Surdulica "mistake"

12:01 am 27.04.1999.  More than 20 civilians, including 11 children, killed so far More than 100 citizens were wounded, some more, some less, but 20 of them were hospitalized in Surdulica hospital. 18 houses were destroyed while more than 500 houses were damaged and are not capable for living any more.

Literally nothing remained out of Milic family house. There were 16 people, mainly children, in its cellar escaped from detonations. Only crater left made by the missile.

Politika (29.04.1999) says: " We made visit to Stojanca Petkovic(62) who lives in Drinske divizije street no.14 the only survivor from the wreckages of the house that has been missiled directly. Here is his story:" I was at my cousin`s in another house while my wife and son were out in the yard. After the first detonation I went out to see what is going on there and i entered into family Milic cellar. Everyone there gathered together in one part of the cellar. I was closer to the entrance. The cellar consisted of three parts and the missile hit the part crowded with people. 

Stojanca Petkovic, pulled out of wreckages last night, has right leg fractured on two places, his head is injured, kidney is squeezed and his backbone is badly hurt.

The house of Dragan Ivanovic in Solunska street no 3 is located 50 yards from the missile hit spot. He said that the house is heavily damaged. The roof, doors and glasses are broken while the walls are cracked all over. His wife Divna and daughter Lidija were in the house when bombing begun. They heard the explosion and windows started to break. Everything was rushing around them. They were running from one room to another trying to escape the parts of the house crushing. In one of the rooms, all the doors from shelf opened. They managed to escape to the bathroom. They used all the strenght they had to keep the door closed, Divna told us. Dragan was in the economy building next to the house and have not withnessed all the damage."

Here is how Reuters journalist described what happened in Surdulica:

"There is nothing much left of the corps pulled out from the wreckages of the houses destroyed by NATO missiles in this small town in Serbia. The rescue teams were searching the wreckages under the lights of reflectors, the only light visible in town except the one in the city hospital.The city authorities said that water and power supply were cut off.

NATO admitted today that laser-guided weapon went astrayed and accidentaly hit the residental area of Surdulica.The group of indignant citizens yelled "Fascists!" while protesting against NATO attack on the city.  "One third of the city was completely destroyed." said Surdulica major Miroslav Stojiljkovic. Local authorities said there were no millitary targets near destroyed residental area which is located on the hill. "We would like to hear NATO`s explanation of all this", one man said. "They will simply say they made a mistake", the other one answered. "No way, they aren`t going to say a thing", concluded the first one. While journalists were leaving the city, people were standing by street corners and waving. "See you tomorrow" said one of them with bitter voice.."

Independent (24.04.1999)

"Bits of them were all over the road," a young, American-educated man said to me. "We found the head of a child in a garden and many limbs in the mud. But you don't want to report that. CNN filmed the bodies - but they didn't show them on television." 

Alas, the young man was right. History is quickly sanitised here. But in the hospital a few hours after the Nato bombing, doctors were still trying to fit limbs and heads to at least 20 torsos. Among them were the remains of Mrs Milic, her 37-year-old son, Aleksandar, his wife, Vesna, and their children, 11-year-old Vladimir and 15-year old Miljana.  

Brussels, 2th april (Beta-AFP) 

"NATO spokesman Jamie Shea commited that one NATO aircraft bombed "small residental area" in Surdulica yesterday by mistake. There are 16 civilian bodies found so far who were killed in yesterday`s attack, including 12 children. The fear is growing that the number is bigger. 11 misilles were fired on Surdulica causing damage to more than 300 civilian objects. Sea also said that one bomb was released by mistake during the attack over army barracks. 

NATO spokesman repeated once more that the Alliance is doing everything to avoid the civilian casualities. "However, the technology is not perfect and never will be" said Shea." 

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