"International Community" (EU, US and UN) Did Not Allow Croats To Defend Themselves
Zg519es
Processing data on the Liberation War
Opaticka 10, 41000 Zagreb
WEEKLY BULLETIN
no.53
August 22nd, 1994
# LJUBINJE
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Ljubinje district had 4,162 residents:
44 Croats (1,1%)
327 Moslems (7,9%)
3,743 Serbs (89,9%)
48 others (1,1%)
During the Serbian-Montenegrin aggression against Croatia (1991),
the Serb forces turned the district area into a logistic centre
from which they launched attacks on southern sections of Croatia
(the former Dubrovnik district area) and Bosnia-Herzegovina
(Ravno and Neum districts).
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the Serb forces turned the district area into a logistic centre
from which they launched attacks on Stolac, Capljina and Neum.
The Croat (44) and Moslem (327) minorities were evicted, while
their properties were looted, confiscated or destroyed.
# LJUBUSKI
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Ljubuski district had 27,180 residents:
25,180 Croats (92,6%)
1,569 Moslems (5,8%)
64 Serbs (0,2%)
369 others (1,4%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
the district area was fired on from multiple-rocket launchers and
bombed from YPA planes in April and early May 1992.
According to the data by the District Commission for Estimating
War Damage, 181 buildings were damaged in the district centre
(167 family houses were slightly damaged), while 14 buildings
were severely damaged and/or destroyed. Five civilians were
killed, while several others were wounded during the shellings.
# MAGLAJ
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Maglaj
district had 43,294 residents:
8,366 Croats (19,3%)
19,637 Moslems (45,4%)
13,398 Serbs (30,7%)
1,993 others (4,6%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the eastern part of the district (cca 50%) was occupied by Serbs
who either evicted the surviving non-Serb residents or deported
them to one of several camps on the Ozren Mountain. The non-Serb
owned civilian property was looted, confiscated or destroyed.
# MODRICA
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Modrica
district had 35,413 residents:
9,660 Croats (27,3%)
10,442 Moslems (29,5%)
12,563 Serbs (35,5%)
2,748 others (7,7%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
the district area fell under the Serb attack (early May). All
suburb developments were shelled.
Residential and farm buildings sustained a considerable damage.
All Croat and Moslem sacral institutions were destroyed.
The surviving civilians were either evicted or imprisoned in one
of the two camps (the male captives were detained in the building
of the former local secondary school, while the female captives
were detained in the "Bakulic" plant). Out of thirty-six
prisoners who were detained in the building of the secondary
school turned into a camp, only eleven survived, while the others
were killed in various ways.
By the end of October, a handful of inadequately armed defenders
were forced to withdraw from the district area before the
stronger and better equipped Serbian forces.
# MOSTAR
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Mostar
district had 126,067 residents:
42,648 Croats (33,8%)
43,931 Moslems (34,8%)
23,909 Serbs (19,0%)
15,579 others (12,4%)
During the Serbian aggression, in the period between January and
May 20th 1992, the urbicide was committed against the city of
Mostar, during which time nine bridges were destroyed as follows:
May 24th 1992 - the Port Bridge;
May 29th/30th 1992 - the Bridge of Tzar Franz Joseph (or Tito's
Bridge);
June 11th 1992 - the Customs Bridge, the Railway Bridge in
Rastani and the Bridge of Hasan Brkic;
June 12th 1992 - the Aviation Bridge in the southern section of
the city;
the following bridges were also destroyed prior to June 15th: the
bridge in Vojno (northern suburb), the Railway Bridge in Bacevici
and the bridge in Bijela.
The only remaining bridge was the Old Bridge which sustained
severe damage during the shellings of the Serb forces.
All churches and almost all mosques were destroyed. The
government, administrative and judicial buildings were either
severely damaged or destroyed. The entire housing developments of
the old city structure were brutally destroyed, while the new
urban structure sustained severe damage. The industrial zone
around the city was systematically destroyed, set on fire and
looted. The entire infrastructure, communication and social
networks were terribly damaged and/or destroyed. The entire city
horticulture was devastated, the woods were burnt down, and the
city parks turned into cemeteries.
After the liberation in October 1992, two mass graves were found
with more than a hundred bodies of murdered civilians.
In May 1993, many Croat civilians and HVO soldiers were either
killed or imprisoned in the camps ("4th Primary School" camp,
"Bijelo Polje" and "SDK building") during the clashes between B-H
Army and HVO soldiers.
During the artillery clashes on November 8th and 9th 1993, the
last of the Mostar's bridges - Stari Most (the Old Bridge) - was
destroyed. The destruction ceased after the B-H Federation
Agreement had been signed on May 8th 1994.
# MRKONJIC GRAD
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Mrkonjic Grad district had 27,379 residents:
2,141 Croats (7,8%)
3,275 Moslems (12,0%)
21,159 Serbs (77,3%)
804 others (2,9%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the Serbian aggressors killed scores of Croat and Moslem
civilians, while the surviving civilians were either evicted or
imprisoned in the camps such as Manjaca. Before they were
evicted, non-Serb civilians had been forced to "contribute" all
of their property to the aggressors. The entire Croat and Moslem
sacral, cultural and historic heritage was either severely
damaged or destroyed.
# NEUM
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Neum
district had 4,268 residents:
3,738 Croats (87,6%)
196 Moslems (4,6%)
209 Serbs (4,9%)
125 others (2,9%)
During the Serbian-Montenegrin aggression against Croatia (1991),
the occupying army (the former YPA) launched attacks on the Neum
district area in November and December 1991. Residential,
agricultural and sacral buildings sustained a considerable
material damage, while the civilians were forced to flee to the
sections of Croatia that were not under occupation (islands of
Korcula, Hvar and Brac, and Makarska and Zaostrog coastal areas).
In November 1991, the enemy's military planes fired missiles on a
civilian bus that drove along the Neum-Stolac road.
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the Neum district area was fiercely attacked (April/May 1992).
The Serbian aggressor and HVO defenders were engaged in the
fierce armoured and infantry combats in the area.
In late May 1992, the Serbian aggressor was driven out of the
district area entirely, and the escapees returned (May 25th to
June 23rd 1992) to their homes and apartments.
# NEVESINJE
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Nevesinje district had 14,421 residents:
194 Croats (1,3%)
3,313 Moslems (23,0%)
10,737 Serbs (74,5%)
177 others (1,2%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
Croat and Moslem residents of the Nevesinje district were
brutally maltreated by the aggressors in a few days period (June
16th to 22nd 1992). The majority of non-Serb residents were
evicted in May 1992, and the Serbian Army ethnically cleansed the
district area in a week's time.
On June 18th 1992, a large group of Moslem civilians was
massacred and killed in the village of Odzak, and on the same day
several Moslem villagers were killed in the village of Luka.
Twelve Croat civilians were killed in the district area (one in
the village of Keusevljani, one in the village of Seljani, three
in Nevesinje and seven in Sopilje), while the fate of another
seventeen Croat civilians has yet been unknown (two families, the
total number of ten family members from Oblje near the Ulog
village, and seven persons from Nevesinje).
The entire Croat and Moslem owned civilian property was either
looted or destroyed, as well as sacral institutions.
# NOVI TRAVNIK
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Novi
Travnik district had 30,624 residents:
12,127 Croats (39,6%)
11,649 Moslems (38,0%)
4,087 Serbs (13,3%)
2,761 others (9,1%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
the Novi Travnik district area was attacked from the long range
Serbian artillery and YPA planes, during which time many
residential and farm buildings were either damaged or destroyed.
The "Bratstvo" ammunition factory was also considerably damaged.
In the period between June 1993 and March 1994, B-H Army soldiers
attacked, occupied and ethnically cleansed approximately three-
fourths of the district area.
In the beginning of June 1993, the Croat populated villages in
the southern and western sections of the district came under
attack (Rostovo, Dahovo, Senkovici, Kopila, Potocani, Bugojcici,
Trenica, Pribilovici, Budisici, Stojkovici, Rankovici...).
Upon barging into the village of Kasapovici, B-H Army soldiers
killed three Croats and set fire to ten family houses.
The surviving Croat residents from the occupied sections of the
district were either evicted or imprisoned in the camps that B-H
Army soldiers had formed in almost every town. During the B-H
Army attacks on the Croat populated villages and towns, the B-H
Army soldiers looted and destroyed civilian property. Many
residential and farm buildings were damaged and/or destroyed.
# ODZAK
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Odzak
district had 30,651 residents:
16,598 Croats (54,2%)
6,229 Moslems (20,3%)
6,084 Serbs (19,8%)
1,740 others (5,7%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the Odzak district area came under attack (end of April 1992),
during which time many residential and farm buildings sustained a
considerable material damage. By the end of October 1992, a
handful of poorly equipped defenders were forced to retreat
before the fierce attacks of the Serbian armed forces. The
Serbian aggressors occupied the entire district area, the
surviving civilian residents were evicted, while some of them
were imprisoned in notorious camps such as Pelagicevo (in the
village of Pelagicevo), Bare (in Doboj) and Luka (in Brcko).
# OLOVO
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Olovo
district had 16,901 residents:
653 Croats (3,9%)
12,669 Moslems (75,0%)
3,196 Serbs (18,9%)
383 others (2,2%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the Olovo district area came under frequent artillery and mortar
attacks (starting with August 7th 1992). The most eastern section
of the district (cca 10%) was occupied, while the surviving
civilians were evicted. All buildings in the district area were
either severely damaged or destroyed.
# ORASJE
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Orasje
district had 28,201 residents:
21,234 Croats (75,3%)
1,900 Moslems (6,7%)
4,219 Serbs (15,0%)
848 others (3,0%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
the Orasje district area underwent the heavy mortar attacks
(starting with April 19th 1992).
On April 29th 1992, the Serbian troops launched an infantry
attack on the village of Vidovice, preceded by a fierce shelling.
After several days of fierce struggles, a small unit of defenders
had to retreat before the fierce attacks of Serbian forces. Out
of twelve Croat civilians, who remained in the village, seven
were massacred.
May 2nd 1992, the defenders liberated the village in a strong
counterattack and found the bodies of murdered civilians.
On May 4th 1992, the Serbian forces moved beyond the Croat
defensive system and occupied the village. 30 defenders were
either killed or disappeared. In the period between October 21st
and 23rd the defenders undertook another fierce military campaign
and liberated the village of Vidovice.
Thousands of shells and thirty earth-to-earth rockets "LUNA" were
fired on the district area.
The fierce artillery attacks were launched on the district area
throughout 1993 and in the first half of 1994. Residential and
farm buildings sustained an enormous damage.
# POSUSJE
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Posusje
district had 16,659 residents:
16,571 Croats (99,5%)
6 Moslems (0,0%)
9 Serbs (0,1%)
73 others (0,4%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the Posusje district area was not directly threatened by the war.
The district residents provided generous aid, transit and
accommodationwise, to numerous refugees from the occupied or war
stricken areas of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
# PRIJEDOR
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Prijedor district had 112,470 residents:
6,300 Croats (5,6%)
49,454 Moslems (44,0%)
47,745 Serbs (42,5%)
8,971 others (7,9%)
During the Serbian and former YPA aggression against Croatia
(1991) the aggressor turned the Prijedor district into a logistic
and transit centre. The majority of the military capable Serb
residents were armed by the former YPA, and set off to military
campaigns throughout Croatia (Novska, Lipik, Pakrac, Nova
Gradiska, Sunja, Petrinja...). On April 30th 1992, the legally
elected district authority in Prijedor was forcibly overthrown,
and the so-called Serbian district of Prijedor was established.
On May 22nd 1992, the Serb occupying forces and the former YPA
initially attacked this non-Serb populated district. First they
attacked the Moslem populated village of Hambarine, and then
followed:
May 23rd 1992 - Croat populated villages of Gornji Volar and
Stara Rijeka;
May 24th 1992 - the Serb forces attacked the mining town of
Ljubija;
May 25th 1992 - the village of Kozarac came under attack;
May 27th 1992 - Croat populated villages of Raljas, Brisevo and
Stara Rijeka came under attack;
May 31st 1992 - non-Serb residents of the city of Prijedor came
under the attack of the Serb forces.
In the period between May 23rd and 26th the occupying Serb forces
turned the already existing industrial plants into camps, where
they detained many surviving Croat and Moslem district residents.
Larger camps such as Keraterm, Trnopolje and Omarska became the
execution sites where the brutal physical maltreatment and
monstrous mass murders of Croat and Moslem civilian prisoners
were carried out. Based on the surviving prisoners' accounts the
number of the prisoners that were murdered in those camps has
been presumed to exceed 5,000.
Mass murders of non-Serb civilian prisoners were as follows:
May 23rd 1992 - Moslem villagers of Hambarine;
May 25th 1992 - Moslem and Croat villagers of Kozarac;
May 31st to June 5th 1992 - non-Serb residents of Prijedor;
July 18th to 22nd 1992 - Moslem villagers of Biscani,
Rizvanovici, Rakovcani, Hambarine and Zecovi;
July 24th/25th 1992 - Croat villagers of Stara Rijeka, Brisevo
and Raljas;
September 12th/13th 1992 - Croat villagers of Gornji Volar;
November 7th/8th 1992 - Croat villagers of Gornja Ravska;
April 24th 1993 - Croat villagers of Gornji Volar;
April 1994 - non-Serb residents of Prijedor.
Bodies of murdered Croat and Moslem civilians were buried in ten
or more mass graves located in the Prijedor district. In the
first year of the occupation (May 1992 to May 1993), Serbs
evicted and/or killed some 54,000 residents (3,131 Croats, 43,330
Moslems and 7,340 others). The Serbian aggressor destroyed the
entire villages, towns and sections of the cities in the Prijedor
district area, populated by Croat and Moslem civilians, as well
as the entire non-Serb sacral, cultural and historic heritage.
The ethnic cleansing of the non-Serb population in the area has
still been carried out (1994).
# PRNJAVOR
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Prnjavor district had 46,894 residents:
1,737 Croats (3,7%)
7,153 Moslems (15,3%)
33,575 Serbs (71,6%)
4,429 others (9,4%)
During the Serbian and former YPA aggression against Croatia
(1991) the district area served as one of the aggressor's
logistic centres, and the militant representatives of the Serbian
population actively partook in the aggression.
Upon the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
YPA soldiers and members of the Serbian Democratic Party took
over the entire political power in the district. The non-Serb
residents were intimidated and terrorised, and then evicted. The
entire civilian property owned by the evicted residents was
looted, confiscated or destroyed.
# PROZOR
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Prozor
district had 19,601 residents:
12,213 Croats (62,3%)
7,173 Moslems (36,6%)
49 Serbs (0,2%)
166 others (0,9%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
Serbian forces and soldiers of the former YPA attacked the
western sections of the district (mid-April 1992). During the
Serbian attacks the civilian residents abandoned the following
villages in the western section of the district: Zvirnjaca,
Ravasnica and Zahum. The Serbian artillery shelled Rama in May
1992. A small and poorly armed HVO unit prevented the Serbian
forces from occupying the district area.
In August, September and October 1992, the occupying forces fired
on residential areas and villages of the district from the long
range artillery arms during which time five Croats were killed in
the town of Prozor.
Prior to the escalation of the Moslem-Croat conflicts in the
district area, the civilian authority had been organised
according to the results of the elections. Only a few Moslems
actively joined the district defence unit and fought against the
Serb aggressor. In summer 1992, the leadership of the Party of
Democratic Action was forcibly replaced and since that time all
attempts towards a co-operation and agreements have been on
decrease.
The military clashes between B-H Army and HVO soldiers started on
October 23rd 1992. They were triggered off by the murder of a HVO
soldier outside the village of Dobros. The defeated B-H Army
soldiers retreated to the villages of Here, Scite and Kute in the
northeast section of the district.
June 18th 1993, B-H Army soldiers killed three Croats in the
village of Jurici.
September 14th 1993, B-H Army soldiers attacked the Croat
villagers of Uzdol. Upon their arrival in the village the
infantry killed everybody in sight, and only 100 women, children
and elderly people remained in the village. On the following day,
the HVO soldiers entered the village and found 29 mutilated
bodies of murdered Croat civilians.
Majority of residential and farm buildings in the district area
were destroyed during the shelling of Serbian artillery, and in
the clashes between B-H Army and HVO soldiers.
# RAVNO
There are no available data on the 1991 census for the Ravno
district area. The district was established in April 1992.
The Ravno district area was occupied on September 28th 1991, by
the former YPA.
October 2nd 1991, nineteen male Croats were deported to the
Morinje camp where they spent two months.
In the period between September 28th 1991 and June 15th 1992, the
Serbian and Montenegrin forces attacked the Ravno district area
and killed twenty-four Croat civilians, while another eleven
persons were wounded. More than 90 % of residential and farm
buildings were completely destroyed. The livestock was looted.
The entire sacral, cultural and historic heritage was destroyed.
More than 90 % of residents were evicted at the time of the
occupation of the newly established Ravno district.
4,471 (90.93%) out of 4,917 registered voters voted at the
referendum held on April 4th and 5th 1992 (in exile, that is in
Mostar, Sarajevo, Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Neum and Capljina). They
decided to separate the following communities from the Trebinje
district: Ravno, Trebimlja, Strujici and Zavala, as well as the
villages of Dubljani, Kijev Do and Belenici. The separated
communities were to constitute the newly established Ravno
district.
# ROGATICA
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Rogatica district had 21,812 residents:
18 Croats (0,1%)
13,169 Moslems (60,4%)
8,374 Serbs (38,4%)
251 others (1,1%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the only section of the district that was not under occupation
was the area surrounding the town of Zepa. This area was
proclaimed the protected zone by the UN Security Council in 1993.
The surviving non-Serb residents (mostly Moslems) were either
evicted from the district area or imprisoned in one of the
Serbian camps. Many residential and farm buildings were either
damaged or destroyed, while the civilian property of the evicted
Moslems was looted, confiscated or destroyed. The entire Moslem
sacral and cultural heritage was destroyed.
# RUDO
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Rudo
district had 11,572 residents:
5 Croats (0,0%)
3,142 Moslems (27,2%)
8,191 Serbs (70,8%)
234 others (2,0%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
the surviving Moslem residents were either evicted or deported to
one of the Serbian camps, while their property was looted,
confiscated, or destroyed.
# SANSKI MOST
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Sanski
Most district had 60,119 residents:
4,267 Croats (7,1%)
28,285 Moslems (47,2%)
25,372 Serbs (42,2%)
2,195 others (3,7%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the Sanski Most district area was occupied (May 1992) by the
Serbian forces and the former YPA soldiers.
On May 28th 1992, the occupying forces attacked the village of
Vrhpolje. This attack was followed by further attacks on the
Moslem civilian villagers of Hrustovo, Pudin Han, Kijevci, Kijevo
and Tomina.
The attacks on Croat civilian residents started in June (the
villages of Sasina, Skrljevita, Ovanjska, Batkovci) and they
culminated on July 24th 1992 when thirteen civilians were killed
and massacred in the village of Stara Rijeka.
On November 2nd 1992 the Serbian forces executed nine Croat
civilians.
The surviving non-Serb civilian residents were mostly evicted or
imprisoned in the camps Krings and Betonirka in Sanski Most, and
in Manjaca.
Many residential and farm buildings were either damaged or
destroyed. The civilian property of the evicted residents was
looted, confiscated or destroyed, as well as the entire Croat and
Moslem sacral, cultural and historic heritage.
# SARAJEVO
According to the official results of the 1991 (in the district
community area) Sarajevo district had 525,980 residents:
34,867 Croats (6,6%)
259,088 Moslems (49,3%)
157,526 Serbs (29,9%)
57,893 others (14,2%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the Sarajevo district area (districts of Centar, Hadzici, Ilidza,
Ilijas, Novi Grad, Novo Sarajevo, Pale, Stari Grad, Trnovo and
Vogosca) were attacked and occupied (early April 1992).
The Serbian forces and the former YPA fired a large number of
heavy artillery projectiles and in this way killed many persons
regardless their sex, age and nationality. A large number of
persons were killed by snipers.
The Serbian aggressor arrested and imprisoned a large number of
persons who were afterwards killed or underwent terrible
maltreatment in the Serbian camps such as Butmir prison, Lukavica
army barracks, Vraca student residence, Semizovac army barracks,
Sonja cafe bar, the old medical centre Ilidza, Ilidza cultural
and sports centre, Rajlovac army barracks, Rajlovac distribution
centre, Pale sports hall, Kula, the village of Svrake, Sokolac,
Hadzici sports centre, Novi Ilijas primary school, Podlugovi
primary school.
In early 1993, B-H Army soldiers terrorised, intimidated,
evicted, forcibly mobilised and killed Croat civilians.
Up to now, many residential and farm buildings were destroyed,
while the entire sacral, cultural and historic heritage was
either damaged or destroyed.
# SKENDER VAKUF
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Skender
Vakuf district had 19,416 residents:
4,807 Croats (24,8%)
1,080 Moslems (5,6%)
13,277 Serbs (68,4%)
252 others (1,2%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the Serb aggressor occupied the Skender Vakuf district area (late
October 1992). In the period between April and October 1992, only
the south section (Croat populated village of Dobretic and the
surrounding villages) remained unoccupied. The Serb aggressor
attempted to systematically occupy that section by using the
former YPA air force during August 1992. After the eviction of
the surviving non-Serb population, the civilian property and
sacral institutions were either looted or destroyed. During the
summer of 1992, many refugee convoys passed through the district
area. Those convoys were organised by the Serb occupying forces
in the northwestern Bosnia (the Sanski Most, Prijedor, Banja Luka
districts) in order to freely evict the non-Serb population in
this region. Members of various Serb units separated from the
convoys large groups of men, shot them and threw their bodies
into the canyon of the Ugar River.
# SOKOLAC
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Sokolac
district had 14,833 residents:
22 Croats (0,1%)
4,486 Moslems (30,2%)
10,181 Serbs (68,6%)
144 others (1,1%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
the entire district area was occupied. The surviving non-Serb
residents were either evicted or imprisoned in one of the Serbian
camps. The entire property of the non-Serb population was looted,
confiscated or destroyed, as well as the entire Moslem sacral
heritage.
# SRBAC
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the Srbac
district had 21,660 residents:
145 Croats (0,7%)
940 Moslems (4,3%)
19,291 Serbs (89,1%)
1,284 others (5,9%)
During the Serbian aggression against Croatia (1991), the Serbs
turned the Srbac district area into a logistic centre, and into a
launching range from which they frequently shelled Nova Gradiska,
Slavonski Brod and Pozega district areas (the Republic of
Croatia) from the long range artillery weapons. Many Serb
residents in the Srbac district participated in the aggression
against Croatia.
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992),
the surviving non-Serb population was evicted from the district
area, and their property was looted, confiscated or destroyed.
The Moslem sacral heritage was destroyed.
.
Zg519es
Processing Data on the Liberation War
Opaticka 10, 41000 Zagreb
WEEKLY BULLETIN
no.54
August 29th, 1994
ERRATA: In the Weekly Bulletin no. 53, section Prozor, we by
mistake put: "In summer 1992, the leadership of the Serbian
Democratic Party was forcibly replaced...". The correct
information should be: "In summer 1992, the leadership of the
Party of Democratic Action was forcibly replaced...". We hope
you will accept our apology.
Editorial Board
# SREBRENICA
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Srebrenica district had 37,211 residents:
38 Croats (0,1%)
27,118 Moslems (72,9%)
9,381 Serbs (25,2%)
674 others (1,8%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992), Srebrenica was one of the Bosnia-Herzegovina's
districts which came under heavy enemy attack. The area around
the town of Srebrenica (the district centre) became the
"Protected zone" under the UN Security Council proclamation.
Many residential and farm buildings were destroyed in the
enemy attacks launched from the heavy arms and army planes.
The surviving non-Serb residents were evicted from the
occupied area, while the entire Moslem sacral and cultural
heritage was destroyed.
# SREBRENIK
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Srebrenik district had 40,769 residents:
2,761 Croats (6,8%)
30,595 Moslems (75,0%)
5,326 Serbs (13,1%)
2,087 others (5,1%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992), the Serb artillery launched fierce attacks on the
district area (April 1992). Many buildings were destroyed in
the initial attacks. Srebrenik is one of few districts in
Bosnia-Herzegovina which managed to defend every inch of its
land. Many refugees passed through and many more were
accommodated in this district.
# STOLAC
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Stolac district had 18,845 residents:
6,113 Croats (32,4%)
8,393 Moslems (44,5%)
3,912 Serbs (20,8%)
427 others (2,3%)
During the Serbian aggression against Croatia (1991) the
Stolac district area underwent the "silent" blockade on the
part of the YPA active and reserve units.
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992) the YPA armoured and infantry brigades attacked and
occupied the district area in a few days time from the
direction of Zegulje (April 10th 1992). The surviving non-Serb
residents fled in front of the Serb forces to those sections
of the Republic of Croatia and western Herzegovina that were
not under occupation. HVO soldiers carried out a comprehensive
military action in June 1992 and liberated over 50 per cent of
the district, including the town of Stolac.
Many residential and farm buildings were either damaged or
destroyed, while the civilian property was looted during the
Serb occupation of the district.
# SEKOVICI
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Sekovici district had 9,639 residents:
11 Croats (0,1%)
328 Moslems (3,4%)
9,086 Serbs (94,3%)
214 others (2,2%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992) the non-Serb residents were terrorised and evicted
(late May 1992). The Serb forces forcibly separated non-Serb
families: men were deported to the camps "Sports Centre", in
Vlasenica, "Susica" near Vlasenica, "Batkovici" near Bijeljina
or "Papraci" near Sekovici, while women and children were
evicted to the Kladanj district or deported to the "Lomnica"
camp in Sekovici.
The non-Serb civilian property was looted, confiscated and/or
destroyed. The Moslem sacral heritage was destroyed.
# SIPOVO
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Sipovo district had 15,553 residents:
33 Croats (0,2%)
2,998 Moslems (19,3%)
12,318 Serbs (79,2%)
204 others (1,3%)
During the aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992) the
Serb forces systematically attacked the neighbouring districts
of Jajce, Donji Vakuf and Kupres, from the direction of the
Sipovo district area, during which time they evicted the non-
Serb residents of the district.
The entire civilian property owned by the evicted non-Serb
residents and the sacral heritage were looted, confiscated
and/or destroyed.
# SIROKI BRIJEG
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Siroki Brijeg district had 26,437 residents:
26,231 Croats (99,2%)
9 Moslems (0,0%)
147 Serbs (0,6%)
50 others (0,2%)
During April, May and June 1992, the Siroki Brijeg district
area, and especially the town of Siroki Brijeg, was bombed and
missiles were fired from the former YPA planes.
Five persons were killed in the first bombing on April 7th
1992, while another person was wounded. Several residential
buildings were severely damaged.
# TESLIC
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Teslic district had 59,632 residents:
9,545 Croats (16,0%)
12,801 Moslems (21,5%)
32,853 Serbs (55,1%)
4,429 others (7,4%)
In the beginning of the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-
Herzegovina (1992) the Teslic district area fell under
occupation.
The first killings and deportation of civilians in
concentration camps (especially of young women and girls) were
recorded on March 10th 1992.
The surviving non-Serb residents were partly evicted, and
their property was looted, confiscated and/or destroyed.
# TESANJ
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Tesanj district had 48,390 residents:
8,952 Croats (18,5%)
34,938 Moslems (72,2%)
2,078 Serbs (6,4%)
1,422 others (2,9%)
The consequences of the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-
Herzegovina (1992) have fallen heavily upon this district from
the first day of the aggression. The Serbian forces occupied a
minor section of the district area from which they evicted the
non-Serb residents. The section of the district that was not
under occupation was bombed from the former YPA planes on July
15th 1992.
In the early spring 1993, the Serbian forces sent the
ultimatum to the residents of the district area that was not
under occupation to move out in five days. The residents
refused and repulsed the Serb forces from a large section of
the district.
In the Serb attacks, as well as during the frequent shelling
and subsequent combats many residential and farm buildings
were destroyed, while the sacral and cultural heritage was
severely damaged.
# TITOV DRVAR
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Titov Drvar district had 17,079 residents:
34 Croats (0,2%)
33 Moslems (0,2%)
16,613 Serbs (97,3%)
399 others (2,3%)
During Serbian aggression against Croatia (1991), the Titov
Drvar district area was turned into one of the aggressor's
logistic centres. The fate of the non-Serb residents of the
district and their property has yet been unknown.
# TOMISLAVGRAD
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Tomislavgrad district had 29,261 residents:
25,347 Croats (86,6%)
3,166 Moslems (10,8%)
570 Serbs (1,9%)
178 others (0,7%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992), the Tomislavgrad district area was attacked (April
12th 1992). The civilian residents of the northern section of
the district (Suica and the neighbouring villages) were forced
to abandon their homes. The Serbian forces shelled the
northern section of the district from the long range arms,
while bombs and missiles were fired on the town of
Tomislavgrad in April and May 1992. Many residential and farm
buildings and sacral institutions were damaged during the
frequent shelling.
# TRAVNIK
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Travnik district had 70,402 residents:
26,008 Croats (36,9%)
31,862 Moslems (45,3%)
7,751 Serbs (11,0%)
4,781 others (6,8%)
Since the beginning of the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-
Herzegovina (1992) the war has spread to the northwestern
sections of the district. The Serbian forces stationed on the
Vlasic Mountain repeatedly fired on the town of Travnik from
the long range arms, and especially on the Croat populated
village of Paklarevo. On June 28th 1992, the Serbian forces
fired two "Luna" missiles on the village of Paklarevo. During
June the Serbian infantry massacred thirteen persons. After
the occupation of the neighbouring district of Jajce, the
Serbian forces occupied the villages of Karaula and Potkraj.
Eight persons were killed by shells fired from the Serbian
positions in the village of Brajkovici.
In August, September and October (1992) many Moslem refugees
arrived in the district area from the occupied districts in
the northwestern Bosnia, thus causing differences between
Croats and Moslems. Those differences escalated in early April
1993 when B-H Army soldiers attacked the Croat populated
villages of Dolac, Rudnik Bila and Miletici during which time
five Croat civilians were killed.
On June 3rd 1993, B-H Army soldiers launched an attack on HVO
soldiers and Croat civilian residents of the town of Travnik
and the village of Polje. This attack was followed by the
attacks on the villages of Podovi and Bikose (June 5th 1993),
Krpeljici, Grahovcici, Guca Gora, Brajkovici, Cukle,
Paklarevo, Maline, Ovnak and Dolac (June 8th 1993). In these
attacks B-H Army soldiers killed a large number of Croat
civilians: nine persons were killed in the village of Guca
Gora; five persons were killed in the village of Miletici; 31
persons were killed in the village of Maline; one person was
killed in the village of Ovnak; four persons were killed in
the village of Grahovcici; two persons were killed in the
village of Dolac Bila; one person was killed in the village of
Podovi; 19 persons were killed in the village of Cukle; six
persons were killed in the village of Brajkovici. The total
number of killed Croats in the town of Travnik has not yet
been established, however it is presumed to be considerable.
The surviving Croat residents were evicted from the Travnik
district area that had been occupied by B-H Army soldiers, and
their properties were looted, confiscated and/or destroyed.
Some Croat residents of the Travnik district were deported to
Moslem controlled camps where they were terrorised, mentally
and physically maltreated and killed.
# TREBINJE
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Trebinje district had 30,879 residents:
1,226 Croats (4,0%)
5,542 Moslems (17,9%)
21,387 Serbs (69,3%)
2,724 others (8,8%)
During the Serbian aggression against Croatia (1991) the
Trebinje district area and the town of Trebinje served as the
main logistic centre of the former YPA and various Serb units
which were attacking the city of Dubrovnik and the entire
Dubrovnik coast region. Thousands of soldiers of the Serb
forces, provided with various arms and equipment, used the
district as the starting-point for their campaigns against
Croatia. The district area also served as a transportation
centre for the property that had been looted in the Dubrovnik
coast region and transported to Montenegro and Serbia. The
most of the local non-Serb residents were evicted in late 1991
and in early 1992, while some men were detained in the former
primary school in Trebinje and in the "Military Prison" where
they were mentally and physically maltreated, tortured and/or
killed. All Croat and Moslem owned buildings in the old centre
of Trebinje called Kastel (well known for its historic and
cultural heritage) were razed to the ground. The civilian
properties of the non-Serb civilians were looted, confiscated
and/or destroyed, as well as all Catholic and Islamic sacral
institutions.
# TUZLA
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Tuzla district had 131,861 residents:
20,581 Croats (15,6%)
62,807 Moslems (47,6%)
20,424 Serbs (15,5%)
28,049 others (21,3%)
During the Serbian aggression against Croatia (1992), the
aggressor forces conducted their attacks against Croatia from
their strongholds (the former YPA barracks and the military
air base "Dubrava"). The former YPA planes launched the most
of the air raids on Croatia from the "Dubrava" air base in
Tuzla.
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992) the Serb forces attacked the Tuzla district area. A
handful of defenders succeeded to repulse the Serb forces to
the marginal, northeastern sections of the district. In 1992,
1993 and 1994, Serb forces systematically attacked and bombed
the Tuzla district from various arms.
The everyday bombings caused a considerable material damage to
the residential buildings and cultural, historic and sacral
heritage. Numerous refugees from the occupied sections of
Bosnia-Herzegovina (by the Drina River) were accommodated in
the district.
# UGLJEVIK
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Ugljevik district had 25,641 residents:
85 Croats (0,3%)
10,402 Moslems (40,6%)
14,404 Serbs (56,2%)
750 others (2,9%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992) the entire district area fell under occupation. The
non-Serb residents (mostly Moslems) were evicted, imprisoned
and/or killed. The non-Serb civilian property was looted,
confiscated and/or destroyed, as well as Moslem sacral
institutions.
# VARES
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Vares district had 22,114 residents:
8,982 Croats (40,6%)
6,721 Moslems (30,4%)
3,630 Serbs (16,4%)
2,781 others (12,6%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992) the district area was attacked on May 31st 1992, and a
section of the district area around the village of Brgule was
occupied. In April and May 1993, the tensions arose between
Croats and Moslems. Those tensions escalated around June 10th
1993 when the B-H Army soldiers attacked the Croat residents
of the neighbouring district of Kakanj. In only two days more
than 10,000 Croat refugees from Kakanj arrived in the Vares
district.
On October 18th 1993, B-H Army soldiers launched an attack on
the Vares district area from the directions of Zenica and
Kakanj, during which time they stormed Lijesnica, an important
strategic position.
On October 19th 1993, B-H Army soldiers attacked the Croat
populated village of Kopjari from two directions, and killed
six Croat civilians.
On October 23rd 1993, the strong forces of B-H Army (the 2nd
Tuzla Corps, the 3rd Zenica Corps, the 6th Visoko Corps and
the so-called Vikic's special unit from Sarajevo launched an
offensive in the district area. The offensive lasted until
November 2nd 1993 when they moved beyond the defence line at
Perun, for the first time, and made HVO soldiers and the
Croatian civilian residents to evacuate.
During the Serb attacks sixty-six Croat civilians were killed,
many of them were massacred and some were burnt down. Upon
entering the town of Vares, B-H Army soldiers killed another
seventeen Croat civilians. Out of 600 Croat civilians who
remained in the town many were imprisoned in the former
secondary school in Vares. After the occupation of a section
of the district area (this district being previously occupied
by the Serb forces) B-H Army soldiers looted and destroyed the
Croat civilian property.
# VELIKA KLADUSA
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Velika Kladusa district had 52,921 residents:
707 Croats (1,3%)
48,600 Moslems (91,8%)
2,261 Serbs (4,3%)
1,353 others (2,6%)
During the Serbian aggression against Croatia (1991), a number
of civilian residents of the Slunj district escaped in Bosnia-
Herzegovina (Velika Kladusa district). During the Serbian
aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992), the district
residents managed to defend the entire district area.
The attacks on the district area were renewed in the early
October 1993 when the clashes were triggered off between the
5th B-H Army Corps and the members of "Narodna obrana"
("National Defence Unit" - the army of the self-proclaimed
autonomous province "Western Bosnia"). Those clashes resulted
in many casualties and a considerable damage to several
residential and farm buildings.
# VISOKO
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Visoko district had 46,130 residents:
1,973 Croats (4,3%)
34,385 Moslems (74,5%)
7,377 Serbs (16,0%)
2,395 others (5,2%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992) in April 1992, the aggressor forces occupied the
southern section of the district area and either evicted or
imprisoned the non-Serb residents of the district.
During the Serbian aggression, the district area that was not
under occupation was systematically attacked, during which
time the residential and farm buildings sustained a
considerable damage.
# VISEGRAD
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Visegrad district had 21,202 residents:
39 Croats (0,2%)
13,316 Moslems (62,8%)
6,963 Serbs (32,8%)
884 others (4,2%)
The Visegrad district area came under attack in the very
beginning of the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992). In April, May and June 1992, the non-Serb residents
(mainly Moslems) were terrorised, intimidated, arrested,
evicted and/or killed. The non-Serb civilian property was
looted, confiscated, and/or destroyed, as well as the entire
sacral, cultural and historic heritage.
# VITEZ
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Vitez district had 27,728 residents:
12,679 Croats (45,7%)
11,471 Moslems (41,4%)
1,502 Serbs (5,4%)
2,076 others (7,5%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992), the Vitez district area was attacked by the former YPA
planes on the eve of Low Sunday (April 26th 1992). A
considerable damage was done to residential and farm
buildings. By mid-October 1992, the armed conflicts were
triggered off between Moslems and Croats in the Novi Travnik,
and spread to the Vitez district. The village of Ahmici was
demolished, several Moslem houses were set on fire, mosques in
Vitez and Ahmici were damaged. The conflicts stopped in late
October 1992, but were renewed on April 16th 1993, when B-H
Army soldiers launched an attack on Vitez and the neighbouring
district of Busovaca. In this attack they occupied the Croat
populated villages of Gornja Dubravica, Poculica and
Putkovici. At that time more than fifty family houses owned by
the evicted Croat residents were set on fire, while the Moslem
populated village of Ahmici was demolished. In ten months
(between April 24th 1993 and February 8th 1994) of the
military conflicts between Croats and Moslems in the Vitez
district area, B-H Army soldiers massacred and killed 108
Croat civilians, while many other civilians were deported to
the Zenica camp where they were mentally and physically
maltreated and/or killed.
April 24th 1993, three Croat civilians were killed in the
village of Poculica.
June 10th 1993, eight children were killed in the town of
Vitez, by a shell fired from a B-H Army position.
July 1st 1993, one Croat civilian was killed in the village of
Gacice.
September 18th 1993, fifteen Croat civilians were killed in
the village of Bobasi.
December 22nd 1993, fifty-two Croat civilians were killed in
the village of Krizancevo Selo.
January 10th 1994, twenty-six Croat civilians were killed in
the village of Buhine Kuce.
February 8th 1994, three Croat civilians were killed in the
village of Nadioci.
Many residential and farm buildings and sacral institutions
were severely damaged and/or destroyed in the aggression of
the B-H Army soldiers against the free sections of the
district.
# VLASENICA
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Vlasenica district had 33,817 residents:
40 Croats (0,1%)
18,699 Moslems (55,3%)
14,256 Serbs (42,5%)
722 others (2,1%)
The Serbian aggression against the Vlasenica district area
began in late March/early April 1992. The suffering of the
non-Serb residents of this district (mainly Moslems) could be
compared to that of the non-Serb residents of the neighbouring
districts in the northwestern Bosnia. First the Serbs called
the Moslems to surrender their arms, then they barged into the
district area, backed up by the former YPA heavy artillery.
The first massacre (April 1992) in the Vlasenica district took
place in the village of Pijuke, when the Serbs killed eleven
Moslem civilians.
May 16th 1992, the Serbs killed eighty-six Moslem civilians in
the village of Zaklopaca. The same fate befell the villagers
of Gradine, Dzemet, Hrastovac, Bacino Brdo, Toplik and Barice.
The non-Serb residents were evicted or deported in the camps
according to the "categorisation" - those who were able to
work were deported to "Susica" and "Batkovici", girls and
women were deported to the "Pelemis" camp (it was named after
the hill located between the villages of Sekovici, Paprace and
Kalesija) where they were humiliated and raped.
The remaining Moslem residents of the town of Vlasenica faced
another massacre in the late night hours of September 12th
1992, when Serbian soldiers barged into civilian apartments
and killed scores of Moslem civilians.
The only section that the Serbian aggressor failed to occupy
was a northern section of the Cerska district.
# ZAVIDOVICI
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Zavidovici district had 57,153 residents:
7,519 Croats (13,2%)
34,341 Moslems (60,1%)
11,637 Serbs (20,4%)
3,656 others (6,3%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992) the northeastern sections of the Zavidovici district
were occupied, and from there the Serb forces shelled those
sections that were not under occupation. An unsuccessful
attack of B-H Army soldiers on the neighbouring district of
Zepce was followed by several small incidents in the
Zavidovici district.
On November 4th 1993, B-H Army soldiers killed and massacred
two Croat civilians in the village of Viniste.
# ZENICA
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Zenica district had 145,577 residents:
22,651 Croats (15,6%)
80,377 Moslems (55,2%)
22,592 Serbs (15,5%)
19,957 others (13,7%)
The Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina resulted in
a large number of refugees who found shelter in the Zenica
district after having been evicted from the Serb occupied
sections of northwestern Bosnia. The first signs of
discrimination against Croats were recorded at that time.
On September 29th 1992, the former YPA air force bombed the
"Zeljezara" installations and the village of Stranjane, which
was mainly populated by Croats. Two persons were killed and
several other persons were wounded.
The differences between Croats and Moslems escalated on
January 26th 1993 when B-H Army soldiers attacked the Croat
populated village of Dusina and killed eight Croats. April
15th 1993, four HVO soldiers were ambushed and killed in the
section called Podbrijezje. April 17th 1993 soldiers of the
3rd B-H Army Corps attacked HVO soldiers in the city of Zenica
and killed nine Croat civilians and thirteen HVO soldiers. In
addition they burnt down thirty Croat owned houses and looted
several hundred more.
Many Croat residents of Zenica were deported to the camps "KPD
Zenica" (the former Zenica prison) and "Muzicka skola" (the
former Musical School in Zenica). On the same day, four Croat
civilians were killed and their bodies were burnt down in the
village of Bilivode.
April 18th 1993, a four year old girl of Croat nationality was
killed in an attack of B-H Army soldiers on the village of
Kozarci, and her body was set on fire in her family house.
Around April 25th 1993, an elderly woman of Serbian
nationality was killed in the village of Kozarci.
On June 8th 1993, sixteen Croat civilians were killed in the
village of Susanj. The Croat residents were mainly evicted
from the occupied territory, while some of them were deported
to the Zenica prisons. The Croat owned civilian property was
looted, confiscated and/or destroyed.
# ZVORNIK
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Zvornik district had 81,111 residents:
120 Croats (0,1%)
48,208 Moslems (59,4%)
30,839 Serbs (38,0%)
1,944 others (2,5%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia Herzegovina
(1992) various Serb forces occupied the district area on April
8th and ethnically cleansed it from any non-Serb population in
twenty-five days (until May 3rd 1992). Men were mainly killed,
women and children were evicted and girls were raped. The non-
Serb civilian property and all Moslem sacral institutions were
looted, confiscated and/or destroyed.
# ZEPCE
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Zepce district had 22,840 residents:
9,081 Croats (39,8%)
10,780 Moslems (47,2%)
2,289 Serbs (10,0%)
690 others (3,0%)
During the Serbian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina
(1992), the district area was shelled from the Serb long range
arms. Residential and farm buildings sustained a considerable damage.
The first serious tensions between Moslems and Croats surfaced
in late September 1993, but were solved through diplomatic
channels. On frequent occasions the extreme B-H Army soldiers
came from Zenica on "raids" and intimidated, maltreated and
looted Croats.
B-H Army soldiers attacked the Zepce district area on June
24th 1993, during which time scores of civilians were killed
and several Croat populated villages were burnt down.
August 16th 1993, forty-three Croat civilians were killed and
massacred in the village of Kiseljak.
The attacks of B-H Army soldiers on the local Croat residents
did not stop until the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina
Agreement was signed in May 1994 in Vienna.
# ZIVINICE
According to the official results of the 1991 census, the
Zivinice district had 54,653 residents:
3,969 Croats (7,3%)
44,063 Moslems (80,6%)
3,499 Serbs (6,4%)
3,122 others (5,7%)
During the Serb aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992)
the district area was occasionally shelled from the Serb long
range arms. Residential and farm buildings sustained light
damage.
.
Zg519es
# 001 CROATIA - VUKOVAR - October 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Forced expulsion of
inhabitants.
TIME AND LOCATION: October 1991, location Tovarnik (approx.
23 km southeast of Vukovar).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: Self-proclaimed local Serbian
authorities in Tovarnik spent several days forcing the
inhabitants to leave their homes. The witness was compelled
to sign a "statement" in the town hall leaving his entire
property and "voluntarily" departing his permanent place of
residence to settle in free Croatian territory. In the town
hall office, during the signing, there was, apart from the
witness, one of the town hall staff Rada Saponja. The witness
also had to sign a similar "statement" in the office of the
local community hall in Tovarnik in the presence of Aco
Trifunovic.
PERPETRATORS: Self-proclaimed Serbian authorities in Tovarnik
among whom are Rada Saponja and Aco Trifunovic.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 002 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - PRIJEDOR 30.05.1992
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Murder.
TIME AND LOCATION: 30.05.1992, the town of Prijedor,
Partizanska street.
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: Members of the paramilitary forces
of the so-called "Army of the Serbian Republic" killed three
civilians in front of the butcher's shop in Partizanska
street in Prijedor on 30.05.1992.
The victims:
1. Huse Causevic - owner of the butcher's shop;
2. son of Huse Causevic;
3. nephew of Huse Causevic (the son of Huse's sister)
PERPETRATORS: Members of the paramilitary forces of the
so-called "Army of the Serbian Republic".
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 003 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - PRIJEDOR - 30.05.1992.
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Murder.
TIME AND LOCATION: 30.05.1992, town of Prijedor, Avde Cuka
street.
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: During a "cleansing" operation
carried out by members of paramilitary forces of the
so-called "Army of the Serbian Republic", in Avde Cuka street
(near the market-place) on 30.05.1992, six civilians were
killed. The witness, who at that time was arrested by the
Serbian soldiers, claims that the victims were of Albanian
nationality. He indicated that the perpetrators were members
of paramilitary forces of the so-called "Army of the Serbian
Republic".
PERPETRATORS: Members of the paramilitary forces of the
so-called "Army of the Serbian Republic".
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
II WAR CRIMES AGAINST CIVILIANS
# 001 CROATIA - OSIJEK - 29.06.1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Intimidation and terrorization
of civilians.
TIME AND LOCATION: 29.06.1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: The inhabitants of Serbian
nationality of Stara Tenja armed themselves with rifles, put
on blue coveralls and patrolled the streets and gardens. They
set up sentry posts and did not permit free movement in the
village. They told the Croats: "What are you waiting for.
Leave while you still can. There is no room for Croats
here!".
PERPETRATORS: Armed civilians (Serbian nationality),
inhabitants of Stara Tenja.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 002 CROATIA - OSIJEK - 30.06.1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Intimidation and terrorization
of civilians.
TIME AND LOCATION: 30.06.1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:On Sunday 30.06.1991, armed
civilians of Serbian nationality in Stara Tenja placed
barricades between Stara Tenja and Nova Tenja, near the
petrol station. The barricades were constructed out of sand
bags and trenches had been dug around them. Croats were
forbidden to enter or leave Stara Tenja.
PERPETRATORS: Armed civilians (of Serbian nationality),
inhabitants of Stara Tenja.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 003 CROATIA - OSIJEK - June 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Attack on civilian property.
TIME AND LOCATION: June 1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: A "Sloboda" kiosk was blown up and
a pastry shop owned by a man of Albanian nationality was set
fire to. Inhabitants of Stara Tenja of Serbian nationality
boasted that they were responsible for both incidents. They
also set fire to the saw-mill because its owner Tolic (of
Serbian nationality) refused to take part in demonstrations
against Croatian authorities.
PERPETRATORS: Armed civilians (of Serbian nationality),
inhabitants of Stara Tenja.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 004 CROATIA - OSIJEK - July 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Intimidation and terrorization
of civilians.
TIME AND LOCATION: July 1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:The witness reveals information on
the organized arrival of various Serbian paramilitary
formations to Stara Tenja. He saw some 30 young men, members
of the "Jovic" units, who moved into the house of an expelled
Croat in Marsal Tito Street (across the road from No. 8).
Members of the so-called "Martic" police units moved into the
hall at the end of the village which had formerly been used
for wedding receptions. The witness often watched through the
window as quarrels broke out among members of the "Jovic"
units and sometimes guns were fired. The local Orthodox
priest would often come to calm them down.
PERPETRATORS:Members of paramilitary formations know as
"Jovicevci" and "Marticevci".
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 005 CROATIA - OSIJEK - 10.07.1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Intimidation and terrorization
of civilians, theft of civilian property.
TIME AND LOCATION: 10.07.1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:Armed civilians of Serbian
nationality and members of the so-called Serbian police
(irregular police units) entered houses inhabited by Croats
and confiscated their telephones. The witness recognized
Branko Grkovic (born 1954) who introduced himself as the
local police chief. The police told them: "This will be
Serbia, you should go to Osijek, that's where Croatia will
be!". All telephone connections with Stara Tenja were cut on
10.07.1991.
PERPETRATORS: Armed civilians (of Serbian nationality) from
Stara Tenja and Branko Grkovic, local police chief.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 006 CROATIA - OSIJEK - July 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Illegal imprisonment, physical
maltreatment and infliction of bodily harm.
TIME AND LOCATION: July 1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:Armed civilians of Serbian
nationality (they had various Serbian insignia on their
sleeves) took Croat civilians to the cinema hall in Stara
Tenja and beat them. The witness watched from his window as
they led an elderly lady called Marija and several men. While
they were beating one of the young men, painful howling could
be heard. The next day the witness saw the same young man
lying with his blood-covered head in the lap of an elderly
woman. The witness took a photograph of the cinema hall yard
and both victims and perpetrators may be recognized on the
photo. The witness later discovered that the above mentioned
group of prisoners were subsequently taken to the village of
Celije and executed.
PERPETRATORS: Armed civilians (of Serbian nationality) from
Stara Tenja.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 007 CROATIA - OSIJEK - August 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Intimidation and terrorization
of civilians.
TIME AND LOCATION: August 1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:Branko Grkovic, Stara Tenja's
local police chief arrived at the house of the witness and
took her to the police headquarters, which was in the cinema
hall for interrogation. There were no other prisoners in the
hall as they had all been taken to an unknown destination.
Grkovic questioned the witness and threatened to execute her
for cooperating with "ustashas" in Osijek. He claimed she had
a radio station and that she reported all events in Stara
Tenja to the Croatian Army. She was not executed as she was
subsequently exchanged.
PERPETRATORS: Branko Grkovic, Stara Tenja's local police
chief.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 008 CROATIA - OSIJEK - August 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Intimidation of civilians.
TIME AND LOCATION: August 1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: The witness saw armed civilians of
Serbian nationality in Stara Tenja break the windows of V.S.
(a Serbian women by nationality) from Stara Tenja, slash her
bicycle tyres, and write "ustasha" on her house wall. She was
married to a Croat and constantly under threat. They threw a
little package through her window. Inside was a bullet, a
picture and the message: "This is from Milosevic!", as a
result of which she suffered a nervous breakdown.
PERPETRATORS: Armed civilians of Serbian nationality from
Stara Tenja.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
#009 CROATIA - GLINA- 18.08.1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Murder.
TIME AND LOCATION: 18.08.1991, in Glina.
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:An attack by members of the YPA and
Serbian paramilitary formations was carried out on Glina on
26.06.1991, when the police station was attacked. From that
day onwards, civilians of Croatian nationality were
constantly in panic, hiding wherever they could. The witness
claims that one of the worst days was 18.08.1991, by which
time most of the Croats had already been expelled. On this
day Ilija Petrovic was killed while working in his combine
harvester in the fields.
PERPETRATORS: Members of the YPA and Serbian paramilitary
formations.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 010 CROATIA - OSIJEK - 05.09.1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Taking of hostages.
TIME AND LOCATION: 05.09.1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:The witness, together with three
other local women of Croatian nationality were under house
arrest from 30.06.1991 to 06.09.1991. Members of Serbian
paramilitary formations known as "Arkanovci" came for them
and took them to the barricades between Stara Tenja and Nova
Tenja, where they were to be exchanged for the bodies of
three Serbs. The exchange was carried out in person by Zeljko
Raznjatovic known as "Arkan" because among the dead was the
body of his wife's cousin. Since the exchange was not
successful, "Arkan" ordered Osijek to be attacked with
cannon gun fire. The witness heard this order being given
herself. "Arkan" then told the ladies: "Ladies, this time it
was not successful, we will come for you at 5 o'clock and
then you will go to Osijek". The exchange was carried out
subsequently and a foreign journalist brought the coffins. He
had to open the coffins and the witness and the other three
prisoners were forced by "Arkan" to look at the naked bodies.
PERPETRATORS: Members of the Serbian paramilitary units known
as "Arkanovci" and Zeljko Raznjatovic "Arkan".
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 011 CROATIA - VUKOVAR - September 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Infliction of great suffering
and bodily harm.
TIME AND LOCATION: End of September 1991, Tovarnik (approx.
23 km southeast of Vukovar).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: Towards the end of September,
1991, the witness met and spoke to a civilian of Croatian
nationality from Tovarnik, Tomislav Ivkovic, known as Subasa.
While speaking to him, he noticed a large cut on his neck and
wounds on his head. Tomislav Ivkovic told him that armed
civilians had attempted to cut his throat.
PERPETRATORS: Armed civilians of Serbian nationality from
Tovarnik.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 012 CROATIA - VUKOVAR - September 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Illegal imprisonment and
forced labour.
TIME AND LOCATION: End of September 1991, Tovarnik (approx.
23 km southeast of Vukovar).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: The witness and several other
civilians of Croatian nationality from Tovarnik had been
forced by armed civilians of Serbian nationality to repair
damages to houses owned by Serbs (for instance Aco
Trifunovic). After work, the Croats would be returned to
prison. The local Serbian para-authorities of Tovarnik
converted the house of Dr Dorde Cvejic into a prison, in
which they imprisoned civilians of Croat nationality from
Tovarnik.
PERPETRATORS: Local Serbian para-authorities and armed
civilians of Serbian nationality from Tovarnik.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 013 CROATIA - GLINA - 01.10.1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Attack on civilians and
civilian property.
TIME AND LOCATION: 01.10.1991, the village of Mala Solina
(approx. 10 km north of Glina).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: A YPA fighter jet launched
missiles on civilian houses in Mala Solina and in the hamlet
Sesinac. Because of these rocket attacks, the witness,
together with a part of the village inhabitants of Croatian
nationality were forced to leave their place of residence.
Some of the inhabitants remained behind and the witness later
discovered that some of them had been killed. These are:
1. Ana Ceftaric
2. Jaga Ceftaric
3. Josip Ceftaric
4. Nikola Ceftaric
5. Ruza Ceftaric
6. Mara Dujmic
PERPETRATORS: Members of the YPA and Serbian paramilitary
formations.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 014 CROATIA - GLINA - 01.10.1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Attack on civilians and their
property.
TIME AND LOCATION: 01.10.1991, the village of Gornji Selkovac
(approx. 10 km northwest of Glina).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:On 01.10.1991, a group of four or
five YPA fighter jets flew over the village of Gornji
Selkovac. At one point, one of them separated itself from the
others and launched missiles on the village. The same group
of jets also targeted the neighbouring village Vidusevac and
several civilians were killed. Those who survived left
Vidusevac. The same day, the village of Rastenica and Sesinac
were attacked with artillery fire.
The inhabitants of the village Gornji Selkovac were forced to
leave their place of residence. The only people to remain
were the three members of the Pejo Cekovic family. The
witness discovered subsequently that all three were killed
when Serbian paramilitary units entered the village.
PERPETRATORS: Members of the YPA and Serbian paramilitary
formations.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 015 CROATIA - VUKOVAR - October 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: The murder of a civilian.
TIME AND LOCATION: October 1991, Tovarnik (approx. 23 k
southeast of Vukovar).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: The witness was currently doing
forced labour in Tovarnik on the roof of a house owned by a
Serb. From the roof of the house he saw two armed Serbs
escorting a local inhabitant - Rudo Rappa. One of the armed
Serbs was Sava Ivanovic of Tovarnik. The next day, the
witness noticed the dead body of Rudo Rappa on a tractor
trailer, which was usually used by the Serbs for transporting
dead bodies to burial sites.
PERPETRATORS: Two armed civilians of Serbian nationality from
Tovarnik, one of whom was Sava Ivanovic.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 016 CROATIA/BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - SLUNJ/KLJUC -
18.11.1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Taking people to prison camps
and other illegal imprisonment.
TIME AND LOCATION: 18.11.1991, Slunj/Kljuc.
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:After the attack on Slunj, a part
of the Croat inhabitants fled to Cazin. On 18.11.1991, a
convoy of eighteen buses (with refugees from Slunj) left
Cazin towards Dalmatia. The convoy reached Kljuc (in B-H) and
was stopped there by members of irregular police units known
as "milicija SAO Krajina" who forced 180 males of Croatian
nationality to leave the convoy and placed them under arrest.
Among those arrested was the witness. The prisoners were
transferred to the prison in Stara Gradiska, where they were
beaten and interrogated. Some of them died as a result of the
physical abuse. One man died three days upon arrival. The
witness saw his neighbour who was shot in the legs as he
attempted to escape. He was later beaten and then never seen
again. The witness was released on 12.12.1991 in Karlovac
among a group of 83 prisoners.
PERPETRATORS: Members of irregular police units known as
"milicija SAO Krajina", guards in the Stara Gradiska prison.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 017 CROATIA - SLUNJ - December, 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Armed attack on civilians and
their property.
TIME AND LOCATION: December 1991, Donji Ladevac (approx. 6 km
east of Slunj).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: Just before Christmas 1991, four
armed men in uniforms entered the house of the witness in
Donji Ladevac. One of them had the insignia of the "milicija
SAO Krajina" police on his sleeve. They mistreated the Croats
who were in the house, stole their possessions and opened
fire on the witness' brother, who luckily was not hit.
PERPETRATORS: Members of the irregular police units known as
"milicija SAO Krajina".
SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Document currently kept in the
archives of the Centre.
# 018 CROATIA - GLINA - 1992
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Attack on civilians, murder of
civilians, theft of possessions.
TIME AND LOCATION: December 1992, the village of Dolnjaki
(approx. 8 km southeast of Glina).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:The village of Dolnjaki was
attacked by members of the YPA and Serbian paramilitary
formations in December 1992. The village was looted and set
on fire. Milan Petrovic was killed while melting fat. The
witness saw the dead body of Ilija Krkac. He saw no wounds on
his body but noticed he was wet, so he does not know the
cause of death. The witness lists the names of the remaining
killed:
1. Stevo Krkac
2. Pero Likovic
3. Niko Namic
4. Pero Namic
5. Pero Pavic from the village of Maja
PERPETRATORS: Members of the YPA and Serbian paramilitary
formations.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 019 - CROATIA - GLINA - 19.05.1993
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Illegal imprisonment of
civilians.
TIME AND LOCATION: 19.05.1993, the village of Svracica
(approx. 12 km southeast of Glina).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:On 19.05.1993, the witness was
arrested and taken to Glina to prison (to the former
correctional institution). He was arrested by Ilija Bjelajac
and a man unknown to him (tall, with a moustache). In prison,
the witness recognized two of his investigators: Milan
Ljiljak and Zoran known as "Zoks". The witness was tried on
29.07.1993, (in the presence of his parents) and sentenced to
forced labour until 21.06.1994. The group the witness was in
did various manual jobs: burying the dead, feeding the pigs,
picking the cabbage... The guard who led his group was called
Lazo Vujaklija of the village of Obljaj. The witness was
released from prison on 21.06.1994, through the mediation of
the ICRC.
PERPETRATORS: Members of Serbian paramilitary units among
whom are: Ilija Bjelajac, Lazo Vujaklija from Obljaj, and
prison investigators Milan Ljiljak and Zoran known as "Zoks".
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
III. WAR CRIMES AGAINST THE WOUNDED AND ILL
# 001 CROATIA - OSIJEK - July 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Taking possession of health
care institutions.
TIME AND LOCATION: July 1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:The health care institution in
Stara Tenja was shut down and the nurse of Croatian
nationality was expelled. A military hospital was opened at
the end of the village on a pig farm. The witness knows that
they had a general practitioner and three surgeons. One of
them was Dr Hadzic who had worked previously in the Vukovar
hospital. The witness claims that the civilian inhabitants
had to go to the newly formed military hospital for even the
most elementary requirements.
PERPETRATORS: Members of the YPA.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
IV WAR CRIMES AGAINST PRISONERS
# 001 CROATIA - OSIJEK - 06.09.1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Inhuman treatment of prisoners
and forced labour.
TIME AND LOCATION: 06.09.1991, Stara Tenja (approx. 8 km
southeast of Osijek).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:The witness saw armed civilians of
Serbian nationality forcing imprisoned Croat civilians from
Stara Tenja to dig trenches around their barricades in Stara
Tenja. While he was being taken for an exchange, the witness
recognized the imprisoned Croats. Some of the prisoners
managed to escape and later reported in Osijek how they had
been forced to dig trenches, then fill them up again, and so,
day in day out.
PERPETRATORS: Armed civilians of Serbian nationality from
Stara Tenja.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 002 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - PRIJEDOR - 30.05.1992
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Murder.
TIME AND LOCATION: 30.05.1992, the "Omarska" concentration
camp (approx. 17 km east of Prijedor).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:On 30.05.1992, members of the
so-called "Army of the Serbian Republic", during a cleansing
operation in Prijedor, arrested a large number of civilians
and took them by bus to "Omarska". The witness claims in his
testimony that that day and before a large number of
imprisoned civilians in the camp, one of the members of the
"Army of the Serbian Republic" shot at a group of four
prisoners firing a whole round from his automatic gun. All
four were killed. The bodies were taken to the "white house"
(a building within the camp). The witness describes the
soldier as being of medium height, in his thirties, dark
complexion. He also claims that among the guards in the camp,
he recognized man whose surname is Kobas.
PERPETRATORS: A member of the "Army of the Serbian Republic",
medium height, in his thirties, dark complexion.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
# 003 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - PRIJEDOR - 24. 07. 1992
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME:Murder.
TIME AND LOCATION: 24.07.1992, the "Trnopolje" concentration
camp (approx. 12 km east of Prijedor).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:On 24.07.1992, a group of 99
prisoners from the "Omarska" concentration camp were
transferred to "Trnopolje". The prisoners were imprisoned in
the former warehouse, which had an extra wire fence around
it. The same day, around midnight, the camp guard known as
"Tacna" ordered the prisoners D.Z., Ante Murgo and his son to
come out, which they did. Several minutes later, automatic
gun fire could be heard, and then D.Z. ran into the room
where the prisoners were and stated that Ante Murgo and his
son had been killed. They were killed on the other side of
the railway line in relation to the camp.
PERPETRATORS: Guard in "Trnopolje" known as "Tacna".
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
X INSTIGATION TO AGGRESSION AND AN ACT OF AGGRESSION
# 001 - CROATIA - VUKOVAR - October 1991
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Verbal instigation to
aggression.
TIME AND LOCATION: October 1991, Tovarnik (approx. 23 km
southeast of Vukovar).
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME:On entering one of the rooms in the
prison in Tovarnik (the house of Dr Cvejic), he found a group
of Serbs from Lovas and the commander of the irregular local
police units known as the "police of SAO Krajina", a Serb by
nationality whose surname was Krnjajic. From their
conversation, the witness concluded that this was a meeting
between the Serbs of Tovarnik and those of Lovas to discuss
further "activity". The Serbs had made up a list of people of
Croatian nationality from the neighbouring Lovas who were to
be killed in their attack on Lovas. The witness claims that
during his presence, they named some thirty Croats from
Lovas.
PERPETRATORS: The commander of the local irregular police
units of Tovarnik, surname Krnjajic and groups of Serbs from
Tovarnik and Lovas.
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of an interview with a
witness, supplemented by a written account, currently kept in
the archives of the Centre.
WEEKLY REPORT
The weekly bulletin of the Croatian Information Centre -
The Centre for Collecting Documentation and Processing Data
on the Liberation War
Opaticka 10
Zagreb
CROATIA
tel: (38541) 662-868
fax: (38541) 450-715
EDITOR: EDITORIAL COUNCIL
PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED BY:
THE CROATIAN INFORMATION CENTRE
.
Zg519es
Centre ofr Collecting Documentation and
Processing Data on the Liberation War
Opaticka 10, Zagreb, Croatia
WEEKLY BULLETIN
no. 56
November 7, 1994
I. GENOCIDE
001 B-H - MOSTAR - 13.06.1992
DESCRIPTION OF REPORTED CRIME: Illegal mass arrests, detainment
and murder.
TIME AND LOCATION: 13.06.1992, eastern part of the Mostar
district.
SUMMARY OF REPORTED CRIME: In the period from the end of May to
mid June 1992, members of the YPA and Serbian paramilitary
formations known as "Vojska SAO istocna Hercegovina" (Serbian
Army of eastern Herzegovina), together with members of irregular
police units known as "Milicija SAO Hercegovine" (Serbian Police
of Herzegovina) occupied the eastern part of the Mostar district
(east of the Neretva River) and established their authority in
that area. Members of the occupying authorities of the eastern
part of the Mostar district arrested, illegally imprisoned,
tortured and killed civilians of both Croat and Muslim
nationality from the occupied town quarters of Kuti Livac,
Potoci, Sutina, Vrapcici and Zalik. The prison buildings were
located in the mortuary of the town cemetery Sutina, the factory
"Djuro Salaj" in Vrapcici and in the rooms of the former military
institute in Bijelo Polje.
On 13.06.1992 at approximately 3 p.m., armed members of the
occupying authorities came to the atomic shelter in Zalik where
the inhabitants of that quarter had taken refuge. The armed men
separated the men on one side, and the women and children on the
other. 60 men were chosen and taken to the so-called North Camp
(a YPA barracks in the northeastern part of Mostar). Some 10 men
of Serbian nationality were released from the group, while the
remainder - Muslims and Croats - was registered on the basis of
identification papers and then loaded onto three military
vehicles known as "Pincgauers" and taken to the Sutina cemetery.
They were locked in rooms which serve as the mortuary. That same
evening, members of the occupying authorities started
interrogating, physically abusing and torturing the prisoners.
They cut the ears off some of the prisoners, broke their fingers
and then took them to the area in front of the mortuary where
they were shot or stabbed to death. Prisoners that were
physically stronger were made to carry the dead bodies to the
dyke on the left bank of the Neretva River.
Apart from the above-mentioned event, members of the occupying
authorities in the Mostar district groundlessly arrested and
imprisoned civilians of Croatian and Muslim nationality in the
concentration camp established in the locker-rooms of the
football stadium in Vrapcici, and this from the end of May to mid
June 1992.
In this period, members of the occupying authorities took a group
of more than 40 prisoners (mostly Croats) from the concentration
camp at the football stadium in Vrapcici to the camp in the town
of Bileca in eastern Herzegovina.
From this camp, individual prisoners - civilians of Croatian and
Muslim nationality - were taken for interrogation to headquarters
of the irregular police known as "Milicija SAO Hercegovina" which
was located in the rooms of the town cemetery in Sutina and to
the headquarters of the Serbian paramilitary formations in the
cotton factory "Djuro Salaj" in Vrapcici.
On an unspecified day (after 15.06.1992) in the late evening
hours, members of the occupying authorities in the concentration
camp of the Vrapcici football stadium ordered the imprisoned
civilians to leave their rooms, saying they were to be relocated.
They boarded a white van, which could carry some 30 persons, and
were taken to the town's refuse dump called UBORAK in Vrapcici.
Upon arrival, the prisoners were taken out in two's and shot in
the head or chest. Members of the occupying authorities took a
total of three groups of 30 prisoners to UBORAK. One prisoner
from the first group survived the execution (data available at
the Centre) and one prisoner of the third group was released
(data available at the Centre).
On 25.06.1992 (after the liberation of Sutina), a mass grave was
discovered in Sutina, on the left bank of the Neretva River
(location name - Cupina Liman). 18 corpses were exhumed (8 Croats
and 10 Muslims). 14 corpses were identified:
1. Beslim Beslimaj, address: Mostar, Zalik-4;
2. Redzep Boloban, born 12.01.1940, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
10;
3. Dane Boskovic, born 15.01.1941, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
10;
4. Mirsad Catic, born 02.05.1950, address: Mostar, Rudarska
street No. 31/1;
5. Vice Jerkic, born 21.05.1937, address: Mostar, Zalik No.74;
6. Zurahid Karacevic, born 12.10.1948, address: Mostar, Zalik-Z-
5;
7. Senad Kuko, born 18.06.1956, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 23;
8. Ljubo Manduric, born 05.09.1936, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
18;
9. Ilija Miletic, born 10.03.1945, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
69;
10. Hajdar Omerika, born 1942, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 17;
11. Petar Rozic, born 03.03.1918, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 33;
12. Ekrem Selak, born 19.09.1949, address: Mostar, Bijeli brijeg
No. 13;
13. Murat Simidzija, born 06.06.1932, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
58;
14. Ivan Sunjic.
Near this mass grave, more exactly in the bushes beside highway
M-17, a corpse was found and determined to be:
1. Ante Rozic, born 03.09.1935, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 37.
The same day (25.06.1992) at the Catholic cemetery "Ivanova
glavica" in Vrapcici, a mass grave containing 5 bodies was
discovered (4 men and 1 woman), 3 bodies were identified:
1. Senad Hadzihajdic, born 15.09.1970, address: Mostar, Brace
Lakisica No.72;
2. Senad Omerika, born 10.02.1977, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
17;
3. Francika Raic, born 28.01.1958, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
178-a.
On 27.08.1992, at the UBORAK refuse dump in Vrapcici, 88 bodies
were exhumed (80 male and 8 female). A total of 81 bodies were
identified (63 Muslims and 18 Croats):
1. Dzafer Alibegovic, born 27.12.1941, address: Mostar, Zalik
No. 47;
2. Meho Alic, born 22.07.1962, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
300;
3. Semir Bahimic, born 1953, address: Mostar, Zalik-7-c;
4. Nedzad Benca, born 07.04.1970, address: Mostar, Zalik-10-a;
5. Stjepan Blazevic, born 17.02.1944, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
10;
6. Hava Brekalo, born 20.01.1914, address: (Mostar district)
Kuti Livac 75;
7. Husein Bubalo, born 18.10.1936, address: (Mostar district)
Potoci;
8. Stipe Busic, born 1948, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 7;
9. Petar Carapina, born 01.06.1929, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
34;
10. Stefa Culjak, born 14.03.1932, address: (Mostar district)
Kuti Livac No. 45;
11. Bajro Coric, born 24.06.1956, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac No. 61;
12. Himzo Coric, born 01.10.1958, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac No. 61;
13. Smajo Coric, born 02.04.1930, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac No. 44;
14. Admir Delagic, born 07.01.1970, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
178;
15. Fadil Delalic, born 13.08.1936, address: Mostar, Zalik-Z-3;
16. Fuad Delic, born 28.05.1946, address: Mostar, Gojka Vukovica
No. 52;
17. Omer Dumpor, born 06.03.1958, address: (Mostar district)
Rastani No. 51;
18. Mile Duzevic, born 18.11.1926, address: Mostar, Trg Ivana
Krndelja No. 11-F;
19. Zaim Gubeljic, born 30.09.1932, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
10-d;
20. Hamdija Hadzihajric, born 1937, address: Mostar, Brace
Lakisica 72;
21. Bajram Hajrizaj, born 15.03.1940, address: Mostar, Vrapcici
161-a;
22. Omer Hasic, born 05.04.1953, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 43;
23. Tidza Hasic, born 27.12.1957, address: Mostar, Zalik No.23;
24. Safet Isic, born 11.12.1953, address: Mostar, Mehe Tase No.
21;
25. Ibrahim Japalak, born 01.03.1939, address: (Mostar district)
Potoci No. 23;
26. Salko Japalak, born 15.08.1927, address: (Mostar district)
Potoci No. 123;
27. Salih Jazvin, born 15.02.1924, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
178;
28. Enes Juklo, born 03.08.1968, address: (Mostar district)
Gornje Gnojnice No. 12;
29. Jasmin Juklo, born 1975, address: (Mostar district) Gornje
Gnojnice No. 12;
30. Mirzo Juklo, born 29.08.1965, address: (Mostar district)
Gornje Gnojnice No. 12;
31. Kresimir Jurcic, born 24.04.1930, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
10;
32. Danica Juric, born 09.02.1949, address: (Mostar district)
Kuti Livac No.43;
33. Jelka Juric, born 08.12.1940, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
176;
34. Mario Juric, born 21.03.1968, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
176;
35. Jusuf Kaniza, born 1928, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 10-b;
36. Salih Karabeg, born 04.08.1943, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
176;
37. Adis Kasalo, born 01.03.1963, address: Mostar, Trg I.Krndelja
No. 11-f;
38. Aid Kasalo, born 15.04.1961, address: Mostar, Trg I.Krndelja
No. 11-f;
39. Hasan Kasalo, born 06.10.1929, address: Mostar, Rudarska No.
9;
40. Ibro Kalecija, born 27.12.1932, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
23;
41. Salko Kalecija, born 1953, address: Mostar, Brace Djukica No.
9;
42. Ferid Klepo, born 03.05.1949, address: Capljini, Zeljeznicka
kolonija;
43. Zeljko Kokotovic, born 18.09.1968, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
10-b;
44. Mara Kordic, born 20.01.1923, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac No. 35;
45. Ljubo Kordic, born 28.10.1921, address: (Mostar district)
Kuti Livac No. 54;
46. Asim Kospo, born 02.04.1934, address: Mostar, Zalik;
47. Husein Kremo, born 06.05.1925, address: Mostar, Salke Sestica
No. 23;
48. Ibro Kuko, born 23.06.1956, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 53;
49. Ramo Kuko, born 25.02.1930, address: Mostar, Zalik;
50. Mehmed Manjura, born 24.02.1938, address: Mostar, Zalik No.
17;
51. Ramo Maric, born 24.01.1966, address: (Mostar district)
Dobrc-Podvelezje;
52. Enes Mezit, born 21.01.1960, address: Mostar, Zalik;
53. Marko Mihalj, born 11.03.1929, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
29;
54. Stjepan Mihalj, born 1925, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No. 39;
55. Dragica Mikulic, born 26.06.1938, address: Mostar, Vrapcici
No. 72-a;
56. Semsudin Mrkonjic, born 29.09.1947, address: Mostar, Vrapcici
No. 178;
57. Mujo Nuhic, born 1931, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No. 178-a;
58. Alija Omanovic, born 16.01.1928, address: (Mostar district)
Potoci;
59. Bajro Omanovic, born 01.01.1945, address: (Mostar district)
Potoci, 122;
60. Enver Osmanovic, born 25.08.1955, address: Mostar, Vrapcici
No. 178-a;
61. Mujo Pehilj, born 14.08.1945, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
3-c;
62. Becir Polcic, born 01.03.1941, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 1;
63. Ivan Prskalo, born 24.12.1936, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 10;
64. Mustafa Puce, born 20.04.1961, address: (Mostar district)
Dobrc-Podvelezje;
65. Suad Puzic, born 07.07.1939, address: Mostar, Trg. I.
Krndelja No. E/1;
66. Meho Ramic, born 15.06.1936, address: Mostar, Zahum-3/zgrada
1;
67. Enver Salcin, born 07.11.1947, address: Mostar, Vrapcici,
br178;
68. Nedzad Salcin, born 07.04.1953, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
178;
69. Osman Salcin, born 1922, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No. 178;
70. Edin Sefic, born 25.01.1952, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 10;
71. Sasa Sefic, born 26.06.1976, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 10;
72. Muhamed Simidzija, born 16.12.1955, address: Mostar, Zalik
No. 58;
73. Bego Sinanovic, born 06.05.1943, address: Mostar, Vrapcici
No. 178;
74. Esad Slipcevic, born 19.03.1950, address: Mostar, M.Pasica
No. 5;
75. Hajdo Smajic, born 04.09.1938, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 17;
76. Ferid Sakrak, born 06.12.1954, address: Mostar, Rude
Hrozniceka No. 31;
77. Miralem Sestic, born 08.04.1952, address: Mostar, Trg I.
Krndelja 11-c;
78. Sofija Skegro, born 1940, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac;
79. Salko Turkic, born 28.02.1934, address: Mostar, Potoci;
80. Petar Zadro, born 27.06.1915, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 1;
81. Mehmed Zukic, born 26.06.1938, address: Mostar, Zalik.
After the liberation of Potoci on 07.07.1992, a mass grave in
Kuti Livac was discovered containing 5 corpses. The same day, an
investigative team exhumed and identified all five corpses all of
whom were female - civilians of Muslim nationality from Kuti
Livac:
1. Fatima Cokic, born 1928
2. Fatima Cucurovic, born 1949
3. Saja Cucurovic, born 1918
4. Emina Grebovic, born 1958
5. Dzemila Grebovic, born 1927
These mass graves are the result of systematic and organized
ethnic cleansing of Croats and Muslims on Serbian-occupied
territories committed by members of the YPA, Serbian paramilitary
formations and irregular police units called "Milicija SAO
Hercegovina".
Following are further crimes committed against civilians of
Croatian nationality:
1) On 17.05.1992, members of the occupying authorities arrested
the civilian Stojan Kolobara (born 09.02.1932, inhabitant of
Kuti Livac). When Kuti Livac was liberated, the body of Stojan
Kolobara was discovered immediately next to the body of civilian
Ante Azinovic (born 10.03.1934, inhabitant of Kuti Livac). Both
bodies were hideously massacred (the heads and arms had been
severed from the trunk and the fingers severed from the hands).
2) On 18.05.1992, members of the occupying authorities arrested
the civilian Ivan Skegro (born 1937, inhabitant of Kuti Livac)
and took him to the former military institute in Bijelo Polje
where he was executed and his body moved to Kuti Livac. When Kuti
Livac was liberated, the corpse was discovered and identified.
3) On 20.06.1992, in front of the house of Martin Culjak, in
Kuti Livac, the body of Danica Culjak (born 1915, inhabitant of
Kuti Livac) was discovered. Although the body had already
decomposed to a certain degree, it was ascertained that the
wounds on the body were the result of firearms.
4) On 24.06.1992, in Kuti Livac, the body of Jozo Jakic (born
27.06.1938, inhabitant of Kuti Livac) was discovered. The body
was in a state of decay but a plastic rope with which the victim
had been strangled was still around the neck.
5) On 24.06.1992, beside his house in Kuti Livac, the body of
Mijo Kordic (born 02.11.1925, inhabitant of Kuti Livac) was
discovered. It was evident that he had been massacred although
his body was in a state of decay.
PERPETRATORS: Members of the YPA, Serbian paramilitary formations
known as "Vojska SAO istocna Hercegovina" and irregular police
units known as "Milicija SAO Hercegovine", among whom are:
1. Dragan Antelj, born 22.02.1967, address: Mostar, Potoci;
2. Boro Antelj, born 08.08.1943, address: Mostar, Vrapcici;
3. Goran Bojanic, born 01.01.1960, address: Mostar, Zeljusa;
4. Boro Bovan known as "Tasi", born 30.09.1956, address: Mostar,
Zeljusa;
5. Danilo Bovan, born 07.08.1962, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
127;
6. Dusan Bovan, born 26.11.1936, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
32;
7. Lazar Bovan, born 11.07.1960, address: Mostar, Z. Neimarovica
br 17;
8. Rade Bovan, born 07.02.1952, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.18;
9. Slavko Bovan, born 13.05.1933, address: Mostar, Vrapcici;
10. Momo Cancar, born 03.04.1948, address: Mostar, Sutina br 19;
11. Dragan Doslo known as "Cuta", born 25.02.1949, address:
Mostar, Vrapcici No. 2;
012. Gojko Doslo, born 09.09.1936, address: Mostar, Vrapcici;
13. Milan Doslo, born 22.02.1944, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
140;
14. Miroslav Ivanisevic known as "Miro", born 26.09.1959,
address: (Mostar district) Kuti Livac;
15. Rajko Janjic known as "Diki", born 03.03.1965, address:
Mostar, Vrapcici No. 178;
16. Mladen Jelic, born 16.02.1931, address: Mostar, Avenija No.
109;
17. Jovica Kandic, born 05.12.1963, address: Mostar, Vrapcici;
18. Mladen Kandic known as "Gene", born 31.03.1962, address:
Mostar, Prigradjani 72;
19. Miladin Kovacevic, born 04.01.1950, address: Mostar,
Vrapcici;
20. Drago Kurtes, born 05.05.1946, address: (Mostar district)
Kuti Livac;
21. Pero Kurtes, born 10.02.1957, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac;
22. Danilo Lozo known as "Danac", born 21.09.1953, address:
(Mostar district) Kuti Livac;
23. Krsto Lozo, born 14.12.1960, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac;
24. Ljubo Lozo, born 09.11.1961, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac;
25. Maksim Lozo known as "Masek", born 24.05.1964, address:
Mostar, Vrapcici, No. 173;
26. Milorad Lozo, born 12.07.1938, address: (Mostar district)
Kuti Livac;
27. Mirko Lozo, born 11.05.1955, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac;
28. Vlado Lozo known as "Dzukac", born 26.06.1961, address:
Mostar, Potoci No. 91;
29. Zarko Lozo, born 18.05.1940, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac;
30. Momcilo Miladinovic, born 21.03.1949, address: Nevesinje
district, Pluzine;
31. Simo Mihic, born 04.01.1947, address: Mostar, Zalik No. 7-c;
32. Boro Miskin known as "Djindja", born 22.08.1944, address:
Mostar, Vrapcici;
33. Damir Miskin known as "Dama", born 23.11.1968, address:
Mostar, Vrapcici No. 44;
34. Dragan Miskin, born 26.05.1938, address: Mostar, Vrapcici;
35. Sinisa Palavestra, born 11.12.1970, address: Mostar, Vrapcici
No. 15;
36. Rajko Pejak known as "Ses", born 13.06.1957, address: Mostar,
Potoci-Humilisani;
37. Ljubo Pejdo, born 26.10.1959, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac;
38. Ranko Pejdo, born 27.08.1957, address: (Mostar district) Kuti
Livac 12;
39. Nenad Prljeta, born 13.09.1961, address: Mostar, Vrapcici No.
256;
40. Milan Skoro known as "Miso", born 17.07.1951, address:
Mostar, Zalik No. 17;
41. Dragan Vujicic, born 02.12.1965, address: Mostar, Vrapcici
No. 228.
SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Document currently kept in the archives of
the Centre.
The Weekly Bulletin of the Croatian Information Centre -
Zg519es
Processing Data on the Liberation War
Opaticka 10, 41000 Zagreb, Croatia
WEEKLY BULLETIN
no. 57
14 November 1994
IV. WAR CRIMES AGAINST PRISONERS
SHORT ANALYSIS
CAMP "4th PRIMARY SCHOOL" - MOSTAR
The first prisoners (Croatian civilians and members of the HVO
(Croatian Defence Council)) were brought to this prison camp
on 30.06.1993.
Members of the government and the B-H Army 4th Corps had
converted the school cellar into a prison.
The area intended for the imprisonment of the Croats
consisted of two cellar rooms, one of which was approximately
45 m2 (7.5 x 6 x 2.2 m) with one cellar opening (80 x 80 cm)
which had previously served for throwing coal into the cellar.
The smaller room was approximately 6 m2 (2 x 3 x 2.2 m) and
also had a cellar opening (80 x 80 cm). Both rooms were
connected by an opening foreseen as a doorway. The walls were
of concrete. A hall and steps led to the higher level.
Upon the arrival of the first prisoners, members of the B-H
Army 4th Corps covered the openings with planks so that the
rooms were in constant darkness. The rooms accommodated
between 115 and 130 Croatian civilians and soldiers of various
ages.
Upon arrival at the camp, prisoners would be submitted to
brutal physical abuse by the military police of the B-H Army
4th Corps, who carried out the duty of prison guards. The camp
director was sometimes present during this abuse as well as
shift commanders who were particularly brutal.
The food was invariable and the quantity insufficient. The
prisoners were given food twice daily, in the morning and
evening, consisting of a small quantity of cooked rice without
salt or oil and a small piece of bread (approx. 50 grammes).
This piece of bread was the total daily ration. When prisoners
were given forced labour tasks, they would be given a small
can of food instead of the rice. During their detention, the
prisoners visibly lost weight, and according to available
information, they lost on average 30 kg each. Some prisoners
would from hunger be physically afraid of the possible
occurrence of cannibalism.
The sanitary conditions of the rooms were under all
civilizational norms:
- they lay on sponge mats or on wooden palettes placed on the
concrete floor;
- when it rained or snowed, large quantities of water would
flood the cellar because the roof leaked;
- the water the prisoners were given to drink was dirty and
muddy as it was taken out directly from the Neretva River;
- the prisoners were allowed to relieve themselves twice
daily (in the morning and evening) while during the day, they
relieved themselves in an open basin (placed in the larger
room) and from which emanated an unbearable stench;
- the prisoners were not allowed to wash or bathe, so that
many of the prisoners washed themselves after six months
detainment;
- many of the prisoners carried out such tasks as digging
graves, removing corpses and reburial, all this without
protective masks and clothing. After work, the prisoners were
returned to the camp and were not allowed to wash their hands
despite the smell which made many vomit;
- during their entire detainment, the prisoners were very
thinly dressed (thin working clothes, ragged shoes) although
they were exposed to sun, rain, cold wind ...
Medical care of the prisoners was mostly carried out by two of
the prisoners who had previously been medical staff but this
care was rudimentary and inadequate as there were no medical
supplies.
>From the first day of detainment, all the prisoners were taken
away for forced labour "in the field" which would last from
one to twenty days. Forced labour was mostly carried out on
the front lines (Donja Mahala, Santiceva street, Bisic Polje,
Bijelo Polje, Buna, Blagaj...) and consisted of strenuous
physical work such as digging trenches, fortifying bunkers,
carrying and laying explosives, digging graves, clearing
buildings and streets, unloading humanitarian aid... Upon
return to the camp or the temporary accommodation in the
field, the prisoners were exposed to brutal physical abuse and
the self-will of the guards and members of the B-H Army 4th
Corps. During forced labour, more than 25 prisoners died or
were killed, and the majority (60%) was either lightly or
seriously wounded.
The following died:
NO / NAME / SURNAME / DATE AND PLACE OF DEATH
1. Ivan Aralic 18.09.1993 in front of the SDK (Public
Accountancy Service) building
2. Zoran Bosnjak 21.08.1993 in Santiceva street
3. Antonio Buntic 07.10.1993 in Santiceva street
4. Mario Dragan on the dam in Vrapcici
5. Branko Grgic 18.08.1993 in Santiceva street
6. Zdenko Jovanovic 18.09.1993 in front of the SDK building
7. Tomo Karusic 18.08.1993 in Santiceva street
8. Branko Kodro 04.08.1993
9. Slavko Kolobara 02.08.1993 in Santiceva street
10. Stojan Kolobara 30.06.1993 Neretva River
11. Pero Kosir 20.09.1993 the Bijelo Polje town quarter
12. Branko Kozul 23.08.1993 in Santiceva street
13. Tomo Kulusic 07.08.1993
14. Dragan Lasic 20.09.1993 the Bijelo Polje town quarter
15. Mario Lasic 21.09.1993 in the prison camp of the "4th
primary school"
16. Ante Maric 15.08.1993 in Santiceva street
17. Ante Mikulic 21.09.1993 in Santiceva street
18. Marko Mikulic 12.07.1993 Bulevar
19. Marko Nikolic 18.07.1993 the Cernica town quarter
20. Filip Raic 04.09.1993 in Santiceva street
21. Ivan Ravujic 18.09.1993 in front of the SDK building
22. Stojan Skobic 28.07.1993 in Santiceva street
23. Goran Tomic 18.09.1993 in front of the SDK building
24. Nikola Vegar 01.10.1993
25. Andjelko Vrlic 01.10.1993 in Santiceva street
26. Stanko Zovko 21.09.1993 in Santiceva street
Upon arrival at the camp, the prisoners were made to state
their blood type. On several occasions, camp guards would
enter the cellar rooms and call out names of prisoners from a
list they possessed with the prisoners' blood groups. There
were prisoners who gave blood up to five times in the final
five months of their detainment. Every time the prisoners gave
blood, some 350 grammes were taken.
ICRC representatives visited the camp and registered the
prisoners for the first time on 08.09.1993. In their talks
with the prisoners, ICRC officials were informed of the
condition of the prisoners as well as of all the events but
the situation did not improve, which was explained away by the
impossibility of dialogue and the refusal of the camp
administration to allow any changes to be made.
In the period from 30.06.1993 to 19.03.1994 the camp was run
by four camp directors:
1. Mirsad Cupina - director from 30.06.1993 to 15.10.1993
2. Mirsad Handzar - director from 15.10.1993 to 03.12.1993
3. Mirsad Vrazalica - director from 03.12.1993 to ??.01.1994
4. Hasan Memic - director from ??.01.1994 to 19.03.1994
Mirsad Cupina was camp director at the same time that Arif
Pasalic was commander of the B-H Army 4th Corps. When Sulejman
Budakovic known as "Tetak" took over command of the 4th Corps,
Mirsad Handzar became the new camp director.
During the nine months of detainment, the prisoners were
guarded, beaten, mistreated, taken to forced labour, wounded,
killed... by the camp guards - members of the B-H Army 4th
Corps under the command of the shift commander. The entire
military police of the B-H Army 4th Corps was commanded by
Zijo Leric.
The prisoners were able to name four shift commanders:
NO / NAME / SURNAME / NICKNAME
1. Slobodan Maric
2. Huso Orcevic
3. Edin Tanovic "Tana"
4. Mirsad Zekic
and the following guards:
NO / NAME / SURNAME / NICKNAME
1. Adis Baltak "Dado"
2. Nusret Beatovic
3. Mili Cisic
4. Alija Gusic
5. Jakirevic
6. Jelovac
7. Sladjan Medic
8. Senad Orcevic
9. Zijo Orcevic "Zike"
10. Neso Radjenovic "Tosa"
11. Haso Stupac
12. Hamid Sunje "Hamo"
13. Tomic
14. Hilmo Toporan
15. Alen
16. Enver "Bosanac"
17. Hamza
18. Nezir
19. Nezir "Bosanac"
20. Smajo
21. "Beli"
22. "Cigo"
23. "Faki"
24. "Leso"
25. "Lija"
26. "Pajka"
27. "Sok"
EVIDENCE: Audio tape recording of interviews with witnesses,
supplemented by written accounts, currently kept in the