Oral history interview with Selatin Bogujevci

Interview: 1 hour 6 minutes 23 seconds

Selatin Bogujevci, an electrician by trade, lived with his extended family in several connecting houses in the busy town of Podujeva in North East Kosovo. His wife Shefkate was a nurse employed at the local hospital. By 1999 they had five young children, the eldest being Nora aged 14, the youngest Genc, aged 6. On March 28th 1999, whilst the local men were hiding, a Serb unit forming an ethnic cleansing front line entered the town, herded his family and friends into a domestic garden, and shot them all. Selatin’s wife, mother and daughter were killed alongside five other members of his extended family. After the Liberation of Kosovo the wounded children were found and supported by the British Army. Selatin was evacuated to Manchester with the five children - cousins - who survived the massacre. The children began the slow road to recovery and, with Selatin’s support, gave evidence against the unit in Belgrade.

Selatin has become highly involved in Manchester Aid to Kosovo and is one of its leaders. He is very proud of his four surviving children, who are now all thriving in Manchester. It has been a slow and difficult journey for them all. Selatin is extremely grateful for the support his family has received in Manchester.

In this interview Selatin talks about his family’s experience of the war and recovery in Manchester.