US embassy cable - 94ZAGREB1223

UNCLASSIFIED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 001223 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/EE, L, HA, IO 
USMISSION VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSCE 
 
E.O. 12356:  N/A 
TAGS: War Crimes 
SUBJECT:  TFSROL:  SEVERE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA- 
          HERZEGOVINA: EYEWITNESS REPORT OF ATROCITIES 
          COMMITTED BY SERBIAN FORCES IN BOSNIA 
                   LIMITED OFFICIAL USE 
 
 
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REF  ZAGREB 0945 AND PREVIOUS 
 
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INTRODUCTION 
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1.  (U) THIS IS ONE IN A SERIES OF REPORTS OF INTERVIEWS 
WITH WAR CRIMES VICTIMS CONDUCTED IN LATE 1993 IN MAOCA, 
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA BY AN OFDA (DART/ZAGREB) FIELD 
REPRESENTATIVE AND AN AMCIT IRC REPRESENTATIVE WHILE THEY 
WERE IN THE AREA ASSESSING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE NEEDS. 
THIS REPORT, LIKE THE OTHERS, NAMES VICTIMS AND, IN SOME 
CASES, PERPETRATORS AND THE DETAILS OF SPECIFIC CRIMES. 
 
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WITNESS INFORMATION 
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2.  (LOU)  THE WITNESS, ELMASA PRELJEVIC (STRICTLY 
PROTECT) WAS BORN ON AUGUST 17, 1943.  SHE LIVED IN 
MUJKICI IN BRCKO, WHERE SHE WORKED AS A DENTAL HYGIENIST. 
HER HUSBAND WAS NAMED SECA, AND HER SON ANIS. 
 
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THE WITNESS'S ACCOUNT 
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3.  (U) WHEN THE FIGHTING STARTED IN MAY, 1992 THE WITNESS 
SAID, SHE HID IN THE BASEMENT OF HER HOUSE, WITH EIGHT 
OTHER WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND SEVEN MEN.  AFTER HIDING FOR 
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FIVE DAYS, THEY WERE DISCOVERED BY FIVE OR SIX SERB 
SOLDIERS.  THIS WAS ON MAY 7, 1992.  ONE OF THE MEN HIDING 
IN THE BASEMENT, GALIB BEGOVIC, HAD A PISTOL;  HE TRIED TO 
SURRENDER IT TO ONE OF THE SERBIAN SOLDIERS.  THE 
COMMANDER OF THE SERBIAN SOLDIERS WAS NAMED MAUZER. 
MAUZER WAS CARRYING A "SCORPION" GUN.  FROM A HALF A METER 
AWAY HE SHOT GALIB BEGOVIC IN THE HEAD, "BLOWING HIS 
BRAINS EVERYWHERE," THE WITNESS SAID. 
 
4.  (U) ONE "CHETNIK" (SERBIAN SOLDIER), MIRKO BLAGEVIC, 
LINED UP THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN AGAINST A WALL.  MAUZER 
TOOK THE REST OF THE MEN OUT OF THE HOUSE, AND KILLED 
THEM, INCLUDING THE WITNESS'S HUSBAND AND SON.  ANOTHER 
MAN MURDERED WAS OMER CAUSEVIC.  THE BODIES LAY IN FRONT 
OF THE HOUSE FOR FIVE DAYS.  THE FAMILIES WERE NOT ALLOWED 
TO BURY THEM.  THE WITNESS THINKS THEY WERE LATER PUT IN A 
MASS GRAVE. 
 
5.  (U) THE WITNESS SAID THAT DURING HER YEAR UNDER 
SERBIAN OCCUPATION IN BRCKO SHE WAS CONTINUALLY HARASSED 
AND CURSED AT IN THE STREETS BECAUSE OF HER RELIGION. 
DURING THAT TIME, THE WITNESS SAID, SHE SAW THE BODIES OF 
TWO OLD WOMEN WHOSE THROATS HAD BEEN CUT.  THEY HAD BEEN 
COLLECTING MONEY FOR THE MUSLIM HOLIDAY AS GOOD LUCK.  ONE 
OF THE WOMEN WAS NAMED SALIHOVIC; SHE LIVED ON PRNJAVOR 
STREET. 
 
6.  (U) IN AUGUST, 1992 THE WITNESS DISCOVERED THE BODY OF 
AN EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL, AMIRA KANJO, WHOSE MOTHER WAS A 
FRIEND OF HERS.  THE GIRL'S THROAT HAD BEEN CUT, AND A 
MUSLIM BOOK WAS STUFFED IN HER MOUTH.  A PRAYER RUG WAS ON 
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PAGE 04        ZAGREB  01223  01 OF 02  280726Z 
HER CHEST.  THE OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION SAID SHE COMMITTED 
SUICIDE. 
 
7.  (U) THE WITNESS SAW A SERBIAN SOLDIER KILL HER 
NEIGHBOR, MUHAMED JAKUBOVIC, A MAKER OF LEATHER BELTS AND 
HARNESS.  THE SOLDIER, NAMED KOSTA, WAS FROM BIJELJINA. 
HE ASKED MUHAMED JAKUBOVIC TO MAKE BELTS FOR HIM.  WHEN 
JAKUBOVIC WALKED KOSTA TO THE DOOR, THE SOLDIER SHOT THE 
BELTMAKER IN THE NECK; WHEN JAKUBOVIC FELL TO THE GROUND, 
KOSTA CUT HIS THROAT.  JAKUBOVIC'S SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD SON, 
MUHAREM, ALSO WITNESSED THE MURDER. 
 
8.  (U) THE WITNESS TESTIFIED THAT ONE DAY IN THE STREET 
SHE SAW A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF DEAD BODIES.  SHE SAID SHE 
COUNTED FIFTY CORPSES IN THE SPACE OF ONE BLOCK.  SHE ALSO 
HEARD SOLDIERS KILL A MAN NAMED MELVUDIN WHOM SHE KNEW. 
SHE SAID SHE SAW MELVUDIN ONE DAY, WALKING DOWN THE STREET 
CARRYING JERRY CANS OF WATER.  A GROUP OF SERB SOLDIERS 
STOPPED HIM AND ASKED FOR A DRINK, WHICH HE GAVE THEM. 
THEN T 
HEY FORCED HIM TO GO BEHIND A BUILDING AND SHE HEARD 
GUNFIRE.  AFTER THE SOLDIERS HAD GONE, THE WITNESS SAW 
MELVUDIN'S CORPSE LYING IN THE STREET. 
 
 
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PAGE 01        ZAGREB  01223  02 OF 02  280723Z 
ACTION SS-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-01   AMAD-01  CIAE-00  C-01     OASY-00  DODE-00 
      EB-01    EUR-01   OIGO-01  HA-09    H-01     IMMC-01  TEDE-00 
      INR-00   IO-16    L-01     ADS-00   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02 
      PA-01    PM-01    PRS-01   P-01     RP-10    RPCS-01  SCT-03 
      SP-00    SR-00    SSO-00   STR-01   TRSE-00  USIE-00  RPE-01 
      SNIS-00  NISC-02  PMB-00     /058W 
                  ------------------34FCB9  280725Z /38 
R 280718Z MAR 94 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1354 
INFO AMCONSUL MUNICH 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY VIENNA 
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 
 
 
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 001223 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/EE, L, HA, IO 
USMISSION VIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSCE 
 
E.O. 12356:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF MOPS PINS HR BK 
SUBJECT:  TFSROL:  SEVERE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA- 
          HERZEGOVINA: EYEWITNESS REPORT OF ATROCITIES 
          COMMITTED BY SERBIAN FORCES IN BOSNIA 
                   LIMITED OFFICIAL USE 
 
 
                   LIMITED OFFICIAL USE 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  01223  02 OF 02  280723Z 
 
 
9.  (U) IN MAY 1993 THE WITNESS, ALONG WITH SOME OF HER 
NEIGHBORS, WAS TAKEN TO A HOUSE IN BURICA BRDO WHERE THE 
SERBS HAD SET UP THEIR HEADQUARTERS.  THE HOUSE WAS OWNED 
BY HIDAJETA HODZIC.  THEY WERE THERE FOR FIVE DAYS AND 
WERE NOT HARASSED DURING THAT TIME.  ON MAY 9, 1993 SHE 
WAS RELEASED AS PART OF A PRISONER EXCHANGE. 
 
GALBRAITH 
 
 
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