Cablegate: Human Rights Abuses - Srebrenica

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS:
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES - SREBRENICA

REF: A) GENEVA 5948 B) ZAGREB 2788 (NOTAL)

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INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
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1. DECONTROL ON RECEIPT. SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -
TREAT ACCORDINGLY.

2. (U) DRL A/S SHATTUCK TRAVELED TO TUZLA AND ZENICA JULY
31-AUGUST 1 TO ASCERTAIN THE DIMENSION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS
CRIMES COMMITTED DURING THE BOSNIAN SERB ARMY'S ATTACK AND
OCCUPATION OF TWO UN SAFE AREAS, SREBRENICA AND ZEPA. THE
FOLLOWING IS A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF A DISPLACED TEENAGER
FROM THE SREBRENICA ENCLAVE WHO SURVIVED A MASS EXECUTION
OF MUSLIM MEN BY THE BSA. THE SUBJECT AGREED TO SPEAK
ONLY ON THE CONDITION THAT HIS NAME OR DESCRIPTION NOT BE
REVEALED PUBLICLY OR DISSEMINATED FOR FEAR THAT THAT WOULD
ENDANGER RELATIVES STILL UNDER SERBIAN DETENTION IN B-H.
END SUMMARY.

3. (LOU) NEDJAD AVDIC IS A TALL, UNDERNOURISHED
SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY FROM THE VILLAGE OF SEBIOCINA, NEAR
VLASENICA IN SERB-OCCUPIED EASTERN BOSNIA. HE FLED THIS
VILLAGE IN MID-1992 WITH HIS PARENTS AND THREE YOUNGER
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SISTERS AFTER THE BSA ATTACKED IT. AFTER A YEAR IN
KONJEVIC POLJE, THE FAMILY MOVED AGAIN TO SLAPOVICA, NEAR
SREBRENICA. AVDIC HAD ONLY FINISHED SEVENTH GRADE WHEN HE
WAS FIRST DISPLACED IN 1992, AND HAD HAD NO FORMAL
SCHOOLING SINCE THAT TIME, ONLY SOME INFORMAL CLASSES.
AVDIC IS REFERRED TO AS N.A. THROUGHOUT THIS MESSAGE. HE
SAID HE WAS SAVED BY OSMAN HALILOVIC, (O.H.) A THIRTY-FIVE
YEAR OLD MUSLIM, WHOSE STORY WAS REPORTED IN REF B.

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FLIGHT FROM SREBRENICA AND SURRENDER
------------------------------------

4. (U) ON JULY 6, N.A. HEARD THE FIRST DETONATIONS OF THE
BSA SHELLING OF THE SREBRENICA ENCLAVE. HE AND HIS FAMILY
FLED TO UNDERGROUND SHELTERS WHERE THEY HID FOR THREE
DAYS. WHEN DUTCH UNPROFOR TROOPS PULLED BACK INTO THE
TOWN OF SREBRENICA, MANY CIVILIANS FLED, HE SAID, SOME TO
THE WOODS, SOME TOWARDS THE TOWN. N.A. AND HIS FATHER
FLED INTO THE WOODS, AND HIS MOTHER AND SISTERS SOUGHT
SHELTER IN THE UNPROFOR CAMP IN POTOCARI. THE WOODS WERE
FILLED WITH MILITARY AND CIVILIAN MEN AND SOME WOMEN AND
CHILDREN, N.A. SAID. DURING THE COURSE OF BSA SHELLING,
HE AND HIS FATHER, A SOLDIER, WERE SEPARATED. AFTER ONE
DAY OF HIDING, THE SERB SOLDIERS SURROUNDED THE AREA AND
CALLED OUT OVER A MEGAPHONE FOR THE PEOPLE TO SURRENDER.
N.A. SAID THE CALL PROMISED THE MUSLIMS THEY WOULD BE
ACCORDED ALL THE RIGHTS OF THE GENEVA CONVENTION IF THEY
SURRENDERED.

5. (U) N.A. CLAIMED THAT 1000-2000 MEN AND BOYS
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SURRENDERED BY MID-AFTERNOON. THEY WERE FORCED BY THE
SERBS TO STAND SINGLE FILE ON THE ROAD WITH THEIR HANDS
BEHIND THEIR BACKS. THE WOUNDED WERE GIVEN NO MEDICAL
AID. N.A. SAID THAT SEVERAL TANKS WERE STOPPED ALONG THE
ROAD AND THE COLUMN WAS FORCED TO FILE PAST A CHECKPOINT
TOWARDS SOME TRUCKS AND BUSES. THE SERB GUARD VIOLENTLY
THREATENED THE GROUP WITH HIS RIFLE, AND INSISTED THEY
SURRENDER ALL THEIR MONEY, GOLD AND OTHER VALUABLES, OR
THEY WOULD BE SHOT. N.A. HAD A BAG WITH SOME CLOTHING AND
HE SURRENDERED IT.

6. (U) THE BUSES, OVERLOADED WITH WOMEN AND CHILDREN,
DROVE PAST THE GROUP ON THE ROAD TOWARDS VLASENICA. THE
BSA FORCED THE MEN, INCLUDING THE WOUNDED, TO RUN SINGLE
FILE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION WITH HANDS LIFTED, SHOWING THE
SERB THREE-FINGER SYMBOL. N.A. SAID THEY RAN UNTIL THEY
REACHED THE VILLAGE OF SANDIC, ORIGINALLY A MUSLIM
VILLAGE. THE MEN, HELD IN A SMALL FIELD, WERE APPROACHED
BY BSA SOLDIERS WHO VERBALLY ASSAULTED THEM. N.A. SAID
THEY SHOUTED AT THE GROUP, "WE ARE FROM SERBIA. WE'RE
GOING TO TAKE YOU TO A HANGAR IN BRATUNAC AND HOLD YOU FOR

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A PRISONER EXCHANGE. IF YOU START ANY TROUBLE, YOU WILL
BE KILLED." THE SERBS FORCED THEM TO LIE ON THEIR
STOMACHS, CLAP THEIR HANDS BEHIND THEIR BACKS AND SHOUT
"LONG LIVE SERBIA, LONG LIVE THE KING." SOME SOLDIERS
WALKED AMONG THE PRONE MEN, KICKING THEM AND HITTING THEM
WITH RIFLE BUTTS. N.A. SAW SOME SOLDIERS FIRING INTO A
BURNING HOUSE ABOUT 100 METERS AWAY. HE DID NOT KNOW IF
ANYONE WAS INSIDE. A SERBIAN COMMANDER LECTURED THEM OVER
A MEGAPHONE. N.A. SAID THAT BOTH UNIFORMED ARMY AND
POLICE WERE PRESENT. SOME POLICE WORE FIELD BLUE
UNIFORMS, HE SAID.

7. (U) N.A. SAID HE LAY THERE FOR OVER TWO HOURS. AT
DUSK, THE MEN WERE FORCED ONTO LARGE TRUCKS THAT HAD
ARRIVED. HE SAW DEAD BODIES ALONG THE ROAD AS HE RAN TO
THE TRUCKS. HE BELIEVED HE SAW 5-7 TRUCKS IN ALL. HE
RODE ON THE LAST ONE, CLOSED WITH A CANVAS COVER SO THE
MEN COULD NOT SEE OUT. THROUGH A SMALL HOLE, N.A. SAW A
BSA VOLKSWAGEN GOLF FOLLOW THE CONVOY. HE ESTIMATED THERE
WERE ABOUT 150 MEN PACKED ONTO HIS TRUCK. N.A. SAID THE
CONVOY DROVE TO BRATUNAC, WHERE THEY SPENT THE NIGHT IN
THE TRUCKS. THEY WERE GIVEN NO FOOD OR WATER, AND WERE
CONTINUOUSLY INSULTED AND JEERED AT BY SOLDIERS. IN THE
MORNING, THE CONVOY CONTINUED TOWARD KRAVICA. THROUGH THE
HOLE, N.A. SAW BUSES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN FOLLOWING THE
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CONVOY. N.A. SAID THAT SOME MEN CLAIMED THEY SAW UNPROFOR
VEHICLES ALONG THE WAY. AT THE BRATUNAC TOWN BORDER, THE
CONVOY AGAIN STOPPED FOR TWO TO THREE HOURS. STILL THEY
RECEIVED NO WATER. WHEN THE TRUCKS STARTED UP AGAIN,
SOMEONE CALLED OUT THAT THEY WOULD BE REUNITED WITH THEIR
FAMILIES AND EXCHANGED. N.A. SAID THEY DROVE IN THE
DIRECTION OF KARAKAJ. HE ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE 100-
150 PEOPLE ON EACH TRUCK.

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AT THE SCHOOL
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8. (U) AFTER A SHORT TIME, THE TRUCKS TURNED OFF AND
STOPPED IN FRONT OF A SCHOOL. THE BUSES BEHIND FILLED
WITH WOMEN LEFT THE CONVOY. THE MEN WERE FORCED TO FILE
INTO THE SCHOOL WHERE A SERB GUARD AT THE ENTRANCE HIT
EACH WITH THE BUTT OF HIS RIFLE. N.A. ENTERED THE LAST OF
4-5 ROOMS WITH MANY OTHERS. WHEN SOMEONE CALLED OUT FOR
WATER, A SHOT WAS FIRED THROUGH THE GLASS ABOVE THE DOOR,
RICOCHETED OFF THE CEILING AND WOUNDED FIVE MEN IN HIS
ROOM. THEY SPENT THE DAY WITHOUT ANY FOOD OR WATER. AT
DARK, GROUPS OF TWO-THREE MEN WERE CALLED OUT FOR
INTERROGATION. N.A. HEARD SHOTS FIRED IN THE CORRIDORS,
AND OUTSIDE THE BUILDING. HE ALSO HEARD LOTS OF MOANING
AND YELLING BUT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. N.A WAS
BROUGHT TO A SMALL ROOM WHERE HE WAS FORCED TO TAKE OFF
HIS SHIRT AND SHOES, AND A SOLDIER TIED HIS HANDS BEHIND
HIS BACK. HE THEN FILED OUT OF THE SCHOOL WHERE, IN THE
DIM MOONLIGHT, HE SAW MANY DEAD BODIES IN THE YARD. HE
COULD NOT SAY HOW THE DEAD HAD BEEN KILLED.
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AT THE KILLING FIELD
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9. (U) THE MEN WERE FORCED ONTO TRUCKS AGAIN AND ORDERED
TO SIT. THEY WERE PACKED TOO TIGHTLY AND COULD NOT MOVE.
A VOICE ORDERED THEM TO SIT AGAIN AND SOMEONE FIRED A
BURST OF MACHINE GUN FIRE INTO THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK,
WOUNDING SEVERAL PEOPLE. THE TRUCKS DROVE OFF AND AFTER
FIVE MINUTES TURNED ONTO A DIRT ROAD. AFTER ANOTHER FIVE
MINUTES, THEY STOPPED. N.A. SAID HE HEARD ROUNDS FIRED
INTO THE GROUND. ABOUT THREE MINUTES LATER, THE BACK OF
THE TRUCKS WERE OPENED AND MEN ORDERED OFF IN GROUPS OF
FIVE. N.A. SAID HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST TRUCK.
AFTER EACH GROUP LEFT, THE MEN HEARD GUNFIRE. N.A. HEARD
ONE MUSLIM SAY TO A SERB SOLDIER, "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS
TO INNOCENT PEOPLE? I SAVED YOUR WIFE AND CHILD IN OUR
APARTMENT." THE SERB REPLIED, "SHUT UP. I'LL CHOSE WHO I
WANT TO DO WHAT TO."

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10. (U) WHEN N.A. WAS FORCED TO GET OFF, STILL WITH HIS
HANDS TIED BEHIND HIM, HE SAW IN THE MOONLIGHT AN
OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF DEAD BODIES, COMPLETELY COVERING A
SMALL FIELD. HE WOULD NOT ESTIMATE HOW MANY BODIES HE
SAW. THERE WERE MANY MORE BODIES, HE SAID, THAN COULD
HAVE POSSIBLY FIT INTO THE TRUCKS THERE. A SERB VOICE
CALLED OUT AND TOLD THEM TO "CHOOSE A PLACE" TOGETHER IN A
LINE. HE STOOD WITH THE OTHER FOUR MEN IN A LINE. THEN A
VOICE ORDERED THEM TO FALL FORWARD. AT THE SAME TIME,
N.A. FELT A SHARP PAIN IN HIS RIGHT ELBOW AND RIGHT SIDE.
HE FELL FORWARD IN EXTREME PAIN, AS HE THOUGHT HE WAS
DEAD. A SERB CALLED OUT, "THIS IS ALLAH'S STYLE OF WAR.
WE'RE GOING TO EXCHANGE YOUR BODIES FOR THAT OF SILAJDIC."
HE LAY IN SEMI-CONSCIOUSNESS, HEARING PEOPLE SCREAMING
WITH PAIN. THE SERBS CONTINUED TO SHOOT PEOPLE. AS HE
LAY ALMOST DEAD, A STONE FROM THE GROUND RICOCHETED INTO
HIS LEFT FOOT. HE HEARD A SERB ORDER AN OLD MAN TO SAY
ALLAH AL AKBAR, THEN SHOOT HIM WITH SEVERAL ROUNDS AS THE
OLD MAN SPOKE. WHEN THE SHOOTING FINALLY STOPPED, A SERB
YELLED, "LOOK AT ALL THESE WELL-FATTED RABBITS. IT'S BEEN
A GOOD HUNT." SOMEONE ORDERED THAT THE CORPSES BE CHECKED
TO SEE IF THEY WERE ALIVE. ALTHOUGH SOLDIERS WALKED AMONG
THE GROUP, NO ONE TOUCHED N.A. AFTER A WHILE, THE TRUCKS
STARTED UP AND LEFT.

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ESCAPE
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11. (U) N.A. LIFTED HIS HEAD AND SAW A BODY MOVE ABOUT
FIVE METERS AWAY. THE VOICE CALLED OUT TO UNTIE HIM.
N.A. ROLLED OVER SEVERAL DEAD BODIES TO REACH HIM. THE
MAN BIT THROUGH THE CORD TYING N.A.'S HANDS, THEN N.A.
TRIED TO BITE THROUGH THE FOUR CORDS OF ROPE BINDING THE
OTHER. AFTER HE HAD BROKEN TWO, THEY HEARD VEHICLES
COMING BACK. THE OTHER MAN, O.H., ONLY SLIGHTLY GRAZED,
HELPED N.A., TO RUN TO THE WOOD. THEY HID IN A SMALL
WOODED CREEK DOWNHILL FROM THE FIELD. BOTH HEARD STRANGE,
THUD-LIKE NOISES AND SHOOTING, THOUGH MORE IRREGULAR THAN
PREVIOUSLY. N.A. BELIEVED THAT THE SERBS HAD RETURNED TO
CART OFF THE BODIES. O.H. WAS NOT ON THE SAME TRUCK AS
N.A. HE WAS WEARING A SHIRT, UNLIKE N.A., AND USED IT TO
BANDAGE N.A.'S WOUNDS.

12. (U) AT DAWN, THE TWO TRIED TO WALK AWAY FROM THE
SITE. THEY ATE A FEW APPLES AND MUSHROOMS IN THE FOREST.
O.H. HAD TO CARRY N.A. MUCH OF THE WAY BECAUSE HE WAS SO
WEAK. AFTER FOUR DAYS, THEY CROSSED INTO MUSLIM-HELD
TERRITORY. MOST OF THE TIME THEY WERE LOST, AND WERE
GUIDED TO THE FRONT LINE BY GUNFIRE. N.A. HAD EATEN
ALMOST NOTHING FOR SIX DAYS AND DRUNK ONLY CREEK WATER.
N.A. SAID THE TWO CAME OUT NEAR THE VILLAGE OF SAPNA,
WHERE HE WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR A FEW DAYS. THEN HE WAS
TAKEN TO GRADINA HOSPITAL IN TUZLA, FROM WHERE HE WAS
RELEASED. HE FOUND HIS MOTHER AND SISTERS IN TUZLA, BUT
STILL FEARS FOR HIS FATHER.
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13. (LOU) N.A. HAD BEEN DEBRIEFED BY THE GOBH, THOUGH HE
WAS UNSURE IF HE HAD SPOKEN TO CIVILIAN OR MILITARY
AUTHORITIES. THE EMBASSY DELEGATION WAS THE FIRST FOREIGN
GROUP TO WHOM HE HAD SPOKEN. HE APPEARED VERY WEAK AND
TIRED. HE SHOWED US HIS ARM AND FOOT WOUNDS WHICH WERE
STILL RAW THREE WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT. TWO BULLETS HAD
PIERCED HIS RIGHT SIDE AND IMMEDIATELY EXITED THROUGH HIS
STOMACH, ONE HAD PIERCED HIS MIDDLE RIGHT ARM, AND A SMALL
PEBBLE HAD LODGED IN HIS LEFT FOOT. HE ALSO HAD MANY
SCARS OVER HIS ARMS WHERE HE WAS NICKED BY OTHER
RICOCHETING STONES. N.A. HAS NOT SEEN O.H. SINCE THEY
WERE SEPARATED AT THE SAPNA HOSPITAL.

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COMMENT
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14. (U) THIS EVENT MAY HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT KONJEVIC
POLJE. ALTHOUGH UNNAMED BY THIS WITNESS, OTHER WITNESSES
HAVE ASCRIBED THIS NAME TO THIS EVENT.

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JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5PMA/J21//
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP//
NSC WASHDC
DIA WASHDC
USMISSION GENEVA
AMCONSUL MUNICH
USLO SKOPJE
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
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15. SARAJEVO MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.

GALBRAITH

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