Serbs have set Amir's family on fire, and he refused to kill Serbian children: Muslims have been threatening him for 25 years! This is his message to bloodbathed Balkans (PHOTO)
Amir Reko was born in small village Gudelj, near Foca, where both Serbs and Muslims lived together
A former officer of the Yugoslav People's Army from the village Gudelj, near Gorazd, saved 45 Serbian civilians from the village Bucje from a certain death, and he did that just three days after his family was murdered inside their home by Serbian side.
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Amir Reko was born in small village Gudelj, near Foca, where both Serbs and Muslims lived together. This is where he grew up, and mother taught him to be well behaved, to respect elders, to be a man. Amir wanted to enlist into military academy ever since he was a small boy, his fighting spirit and desire for justice lead him, but also the desire to make his parents, and his village proud.
Then, it happened that the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia started falling apart. Amir was in Zajecar when it started to happen, and the war in Bosnia happened when he was an officer of the Yugoslav People's Army. On one hand, he had the need to protect brotherhood and unity, to be the veteran of the army, but the situation on the field was something entirely different. He remained in the army until the war went to the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and until fighting started in his hometown.
He receives information that Serbian forces occupied Foca and his village which was nearby, and it was at that moment when he came to the decision to become a deserter.
- That is a very hard decision and you can make it entirely on your own - said Amir. He announced his decision to his friends, first of all to Dragan Simic who was in Nis at the moment. That he is going to his own village to be with his parents and family.
Dragan asked him, without any disapproval: "How can I help you?" He told him that he will help him cross the territory under Serbian command, but after that, he is on his own.
The two friends and the two officers are moving together to Bosnia, on the territory where both of them could be killed. Amir - because he is a Muslim, and Dragan - because he is helping a Muslim.
They came to Ustripraca, more precisely, to the bridge on Lim river, but the army there decided not to let them pass, but they had to go to the main command. That meant that Amir, the deserter, should meet with the commander in chief for the attack on Gorazde.
During the very unpleasant conversation with the two soldiers on the bridge and thanks to the Dragan's sharp appearance, the soldiers lowered their arms and allowed them to pass that part of the road. The next day, on the road to Ustiprava, they weren't so sure if they will survive anymore.
Dragan Simic testifies that he knows what he could expect, but it was dangerous, but he knows what it meant to his friend to be with his family. They asked from Dragan to murder his friend, or they will. But, they didn't. Dragan saved Amir's life. The two friends part, not knowing if he will reach the village alive, although they didn't kill on this side of the bridge, that doesn't mean that they won't kill him on the other side of the bridge, not knowing who he is.
Amir had no choice. If they shoot, he will jump into the water, that was the only thought he had. Fear is normal in those moments, the thoughts about mother are getting stronger, about his family, and that was the only thing that led him.
Nothing happened. Amir crossed the bridge. He waved to his friends and that was the last time they saw each other or the last thing they knew about each other.
He arrived at Gorazde. He thought that there was a command where he can report in, but he found anarchy and hopelessness.
Amir quickly took over command. A courier came one morning to report from the front. Not knowing who to report to, courier said that Serbian forces put the locals in one of the houses in the village Gudelj and set them all on fire. He started listing the names of the family Reko, seven of them, with Amir's mother among them.
- Is there a greater punishment for someone than burning his mother alive? Can something more difficult happen to a man than someone of his family burning in a live fire - Amir explains how he felt in that moment. Amir knows who are the people who did the crime. One of them lives in Canada.
A few days later, Amir as a commander in chief, receives an order to enter the village Bucje, where there were 45 Serbs at the moment. The command was: "Purge the village!"
He was criticized why he didn't think about that before himself, and he provocatively asked: "What does the purge mean, you want me to kill children?". They answered: Yes!
He said that he won't do that. They've sent another brigade to do it, they were on the way but Amir said that he will come with them. With the intention to stop the bloodshed. He ordered them not to fire a single bullet until Amir has completed the conversation with the Serbs. Three Serbs came and he told them the situation they were in, that they have to surrender and that he can provide safety.
They believed them, they cried and they decided to hand over their weapons. Amir told them that the soldiers will kill them whose families were burned alive. Amir ordered in military tone to step aside and that no one can say or do anything without his command. He told the Serbs that they have two options: to surrender their weapons and they will help them go away, or they will be killed.
The son of one of the Serbs Amir negotiated with, Milivoje Carapic, testifies for "Life story" that Bucje people, him among them, remained alive only thanks to God and to Amir Reko.
Amir doesn't think that it is an act of heroism, just an act of a man and that it doesn't separate him from other People, with capital P. That is why he believes this story should remain just as some message, not as heroism.
He didn't have a desire for vengeance because the image of his mother was before his eyes all the time, her education, her words, and messages. Despite the image which was burned because it was set on fire by human degenerates. He said that his mother whispered to him to do what he did. Because kindness must win, nothing else makes sense.
Because he saved Serbs, Amir receives information that Muslims want to kill him. People who ordered his murder are still in power to this day.
After all of that, Amir escaped to Denmark, as a refugee. He is who he is, fearless and persistent, he made it, he started a big and lucrative business. He made a family, he got two daughters, but his marriage doesn't last.
He decides to return to Bosnia in 2008, and the fate intertwines its fingers again. As a young man when Amir went to Military Academy, he left his heart to beautiful Azra, the love of his life. The mailman was tired of carrying letters, and once when Amir got a leave he wanted to see Azra and came to her, but they told him she was married.
The years passed by, Azra and Amir lived their lives, they didn't know much about each other. The war brought great family tragedies to both of them - Amir's seven family members were burned alive, and the war took Azra's husband. There is one rule in great and true loves - if they are not forever - they are not true loves. After 25 years, Azra and Amir met again.
Amir in 2008 came to Sarajevo and he was sitting together with a friend. Two women were with them. When they left his friend told him: "Do you know, Amir, who was that older woman? That is a mother of your ex-girlfriend Azra".
He told him that Azra has a son and a daughter and that her husband has died. He wished to see Azra, and he did. Not long after that, they decided to get married. Which they did. And they are married today, overjoyed.
Though he never thought about being in politics, Amir founded a movement "Bridge 21", which should connect all people in the area of BiH, created for everyone which respects the principle of the joint state. Although many suspect his good intentions, Amir believes that "Bridge 21" has to serve only for gatherings, for reconnecting of lost connections and as a new force to start changes on Balkans.
The author of the show "Life story", Tatjana Vojtehovski wrote on Twitter that she, along with some people from the area of former Yugoslavia, want to suggest Amir Reko for Nobel Peace Prize.
You can see the announcement for the show HERE.