Dronjak: Thursdays Were “Most Deadly” Day of the Week

A former detainee in the Kamenica detention camp, near Drvar, testifies as a Prosecution witness and recalls the frequent beating of people in that building and false promises given by “Manager Ratko Dronjak”, who said that the mistreatment would stop.

Prosecution witness Izet Kaljikovic said that he was captured, as a member of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, in the vicinity of Bihac at the beginning of November 1994 and detained in the Kamenica detention camp in Drvar, where he once saw indictee Dronjak.

“I vaguely remember, because I had been beaten up, that a man, who introduced himself as Ratko Dronjak, the Manager, came to the room in which we were held one evening. He told us that we would not be beaten up any more, but things did not change after that. We were taken out and beaten up just like before,” Kaljikovic said, adding that detainees were beaten every day, but most brutally on Thursdays.

Witness Kaljikovic explained that Thursday was the most deadly of all days in terms of the beating, because guard switch happened on that day.

“They would beat us from the morning until the evening on Thursdays. When they finished beating each one of us, they would start again from the beginning. After they would take a man out, we would hear nothing but screams,” Kaljikovic explained.

Ratko Dronjak, allegedly the former Commander and Manager of Kemenica detention camp and Slavko Rodic school building prison in Drvar, is charged with having organised the unlawful detention of Bosniak and Croat civilians and prisoners of war from 1992 to 1995.

The indictment alleges that the detained civilians and prisoners of war were subjected to daily torture, beatings, murder, inhumane treatment and forced labour.

“I was among those who were beaten up most brutally. They would put me inside a circle and beat me until I fell down. Then they would order me to go back into the room where I had been before. At the beginning I went in and out normally, but eventually I walked on all fours,” Kaljikovic said, adding that he left Kamenica on March 11, 1995.

The witness said that indictee Dronjak did not beat him, but he was not able to say if he was present when other people beat him up.

The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina also examined Davor Marincic, former member of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, who was captured in November 1994 and taken to Kamenica. He said that a few detainees died due to poor living conditions and beatings in that building.

“Miroslav Fabulic was beaten up constantly. He had injuries caused by the beating, which spread and could not heal, because he had diabetes. He died and his body was taken away, but I do not know where,” said Marincic, adding that he was beaten up a few times too and it happened when “the Manager” visited the camp.

Marincic said that detainees knew that they would be beaten up when the Manager came, adding that he did not know who the Manager was.

“He came inside the room a couple of times and asked if we were cold. One of the detainees said he was. He told him to go out and the guards would give him a blanket. When he went out, they beat him up,” Marincic said. He was exchanged and left Kamenica on May 25, 1995.

The trial is due to continue on April 21.

A.M.A.