veličina fonta

verzija za štampu

copyright

pošalji komentar

Bundalo et al: Voluntary detention

15 July 2008  Former members of the police and army recall the guarding of buildings in which Bosniaks were detained, as well as about the three indictees' responsibilities.

As indicated by Prosecution witnesses, acting on orders issued by "commander Zeljaja" and "commander Bundalo", policemen from Kalinovik and members of the Republika Srpska Army guarded the school building and "Barutni magacin" ("Gunpowder Depot"), in which Bosniaks were detained, in the summer of 1992.

"Policemen, or sometimes soldiers, would capture Bosniaks but I did not do that. Commander Zeljaja distributed the policemen to their posts and wrote patrolling orders. Bosniaks were detained in the elementary school building but I heard that some were also detained in the police station," said Zeljko Mandic, who was member of the reserve police forces at the time.

This witness said that Bosniaks "came voluntarily" to the school building, adding that they were not detained in there, as they could "move freely."

Ratko Bunalo, Nedjo Zeljaja and Djordjislav Askraba are charged with having participated in the murder, extermination, forced disappearances, detention, rape, pillaging of property and physical and mental abuse of Bosniaks in the course of 1992 and 1993.

The indictment alleges that the Bosniaks were detained in "Miladin Radojevic" school building, "Barutni magacin" detention camp and the police station in Kalinovik, "where they were abused every day."

"Those who were held in the school building could go to the town to buy supplies every day and they could go out to the courtyard. While I kept watch, there were no unusual events in the school," said Dusan Cerovina, former member of the reserve police forces from Kalinovik, who was "a guard in the elementary school building."

Protected Prosecution witness I claims to have been a guard in "Barutni magacin" detention camp.

"Upon my arrival to 'Barutni magacin', I met some security staff and detainees. I do not know who was in charge, but I used to see Askraba, who acted as a guard from time to time," witness I said.

In his earlier statement given to the State Prosecution, this witness said that Askraba was "manager of 'Barutni magacin'". When faced with this statement, the witness said that he was "no longer sure" that this statement was correct.

I said that, in early August 1992, "Pero Elez' and Zaga Kunarac's men" took some men out of "Barutni magacin" to shoot them.

"Armed soldiers came and they stayed, brutally abusing the detainees. They loaded them onto three or four trucks and drove them away. After the first group had left, we heard shooting. Then they came back and drove the others away. A police vehicle, with a rotating light, escorted them," witness I said.

The indictment alleges that, on August 5, 1992 members of a paramilitary group led by Pero Elez, former commander of Miljevina Battalion who was killed in the war, drove the detainees in trucks to Foca, where they shot them.

The Hague Tribunal announced a second instance verdict against Dragomir Kunarac, known as Zaga, to 28 years imprisonment for having participated in the crimes in the Foca area.

The trial is due to continue on Friday, July 18 when witness I will be cross-examined.