US embassy cable - 94ZAGREB1155

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 001155 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR L O'BRIEN/NIX, USUN/W BOWMAN, AND EUR/EE 
 
VIENNA ALSO FOR BOSNIA 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  01155  01 OF 02  221808Z 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL:  OADR 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, BK, PHUM, BK, HR, War Crimes 
SUBJECT:  WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL -- INTERVIEWING 
          REFUGEES IN CROATIA 
 
REF: (A) STATE 54617 (NOTAL); (B) STATE 73420 
 
     (NOTAL) 
 
1.  CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2.  WE WELCOME THE REFUGEE-INTERVIEWING TEAM'S PROPOSED 
VISIT TO CROATIA.  CONTROL OFFICER FOR THE VISIT WILL BE 
REFCOORD ERIC WHITAKER  --  (0) 385-41-444-800, EXT. 63; 
(H) 385-41-337-736. 
 
3.  THE DATES SCHEDULED FOR THE TEAM'S BRIEF STOP IN 
CROATIA INCLUDE EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 3, AND EASTER 
MONDAY, APRIL 4, A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.  IF IT IS 
IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE TEAM'S ITINERARY, WE 
WILL TRY TO WORK AROUND THIS POTENTIALLY 
SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLE.  WE NOTE THAT THE CROATIAN 
AUTHORITIES ARE PREPARED TO COOPERATE IN ANY WAY 
THEY CAN.  THEY HAVE AGREED, FOR EXAMPLE, TO 
PROVIDE AN INTERPRETER. 
 
4.  WE HAVE SOUGHT TO LOCATE THE WITNESS "V.G." 
WHOSE ACCOUNT OF ATROCITIES AT LUKA WE RECORDED 
IN 93 ZAGREB 731.  WE ARE INFORMED BY A LOCAL 
CONTACT OF HIS THAT HE IS NOW IN SWEDEN.  HIS 
NAME (STRICTLY PROTECT - HE IS THOUGHT TO STILL 
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PAGE 03        ZAGREB  01155  01 OF 02  221808Z 
HAVE RELATIVES IN BOSNIAN SERB TERRITORY) IS 
RAGIB CERIMEGIC (CHAIR-I-MEG-ICH), NICKNAMED 
"BELI."  THE LOCAL CONTACT IS SEEKING TO GET US 
AN ADDRESS OR MEANS OF CONTACT.  WE WILL ALSO 
CONTACT THE SWEDISH EMBASSY HERE TO SEE IF THEY 
HAVE ANY RECORD WHICH CAN HELP TO LOCATE HIM. 
EMBASSY STOCKHOLM MAY ALSO WISH TO SEEK SUCH 
INFORMATION AS WELL, IF IT CAN BE DONE WITH THE 
UTMOST DISCRETION.  WE NOTE THAT THE WITNESS 
SHOULD NOT BE APPROACHED EXCEPT IN THE MOST 
DISCREET MANNER AND WITH DUE REGARD TO HIS 
REPORTED ANGER THAT THE RISKS HE TOOK IN SHARING 
HIS STORY WITH US (AND, WE ARE TOLD, WITH UN 
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR MAZOWIECKI) HAVE NOT YET 
BROUGHT ANY TANGIBLE RESULT. 
 
5.  FYI: THE "NURSE" FROM LUKA (REFERRED TO IN 
93 ZAGREB 731), WHO REPORTEDLY UNDER COERCION 
HELPED "PREPARE" YOUNG WOMEN FOR MASS RAPE 
SESSIONS WAS REPORTED TO HAVE LEFT CROATIA 
ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO.  OUR CONTACTS DID NOT KNOW 
WHERE SHE WAS NOW. 
 
6.  OUR INITIAL REQUEST TO THE GOC OFFICE OF 
DISPLACED PERSONS AND REFUGEES ELICITED A 
RESPONSE THAT THERE ARE THOUGHT TO BE SOME 8,000 
REFUGEES IN GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED PARTS OF 
CROATIA WHO CAME ORIGINALLY FROM THE BRCKO AREA. 
THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES HERE WHO WOULD HAVE COME 
FROM (AND CONTINUE TO COME FROM) THE PRIJEDOR 
AREA WOULD, WE SUSPECT, BE FAR LARGER. 
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PAGE 04        ZAGREB  01155  01 OF 02  221808Z 
 
7.  WE ARE WORKING WITH OTHER CONTACTS IN HOPES 
OF IDENTIFYING A SMALL NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL 
CREDIBLE WITNESSES WHO EXPERIENCED LUKA OR THE 
PRIJEDOR CAMPS FIRST-HAND WITH WHOM THE TEAM 
MIGHT MEET.  WE HAVE ALSO BEEN IN TOUCH WITH 
MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL "BRCKO CLUB" IN ZAGREB, WHO 
INFORMED US THAT A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL WITNESSES 
FROM BRCKO ARE IN GUNJA, CROATIA, JUST ACROSS 
THE SAVA RIVER FROM BRCKO, (A FOUR TO SIX-HOUR 
DRIVE FROM ZAGREB). 
 
8.  WE PRESUME THE TEAM IS AWARE OF THE NEW 
SERIES OF REPORTS OF SPRING-EARLY SUMMER 1992 
EVENTS IN THE BRCKO AREA THAT WE HAVE BEEN 
SENDING IN.  THESE INCLUDE:  ZAGREB 945, 941, 
930, 919, 872, AND 827.  OTHER REPORTS IN THIS 
SERIES ARE FORTHCOMING.  THESE REPORTS WERE 
COMPILED FROM INTERVIEWS WITH EYE-WITNESSES 
CONDUCTED IN MAOCA, B-H (NORTH OF TUZLA) IN LATE 
1993.  WE NOTE IN REFTEL B THAT THE TEAM IS NOW 
CONSIDERING A FOLLOW-ON TRIP TO THE TUZLA AREA. 
WE STRONGLY ENDORSE THIS EFFORT AND ARE READY TO 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NNNN 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 01        ZAGREB  01155  02 OF 02  221808Z 
ACTION EUR-01 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-01   CIAE-00  C-01     OASY-00  DODE-00  DOEE-00 
      ANHR-01  EB-01    HA-09    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-16 
      L-01     ADS-00   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   PA-01 
      PM-01    PRS-01   P-01     RPCS-01  SCT-03   SNP-00   SP-00 
      SR-00    SS-00    STR-01   TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  RPE-01 
      PMB-00     /045W 
                  ------------------32FAED  221809Z /38 
O 221753Z MAR 94 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1297 
INFO AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 
USOFFICE BERLIN 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 
AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 
AMEMBASSY BONN 
AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 
AMEMBASSY VIENNA 
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 001155 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR L O'BRIEN/NIX, USUN/W BOWMAN, AND EUR/EE 
 
VIENNA ALSO FOR BOSNIA 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  01155  02 OF 02  221808Z 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL:  OADR 
TAGS:  PREL, PHUM, BK, HR 
SUBJECT:  WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL -- INTERVIEWING 
          REFUGEES IN CROATIA 
 
OFFER ANY SUPPORT WE CAN. 
 
GALBRAITH 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL