Ratko Mladić: A Personal Encounter with the "Butcher of Bosnia"
BBC News correspondent Allan Little recounts his early encounter with Ratko Mladić, the Bosnian Serb commander known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," during the early months of the Bosnian War.
In the heart of the Balkan wars of the 1990s, Little witnessed the devastating effects of ethnic cleansing. At night, the fires from these acts illuminated the landscape, a stark reminder of the violence that unfolded. He described a scene where villagers, armed with ancient weapons, moved silently under the cover of darkness, fleeing their homes due to a Serb advance.
Among them was an elderly man who shared his story: he had been separated from his wife during their escape and feared for her safety. The man's response to Little's question about his ethnicity still haunts him—he identified as a musician, not as part of any ethnic group.
Little met Mladić at Lukavica barracks in Sarajevo during the war's first summer. The paramilitary presence was strong, and weapons were readily available at bargain prices. He recalls Mladić's firm grip on his hand and his passionate speech about brotherhood and unity, but also his dangerous fanaticism.
In the years to come, Little learned of the atrocities committed under Mladić's command, including mass murder, rape, forced expulsions, and burning villages, all in the name of creating an ethnically pure Serbian territory.