Cablegate: The Nest of Evil: Serbs Intensify Atrocities In

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

UNCLASSIFIED SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 01217

SIPDIS

CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 001217

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PHUM MOPS PINS PREL PREF BK MOPS PINS PREL PREF BK HR
SUBJECT: THE NEST OF EVIL: SERBS INTENSIFY ATROCITIES IN
BANJA LUKA

REF: ZAGREB 0572

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SUMMARY
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1. THE USE OF EXTREME VIOLENCE AGAINST NON-SERBS REMAINING
IN THE BANJA LUKA AREA OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA HAS
ACCELERATED IN RECENT WEEKS. RECENT ARRIVALS FROM THE
REGION HAVE PROVIDED NUMEROUS EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF
EGREGIOUS EXAMPLES OF ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE NON-SERBIAN
POPULATION. THESE INCLUDE WIDESPREAD KILLINGS, RAPES,
BEATINGS, DESTRUCTION OF HOMES, ROBBERIES, HARASSMENT, AND
FORCED FIRINGS DESIGNED TO EXPEL ALL NON-SERBS FROM THE
AREA. END SUMMARY.
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BACKGROUND
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2. REFCOORD AND POLOFF VISITED GASINCI REFUGEE COLLECTIVE
CENTER IN EASTERN CROATIA ON MARCH 23 TO INTERVIEW RECENT
UNCLASSIFIED

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PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01217 01 OF 02 251809Z
ARRIVALS FROM BANJA LUKA, A CITY IN NORTH-CENTRAL BOSNIA
THAT HAS SEEN TWO YEARS OF SYSTEMATIC ATROCITIES DIRECTED
AT NON-SERBS. BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THIS HARASSMENT HAS
INTENSIFIED SUBSTANTIALLY DURING THE PAST FEW MONTHS.

3. AT GASINCI ALONE, REFUGEES FROM BANJA LUKA ARRIVE AT
THE RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 PER WEEK VIA CONVOYS UNDER
THE AUSPICES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED
CROSS. MANY ARRIVE IN TATTERED CLOTHING AND CLEARLY
SHOWING EVIDENCE OF EXTREME STRESS. DESPITE THE SEVERITY
AND RECENCY OF THEIR TRAUMA, MOST WERE WILLING OPENLY TO
DESCRIBE THE HORRORS THEY HAD EXPERIENCED OR WITNESSED.
THE EXCEPTION WAS ONE MAN WHO CAREFULLY LIMITED HIS
REMARKS AS HE FEARED RETRIBUTION BY THE "SERBIAN MAFIA,"
EVEN IF HE WERE RESETTLED OVERSEAS.

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A LITANY OF CRIMES
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4. REFUGEES RECOUNTED THE FOLLOWING EYEWITNESS EXAMPLES OF
ABUSE:

A) TWO MUSLIM BROTHERS WERE MERCILESSLY BEATEN BY
UNIFORMED SOLDIERS WITH BATS FASHIONED FROM WOODEN PLANKS.
THEIR ASSAILANTS WERE KNOWN TO THEM; THEY HAD FORMERLY
LIFTED WEIGHTS AND PLAYED SOCCER TOGETHER.

B) A GYPSY WAS BEATEN WITH RIFLE BUTTS FOLLOWING AN
ID CARD CHECK WHICH REVEALED THAT HE WAS NOT A SERB.

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PAGE 04 ZAGREB 01217 01 OF 02 251809Z
C) AN ELDERLY WOMAN FROM THE VILLAGE OF SEHER
RECOUNTED THREE CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS OF HORROR. THE FIRST
NIGHT A GRENADE WAS THROWN IN FRONT OF A HOUSE. THE NEXT
NIGHT FIVE MEN IN MILITARY UNIFORMS TORTURED A NEIGHBOR IN
HIS HOUSE FOR FOUR HOURS, CUTTING OFF BOTH HIS EARS. THE
THIRD NIGHT APPROXIMATELY TEN SOLDIERS CAME TO ANOTHER
FAMILY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, RAPED AND TORTURED THE THREE
DAUGHTERS, AND BEAT THE FATHER TO DEATH. THE THREE
DAUGHTERS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE DIED LATER IN THE HOSPITAL.

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D) TEENAGE GIRLS WERE ADVISED BY SERBIAN FRIENDS
THAT THEIR NAMES WERE ON LISTS OF THOSE TO BE RAPED.
THESE FRIENDS THEN SHELTERED THEM IN THEIR HOMES FOR A FEW
DAYS TO PROTECT THEM.

E) IN ONE SECTION OF BANJA LUKA, CROATIAN HOUSES
WERE BLOWN UP EVERY EVENING AT THE SAME HOUR OVER A PERIOD
OF SEVERAL MONTHS. THIS WAS SO RELIABLE A PRACTICE THAT
SOME WENT OUTSIDE AT THIS HOUR TO SEE WHOSE HOUSE WOULD BE
DESTROYED THAT EVENING.

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PAGE 01 ZAGREB 01217 02 OF 02 251809Z
ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-01 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01 OASY-00 DOEE-00
EB-01 OIGO-01 HA-09 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-16
L-01 ADS-00 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-02 PM-01
PRS-01 P-01 RP-10 RPCS-01 SB-00 SCT-03 SNP-00
SP-00 SR-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 T-00
USIE-00 RPE-01 SNIS-00 NISC-02 PMB-00 /059W
------------------347B9A 251823Z /38
P 251803Z MAR 94
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1342
INFO CINCUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE//J3/J4/J5/POLAD//
CINCUSAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE//DO/LG/XP/IN/POLAD//
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5PMA/J21//
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP//
AMCONSUL MUNICH
AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
AMCONSUL FRANKFURT
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION GENEVA
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
NATO EC COLLECTIVE
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
HQ JTF PP NAPLES IT//CA/POLAD//
COMSIXTHFLT NAPLES IT//N2//
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ4/ECJ5/ECPOLAD//
UNCLASSIFIED

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PAGE 02 ZAGREB 01217 02 OF 02 251809Z
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22//

UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 001217

SIPDIS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PHUM MOPS PINS PREL PREF BK MOPS PINS PREL PREF BK HR
SUBJECT: THE NEST OF EVIL: SERBS INTENSIFY ATROCITIES IN
BANJA LUKA

F) NON-SERBS WERE ROUTINELY INTIMIDATED INTO
COMPLETING DOCUMENTS REQUESTING THAT THE GOVERNMENT ASSUME
OWNERSHIP OF THEIR PROPERTIES. THESE DOCUMENTS, USUALLY
ISSUED ONLY AFTER PAYING SUBSTANTIAL FEES, APPEARED TO
HAVE BEEN REQUIRED FOR "PERMISSION" TO LEAVE BANJA LUKA.

G) T
HE SERBIAN HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR ANNOUNCED VIA
TELEVISION, RADIO, AND PUBLICATIONS THAT NO MUSLIM OR
CROATIAN BABIES WOULD BE BORN IN THE HOSPITAL WHILE HE WAS
IN CHARGE.

H) ONE WOMAN HAD BEEN BEATEN NINE TIMES DURING THE
PAST TWO YEARS BY MASKED SERBS TRYING TO FORCE HER TO
RELINQUISH HER APARTMENT. SHE HAD LOST TEETH, AND HAD
SCARS UNDER ONE EYE AND ON HER UPPER LIP FROM THESE
VICIOUS ASSAULTS. THESE BEATINGS ALSO OCCURRED FOLLOWING
THE DISCOVERY THAT SHE HAD HELPED ONE SON TO FLEE TO
SWEDEN. HER ASSAILANTS WERE, THEY SAID, INCENSED THAT
THEY HAD BEEN DENIED AN OPPORTUNITY TO TORTURE OR KILL HIM
FIRST.

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PAGE 03 ZAGREB 01217 02 OF 02 251809Z
I) TWO MEN, ONE OF WHOM HAD A SERB SON-IN-LAW, WERE
TAKEN AWAY BY A SQUAD OF SERBIAN SOLDIERS. THE NEXT DAY
THEIR BODIES WERE FOUND NEAR BANJA LUKA. ONE WAS SHOT,
THE OTHER CHARRED.

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NOTE
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5. THESE ACCOUNTS CONSTITUTE ONLY A HANDFUL OF THE MANY
ATROCITIES REPORTEDLY WITNESSED BY RECENT ARRIVALS FROM
BANJA LUKA. INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS WILL BE REPORTED IN
SEPTELS.

GALBRAITH

UNCLASSIFIED

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