US embassy cable - 95ZAGREB1909

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 001909 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
VIENNA ALSO FOR BOSNIA; USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSCE 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  01909  01 OF 02  171640Z 
BAKU FOR DCM FINN 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL: 05/17/00 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PREL, HR, War Crimes 
SUBJECT:  HEIGHTENED FEARS OF "SECTOR WEST" SERBS AFTER 
          BEATINGS IN DETENTION CENTERS 
 
1.  CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2.  SERBS LIVING AROUND PAKRAC, IN SECTOR WEST, ARE 
INCREASINGLY CONCERNED OVER WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS IN STORE 
FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY AFTER HEARING STORIES AND SEEING 
EVIDENCE OF MISTREATMENT OF FELLOW SERBS IN CROATIAN 
DETENTION CENTERS.  DURING A MAY 16 VISIT TO THE AREA, 
SERBS WHO HAD BEEN HELD IN THE VARAZDIN DETENTION CENTER 
TOLD POLOFFS STORIES OF RANDOM BEATINGS AND HARASSMENT. 
DETAINEES WERE REPORTEDLY FORCED TO SIT FOR HOURS IN 
CRAMPED POSITIONS, SING CROATIAN PATRIOTIC SONGS, AND 
ORDERED UP AND DOWN THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT MAKING IT 
IMPOSSIBLE TO SLEEP.  PEOPLE AVOIDED USING THE TOILET 
FACILITIES FOR FEAR OF BEING BEATEN. 
 
3.  ONE MAN TOLD OF HAVING TO KNEEL WITH HIS HANDS BEHIND 
HIS HEAD AND BEING QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS FAMILY BACKGROUND. 
WHEN, IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION,  HE SAID HE HAD BEEN A 
PARTISAN IN WWII, HE WAS PUNCHED IN THE RIBS.  ANOTHER MAN 
WAS KICKED FOR FAILING TO EAT THE HALF LOAF OF BREAD HE 
WAS GIVEN (HE HAD NO WATER WITH WHICH TO WASH IT DOWN). 
 
4.  BOTH MEN RAISED THEIR SHIRTS TO SHOW THEIR TORSOS, 
ARMS AND LEGS STILL COVERED WITH LARGE BRUISES.  OTHER MEN 
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WE SPOKE WITH CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN BEATEN, BUT TO A FAR 
LESSER DEGREE.  SEVERAL OTHERS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY HAD 
NOT BEEN BEATEN AT ALL.  THE BEATINGS APPEARED TO HAVE 
FOLLOWED NO PATTERN AND WERE SOLELY TO INTIMIDATE. 
 
5.  THERE WAS GENERAL AGREEMENT AMONG THOSE WITH WHOM WE 
SPOKE THAT THE TREATMENT DETAINEES IN BJELOVAR HAD BEEN 
"CORRECT."  HOWEVER, THEY TOLD US THAT THERE HAD BEEN 
SEVERE BEATINGS AND MISTREATMENT OF PRISONERS ON ONE OF 
THE TWO BUSES WHICH HAD BROUGHT PRISONERS BACK TO PAKRAC 
FROM BJELOVAR EARLY THAT MORNING.  WE WERE UNABLE TO SPEAK 
TO ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS TO OBTAIN DETAILS OR CONFIRM 
THE STORY. 
 
6.  SERB LEADER VELJKO DZAKULA TOLD US HE BELIEVED THAT, 
"IF IT WERE NOT FOR VARAZDIN," MANY OF THE SERBS REMAINING 
IN "SECTOR WEST" WOULD BE INCLINED TO STAY IN CROATIA.  HE 
HAD BEEN TRYING TO PERSUADE PEOPLE TO STAY BUT NOW WAS 
BEGINNING TO THINK THAT "THE CROATS DO NOT WANT THE SERBS 
TO REMAIN."  HE FELT THAT A GUARANTEE THAT A SIZEABLE UN 
FORCE (PREFERABLY ONE INCLUDING AMERICANS) WOULD REMAIN IN 
AREA WAS KEY. 
 
7.  EXCEPT FOR DZAKULA, NONE OF THE DOZEN OR SO SERBS WITH 
WHOM WE SPOKE WAS INCLINED TO STAY BEHIND.  IN MANY CASES, 
THEY HELD BACK ONLY BECAUSE THEY HAD RELATIVES WHO WERE 
STILL MISSING AND WERE UNCERTAIN OF WHAT PROPERTY THEY 
WOULD BE ALLOWED TO TAKE WITH THEM.  A FARMER FROM PAKRAC 
WHO HAD LOST ALL OF HIS STOCK AND FARM BUILDINGS DURING 
THE 1991 WAR SAID HE AND HIS FAMILY WOULD BE PREPARED TO 
LEAVE CROATIA IMMEDIATELY IF HE THOUGHT HE COULD TAKE HIS 
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PAGE 04        ZAGREB  01909  01 OF 02  171640Z 
TRACTOR (WHICH HAD NEVER BEEN PROPERLY REGISTERED) WITH 
HIM. 
 
8.  A YOUNG MAN, WHO HAD BEEN HELD IN VARAZDIN BUT NOT 
BEATEN, DESCRIBED WHAT HE FELT WERE EXTREMELY BLEAK CAREER 
PROSPECTS IN CROATIA FOR PEOPLE LIKE HIMSELF (HE HAD 
RECEIVED TECHNICAL SCHOOL TRAINING IN ELECTROMECHANICS). 
ONE OF THE MEN SEVERELY BEATEN IN VARAZDIN WAS STILL 
WAITING FOR WORD OF HIS SON WHO HAD YET TO BE RELEASED. 
PEOPLE HAD LIVED IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE SECTOR BEFORE 
THE 1991 WAR SAW NO POINT IN RETURNING TO HOMES THAT WERE 
NOW RUBBLE AND AN UNCERTAIN RECEPTION FROM THEIR FORMER 
NEIGHBORS. 
 
9.  COMMENT:  WE ARE INCLINED TO THINK THAT THE BEATINGS 
AND MISTREATMENT DESCRIBED ABOVE WERE CARRIED OUT 
INDEPENDENTLY AND IN CONTRAVENTION OF THE WISHES AND 
INSTRUCTIONS OF THE GOC.  NEVERTHELESS, THEY GIVE SERIOUS 
CAUSE FOR CONCERN, ESPECIALLY FOR THE WELFARE OF DETAINEES 
WHOSE WHEREABOUTS ARE UNKNOWN AND WHOM THE CROATS MAY 
SUSPECT OF HAVING COMMITTED WAR CRIMES.  FROM OUR 
CONVERSATIONS, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE GOC WILL HAVE TO DO 
MORE THAN JUST PROMISE SECURITY AND EQUAL TREATMENT UNDER 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ1852 
 
PAGE 01        ZAGREB  01909  02 OF 02  171641Z 
ACTION EUR-01 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   AMAD-01  CIAE-00  SMEC-00  OASY-00  EB-01 
      FBIE-00  H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-08    L-01     ADS-00 
      M-00     NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   PA-01    PM-00    PRS-01 
      P-01     SCT-00   SP-00    SR-00    SS-00    STR-01   TRSE-00 
      T-00     USIE-00  SNIS-00  NISC-01  PMB-00   PRME-01  PRMC-01 
      DRL-09   G-00       /032W 
                  ------------------C695D6  171641Z /38 
P 171736Z MAY 95 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5813 
INFO HQ JTF PP NAPLES IT//CA/POLAD// 
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP// 
AMCONSUL MUNICH 
USLO SKOPJE 
AMEMBASSY BAKU 
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 
USMISSION USVIENNA 
USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 
NATO EU COLLECTIVE 
NSC WASHDC 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 001909 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
VIENNA ALSO FOR BOSNIA; USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL CSCE 
BRUSSELS ALSO FOR USEU 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 

 
 
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  01909  02 OF 02  171641Z 
BAKU FOR DCM FINN 
 
E.O. 12356: DECL: 05/17/00 
TAGS:  PHUM, PREL, HR 
SUBJECT:  HEIGHTENED FEARS OF "SECTOR WEST" SERBS AFTER 
          BEATINGS IN DETENTION CENTERS 
 
THE LAW IF IT TRULY WISHES "SECTOR WEST" SERBS TO REMAIN 
IN CROATIA.  GUARANTEES THAT THEY CAN RETURN TO THEIR OLD 
JOBS AND A PROGRAM OF ASSISTANCE TO REBUILD THEIR HOMES 
(ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WILL CERTAINLY BE OFFERED 
CROATIAN DISPLACED RETURNING TO THE SECTOR) MIGHT BE A 
START. 
 
GALBRAITH 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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