Bundalo et al: Protected witness statement

06 October 2008  Behind closed doors, a former detainee from Gacko speaks about mistreatment and rape in the detention camp.

 

 

 

 

Most of the day's hearing at the trial of the three indictees, who are charged with crimes in Kalinovik, was held behind closed doors, due to the testimony of protected Prosecution witness E.
 
"The Trial Chamber has decided to exclude the public during some parts of the testimony of witness E in order to protect her intimate life," Trial Chamber Chairman Stanisa Gluhajic said.
 
As indicated by Prosecutor Munib Halilovic witness E was supposed to testify about "abuse and rape" committed in 1992. 
 
At this hearing, the Prosecution was due to examine protected witness D as well but, given the fact that the public was excluded from most of the hearing, it is not known why this witness was not examined.
 
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charges Ratko Bundalo, Nedjo Zeljaja and Djordjislav Askraba, former members of military and police structures in Kalinovik, with crimes committed in the town in the course of 1992.
 
At the open part of the hearing witness E said that she had to leave Gacko, together with her husband and one and a half year-old daughter in May 1992, as members of the "Bijeli orlovi" ("White Eagles") had come to the city and burnt the property owned by Bosniaks.
 
She escaped from Gacko to Fazlagica Kula, together with other Gacko residents, and then to Borca. In late June 1992, following an attack conducted by "the Serbian army", they all headed towards mount Zelengora, where they were captured. 
 
"I did not know that place but others told me that it was called Tuhobici. From there they transported us, by military trucks, covered with awning, to a school building in Ulog. Two nights later we were transported to a school in Kalinovik. I remember that, when we were captured, they used a public address system and called people to come out of the woods and surrender, claiming that nothing bad would happen to us," E recalled.
 
The witness said that, during their detention in "Miladin Radojevic" school building in Kalinovik the detainees were guarded by "policemen from Kalinovik", adding that members of various paramilitary groups used to come there and mistreat them.
 
"Slavko Lalovic, known as Ustasa (insurrectionist), was one of the guards. Those Serbian units would usually come during his shifts and take whoever they wanted to take with them. Most people were taken away and raped during the course of his shifts," witness E said.
 
The indictment alleges that, at the beginning of July 1992 members of military and police forces from Kalinovik captured about 200 civilians from the Gacko area, who were first detained in a school building in Ulog and then another school building in Kalinovik.
 
The indictment alleges that those civilians were guarded by Nedjo Zeljaja and members of the Public Safety Station in Kalinovik.
 
The official timetable of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina indicates that this trial is due to continue on Friday, October 10.