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| Identifier: | 94ZAGREB941 |
|---|---|
| Wikileaks: | View 94ZAGREB941 at Wikileaks.org |
| Origin: | Embassy Zagreb |
| Created: | 1994-03-08 10:23:00 |
| Classification: | UNCLASSIFIED |
| Tags: | PHUM PREL MOPS HR BK PREL MOPS HR BK PREL MOPS HR BK War Crimes |
| Redacted: | This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks. |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLASSIFIED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 00941
SIPDIS
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY ATHENS
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
USIA WASHDC 4319
AMEMBASSY BONN
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
WHITEHOUSE WASHDC
USMISSION GENEVA
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP//
USEC BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 000941
VIENNA ALSO FOR EMBASSY BOSNIA
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, MOPS, HR, BK, PREL, MOPS, HR, BK, PREL, MOPS, HR, BK, War Crimes
SUBJECT: TFSROL: SEVERE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN B-H:
WITNESS RECOUNTS INCINERATION OF BAGS OF HUMAN
BODY PARTS, IDENTIFIES SITE OF MASS GRAVE
REF: (A) ZAGREB 827; (B) ZAGREB 872; (C) ZAGREB 919;
(D) ZAGREB 930
1. (U) SUMMARY: THIS IS ONE IN A SERIES OF REPORTS OF
INTERVIEWS WITH WAR CRIMES VICTIMS CONDUCTED IN LATE 1993
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PAGE 03 ZAGREB 00941 01 OF 03 081032Z
IN MAOCA, BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA, BY A DART/ZAGREB FIELD REP
AND AN AMCIT IRC REP WHILE THEY WERE IN THE AREA
ASSESSING HUMANITARIAN NEEDS. THIS REPORT NAMES VICTIMS
AND, IN SOME CASES, PERPETRATORS AND DETAILS OF SPECIFIC
CRIMES. END SUMMARY.
-----------
THE WITNESS
-----------
2. (LOU) SENAHID CAVALIC (STRICTLY PROTECT; WITNESS
STILL HAS RELATIVES BEING HELD IN BRCKO), HEREAFTER
REFERRED TO AS THE WITNESS, IS A BOSNIAN MUSLIM FROM THE
BRCKO MUNICIPALITY. HE WAS BORN FEBRUARY 21, 1958, AND
WAS A CIVILIAN DRIVER FOR THE BIMEX COMPANY AT THE TIME
OF HIS ARREST BY BOSNIAN SERB FORCES ON MAY 4, 1992.
---------------------
THE WITNESS'S ACCOUNT
---------------------
3. (U) AT THE TIME OF HIS ARREST, THE WITNESS WAS
LOOKING FOR HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN, WHO HAD NOT RETURNED
TO HIS APARTMENT IN THE BRCKO "SETTLEMENT" OF MERAJE. HE
FOUND THEM IN A GROUP OF PEOPLE BEING ROUNDED UP BY SERB
SOLDIERS IN A CORNER OF THE SETTLEMENT. ALL THESE
PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE WITNESS, WERE TAKEN TO THE FRONT OF
THE HOSPITAL WHERE THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE TAKEN AWAY
TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION IN BUSES. THE MEN WERE TAKEN
TO THE CELLAR WHERE THEY WERE ORDERED TO WRITE STATEMENTS
AS TO WHERE THEY HAD HIDDEN WEAPONS. THEY WERE BEATEN
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PAGE 04 ZAGREB 00941 01 OF 03 081032Z
AND MISTREATED UNTIL EVENING, WHEN THEY WERE TAKEN TO THE
ARMY BARRACKS. THEN, LATER IN THE EVENING, THEY WERE
TAKEN TO LUKA WHERE THE WITNESS REMAINED UNTIL JUNE 12,
1992.
4. (U) FROM MAY 9-11, 1992, THE WITNESS AND THREE OTHER
MEN HAD TO LOAD DEAD BODIES INTO THE FURNACE AT THE
HOSPITAL. THE BODIES HAD BEEN CUT UP AND PLACED INTO
50-KILOGRAM NYLON SACKS. THE WITNESS SAW BODY PARTS FROM
MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN, MOST WITH CIVILIAN CLOTHING.
THE SACKS WERE BROUGHT TO THE HOSPITAL IN SMALL TRUCKS.
THE WITNESS PERSONALLY LOADED ABOUT 200 SUCH SACKS INTO
THE FURNACE DURING TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS. WHEN HIS
GROUP LEFT THE HOSPITAL, THEY WERE REPLACED BY ANOTHER
GROUP OF FOUR. THE MEN WERE ALWAYS UNDER ARMED GUARD.
5. (U) SHORTLY AFTER THE WITNESS RETURNED TO LUKA, HE
WITNESSED THE MURDERS OF STIPE GLAVOCEVIC, A LAWYER FROM
THE BIMEX COMPANY, AND JASMIN CUMUROVIC. GLAVOCEVIC, A
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PAGE 01 ZAGREB 00941 02 OF 03 081033Z
ACTION SS-00
INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01 OASY-00 DOEE-00
EB-01 EUR-01 HA-09 H-01 IMMC-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
IO-16 LAB-01 L-01 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
PA-01 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01 RPCS-01 SB-00 SCT-03
SNP-00 SP-00 SR-00 SSO-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00
RPE-01 SNIS-00 NISC-02 PMB-00 /049W
------------------2D3963 081302Z /38
R 081023Z MAR 94
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1113
INFO AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
AMEMBASSY MADRID
AMEMBASSY LONDON
HQ JTF PP NAPLES IT//CA/POLAD//
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ4/ECJ5/ECPOLAD//
CINCUSAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE//DO/LG/XP/IN/POLAD//
CINCUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE//J3/J4/J5/POLAD//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22//
COM SIXTHFLT//N2//
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5-PMA/J2I//
AMCONSUL MUNICH
USMISSION USVIENNA
USMISSION USNATO
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00941 02 OF 03 081033Z
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY ATHENS
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
USIA WASHDC 4320
AMEMBASSY BONN
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
WHITEHOUSE WASHDC
USMISSION GENEVA
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP//
USEC BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 02 OF 03 ZAGREB 000941
VIENNA ALSO FOR EMBASSY BOSNIA
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, MOPS, HR, BK, UN
SUBJECT: TFSROL: SEVERE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN B-H:
WITNESS RECOUNTS INCINERATION OF BAGS OF HUMAN
BODY PARTS, IDENTIFIES SITE OF MASS GRAVE
CROAT, WAS BROUGHT INTO THE WAREHOUSE WITH HIS SEVERED
EARS IN HIS HANDS. HIS CAPTORS HUMILIATED HIM FOR FOUR
HOURS, FORCING HIM TO CRAWL AROUND THE WAREHOUSE UNTIL HE
BEGGED THE OTHER PRISONERS TO KILL HIM. EVENTUALLY, HE
WAS SHOT TO DEATH BY GORAN JELISIC (AKA ADOLF). GORAN
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PAGE 03 ZAGREB 00941 02 OF 03 081033Z
CALLED CUMUROVIC BY NAME AND WHEN CUMUROVIC STEPPED
FORWARD, GORAN STABBED HIM IN THE HEART WITH A KNIFE.
6. (U) THE WITNESS SAW OTHERS MURDERED DURING HIS TIME
AT LUKA. WHEN A 17-YEAR-OLD MALE WHOSE NAME HE THINKS
WAS FADIL DENJAGI
C REFUSED TO ADMIT HE POSSESSED WEAPONS,
RANKO CESIC TOOK HIM OVER TO A WATER DRAIN AND SHOT HIM
IN THE HEAD. TWO YOUNG MEN FROM JANGA, NEAR BIJELJINA,
WERE CALLED FORWARD BY GORAN AND ENVER (LNU). THEIR
FAMILY NAME WAS "SOMETHING LIKE PETROVIC." THEIR FATHER
WAS ALBANIAN AND THEIR MOTHER CROAT. THEY WERE BADLY
BEATEN WITH BILLY CLUBS DURING THE NIGHT AND DRAGGED OUT
AND SHOT IN THE MORNING. GORAN AND ENVER EACH KILLED
ONE. THE BODIES WERE THROWN INTO THE SAVA RIVER.
7. (U) THE WITNESS FREQUENTLY PASSED THE BIMEX SWINE
BREEDING FARM ON HIS WAY TO FARMS WHERE HE PERFORMED
FORCED LABOR. THERE WERE THREE LARGE PITS TO WHICH
BODIES WERE TAKEN IN A TAM TRUCK WITH LICENSE NUMBER
BC-519-15, DRIVEN BY ONE ACO STEVANOVIC. THE PITS WERE
ON THE WAY FROM BRCKO TO THE BIMEX FARM THREE KILOMETERS
EAST OF BRCKO. THE WITNESS GAVE THE FOLLOWING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR LOCATING THE SITE: DESCEND A HILL
TOWARD A BROOK AND STOP JUST BEFORE CROSSING THE BRIDGE.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE, OUTSIDE THE FENCED AREA OF THE FARM
AND ALONGSIDE THE BROOK, IS THE SITE. JUST BEYOND THE
SITE IS A GAS STATION THAT USED TO BE OWNED BY A MAN
NAMED MUSTRAFOVIC. THE WITNESS SAID THE PITS WERE AT
LEAST 15 METERS LONG.
8. (LOU) THE WITNESS WAS TAKEN OUT OF LUKA ON JUNE 12 BY
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PAGE 04 ZAGREB 00941 02 OF 03 081033Z
A SERB FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR NAMED MIODRAG MITROVIC
(STRICTLY PROTECT). HIS FRIEND TOOK HIM INTO HIS OWN
HOME FOR THE NIGHT AND TOLD HIM HE WAS ASTONISHED BY WHAT
WAS HAPPENING.
9. (U) FOR THE NEXT YEAR, THE WITNESS WORKED AT BIMEX
AND SURROUNDING FARMS DOING THE WORST JOBS AND BEING
BEATEN AND MISTREATED BY TWO "CETNIKS," ZORAN MITRIC AND
TOSO VUJIC.
10. (LOU) THE WITNESS WAS RELEASED ON JULY 18, 1993. HE
CREDITS TWO SERB FRIENDS WHO WERE BIMEX WORKERS, SRETEN
VAJIC AND LAZO DODIC (BOTH STRICTLY PROTECT), FOR
ARRANGING HIS RELEASE. HE ALSO SAID MAKSO SIMEUNOVIC
(STRICTLY PROTECT), THE PRESIDENT OF THE SERBIAN
COMMISSION FOR EXCHANGE, HELPED GAIN HIS FREEDOM.
11. (LOU) THE WITNESS IS CONCERNED FOR HIS TWO UNCLES
AND THEIR THREE SONS WHO HE SAYS WERE STILL IN BRCKO AS
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PAGE 01 ZAGREB 00941 03 OF 03 081033Z
ACTION SS-00
INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01 OASY-00 DOEE-00
EB-01 EUR-01 HA-09 H-01 IMMC-01 TEDE-00 INR-00
IO-16 LAB-01 L-01 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01
PA-01 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01 RPCS-01 SB-00 SCT-03
SNP-00 SP-00 SR-00 SSO-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00
RPE-01 SNIS-00 NISC-02 PMB-00 /049W
------------------2D3964 081302Z /38
R 081023Z MAR 94
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1114
INFO AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
AMEMBASSY MADRID
AMEMBASSY LONDON
HQ JTF PP NAPLES IT//CA/POLAD//
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ4/ECJ5/ECPOLAD//
CINCUSAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE//DO/LG/XP/IN/POLAD//
CINCUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE//J3/J4/J5/POLAD//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22//
COM SIXTHFLT//N2//
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J5-PMA/J2I//
AMCONSUL MUNICH
USMISSION USVIENNA
USMISSION USNATO
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 02 ZAGREB 00941 03 OF 03 081033Z
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY ATHENS
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
USIA WASHDC 4321
AMEMBASSY BONN
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
WHITEHOUSE WASHDC
USMISSION GENEVA
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP//
USEC BRUSSELS
AMEMBASSY VIENNA
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 03 OF 03 ZAGREB 000941
VIENNA ALSO FOR EMBASSY BOSNIA
E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, MOPS, HR, BK, UN
SUBJECT: TFSROL: SEVERE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN B-H:
WITNESS RECOUNTS INCINERATION OF BAGS OF HUMAN
BODY PARTS, IDENTIFIES SITE OF MASS GRAVE
OF AUTUMN, 1993. HE ALSO KNEW OF TWO YOUNG MUSLIM WOMEN
NAMED SABINA DELALIC AND FAHIRA CACKOVIC, WHO WERE STILL
BEING HELD BY SERBS IN BRCKO AS LATE AS APRIL/MAY 1993.
NEITZKE
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PAGE 03 ZAGREB 00941 03 OF 03 081033Z
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NNNN
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