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Tear Gas in “Bunker”

19. March 2014.00:00
Testifying at the trial of Branko Vlaco for crimes in Vogosca, a State Prosecution witness describes his detention in “Bunker”.

This post is also available in: Bosnian

Osman Hadzic said that he was taken from Svrake village to the military barracks in Semizovac in 1992, adding that he was then transported, along with some other men, by refrigerator truck to auxiliary buildings within the “Kon-Tiki” boarding house complex.

“They took us out for examinations one by one,” Hadzic said, adding that Brane Vlaco and witness SV-7 were present.

He said that they were then taken to “Bunker”, where they saw a few other detainees, one of whom was “beaten up to death”.

According to the witness’ testimony, up to 40 detainees were held in “Bunker” at some stage. He mentioned Stanko Knezevic, Tomislav Colakovic, Dragan Draskovic and a Pape as guards in “Bunker”.

Hadzic said that, on Eid al-Adha a man called Nele threw tear gas into “Bunker”, but Vlaco then opened the door.

“On 10 or 11 August, 1992 we were transferred to ‘Planjina Kuca’,” Hadzic said, adding that he was taken to other locations in order to perform some works, but he was not forced to perform hard labour.

Branko Vlaco is charged, in his capacity as Manager of “Bunker”, “Planjina Kuca”, “Kod Sonje” and “Nakina Garaza” detention camps, with having established a system for punishment of detained civilians. According to the charges, detainees were abused, forced to perform hard labour and used as human shields. Many of them got killed at those locations, while tens are still missing.

The trial is due to continue on March 26, when the Defence will examine its first witness.

The Prosecution of BiH is still awaiting a final response from the Hague regarding the examination of witness SV-7, who will also appear as the second and the last Defence witness.
Exhumation of Victims from Jelec

The remains of at least three victims of the past war have been exhumed from a dumping site in Miljevina, near Foca.

Representatives of the Institute for the Missing Persons of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, exhumed the remains of Bosniaks, who were killed in that part of the country in 1992.
It is assumed that this location contains remains of at least ten people from Jelec village, near Miljevina, who were killed in the period from May to June 1992.

Family members of the victims were present during the exhumation.

Mujo Usto identified the remains of his father Enes by his clothes and dentures. Enes was taken from Jelec village to the Police Station in Miljevina on May 1, 1992.

Exhumations from this dumping site, which is located on the side of the trunk road between Foca and Sarajevo, will be continued in the coming days.

Džana Brkanić


This post is also available in: Bosnian