On the occasion of the first-instance verdict of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the Gotovina, Čermak, Markač case, we would like to draw attention to the difficult legacy of unprocessed crimes committed during and immediately after the military-police operation "Storm".
Operation "Storm" definitively crushed the rebellion of a part of the Serbs in Croatia, and thus crushed the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina ("RSK"). This re-established the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Croatia in that area. Also, the southern and northern parts of Croatia were once again connected by the continental route. Thus, the security conditions for life in the areas bordering the "RSK" were achieved, and for the exercise of the right of return of the displaced persons to their homes, expelled from that area.
At the same time, one should also bear in mind the consequences of this action, which were manifested in arson and looting, and numerous unpunished and even systematically concealed killings of civilians. Research conducted by the Croatian Helsinki Committee showed that in August and September 1995, during and after the end of military operations, more than 600 civilians were killed and more than 22,000 houses were burned in the territory integrated by the action. Fearing for their personal safety and at the instigation of the Krajina authorities, more than 150,000 of its former inhabitants, mostly Serbs, left Croatia at that time. Their return was made difficult by the failure to establish security measures and the rule of law in that part of the territory of the Republic of Croatia, the delayed prosecution of war crimes, ineffective return programs and too slow state economic measures to encourage reconstruction. The synergy of the above elements resulted in the permanent emigration of the Serb population from one fifth of Croatian territory to an extent that had the effects of ethnic cleansing.
We remind you of some publicly known unprosecuted crimes:
- During the military police operation "Storm" on August 6, 1995, at least 10 civilians were killed in the town of Golubić near Knin. The crimes were not prosecuted.
- The murders of at least five civilians in Mokro Polje (Knin) began on August 6th during Operation Storm and continued after the end of military operations. The crimes were not prosecuted.
- Between August 7 and 8, 1995, several dozen civilians from the municipalities of Glina, Topusko, Gvozd and Vojnić were killed in attacks on a refugee convoy between Glina and Dvor. Crimes were not prosecuted.
- On August 12, 1995, nine civilians were killed in Komić (Korenica). Crimes were not prosecuted.
- On 25 August 1995, six civilians were killed in the village of Grubori (Knin). After a systematic cover-up of the crime, which was testified to before the ICTY by several individuals, the Zagreb District Court filed an indictment on 15 December 2010 against three Croatian citizens, FD (1963), BK (1957) and IB (1973), for committing the criminal offence of war crimes against the civilian population under Article 120, paragraph 1 of the Basic Criminal Code of the Republic of Croatia.
- On 27 August 1995, at around 4 pm, seven civilians were killed in the village of Gošić (Kistanje). The Zadar District Court filed an indictment No. KT-83/96 on 13 February 1996, but due to a lack of solid evidence, the proceedings were returned to the investigation stage against unknown perpetrators.
- During the VRA "Storm", until the end of 1995, in the village of Kijani (Gračac), according to the HHO Report, 14 civilians were killed, including nine women. Crimes were not prosecuted
- On September 28, 1995, in the village of Varivode (Kistanje) around 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM, nine civilians were killed. Six members of the Croatian police force were suspected of the crime, but after the proceedings before the Zadar County Court and a retrial at the Šibenik County Court, the defendants were acquitted, which returned the investigation to the beginning, against unknown perpetrators. Even eight years after the proceedings before the Šibenik court were completed, there has been no new information and no prosecution of the perpetrators of this crime.
By citing these examples, we wish to remind the public and relevant government institutions of the fact that these crimes were committed and that no one was held accountable for them, and thus of the unfulfilled obligation to uncover and prosecute the perpetrators of war crimes against civilians. Prosecution of war crimes must be carried out consistently, regardless of who the perpetrator is and who the victim is, because a crime, no matter what it is motivated by, has neither nation nor religion, but only the hallmark of evil and therefore cannot be justified by anything, just as its non-prosecution cannot be justified.
Also, given that the families of those killed who sued the Republic of Croatia seeking compensation for damages are living under the threat of execution due to possible payment of legal costs (in 29 known cases, costs ranging from 5,000 to 90,900 kuna are threatened), we remind the competent institutions of their obligation to ensure fair compensation for all victims and all families of victims.
Regarding the upcoming ICTY verdict in the Gotovina, Čermak, Markač case, we would like to remind you that the IT 06/90 indictment charges the defendants, as participants in a criminal enterprise, under warrant command responsibility (omission of a superior), with persecutions, deportations and forcible transfers, plunder of public or private property, wanton destruction, inhumane acts and cruel treatment, and failure to react to crimes committed at lower levels: which includes the killing of civilians in the municipalities of Knin (villages of Kovačić, Đurići, Žagrović, Grubori), Orlić (villages of Orlić, Šarena Jezera/Vrbnik, Uzdolje), Kistanje (village of Kakanj), Ervenik (village of Oton) and Donji Lapac (village of Oraovac). The Republic of Croatia strongly supported the establishment of the court, incorporated the Statute of the court into national legislation, so that the court's decisions are an integral part of its rights and must be respected. Regardless of the content of the first-instance verdict, we call for a peaceful and dignified acceptance of the decision of the ICTY trial chamber.
Vesna Teršelic, Document, Zagreb
Katarina Kruhonja, Center for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights Osijek
Zoran Pusić, Citizens' Committee for Human Rights, Zagreb
Gordan Bosanac, Center for Peace Studies, Zagreb
Nela Pamuković, Center for Women Victims of War, Zagreb
Mirjana Bilopavović, Delfin, Pakrac
Mirjana Kučer, Dominoes, Split
Sanja Sarnavka, BaBe, Zagreb
Mario Mažić, Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Croatia
Sanja Sarnavka, House of Human Rights
Biserka Momčinović, Center for Civic Initiatives, Poreč
Ivo Škorić, Network for Cultural Cooperation and Reconciliation - Rakun
Zdeka Pantić, Rehabilitation Center for Stress and Trauma, Zagreb
Marica Šeatović, Family Association "Against Oblivion", Zagreb
Srđan Antić, Nansen Dialogue Center, Osijek
Emina Bužinkić, Croatian Youth Network
Semina Lončar, CERD, Split
Mirjana Galo, HOMO, Pula
Vesna Kesic, GONG
Drago Pilsel, Zagreb
Ljiljana Gherecke, Vukovar
Ana Kvesic, Vukovar
Additional data on unprosecuted crimes
- During the action on August 6, 1995 in the town Golubic near Knin, at least 10 civilians were killed. Vasa Vasić (b. 1920) and Nikola Panić (b. 1935) were killed with firearms - the army brought them to their house and shot them. Branko Radinović (b. 1920), Maša Radujko (b. 1927) and her husband Nikola Radujko (b. 1918), Tode Marić (b. 1929), Milka Grubić (about 60 years old), Zorka Kablar (about 80 years old), Milica Šljivar (b. 1936) and Jeka Opačić were also executed that day. (about 80 years old). Crimes were not prosecuted.
- The killings of at least five civilians in Mokro Polje (Knin) began during Operation "Storm" and continued after the end of military operations. Ružica Babić, born in 1926, was killed on August 6, 1995, on the doorstep of her house. Stana Popović, born in 1926, and Mirko Popović, born in 1952 (mother and son) were killed on August 7, 1995, in their house, by gunshots. Obrad Popović (husband and father) was also wounded on that occasion. Stevan Sučević, born in 1934, was killed on August 9, 1995. Jeka Kanazir, born in 1928, was thrown into the "Pavlović cistern". She was buried in Knin after 40 days. Sava Babić, born in 1913, was killed by gunshots on August 24, 1995, in front of her house. The crimes were not prosecuted.
- Between 7 and 8 August 1995 in attacks on the refugee column between Glina and Dvor several dozen civilians from the area of the municipalities of Glina, Topusko, Gvozd and Vojnić were killed. Among them were Aleksa Zorojević (b. 1928) from Donji Klasnić - disappeared during an attack on a column in the area of Dvor, Miloš Vladić (1931) from Buzeta - killed on a tractor trailer in a column between Glina and Dvor; Danica Bulat (b. 1931) from Buzeta – killed on a tractor trailer in a convoy between Glina and Dvor, Marija Baždar (b. 1928) from Buzeta – killed on a tractor trailer in a convoy between Glina and Dvor; Kukulj Milenko (around 1935) from Blatuša - killed in a column in the Dvor area; Milić Ljubica (b. 1952) from Blatuša – killed on the road Glina - Dvor when a column was fired at from the forest with a firearm; Milić Đurđica (circa 1967) from Blatuša – killed on the road Glina - Dvor when a column was fired at from the forest with a firearm; Mraović Ana (b. 1905) from Bović - disappeared in a column near the village of Rujevac; Mile Mraović (b. 1931) from Bović - killed by a shell during the shelling of a column near Glina; Stanojević Stanko (b. 1918) from Bovići – wounded during the shelling of the column near Glina and since then all trace of him has been lost; Komadina Stevan (b. 1930) from Bovići – killed by a shell during the shelling of a column near Glina; Rkman Milica (b. 1915) from Brnjavac - disappeared in the area of the village of Rujevac during an attack on a convoy by the HV; Pavlović Maca (b. 1923) from Trepča – disappeared in a column near the village of Žirovac; Danica Radanović (b. 1924) from Šljivovac – disappeared in the column between Glina and Dvor; Ranka Radanović (b. 1932) from Čremušnica – killed during the shelling of a column in the village of Ravno Rašće; Miljka Radanović (b. 1922) from Čremušnica - killed during shelling of a column in the village of Ravno Rašće. Crimes were not prosecuted.
- In the place Comic (Korenica) On August 12, 1995, nine civilians were killed. Marija Brkljačić-Ugarković, born in 1921, was burned alive in her house. Staka Ćurčić was killed on the same day. Sava Lavrnić, born in 1903, and Petar Lavrnić, aged about 65, mother and son, were also killed on August 12, 1995, and their house was burned. The spouses Mara and Rade Mirković were also killed on the same day. Mika Pavlica, born in 1904, was burned in her house. Mika Sunajko, born in 1915, was killed near Klapavice. Her husband Rade Sunajko, born in 1909, was killed near G. Mirković's house in Poljice. The crimes were not prosecuted.
- August 25, 1995, when UN members and witnesses approached the village Grubori (Knin) they saw most of the houses in flames and found 5 killed civilians. The witness said that the livestock was burning alive in the stables. She called out to her husband and ran to a meadow where she saw their two cows, shot and lying on the grass. Not far from those cows was the body of Jovo Grubor (born 1930), his throat had been cut and half of his face was missing. The witness cried out for help and ran to the house of 80-year-old Miloš Grubor, who was lying sick in bed. She found him on the floor in his pajamas, lying in a pool of blood. There were spent shells next to him. Because of the night, the UN transported them to Knin. The next day, they continued the search with UN members for four more villagers. In the charred remains of her house, the witness saw legs under a burnt beam. After spreading the ashes from under the beam, she found her 90-year-old mother-in-law Maria, lying on her back, her face covered with her hands, all burnt. In the meadow where she found her husband, they found two more corpses: 51-year-old Milica Grubor, stabbed and riddled with gunfire. Not far from her was the corpse of Đura Karanović (b. 1950), who had knife wounds on his neck and gunshot wounds on his chest. 73-year-old Jovan Grubor was set on fire along with his house. After the systematic concealment of the crime, which was testified to by several persons before the ICTY, the ŽDO from Zagreb filed an indictment on December 15, 2010 against three Croatian citizens FD (1963), BK (1957) and IB (1973) for committing the criminal offense of war crimes against the civilian population under Art. 120th century 1. Basic Criminal Code of the Republic of Croatia.
- On August 27, 1995, at approximately 4:00 p.m. Gosic (Kistanje) a white car arrived. Several shots were heard from an automatic rifle. After about ten minutes, the same car drove away from the village. In the hamlet of Borci, Dušan Borak (56 years old) and Milka Borak (80 years old) were killed at that time, in the house of Savo Borak, Savo Borak (70 years old), Grozdana Borak (70 years old) and Vasilj Borak (70 years old) were killed, in the neighboring house, Kosovka Borak (77 years old) was killed, in the house next door, Marija Borak (81 years old) was killed. The Zadar District Court filed an indictment no. KT-83/96 of 13 February 1996, but due to the lack of solid evidence, the proceedings were returned to the stage of investigation against unknown perpetrators.
- During the VRA "Storm", until the end of 1995 in the village Kijani (Gračac), according to the HHO Report, 14 killed civilians were registered, including nine women: Dane Bolta, 90 years old; Sava Bolta, about 70 years old; Branko Jelača, about 67 years old; Marija Jelača, d. in 1913; Milica Jelača, d. around 1927; Ana Jelača, about 50 years old; Smilja Jelača, about 90 years old; Dušan Kesić, b. in 1939; Mileva Kolundžić, about 70 years old; Danica Sovilj, about 70 years old; Mara Sovilj, about 75 years old; Mira Sovilj, about 50 years old; Rade Sovilj, d. around 1947 and Vlado Sovilj, d. 1931, who returned home from the refugee column. Crimes were not prosecuted
- On September 28, 1995, in the village Varivode (Kistanje) around 17:00 - 17:30, nine civilians were killed, almost two months after the cessation of hostilities. Nine people were brutally and without cause executed, the youngest of whom was 60 and the oldest 85 years old. 60-year-old Jovan Berić, 60-year-old Špiro Berić, 69-year-old Rajko Berić, 70-year-old Mara Berić, 85-year-old Mirko Pokrajac, 75-year-old Ljubo Duje Dukić, 70-year-old Mara Dukić, 71-year-old Milka Berić and 75-year-old Jovan Berić were riddled with bullets, mostly on their doorsteps. Six members of the Croatian police force were suspected of the crime, but after proceedings before the Zadar County Court and a retrial at the Šibenik County Court, the defendants were acquitted, which returned the investigation to the beginning, against unknown perpetrators. Even eight years after the completion of the proceedings before the Šibenik court, there has been no new information and no prosecution of the perpetrators of this crime.
unprocessed_crimes_in_progress_and_after_military_operation_storm-1.doc