PHYSICIANS ^NS. for HUMAN RIGHTS FORENSIC ASSISTANCE PROJECT. Consultant Report Konjic I

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1 PHYSICIANS ^NS for HUMAN RIGHTS FORENSIC ASSISTANCE PROJECT Consultant Report Konjic I Republika Srpska Commission on Tracing Prisoners and Missing Persons 7-10 September 1999 Francine Drayer, M.A. Forensic Consultant Forensic Assistance Project Sarajevo, Bosna i Hercegovina November 1999 Physicians for Human Rights 100 Boylston Street, Suite 702 Boston, MA USA Tel. (617) Fax. (617) phrusa@phrusa.org Physicians for Human Rights Hasana Kaimije br Sarajevo Bosna i Hercegovina Tel: Fax: Financed with support of International Commission on Missing Persons ICMP International Commission on Missing Persons

2 Summary of Events Between September 7 and 10, 1999, the Republika Srpska (RS) Commission on Tracing Prisoners and Missing Persons recovered 20 sets of human remains from 14 locations in the area of Bradina and Konjic. The remains were gathered from isolated and multiple graves from cemeteries, hillsides, orchards and fields. No evidence of human remains was found at three of the locations that were investigated. All remains were placed in body bags and transported to the RS facility in Lukavica for postmortem examinations. After the postmortem examinations, these were to be transferred to Trebinje for family identification. No pathologist was available for the recoveries but a Forensic Consultant from Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) was present at all locations. The PHP: Consultant was not present for the postmortem examinations and the results had not been provided at the time of this report. (Editor's note: In 1999, it was agreed that the "State Commission on Missing Persons (Bosniak Side)" and the "Federal Commission on Missing Persons - Croat Side" would eventually be referred to as the "Federation Commission on Missing Persons - Bosniak Side" and "Federation Commission on Missing Persons - Croat Side," respectively. For purposes of simplicity and clarity, any reference to either of these commissions in 1999 reports will use the "Federation" names.) PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

3 Participants and Observers Republika Srpska Commission on Tracing Prisoners and Missing Persons BOGDANID Milan President ULJAREVID Dragan Member, Trebinje TESANOVIC Spomenka Judge NOVALIC Osman Crime Inspector HABIBIJA Haris Crime Technician MISITA Vukasin Police, Trebinje SUSIC Milorad Police, Trebinje Laborers, five Witnesses Drivers, two Federation Commission on Missing Persons - Bosniak Side HALIL Gagula Judge NOVALIC Selim Member DELMO Zinaid Judge SMAJLOVIC Mira Judge Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) DRATOR Francine TORL AKOVIC Azur Office of the High Representative (OHR) CHILVERS Peter GACESA Vladomir Forensic Consultant Field Assistant Exhumations Officer, Banja Luka Assistant Exhumations Coordinator Security provided by BiH police forces, Konjic BUBALO Ibro Police officer CATIC Senad Police officer International Police Task Forces, Jablanica Station NEDELCU Marius BADAMASI Abdullah SALEN Roudan Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Site Descriptions, Histories and Recovery Procedure Exhumations and recovery attempts were focused in and around the city of Konjic. The area that was covered was approximately 40 x 30 km 2. The exhumations took place in cemeteries, villages and fields or orchards. All recoveries were uneventful and consisted of single or multiple burials. No cremated remains, surface remains or commingled remains were exhumed. The bodies were either in caskets, plastic, blankets or without cover. PHYSICIANS./br HUMAN RIGHTS, November

4 1. Bradina - Osredak. Date of recovery attempts: September 7, Grid coordinate for this site is 34T BP Map Bradina, Sheet 2782 III, M709, Edition 8A-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 1). MNI of exhumed remains: 0 History and recovery: According to the witness, this female (name Kuljanin Boskja), born in 1939, was killed on July 13, 1992, and allegedly buried next to this path off the main road from Sarajevo to Mostar. The alleged grave is approximately 40 m from the power lines and 50 m from the main paved road and is marked with a 1.5 m long wooden stake. The team dug test pits in two locations, close to the stake; however, there was no sign of human bone. The ground looked undisturbed. The most important witness was not present, and the RS Commission member decided to halt the recovery attempts and return at a later date. 2. Bradina -Mrkhic. Date of recovery: September 7, Grid coordinate for this site is 34T BP Map Bradina, Sheet 2782 III, M709, Edition 8A-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig- 1). MNI of exhumed remains: 0 History and recovery: According to the witness, a male civilian, born in 1939, was killed in 1992 and buried under a mulberry tree near a destroyed house. The team left for another location while the laborers excavated the reported gravesite. Radio contact was kept between the two groups and after some time the laborers informed the RS Commission that they had discovered fragmented, scattered bones. When the team returned to the site, the PHR Consultant identified all recovered bone as faunal remains. The laborers continued to dig more trenches and test pits, but no evidence of human remains was found. 3. Bradina - Sunima Strana. Date of recovery: September 7, Grid coordinate for this site is 34T BP Map Bradina, Sheet 2782 III, M709, Edition 8A-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 1). MNI of exhumed remains: 1 History and recovery: According to the witness, the decedent was a commander during the war and occupied the house that is located approximately 75 m from the grave. The man was wounded in May 1992, subsequently died, and was buried by unknown persons. The body was discovered in the exact location identified by the father, who had been incarcerated in a concentration camp during the war. The grave was located approximately 51m from a tree and 75 m from the house. The size of the grave was 1.7 x 1 m. Grave depth was cm. Grave construction was manual and wooden planks on bottom and sides of the grave. Recovery was straightforward. PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

5 4. Bradina - Barakusa. Dates of recovery: September 7 and 10, Grid coordinate 34T BP Map Bradina, Sheet 2782 III, M709, Edition 8A-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig- 1). MNI of exhumed remains: 1 Site history and recovery: According to witnesses, Bosniak soldiers allegedly killed a Bosnian Serb male in The sister of the victim showed the team the location of the grave, which had been dug by the victim's 75-year-old mother, assisted by two other elderly women. The grave was supposed to be approximately 2 m from an apple tree. After digging a hole about 1 m deep in very rocky ground, the team decided that the witness information had to be wrong. On September 10, 1999, the team returned and used the soil probe 2 m to the south of the excavated pit.. In this location, there was a depression and the amount of rocks and boulders was much reduced. At the third attempt, the probe brought up a fragment of blanket, buried approximately 30 cm deep. The body was exhumed and examination showed that the left leg had been amputated at the mid shaft level of the femur. Moreover, the cranium and mandible were missing. This is an interesting development, because the body of the father of this decedent (exhumed near Nevizdraci earlier that day) was also found without a head. 5. Bratosovo - Kraljevac, Bradina. Date of recovery: September 7, Grid coordinate 34T BP Map Bradina, Sheet 2782 III, M709, Edition 8A-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 1). MNI of exhumed remains: 1 Site history and recovery: A male, Bosnian Serb paramilitary soldier was reportedly killed by Bosniak soldiers in 1992 near the top of a hill. Allegedly he had been buried without a head. During the pre-visit, two possible gravesites were identified, located within 100 m from one another. However, additional witness information led the team into the forest to the south of these locations. One sock (but no human remains) and various other scraps of clothing were: found. A test pit was dug at this location but no evidence of human remains was found. The team then proceeded to one of the first two identified locations. A search through the forest nearby revealed an excavated pit partly filled with dead leaves and approximately 1.5 x 1 m in diameter, about 1 m deep (Photo 1). A human first hand phalanx was discovered, lying on the edge of this hole. Search of the immediate area (and pit) revealed pieces of plastic and scraps of clothing. The witness said she recognized the latter as parts of her husband's pants and she confirmed that he had been buried in plastic. The RS Commission member told the PUR. Consultant that after a mass grave was discovered during Senator Dole's visit in 1996, a number of bodies were illegally exhumed and reburied elsewhere. It is the assumption of the RS Commission that this is the grave the team is searching for, but that the body was removed and reburied in order to hide the fact that it had been decapitated. PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

6 6. Brdenj Cemetery, Bradina. Date of recovery: September 8, Grid coordinate: 34T BP Map Bradina, Sheet 2782 III, M709, Edition 8A-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 1). MNI of exhumed remains: 3 Site history and recovery: Bosniaks allegedly killed three Bosnian Serb soldiers (born respectively in 1964, 1971 and 1972) in 1992 near Bradina. They were brought to this cemetery and buried by neighbors without the presence of family members. The overburden was removed and the laborers started to dig three separate graves. They encountered heavy, cement slabs at a depth of 100 cm. This was puzzling, since this was not in accordance with traditional burial customs. However, at that moment, the person who buried the victims arrived and explained to the RS Commission that he buried the victims in this way because of the scarcity of material during the war. He had constructed a chamber large enough to hold three caskets, using cement blocks, at a depth of 140 cm. The bodies, wrapped in blankets, were placed inside the caskets. The cement blocks and caskets were covered with the cement slabs and 1 m of soil. The site was marked with three crosses, bearing the names of the decedents and birth dates. Identification documents were found on the first casket that was exhumed. The first body was skeletonized and had been wrapped in a blanket and plastic sheet that contained decayed leaves (Photo 2). A large amount of hair was preserved. The second body, also well skeletonized, was also wrapped in a blanket. The third body still had a lot of hair and full upper dentures. 6. Konjic - Zrvanj. Date of recovery: September 8, Grid coordinate: 33T YJ Map Konjic, Sheet 2682 II, M709, Edition 9-DMA, Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 2). MNI of exhumed remains: 1 Site history and recovery: According to the witness, a civilian male Bosnian Serb was killed in 1992 and buried in an orchard, above a steep hillside and a creek. The witness, wife of the decedent, told the team that she believed that her husband had been buried approximately 2 m from a tree. A soil probe was used at that location, but the results were negative. When the probe was used a few m to the north, foul-smelling tissue was brought up. When the grave was excavated, the soil appeared to be undisturbed, very hard and rocky. However, because of the foul-smelling tissue found in the probe, efforts were renewed. The body was discovered 80 cm beneath the surface. It had been wrapped in a plastic bag and was completely saponified (Photo 3). 7. Musala cemetery, Konjic. Date of recovery: September 8, Grid coordinate 33T YJ Map Konjic, Sheet 2682 II, M709, Edition 9-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 2). MNI of exhumed remains: 2 PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

7 Site history and recovery: Although the remains of six individuals were reportedly buried here, only three were scheduled to be exhumed: a couple, killed in 1992 and one civilian male who died in a concentration camp. These remains were buried without ceremony or the presence of families. When the team arrived, the cemetery manager was called in to advise on the locations of the graves. When he arrived, he told the RS Commission member that he had received no authorization or instructions to allow exhumations. Although no such authorization is required, the RS Commission member decided not to stir up hard feelings. He informed the manager that the team would leave, but would return at 9:00 am the next day, in order to exhume the three graves in question. The gravesite of the couple was marked by a wooden cross, bearing the names and dates. Human skeletal remains were discovered 50 cm below the surface. These belonged to a female, lying prone, dressed but not covered with a blanket. Below her were the remains of a male, also fully clothed (Photo 4). The bodies were fully skeletonized, with no commingling. They were lilted out one by one, placed in body bags, and transported to the autopsy facility in Lukavica. The remains of the third person, a male, could not be located. Although the witness specified that the body was not buried deep, the laborers excavated a pit approximately 2 m deep at one of the two locations identified as possible sites. At that depth, the completely skeletonized remains of a male, between years of age, and a stature of approximately cm, were discovered. Only the legs and ox coxae were exhumed, but the PHR Consultant decided that although height, age and sex agreed with those of the victim, the remains were those of a burial that predated the war: no remnants of clothing were found; only a remaining scraps of wood from a coffin and a few rusted nails were detected. Subsequently, the laborers excavated in the other possible location. At a depth of 1 m pieces of slate were discovered. When these were lifted, human skeletonized remains became visible. The PHR Consultant checked the cranium, mandible and arm bones. The body most probably belongs to a female (size of the mastoids, remains of hair and headband, and the sleeve of a green dress with gold/silver band). The PHR Consultant advised the laborers to put both bodies back in the graves and refill the graves. At this point, the PHR Consultant was called to another site where the team had started to exhume another grave. However, she was then called back to the cemetery, since the laborers had exhumed the cranium of the first burial (2 m deep) anyway, against her advice. The RS Commission member asked the PHR Consultant to return to the site with the brother to see if he could recognize the cranium as that of this brother. Dental analysis showed that this was not the missing person. The remains were; put back in the graves and these were filled. Although the PHR Consultant advised the laborers to use the probe at another area, the brother decided to stop all activities at this point. 8. Donje Selo 7, Konjic. Date of recovery: September 9, Grid coordinate: 33T YJ Map Konjic, Sheet 2682 II, M709, Edition 9-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 2). MNI of recovered remains: 3 (Bodies Donje Selo 1, Donje Selo 2 and Donje Selo 3). History and recovery: This is a small, fenced gravesite on a hillside near Konjic, near a dirt road. Although a total of seven people were buried here (all bearing the same surname and members of the same family), the remains of only three individuals were scheduled to be PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

8 exhumed. One of these died at the Celebici prison and two in the "Sports Complex" prison in Neighbors reportedly buried all three victims. One of the victims had an amputated leg. Recovery of the remains was straightforward. Seven crosses, placed close together, marked the graves. Pits were dug and three coffins were exhumed. The first recovered individual (Body Donje Selo 3) has an amputated leg above the left knee. 9. Donje Selo II, Konjic. Date of recovery: September 9, Grid coordinate: 33T YJ Map Konjic, Sheet 2682 II, M709, Edition 9-DMA, Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 2). MNI of recovered remains: 3 (Bodies Donje Selo 4, Donje Selo 5 and Donje Selo 6). Site history and recovery: According to witnesses, two brothers were killed in the concentration camp and another man was killed on the hill. Their names were Kuljanin Predras, Ninkovic Radimir and Ninkovic Rajko. All three were buried by neighbors in this small, private cemetery behind a barn, across the railroad tracks. The caskets were found approximately 70 cm below the surface. skeletonized. Body 5 has a shattered cranium. The bodies were 10. Jurica Kuca - Donje Selo Illy Konjic.. Date of recovery: September 9, Grid coordinate: 33T YJ Map Konjic, Sheet 2682 II, M709, Edition 9-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 2). MNI of recovered remains: 1 (Body Donje Selo 7). Site history and recovery: This gravesite was located below a house on a steep hillside, west of Konjic. The site was covered with vines. The victim, born in 1922, was killed on April 19, 1993, and buried by the neighbors. Recovery of the body was uneventful. The fully skeletonized remains were found 30 cm below the surface. 11. Nevizdraci - Vraca cemetery. Date of recovery: September 10, Grid coordinate: 33T YJ Map Konjic, sheet 2682 II, M709, Edition 9-DMA, Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 3). MNI of recovered remains: 2 Site history and recovery: This is a small Orthodox cemetery, off a dirt road and narrow hiking trail and approximately a 1 km hike from the road. Bosniaks allegedly killed one woman and one man near their home on April 22, They were left at the location where they were killed for some time, and only at a later date were they transported by the neighbors to the cemetery and buried. According to witness statements, the head of the man was missing. PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

9 The gravesite was marked with a wooden cross, bearing the names of the decedents. The overburden was removed and a wooden casket was found at a depth of 1 m. Both victims were interred within this one coffin. The male was wrapped in plastic and was buried beneath the female, who had been wrapped in a blanket. The cranium of the male victim was missing. 12. Donje Selo IV - Orthodox cemetery, Konjic. Date of recovery: September 10, Grid coordinate: 33T YJ Map Konjic, Sheet 2682 II, M709, Edition 9-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig 2). MNI of recovered remains: 2 (Bodies Donje Selo 8 and Donje Selo 9). Site history and recovery: This is an Orthodox cemetery near Konjic. Both victims were killed on April 18, 1993, and were buried by the neighbors. The unmarked graves were situated in the corner of the cemetery. The overburden was removed, andi the coffins were found approximately 80 cm below the surface. The body of Donje Selo body # 8 had no face or mandible. Donje Selo body # 9 had no cranium. These remains belong to the son of the couple at the previous site Nevizdraci - Vraca cemetery. The husband also lacked a cranium. 13. Drecelj - Konjic. Date of recovery: September 10, Grid coordinate: 33T YJ Map Konjic, Sheet 2682 II, M709, Edition 9-DMA - Scale 1:50,000 (Fig. 2). MNI of recovered remains: 0 Site history and recovery: According to the witness (wife of missing person), her husband was killed on May 26, 1992, in the prison Musala in Konjic. His remains were thrown in the river and were left on the bank for some time. After some weeks, the body was covered with a white sheet or plastic, and buried somewhere in the area. The witness was not sure where the body was buried. It could have been at this location or in a cemetery. The probe was used at the location that the witness deemed likely; however, no evidence of human remains was found. The RS Commission member advised the witness to obtain more reliable information before the team returns. Postmortem Examination Findings Results of the postmortem examinations had not been forwarded to PHR at the time of this writing. Process Evaluation Recovery procedures were adequate. The sites that were visited were known to be clear of mines and no sites were visited that the OHR Exhumations Officer considered unsafe. The recovery of the remains was in general easy, because most were contained in caskets, plastic PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

10 bags or blankets. The bodies of the couple at the Konjic cemetery lacked any kind of covering, but the bones were not commingled. Milan Bogdanic handled the potential problems that arose between the RS Commission and the cemetery manager, very discreetly, efficiently, professionally and tactfully. The only advise that the PHR Consultant can offer is that the laborers be more efficient in excavating the graves. Their usual procedure is that they start digging where a body is allegedly buried, and immediately start excavating an area measuring 1.5 x 1 m, even though they do not know the orientation of the body, or even if the body is present. It would be more practical to dig test pits until evidence is found that the remains are at this location, determine the orientation of the body, and proceed from there. However, the PHR Consultant feels that money may be an issue. The laborers do earn more than usual when they are exhuming and because of the repressed economical conditions in this country, this may be a way for them to survive. Therefore, although I tried a few times to explain to them a more efficient way to exhume, I left things as they were. PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

11 DONJA RASTEUCA 6.3 km. 18"00' 159 V Vfcrtshic! 43 45' J Sunima Strana \ Bfadina^A^^/^vtradac Bradin*"^ 4T ( j VUKOVICH.lkm DIJRANOVICI 3.0 km. "* «* 64 ' \,65o5' /7t -~-f^' a * 2. /. o /» \ /a- BRADINA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 2782 III M709 EDITION 8A-DMA Figure 1. PHYSICIANS /or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

12 ' i \ 4U KONJIC EDITION Q_nMA SERIES SERIE uuv -J/-^ y /-- M709 SHEET 2682 I! FOGLIO iliabl s '"/c 1 v^tt SriydevBde.JJb #PoKO i te :; tfs $ 4 -/-" ^mjci^'*- ; < * 0350/5 JranovT lux DonjeSelo2 M'' '^J ^^S^^Wv\^v i.n\ f^^xy-# it Kopjic outv Figure 2. J21..jm Mu sala Cemetery" \1 S 1 PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

13 ^ ^ 1, i KONJIC. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 2682 II M709 EDITION 9-DMA Figure 3. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

14 m^ ±H/m&. Photo 1: Bradina. View of prior exhumed grave at Bratosovo Kraljevic (Roll 99-38, exposure 16). Photo 2: Bradina, Brdenj Cemetery - Exposure of body 1. (Roll 99-38, exposure 25). PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November 1999

15 Photo 3: Zvranj, Konjic. Exposure of body 1 (Roll 99-38, exposure 35). Photo 4: Musala Cemetery, Konjic. Exposure of body 2 (Roll 99-38, exposure 4). PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November