CYGOOL: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA-

UNCLASSIFIED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 04 ZAGREB 02532 SIPDIS DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2// LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 04 ZAGREB 02532 DEPT FOR EUR, L, IO, HA/MLA/POMETTO; USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREF PHUM HR PHUM HR PHUM HR PHUM HR BK SUBJECT: CYGOOL: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA- - HERCEGOVINA - CASE OF S.M., MUSLIM MALE -------------- INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (LOU) THIS IS ONE IN A SERIES OF REPORTS ON SPECIFIC AND GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA (B-H). ON OCTOBER 27, THE EMBASSY RECEIVED AN EIGHT-PAGE LETTER IN CROATIAN, ADDRESSED TO PRESIDENT BUSH, FROM SAID MUMINOVIC, A MUSLIM REFUGEE FROM BRCKO, BOSNIA. IN THE LETTER, MUMINOVIC DESCRIBED IN DETAIL HIS INTERNMENT IN THE BRCKO CAMP IN NORTHERN BOSNIA. HE WROTE THAT HE HAD BEEN INTERNED FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEGINNING MAY 5. BELOW IS AN INFORMAL TRANSLATION OF THE SIGNIFICANT PARTS OF MUMINOVIC'S LETTER. HE DESCRIBES HIS DETENTION AND HOW HE WITNESSED FOUR EXECUTIONS. HE APPEALS FOR THE U.S. TO "DO SOMETHING." END INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY. LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02532 01 OF 04 301525Z -------------- DETAILS OF THE CASE -------------- ¶2. (U) BEGIN TRANSLATION: MR. PRESIDENT OF THE USA: SINCE I AM AN EYEWITNESS, I WANT TO GIVE MY STATEMENT ABOUT THE MASSACRE IN BRCKO... THE YUGOSLAV ARMY OCCUPIED THE GREATER PART OF BRCKO ON MAY 1, 1992. THE CITIZENS WERE UNPREPARED FOR THE SERBIAN OCCUPATION BECAUSE YUGO ARMY REPRESENTATIVES HAD PROMISED OVER THE RADIO SECURITY AND PEACE JUST THREE DAYS BEFORE THE OCCUPATION. I WAS AT HOME WITH MY WIFE AND TWO UNDERAGE DAUGHTERS. FOR FIVE DAYS WE WERE CLOSED INSIDE OUR HOME, LISTENING TO THE SHOOTINGS AND THE GRENADES WITH WHICH THE CITY WAS BEING SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROYED. HIDDEN BEHIND OUR WINDOWS, WE WATCHED THE ARRIVAL OF TANKS AND BUSES FULL OF BLOOD-THIRSTY CHETNIKS FROM NEIGHBORING BIJELJINA, WHICH WAS ALREADY OCCUPIED, AND WHERE 1,000 MUSLIMS HAD BEEN KILLED. ON MAY 5 A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YUGO ARMY IN A RADIO BROADCAST INSTRUCTED THE CITIZENS IN MY PART OF THE TOWN TO GO TO THE ARMY BARRACKS, FROM WHERE THE YUGO ARMY WOULD ORGANIZE AN EVACUATION TO A SAFER PLACE. FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF BIJELJINA, ZVORNIK, FOCA, LIMITED OFFICIAL USE �0A; LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02532 01 OF 04 301525Z VISEGRAD, SREBRENICE, AND OTHER BOSNIAN CITIES, WE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02532 02 OF 04 301526Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CA-02 CIAE-00 HA-09 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 RP-10 SR-00 /046W -------------- 8011F4 301527Z /38 P 301531Z NOV 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2875 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2514 USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1127 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02532 02 OF 04 301526Z DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2// LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 02 OF 04 ZAGREB 02532 DEPT FOR EUR, L, IO, HA/MLA/POMETTO; USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREF PHUM HR PHUM HR PHUM HR PHUM HR BK SUBJECT: CYGOOL: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA- - HERCEGOVINA - CASE OF S.M., MUSLIM MALE KNEW THAT THE SERBS HAD SPECIAL GROUPS USED TO MASSACRE CIVILIANS. THESE GROUPS OF LUNATICS AND PSYCHOPATHS GO FROM APARTMENT TO APARTMENT, CELLAR TO CELLAR, AND, HIDDEN BEHIND THICK WALLS, COMMIT CRIMES AGAINST THE POWERLESS CIVILIANS. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, GOING TO THE YUGO ARMY BARRACKS SEEMED LIKE A BETTER CHANCE TO LEAVE THIS TOWN IN WHICH ONE COULD ALREADY SMELL DEATH. UPON OUR ARRIVAL AT THE BARRACKS, WE REALIZED WE WERE ALL IN A TRAP BECAUSE THERE, TOGETHER WITH THE REGULAR ARMY, WERE CHETNIKS AND OTHER SERBIAN REFUSE. THEY OFFERED TO GIVE US RIFLES IF WE WOULD FIGHT AGAINST OUR OWN PEOPLE FOR THE SERBIAN CAUSE. THE MUSLIMS AND CROATS SILENTLY REFUSED. OUR WIVES AND CHILDREN WERE PUT ON A BUS AND WERE TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION. LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02532 02 OF 04 301526Z AT GUNPOINT, WE MEN WERE ALSO PUT ON A BUS. WE WERE TAKEN TO ONE OF BRCKO'S PLACES OF EXECUTION, A PHYSICAL EDUCATION HALL IN THE CENTER OF THE TOWN. WE NOTICED, FROM THE PUDDLES OF BLOOD ON THE FLOOR, THAT THE EXECUTIONS HAD ALREADY BEGUN. FOR THE COUPLE HUNDRED OF US WHO WERE LOCKED UP, THE LONG HOURS OF TORTURE BEGAN. DURING THIS TIME, VARIOUS PEOPLE IN UNIFORM LOOKED US OVER, EXPECTING TO FIND CERTAIN IMPORTANT PEOPLE AMONG US. ALONG WITH THE USUAL WEAPONS IN THEIR BELTS, THESE UNIFORMED PEOPLE ALSO CARRIED BIG KITCHEN KNIVES. WE KNEW THEIR PURPOSE AND EXPECTED THE WORST. THE TORTURE STARTED WITH ORAL THREATS. THE SERBS WOULD SING SONGS DEDICATED TO DRAZA MIHAJLOVIC, THE CHETNIK LEADER IN WORLD WAR TWO. SOME OF US, THREATENED BY EXECUTION, HAD TO LEARN THE SONGS BY HEART. THE SERBS ENJOYED OUR FEAR AND MADE FUN OF US. THEN THEIR BEARDED LEADER STARTED TO RECITE THE ORTHODOX LORD'S PRAYER. WE HAD TO LISTEN TO IT WHILE STANDING AND THEN END HIS CLOSING WORDS WITH AMIN (THE ORTHODOX AMEN). NEXT THE SERBS STARTED SLAPPING US, HITTING US WITH BOXES AND FEET. WHEN THIS ENDED, THEY TOOK FOUR OF US OUT FOR EXECUTION. WE WERE SELECTED BY RANKO CESIC, KNOWN PREVIOUSLY AS A CRIMINAL AND A VIOLENT PERSON. I TRIED TALKING TO THE SERBS, EXPLAINING THAT I HAD COME TO THE BARRACKS WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN AFTER HEARING THE APPEAL OVER THE RADIO, BUT THEY DID NOT CARE. THEY PUT ONE OF US (KIBE - A LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02532 02 OF 04 301526Z SOCCER JUDGE) AGAINST THE WALL AND RANKO CESIC SHOT LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02532 03 OF 04 301527Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CA-02 CIAE-00 HA-09 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 RP-10 SR-00 /046W -------------- 801218 301528Z /38 P 301531Z NOV 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2876 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2515 USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1128 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02532 03 OF 04 301527Z DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2// LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 03 OF 04 ZAGREB 02532 DEPT FOR EUR, L, IO, HA/MLA/POMETTO; USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREF PHUM HR PHUM HR PHUM HR PHUM HR BK SUBJECT: CYGOOL: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA- - HERCEGOVINA - CASE OF S.M., MUSLIM MALE HIM IN THE BACK WITH A MACHINE GUN. LOOKING AT THE HOLES IN HIS BACK, MY WHOLE LIFE PASSED IN FRONT OF MY EYES. I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER SEE EITHER MY CHILDREN OR MY FAMILY AGAIN AND THAT ALL THAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME WAS DEFINITELY NOT A DREAM BUT A HORRID REALITY. MY EYES CLOSED, I LOST CONSCIOUSNESS, AND MY BODY CRUMBLED ONTO PIECES OF GLASS. MY FAINTING AWAKENED A BIT OF HUMANITY IN THE SERBS' LEADER. HE ORDERED THEM TO BRING ME BACK TO THE HALL, WHERE I COULD REST A LITTLE. ONE OF THE SERBS TOOK SATISFACTION IN REMOVING MY GLASSES AND BREAKING THEM. THE OTHER THREE MEN WERE KILLED IN THE MOST CRUEL MANNER. FIRST THEY WERE BEATEN IN AN ANOTHER ROOM AND LEFT TO RECOVER A LITTLE. THEN THEY WERE TAKEN TO A COURTYARD WHERE WE HEARD THE WORST SOUNDS THAT A LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02532 03 OF 04 301527Z HUMAN THROAT CAN PRODUCE. WE HEARD THE DULL SLASHES OF KNIVES CUTTING INTO HUMAN FLESH. THEN THE THREE MEN WERE HELD BY THEIR LEGS AND BEATEN WHILE AGAINST THE WALL OF THE BUILDING WHERE WE WERE IMPRISONED. WITH ABOUT TWENTY MORE SHOTS, THE SERBS ASSURED THE THREE MEN'S DEATH. THE NEXT AFTERNOON, FOUR OF US MANAGED TO GET SOME SYMPATHY FROM ONE OF THE SERBIAN POLICEMEN. HE LET US GET ON A BUS GOING TO BIJELJINA, ON WHICH THERE WAS A GROUP OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. FROM THERE I LUCKILY MANAGED TO ESCAPE, EVEN FROM BIJELJINA, WHERE THE SERBIAN AUTHORITIES STILL TAKE PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES, USUALLY DURING THE NIGHT, WHO NEVER RETURN. I MANAGED TO GET TO THE FREE PART OF CROATIA THROUGH HUNGARY AND SLOVENIA. ALL THAT I HAVE WRITTEN HERE CAN BE CONFIRMED BY THREE OTHER WITNESSES WHO ALSO MANAGED TO ESCAPE FROM THAT HELL. I THINK WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE WENT THROUGH ALL THIS IN THE FIRST DAYS OF THE SERBIAN OCCUPATION, WHILE THE SERBIAN KILLING MACHINERY WAS NOT SO WELL DEVELOPED YET. I DO NOT KNOW THE DESTINY OF THE OTHERS WHO REMAINED THERE. A FEW GYPSIES ACCEPTED THE SERBIAN OFFER TO JOIN THEIR ARMED FORCES AND THUS SAVED THEIR NECKS FROM THE CHETNIKS... I AM NOT SUCH A GREAT WITNESS SINCE I WITNESSED ONLY FOUR KILLINGS, OF WHICH THREE INDIVIDUALS I KNEW PERSONALLY. THAT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR ME TO DISCOVER EVIL AND HELL. LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02532 03 OF 04 301527Z LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02532 04 OF 04 301528Z ACTION EUR-01 INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CA-02 CIAE-00 HA-09 INRE-00 INR-01 IO-19 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 RP-10 SR-00 /046W -------------- 801225 301528Z /38 P 301531Z NOV 92 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2877 INFO AMEMBASSY BELGRADE AMEMBASSY ANKARA AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY MADRID AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE AMEMBASSY VIENNA USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USNATO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION USVIENNA USIA WASHDC 2516 USEC BRUSSELS WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 1129 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02532 04 OF 04 301528Z DIA WASHDC JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5/J-2// LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 04 OF 04 ZAGREB 02532 DEPT FOR EUR, L, IO, HA/MLA/POMETTO; USVIENNA FOR USDEL CSCE E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREF PHUM HR PHUM HR PHUM HR PHUM HR BK SUBJECT: CYGOOL: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BOSNIA- - HERCEGOVINA - CASE OF S.M., MUSLIM MALE FOR GOD'S SAKE, DO SOMETHING. ¶3. (LOU) (SIGNED) SAID MUMINOVICH MUSALES BB, 53000 POREC, CROATIA. END TRANSLATION. NEITZKE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NNNN