, they wanted to send them to the Croatian battlefield. However, they refused to go.

We came to Tuzla on foot. We laid down our weapons and later they started to persecute us. I hid for a while. As soon as it started in our area, I volunteered. We are all characterised by the same motivation and will. It wasn't some experience. We attacked a stronghold. We learned to wage war on the go. It was the same for other things. We had to learn a lot on the go – said Haračić.

Dževada and Edin were adults when the war started, while Ćatović was 14 at the time. He told us how he decided to go to war.

I was born in Brčko. My first contact with war started in Brčko. All of us have a similar fate. We all made ourselves available because of our neighbourhood, family, friends and everything else. There was no choice. In Sarajevo and other parts, people didn't really take seriously what was going to happen. With the fall of Vukovar, that intensity started along the Sava. A lot of the Croatian army crossed to our side after the fall of Vukovar. It was about saving the home threshold. Something had to be written in the papers. There was always that problem at the command.

No one could stop me. In the end, it just channelled itself. That was my wish. I was just about to finish primary school that summer. Everything somehow coincided, but on the other hand became complicated. The war started and that was it. No going back – recalled Ćatović.
Zlata Gazibara was not believed to know how to handle a rifle, and they did not want to accept her into the army. She adds that even because she was the only woman, they did not want to accept her.

On the free territory of Brčko from the very beginning of the war until the end of the war, I did not see a woman being a soldier. There were those who worked in the kitchen. I was a soldier. I never committed a war crime. I didn't allow mistreatment. I was all the time on the free territory of Brčko. I was wounded three times. We all know that war did a lot. There were many injustices in the war, but now they are greater. Even today we fight for our rights. No one ever spared me by saying don't go on guard because it's winter – says Gazibara, reports Hayat.ba.