1. A Glossary of Terms is included in
Annex A of this Judgement.
2. Charges pertaining to these 16 municipalities were
set out by the Prosecution in the Indictment. The Prosecution later withdrew the
charges in respect of Bihac-Ripac, Bosanska Dubica and Bosanska Gradiska municipalities
(see part A of Appendix C to the “Prosecutor’s Response to the ‘Motion
for Judgement of Acquittal – Rule 98bis’”, 2 October 2003). The charges
in counts 1-12 are therefore based on acts related to the remaining 13 municipalities.
For the purposes of this Judgement, all decisions, orders and decisions, unless
otherwise specified, pertain to the case of Prosecutor v. Radoslav Brdanin
& Momir Talic, Case No. IT-99-36-PT/T prior to Decision on Prosecution’s Oral
Request for the Separation of Trials, 20 September 2002 and to Prosecutor v.
Radoslav Brdanin , Case No. IT-99-36-T, after that date.
3. On 12 August 1992, the name of the SerBiH was changed
to Republika Srpska (“RS”).
4. Indictment, para. 6.
5. Indictment, para. 7.
6. Ibid.
7. Indictment, para. 8.
8. Indictment, para. 10.
9. Indictment, para. 12.
10. Indictment, paras 14, 16-17.
11. General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina,
initiated in Dayton on 21 November 1995, signed in Paris on 14 December 1995 (“Dayton
Accords”).
12. On 15 September 1992, the Accused was appointed
to these two positions.
13. The Trial Chamber notes that the use of the word
“committing” in the Indictment was not intended by the Prosecution to suggest
that the Accused personally physically perpetrated any of the crimes charged.
See Indictment, para. 33.
14. For the purposes of this summary , the phrase “the
relevant ARK municipalities” refers to the 13 municipalities in relation to which
the Prosecution is alleging acts amounting to the crimes charged in the Indictment.
See supra para. 2; fn. 2.
15. Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition
of Wounded, Sick, and Shipwrecked Members of the Armed Forces in the Field, 12
August 1949, 75 UNTS 31 (“Geneva Convention I”); Geneva Convention for the Amelioration
of the Condition of Wounded, Sick, and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at
Sea, 12 August 1949, 75 UNTS 85 (“Geneva Convention II”); Geneva Convention Relative
to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 12 August 1949, 75 UNTS 135 (“Geneva Convention
III”); Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time
of War, 12 August 1949, 75 UNTS 2 (“Geneva Convention IV”).
16. Rule 89(B) of the Rules.
17. Prosecutor v. Zejnil Delalic , Zdravko Mucic
(aka “Pavo”), Hazim Delic and Esad Landzo (aka “Zenga”), Case No. IT 96-21-A,
Judgement, 20 February 2001 (“Celebici Appeal Judgement”), para. 458.
18. Celebici Appeal Judgement , para. 458.
19. Prosecutor v. Dragoljub Kunarac , Radomir Kovac
and Zoran Vukovic, Case No. IT-96-23-A &IT-96-23/1-A, Judgement , 12 June
2002 (“Kunarac Appeal Judgement”), paras 63 and 65.
20. See, e.g., Celebici Appeal Judgement, paras 491,
506; Prosecutor v. Zoran Kupreskic, Mirjan Kupreskic, Vlatko Kupreskic, Drago
Josipovic and Vladimir Santic (aka “Vlado”), Case No. IT-95 -16-A, Judgement,
23 October 2001 (“Kupreskic Appeal Judgement), paras 34 -40; Prosecutor
v. Dragoljub Kunarac, Radomir Kovac and Zoran Vukovic, Case No. IT-96-23-T
&IT-96-23/1-T, Decision on Motion for Acquittal, 3 July 2000 (“ Kunarac Rule
98bis Decision”), para. 8; Prosecutor v. Dragoljub Kunarac , Radomir
Kovac and Zoran Vukovic, Case No. IT-96-23-T &IT-96-23/1-T, Judgement , 22
February 2001 (“Kunarac Trial Judgement”), paras 561-562.
21. Prosecutor v. Milorad Krnojelac , Case No.
IT-97-25-T, Judgement, 15 March 2002 (“Krnojelac Trial Judgement ”), para.
69; Kunarac Trial Judgement, para. 564.
22. Krnojelac Trial Judgement , para. 69.
23. Prosecutor v. Zlatko Aleksovski , Case No.
IT-95-14/1-A, Judgement, 24 March 2000 (“Aleksovski Appeal Judgement”),
para. 62; Krnojelac Trial Judgement, para. 71.
24. Krnojelac Trial Judgement , para. 71.
25. Tadic Decision on Defence Motion on Hearsay,
5 August 1996 (“Tadic Decision on Defence Motion on Hearsay ”) paras 15-19;
Prosecutor v. Tihomir Blaskic, Case No. IT-95-14-T, Decision on the Standing
Objection of the Defence to the Admission of Hearsay with no Inquiry as to its
Reliability, 21 January 1998 (“Blaskic Decision on the Standing Objection
of the Defence to the Admission of Hearsay with no Inquiry as to its Reliability
”), para. 10.
26. Tadic Decision on Defence Motion on Hearsay,
paras 15-19.
27. Prosecutor v. Dusko Tadic (aka "Dule"),
Case No. IT-94-1, Separate Opinion of Judge Stephen on the Prosecutor's Motion
Requesting Protective Measures for Victims and Witnesses, 10 August 1995 (“Separate
Opionion of Judge Stephen on Tadic Protective Measures Motion”), p. 3 .
28. Blaskic Decision on the Standing Objection
of the Defence to the Admission of Hearsay with no Inquiry as to its Reliability,
para. 12.
29. Separate Opionion of Judge Stephen on Tadic Protective
Measures Motion, pp. 2-3.
30. Vasiljevic Trial Judgement , para. 282.
See also R. v. Mattey [1995] 2 Cr App R 409; Rush v. DPP [1994]
RTR 268.
31. See, e.g., Objection to OTP Exhibits, Bosanski
Petrovac Municipality, 19 May 2003; Objection to OTP Exhibits , Celinac Municipality,
6 June 2003; Objection to OTP Exhibits, Teslic Municipality , 26 May 2003; Objection
to OTP Exhibits, Bosanska Krupa Municipality, 30 June 2003 .
32. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), pp. 2-3.
33. See, e.g., Order on the Standards Governing
the Admission of Evidence, paras 18-20.
34. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), pp. 7-8; See,
e.g., Objection to OTP Exhibits, Celinac Municipality, 6 June 2003; Objection
to OTP Exhibits, Teslic Municipality, 26 May 2003.
35. See, e.g., Objection to OTP Exhibits, Celinac
Municipality, 6 June 2003.
36. See para. 28 supra .
37. The newspaper reports and articles that the Trial
Chamber has made use of for the purposes of its deliberations are those the authenticity
of which could not in any way be doubted.
38. The Trial Chamber refers in particular to the evidence
of Predrag Radic in which he identifies the voices of Radovan Karadzic , Radislav
Vukic , the Accused and himself: Predrag Radic, T. 22156-22157, ex. P2382.13,
“Intercept”.
39. May, R., Criminal Evidence , 3rd Edition,
(Sweet & Maxwell Ltd), London, 1995.
40. “[...]Thus it may be in circumstantial evidence
- there may be a combination of circumstances, no one of which would raise a reasonable
conviction or more than a mere suspicion, but the whole taken together may create
a conclusion of guilt with as much certainty as human affairs can require or admit
of”: Exall (1866) 4 F. & F. 922, 929.
41. Taylor, Weaver and Donovan (1928) 21 Cr.
App. R. 20, 21.
42. Krnojelac Trial Judgement , para. 67.
43. Krnojelac Trial Judgement , para. 67 (emphasis
in original). The Krnojelac Trial Chamber referred to the Celebici Appeal
Judgement, para. 458.
44. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), pp. 2-3, 7-8.
See II supra, “General considerations regarding the evaluation of
evidence”.
45. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), pp. 3-10.
46. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), p. 3.
47. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), pp. 3- 4.
48. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), p. 4.
49. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), pp. 11-21.
50. See Joint Motion to Disqualify the Trial
Chamber Hearing the Brdanin-Talic Trial, filed jointly on 25 April 2002 by the
Defence for the Accused and the Defence of his then co-Accused Momir Talic pursuant
to Rule 15(B) of the Rules; see also Decision on Joint Motion to Disqualify
the Trial Chamber Hearing the Brdanin-Talic Trial, 3 May 2002; Decision on Application
for Leave to Appeal Against Judge Schomburg’s Decision on the Disqualification
of a Judge Dated 3 May 2002, 20 June 2002, wherein a bench of the Appeals Chamber
rejected Talic’s application for leave to appeal.
51. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), p. 4.
52. Ibid.
53. Article 13 of the Statute.
54. Rule 14 (A) of the Rules.
55. Prosecutor v. Seselj, Case No.IT-03-67-PT,
Decision on Motion for Disqualification, 10 June 2003 (“Seselj Disqualification
Decision”), para. 3.
56. Decision on Joint Motion to Disqualify the Trial
Chamber Hearing the Brdanin-Talic Trial, 3 May 2002, para. 26; see also
Celebici Appeal Judgement, para. 697.
57. UN Security Council Resolution 808, S/RES/808 (22
February 1993).
58. Prosecutor v. Momir Nikolic , Case No. IT-02-60/1-S,
Sentencing Judgement, 2 December 2003 (“Momir Nikoli c Sentencing Judgement”),
para. 60. See also Provisional Verbatim Record of the 3217th Meeting
of the Security Council, 25 May 1993, Statement by the Representative of the United
States: “Truth is the cornerstone of the rule of law, and it will point towards
individuals, not peoples, as perpetrators of war crimes. And it is only the truth
that can cleanse the ethnic and religious hatreds and begin the healing process”.
59. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), pp. 4-9. The
Defence includes the unreliability of newspaper articles within this enumeration.
As stated earlier, however, the Trial Chamber has dealt with this submission:
see II supra, “General considerations regarding the evaluation of
evidence”.
60. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), pp. 11-17.
61. Defence Final Brief (confidential ), pp. 16, 20-21.
62. Prosecution’s Response to Defence Final Brief,
16 April 2004 (“Prosecution’s Response”) (confidential), paras 1, 5 .
63. Prosecution’s Response (confidential ), para. 6.
64. Rule 72(A)(ii) of the Rules.
65. Kupreskic Appeal Judgement , para. 79;
see also Prosecution v. Tihomir Blaskic, Case No. IT-95 -14-A, Judgement,
29 July 2004 (“Blaskic Appeal Judgement”), para. 223.
66. See Annex B, “Procedural background”, infra.
67. Indictment, 14 March 1999.
68. Amended Indictment, 16 December 1999.
69. Motion for Dismissal of the Indictment , 8 February
2000. However, no decision about the form of the Amended Indictment was forthcoming
until February 2001. In the meantime, however, the Pre-trial Judge drew the Prosecution’s
attention to the “very apparent lack of particularity in the Amended Indictment”,
and warned it to start work: Status Conference, 17 November 2000, T. 214 et
seq. The reasons for the delay are explained in the decision itself: Decision
on Objections by Momir Talic to the Form of the Amended Indictment , 20 February
2001, paras 4-8.
70. Ibid., para. 55.
71. Motion Objecting to the Form of the Amended Indictment,
5 February 2001. On 31 August 1999, the Defence for the Accused had filed a pleading
entitled “Motion to Dismiss Indictment”, which addressed the sufficiency of the
supporting material submitted for confirmation of the Indictment against the Accused,
and which the Trial Chamber subsequently dismissed. See Decision on Motion
to Dismiss Indictment, 5 October 1999. The Defence for the Accused filed an interlocutory
appeal against that decision: Interlocutory Appeal from Decision on Motion to
Dismiss Indictment, 12 October 1999. This was rejected by the Appeals Chamber
as improperly filed: Decision on Interlocutory Appeal from Decision on Motion
to Dismiss Indictment Filed Under Rule 72, 16 November 1999. In addition, on 2
May 2001, the Defence for the Accused filed a further motion in which it sought
the dismissal of the Indictment, but not for alleged defects in its form. Instead,
it raised the issue of the resources at its disposal and complained about inequality
of arms: Motion to Dismiss the Indictment, 2 May 2001. This motion was dismissed
by the pre-trial Judge: Decision on Second Motion by Radoslav Brdjanin to Dismiss
the Indictment, 16 May 2001.
72. Decision on Objections by Radoslav Brdjanin to
the Form of the Amended Indictment, 23 February 2001, para. 18.
73. Further Amended Indictment, 12 March 2001.
74. Preliminary Motion Based on the Defects in the
Form of the Indictment Dated 12 March 2001, 5 April 2001. At the Status Conference
held on 18 May 2001, the Pre-trial Judge foreshadowed his view that the Prosecution
had failed to properly plead the intent requirement for a “ common purpose” crime
and advised the Prosecution to file an additional response to the Talic Defence
motion dealing with this issue: Status Conference, 18 May 2001 , T.313-316. The
Prosecution subsequently filed a supplementary response together with a request
for leave to amend the Further Amended Indictment in relation to the “common purpose”
allegation: Prosecution’s Supplementary Response to “Preliminary Motion Based
on the Defects in the Form of the Indictment Dated 12 March 2001” Filed by the
Accused Momir Talic and Request for Leave to Amend the Further Amended Indictment
, 22 May 2001.
75. Decision on the Form of Further Amended Indictment
and Prosecution Application to Amend, 26 June 2001. The Trial Chamber granted
the Prosecution leave to make the amendments it had requested, and , in addition,
the Prosecution was ordered to make a series of other changes, some of which were
directed towards further clarifying the joint criminal enterprise pleaded in the
Indictment. This decision was modified on 2 July 2001: Decision Varying Decision
on Form of Further Amended Indictment, 2 July 2001.
76. Third Amended Indictment, 16 July 2001.
77. Preliminary Motion Based on the Defects in the
Form of the Indictment of 16 July 2001, 30 July 2001; Decision on Form of Third
Amended Indictment, 21 September 2001.
78. Prosecutor’s Fourth Amended Indictment and Request
for Leave to Amend, 5 October 2001. The Prosecution had, in fact, already made
the amendments in the Fourth Amended Indictment and sought retrospective permission
from the Trial Chamber for these.
79. Preliminary Motion Based on the Defects in the
Form of the Indictment of 5 October 2001, 22 October 2001. Indictment related
issues were the subject of lengthy discussions during the Status Conference held
on 6 September 2001.
80. Decision on Form of Fourth Amended Indictment,
23 November 2001. The Prosecution was permitted to retain some of the amendments
that were the subject of its motion for leave to amend, but others were struck
from the Fourth Amended Indictment. The Trial Chamber refused the Prosecution
leave to amend the Indictment with respect to Stara Gradiska.
81. Order (regarding the form of Fourth Amended Indictment),
7 December 2001; Corrected Version of Fourth Amended Indictment , 10 December 2001.
82. Request for Dismissal, 29 November 2001.
83. Trial proceedings began on 23 January 2002.
84. Decision on “Request for Dismissal ” filed by Momir
Talic on 29 November 2001, 22 January 2002, para. 11; see also Decision
on Form of Fourth Amended Indictment, 23 November 2001.
85. Decision on “Request for Dismissal ” filed by Momir
Talic on 29 November 2001, 22 January 2002, paras 7-8.
86. In the meantime, during the trial phase, the Indictment
was amended twice more, but those amendments do not concern the issue at hand.
See Annex B, “Procedural background” infra.
87. In addition, the Defence were on notice as early
as February 2001 that the Trial Chamber held the view that “[i]t is not the
function of a Trial Chamber to check for itself whether the form of an indictment
complies with the pleading principles which have been laid down . It is, of course,
entitled proprio motu to raise issues as to the form of an indictment but,
unless it does so, it waits until a specific complaint is made by the accused
before ruling upon the compliance with the indictment with those pleading principles.
This is fundamental to the primarily adversarial system adopted for the Tribunal
by its Statute”: Decision on Objections by Momir Talic to the Form of the Amended
Indictment, 20 Feb 2001, para. 23 (s omitted).
88. Motion Objecting to the Form of the Amended Indictment,
5 February 2001, paras 3-13. Reply to Prosecution’s Response to “Motion Objecting
to the Form of the Amended Indictment” filed by the Accused Brdanin on 5 February
2001, 12 February 2001.
89. Inter alia, Decision on Objections by Radoslav
Brdanin to the Form of the Amended Indictment, 23 February 2001, para. 18, where
the Prosecution was ordered to file an amended indictment which would comply with
the pleading principles previously announced by the Trial Chamber and plead, as
material facts, the precise role of both accused and the nature of the alleged
individual criminal responsibility of both. Furthermore, many of the challenges
subsequently mounted by Talic were successful and lead to the gradual refinement
and eventual finalisation of the Indictment with respect to the two accused .
90. Robert Donia, T. 832-833, 1203- 1204; ex. P53,
“Expert Report of Robert Donia”, pp. 21-23; Jovica Radojko, T. 20069 ; ex. DB376,
“Expert Report of Paul Shoup”, pp. 10-11.
91. Ex. P53, “Donia Report”, p. 21.
92. While the abbreviation BiH refers to a territorial
unit, the acronym SRBH refers to a political unit.
93. In 1953, the ethnic composition of BiH was as follows:
Muslims constituted 31.3% of the population, Serbs constituted 44.4% of the population
and Croats constituted 23.0% of the population. According to the 1991 census,
during which it was possible to declare “Yugoslav” as an ethnicity, the
ethnic composition of BiH has changed to some extent: Muslims constituted 43.7%
of the population, Serbs constituted 31.4% of the population and Croats constituted
17.3% of the population of BiH: Ex. DB1, “The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina”,
book co-written by Paul Shoup, p. 27. The Trial Chamber recognises that the terms
"ethnic identity" or "ethnicity" may not describe the distinguishing features
of Bosnian Muslims, Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Serbs in their entirety, since
other factors, such as religion and nationality, are of importance. Nevertheless
, for the sake of brevity and following the trend of other Trial Chambers of the
Tribunal, this Trial Chamber has opted for this term for the purposes of this
judgement .
94. Robert Donia, T. 824-827, 1207, 1313; ex. P53,
“Expert Report of Robert Donia”, pp. 23-24; BT-19, T. 20696 (closed session).
95. Robert Donia, T. 822-823; ex. P53 , “Expert Report
of Robert Donia”, pp. 25-26.
96. The Constitution of SRBH was amended in 1989 and
1990 to allow for the holding of multi-party elections. In the early months of
1990, the SRBH Parliament approved the formation of political parties, but prohibited
the organisation of parties on the basis of nationality or religion . However,
in June 1990, this restriction was deemed unconstitutional by the SRBH Constitutional
Court: Robert Donia, T. 839-840, 1215-1216; Patrick Treanor, T. 20881 -20890.
97. Robert Donia, T. 841-842, 1216; Patrick Treanor,
T. 20881-20890. As to the structure of the SDS, it had a Main Board and Municipal
Boards that responded to the Main Board. In mid-1991, a regional structure was
set up, which lasted until September 1992: Predrag Radic, T. 22114.
98. Robert Donia, T. 842; ex. P53, “Expert Report of
Robert Donia”, p. 38.
99. Patrick Treanor, T. 18701-18703 .
100. Robert Donia, T. 845, 1222; ex . P35, “Expert
Report of Robert Donia”, p. 40. In the Chamber of Citizens of the SRBH, out of
the 130 seats, the SDA obtained 43 seats, the SDS 34 seats and the HDZ 21 seats.
The remaining 32 seats went to the SK-SDP (11), the SRSJ (11), the SK-SDP/DSS
(4), the DSS (1), the MBO (2) the SRS/DP-Mostar (1) and the SSO-DS/EKO (2). In
the Chamber of Municipalities of the SRBH, out of the 110 seats, the SDA obtained
43 seats, the SDS obtained 38 seats and the HDZ obtained 23 seats. The remaining
6 seats went to the SK-SDP (3), the SRSJ (1), the SK-SDP/DSS (1) and the SPO (1):
ex. DB1, “The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, book co-written by Paul Shoup,
p. 54.
101. Ex. DB376, “Expert Report of Paul Shoup”, p.
15.
102. Robert Donia, T. 846, 1222-1223 ; ex. P53, “Expert
Report of Robert Donia”, pp. 40-41.
103. BT-19, T. 20696 (closed session ); ex. DB376,
“Expert Report of Robert Donia”, p. 15.
104. Robert Donia, T. 835.
105. Robert Donia, T. 837.
106. Robert Donia, T. 1142-1143.
107. BT-19, T. 20696 (closed session ); Asim Egrlic,
T. 10524-10525; Vahid Mujkanovic, ex. P1980, 92bis statement , 2299903;
Naum Golic, T. 23468; Mirko Dejanovic, T. 23148-23149.
108. Indeed, Alija Izetbegovic encouraged the Bosnian
Muslims not to respond to mobilisation calls: Idriz Merdzanic, ex. P1148 , T.
7719; Mirsad Mujadzic, T. 13341-13343; Muharem Murselovic, ex. P1542, T. 2685
-2686, 2830-2833; Asim Egrlic, T. 10525; ex. P858, “Announcement” by the Kljuc
SDA ; BT-90, T. 17039-17040 (closed session); BT-21, T. 8230-8232 (closed session);
BT-30, ex. P1541, T. 5730 (under seal); BW-1, T. 23309-23310 (closed session).
109. BT-13, T. 4583 (closed session ); Amir Dzonlic,
T. 2308-2309; BT-7, T. 3104-3105 (closed session); Mirsad Mujadzi c, T. 3773;
Atif Dzafic, ex. P1123, 92bis statement, 2004672; Husein Caji c, T. 8978;
Muhamed Filipovic, T. 9363; Asim Egrlic, T. 10525; ex. P1138, “Minutes ” of Kljuc
SDS meeting dated 20 September 1991; BT79, T. 11368 (closed session); Vahid Mujkanovic,
ex. P1980, 92bis statement, 2299903; BT-90, T. 17040-17041 (closed session);
BT-23, T. 6409, 6438; BT21, T. 8230-8232 (closed session), Faik Biscevic, T.
7014-7015; Jovica Radojko, T. 20039-20040; Adil Osmanovic, T. 16546 .
110. Muharem Krzic, T. 1439-1440; BT-7, T. 3041-3042
(closed session); BT-22, T. 4407; Jusuf Arifagic, ex. P554, T. 7056-7057;
Atif Dzafic, ex. P1123, 92bis statement, 2004677; BT- 26, T. 9101 (closed
session); Muhamed Filipovic, T. 9362; Samir Dedic, T. 10455- 10456; Asim Egrlic,
T. 10525; BT-23, T. 6409; Grgo Stojic, T. 6766; Faik Biscevi c, T. 7014-7017,
7113.
111. Adil Osmanovic, T. 16555; Atif Dzafic, ex. P1123,
92bis statement, 2004677; Naum Golic, T. 23490-23495.
112. Muhamed Filipovic, T. 9400-9401 ; Atif Dzafic,
ex P1123, 92bis statement, 2004677-2004678; BT26, T. 9112 (closed session).
113. Muharem Krzic, T. 1572; Zijahudin Smailagic,
T. 2103, 2140; BT-20, T. 5292-5295 (closed session); BT-13, T. 4744 ( closed session);
BT-42, ex. P564, T. 2033-2035 (under seal); BT-79, T. 11351-11352 (closed session);
BT-21, T. 8649 (closed session); BT-92, T. 19786-19787, 19881 (private session);
BT19, T. 20707, 20754 (closed session).
114. Mevludin Sejmenovic, T. 12236 -12237; Paddy Ashdown,
T. 12387-12389; Muharem Murselovic, T. 12625-12626; BT-96 , T. 17667-17671 (closed
session); BT-92, T. 19881-19884 (closed session); Jovica Radojko, T. 20230-20232;
BT-7, T. 2975-2976 (closed session); Mirko Dejanovic, T . 23144-23145; BT-19,
T. 20719, 20745 (closed session).
115. BT-79, T. 11441, 11449, 11659 (closed session);
Mirsad Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3629; BT-104, T. 18634 (private session); BT-19,
T. 20601-20604, 20696-20703 (closed session). See also ex . DB376, “Expert
Report of Paul Shoup”, p. 12: “The Serbs of Bosanska Krajina were , of necessity,
deeply attached to Yugoslavia, given their ethnically isolated position in Bosnia.
They were recruited into the ranks of the Partisan movement for this reason. For
this reason as well, they were one of the centres of resistance to the formation
of an independent Bosnian state in 1991 and 1992 when Yugoslavia disintegrated
”.
116. Ex. P2656.1, “Extract of transcript of session
of the SRBH Assembly”, dated 15 October 1992, Radovan Karadzic addressing Alija
Izetbegovic: “This is the road that you want Bosnia and Herzegovina to take ,
the same highway of hell and suffering that Slovenia and Croatia went through.
Don’t think you won’t take Bosnia and Herzegovina to hell and Muslim people in
possible extinction. Because, Muslim people will not be able to defend itself
if it comes to war here”; ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia”, p. 59; Robert Donia,
T. 1113-1114; Patrick Treanor, T. 18709, 18741; ex. DB376, “Expert Report of
Paul Shoup ”, p. 18.
117. Ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia”, p.
59.
118. Ex. P21, “Stenograph”, taken at the constituting
session of the Assembly of the Serbian People of BiH on 24 October 1991; Robert
Donia, T. 1114-1117; Patrick Treanor, T. 18709, 18741; ex. 2351, “Expert Report
of Patrick Treanor”, p. 96.
119. Ex. P1817, “Radio Bosanski Petrovac Broadcast”;
Robert Donia, T. 1121-1122; Muharem Krzic, T. 1754-1755. Non-Serbs were allowed
to vote, but they did so on separate coloured ballots that were counted separately.
Very few Croats and Muslims did vote: Robert Donia, T. 1118-11121.
120. On 15 January 1992, the European Community’s
Badinter Commission recommended that a referendum be held on the question of independence
of the SRBH: Robert Donia, T. 1143, 1227-1228; Patrick Treanor, T. 20962-20965;
ex. DB161, “Opinion on Recognition”. On 17 December 1991, the foreign ministers
of the European Community approved the procedure for allowing the SFRY’s republics
to apply for independence, and created a commission to assess any applications
received. The Badinter Advisory Commission to the European Community thereafter
invited applications from these republics in order to evaluate their applications
based on adherence to certain guidelines such as the existing legal provisions
in place for the respect of individual and minority rights: ex. P53, “Expert Report
of Robert Donia”, p. 62. The idea of a referendum was energetically opposed by
the SDS, which called all Serbs to boycott the referendum, while the SDA and the
HDZ leaders urged a vote in favour of Bosnian independence: Robert Donia, T. 1237-1239
; ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia”, p. 62; Muharem Krzic, T. 1754; BT-9,
T. 3664-3665 (closed session); Patrick Treanor, T. 20920-20924; BT-19, T. 20607
(closed session); Mirko Dejanovic, T. 23220. The SDS favoured the ‘Cutileiro Plan’
, which provided for the cantonisation of the SRBH: Robert Donia, T. 1241-1242;
ex. DB1, “The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, book co-written by Paul Shoup, pp.
111, 113; ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia”, p. 70. With respect to the
involvement of the international community in the BiH affairs, see ex.
DB376, “Expert Report of Paul Shoup”, p. 19.
121. Robert Donia, T. 1154; Patrick Treanor, T. 20920-20924;
Muharem Krzic, T. 1447.
122. Robert Donia, T. 1155; ex. P53 , “Expert Report
by Robert Donia”, p. 70; ex. DB1, “The War in Bosnia-Herzegovina ”, book co-written
by Paul Shoup, pp. 94-98. BiH was admitted into the United Nations on 22 May 1992:
see UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/46/237 of 22 May 1992; Mirsad
Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3626.
123. Adil Draganovic, T. 4897; BT- 19, T. 20600-20601
(closed session); Zijahudin Smailagic, T. 1947-1948; Robert Donia , T. 1135-1137.
“On 6 April the Serbs began shelling Sarajevo. On April 7 and 8, following the
international recognition of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serb forces crossed the Drina
from Serbia proper and lay siege to the Muslim cities of Zvornik, Visegrad , and
Foca. By mid-April all of Bosnia was engulfed in war”: ex. DB1, “The War in Bosnia
and Herzegovina”, book co-written by Paul Shoup, p. 129.
124. Ex. P2464, “Speech” by Radovan Karadzic before
the SRBH Assembly on 14 October 1991; ex. P20, “Minutes” of a meeting held on
15 October 1991.
125. Ex. P21, “Stenograph”, taken at the constituting
session of the Assembly of the Serbian People of BiH on 24 October 1991, according
to which Radovan Karadzic stated: “War will start here only if someone attempts
to force the Serbs to do something they do not want to do”.
126. Ex. P2466, “Speech” by Radovan Karadzic on 1
November 1991, in which he stated: “I am kindly asking you…, you should seise
power completely and energetically… to get ready and establish your authority
in your territories; in municipalities, regions, local communities”.
127. See ex. P24, “Transcript ” of the 3rd
session of the SerBiH Assembly, pp. 13, 25; Robert Donia, T. 1293-1295 .
128. Ex. P25, “Instructions for the Organisation and
Activity of Organs of the Serbian People in BiH in extraordinary circumstances”
(“Variant A and B Instructions”). The Document was published in full in Slobodna
Bosna newspaper on 12 March 1992, ex. P122. It was distributed to the SDS
municipal boards, Predrag Radic, T. 22167-22168, 22335; Rajko Kalabic, T. 22576-22577,
and it was discussed in the municipalities, including those not in the ARK, by
the SDS Municipal Boards and/or the Crisis Staffs. The SerBiH Assembly discussed
the second phase of implementation of the Variant A and B Instructions : ex. P102,
“Conclusions of the SerBiH Assembly regarding the validity of the referendum on
the status of BiH”, p. 30; ex. P2470, “Transcript of 6th meeting of the SerBiH
Assembly”, 26 January 1992. So did the SDS Main Board, where amongst others, Radovan
Karadzic took the floor: ex. P2383.14, “Speech” by Radovan Karadzic, 14 February
1992. See also ex. P2351, “Expert Report of Patrick Treanor”, p. 22.
129. Ex. P25, “Variant A and B Instructions ” section
I, paras 1-2. The Bosnian Serb leadership was fully aware that the establishment
of Bosnian Serb authority, especially in areas where Bosnian Serbs were in a minority
, would necessarily entail the use of force and fear: At the 4th session of the
SerBiH Assembly, held on 21 December 1991, Radovan Karadzic made the following
statement : “As rational beings, we know what civil war means; the experience
of Croatia tells us exactly what civil war has done to us. Apart from causing
the deaths of several hundred thousand people and complete destruction of several
hundred towns, a civil war in Bosnia and Herzegovina would also result in massive
and rapid population movements; in other words, it would lead to population homogenisation”,
ex. P2467 . At the same session, Radislav Vukic stated: “If the European Community
goes on with its threats to recognise BiH as an independent state, or as part
of a future Independent State of Croatia, (...( there will be another Serbian
uprising and there will be massive bloodshed in which some nations, that have
been subsequently created , will disappear altogether”, ex. P2467. See also
ex. DB376, “Expert Report of Paul Shoup”, pp. 6-7: “In Bosnia, the outbreak of
violence could only mean, if history was any guide, an inexorable descent into
bloodshed and excess”.
130. Ex. P25, “Variant A and B Instructions ”, Instruction
3. The creation of Crisis Staffs in wartime was already envisaged in the law of
the SRBH. The extraordinary aspects of the Crisis Staffs provided for by the Variant
A and B Instructions was that they were Crisis Staffs of the Serbian people,
bodies established by a political party to be composed of officials of that party
and nominees of that party for various administrative functions : Patrick Treanor,
T. 18801.
131. Ex. P25, “Variant A and B Instructions ”, section
III.3. See also ex. P2475, “Transcript” of the 14th session of the SerBiH
Assembly, held on 27 March 1992, during which Radovan Karadzic told the delegates:
“The moment you arrive in your municipalities, you must urgently form crisis staffs”.
Later in his speech he repeated his exhortation, requesting that they do this
“with the full authorisation of the (SerBiH( Assembly”.
132. For ease of reference, Republika Srpska (proclaimed
only on 12 August 1992) will be referred to as SerBiH throughout the judgement.
133. Ex. P2469, “Transcript of the 5th session of
the SerBiH Assembly”, held on 9 January 1992; Robert Donia, T. 1143 ; Patrick
Treanor, T. 20960. See also, VI.A.1, “The establishment of the ARK”.
134. At the 8th session of the SerBiH Assembly, held
on 25 February 1992, Radovan Karadzic made it clear that BiH “would not be a unitary
state but would consist of constituent parts… Croats say: a state community. Muslims
would say: a common state, while we say: a community of states … The Serbian people
will not rest until they have attained what they had in the time of the Nemanjic’s:
their own state”, ex. P33. Vojo Kupresanin stated: “I am against any kind of joint
institution with the Muslims and Croats of BiH. I personally consider them to
be our natural enemies. You already know what natural enemies are and that we
can never again live together”, ex. P33. See also BT-19, T. 20718 (closed
session). At the 10th session of the SerBiH Assembly, held on 11 March 1992 ,
Radovan Karadzic made it clear that nothing could succeed if something was done
against the will of one ethnic community and stated that such action “could lead
only to uncontrolled processes and chaos, the result of which would be a bloody
civil war with hundreds of thousands dead and hundreds of destroyed cities… it
must be assumed that the forcible and bloody removal of minority peoples from
one region to another would be carried out on a large scale in a civil war”, ex.
P2473. At the 11th session of the SerBiH Assembly, held on 18 March 1992, Radovan
Karadzic stated: “Rest assured, there will be no signing before we have achieved
what we want, and you all know our strategic plans. Once we have attained an independent
Serbian Bosnia and Herzegovina, independent both of the remaining two and of the
central organs, the possibility will open to us for establishing state, economic
, cultural and any other links that we want. We do not have to say everything
yet . The fact is that all the telescopes are now pointed at Yugoslavia, at Bosnia
and Herzegovina. The ultimate strategic goal must still remain a secret”, ex.
P2474. Momcilo Krajisnik took the floor and stated that: “Si]n this respect, it
would be good if we could do one thing for strategic reasons: if we could start
implementing what we have agreed upon, the ethnic division on the ground. That
we start determining the territory, and once the territory is determined, it remains
to be established in additional negotiations, whose authorities are to function
and in what way”, ex. P2474. Biljana Plavsic added that: “Regarding what has been
said earlier, this must be made reality on the ground…”, ex. P2474. Also during
this session, Miroslav Vjestica (deputy from Bosanska Krupa) discussed the establishment
of the Serbian MUP and national defence and stated that “we must take possession
of all our Serbian territories, physically, with our own territorial defence,
our Serbian police”, ex. P2474. At the 12th session of the SerBiH Assembly, held
on 24 March 1992, Radovan Karadzic made it clear that not only was there a plan
to take over the territory , but also that it was ready to be put into effect:
ex. P26, “Stenograph”.
135. On 15 October 1991, the same day when SDS President
Radovan Karadzic made an impassioned speech before the Republican Assembly of
the SRBH in Sarajevo, indicating the possibility that Muslims could disappear
as a group if they declared the independence of the SRBH from the SFRY , at a
meeting of the SDS Party Council, one of its members noted that “St]his evening
we must shed the illusion that a form of co-existence with the Muslims and Croats
can be found”, see speech of Tudor Dutina, ex. P20, “Minutes” of meeting
held on 15 October 1991. On 28 February 1992, at a meeting of the SDS Deputies
Club , Radovan Karadzic stated: “Muslims cannot live with others. We must be clear
on that. They could not live with the Hindu, who are as peaceful as sheep… There
can be no discussion here. Yes, they set up the Bosnian Krajina there, and in
two years’ time you would have problems again to separate each and every village
there because they will overwhelm you with their birth-rate and their tricks.
We cannot allow that to happen”, ex. P34, “Transcript”, p. 36. On 6 March 1992,
the ARK Regional Board of the SDS gave a press conference at which it was stated
that it was “justified and necessary to consolidate ethnic territories in Bosnia
and Herzegovina” and that if talks failed “the Serbian people will have no other
solution but to take up arms and use them to protect its territory”, ex. P121.
136. At the 12th session of the SerBiH Assembly, held
on 24 March 1992, Radovan Karadzic stated that: “At a desired moment … we can
form whatever we want. There are reasons why this could happen in two or three
days… At that moment, all the Serbian municipalities, both the old ones and the
newly established ones, would literally assume control of the entire territory
of the municipality concerned… Then, at a given moment… there will be a single
method used and you will be able to apply it in the municipalities you represent,
including both things that must be done as well as how to do them. How to separate
the police force, take the resources that belong to the Serbian people an take
command The police must be under the control of the civilian authority, it must
obey it, there is no discussion about that – that’s the way it must be”, ex. P26,
“Stenograph”.
137. On 31 March 1992, Momcilo Mandic, Assistant Minister
of Internal Affairs in BiH, sent a telex to all security centres and all the public
security stations around the SerBiH, informing them of the establishment of the
Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP), decision taken at a meeting of the
SerBiH Assembly, held on 27 March 1992, at which the Constitution of the SerBiH
was ceremonially promulgated, ex. P2366. See also Patrick Treanor, T. 18781
.
138. Ex. P153, “Decision of the SerBiH Ministry of
Defence”, signed by Bogdan Subotic, dated 16 April 1992. On 4 May 1992 , the Regional
Secretariat for National Defence, headed by Lieutenant Colonel Milorad Sajic,
ordered full mobilisation in the ARK: ex. P167, “Decision”. See also BT-21,
T. 8356-8358 (closed session); Dobrivoje Vidic, T. 23068-23071.
139. BT-19, T. 20635 (closed session ).
140. Ex. P50, “Minutes” of the 16th session of the
SerBiH Assembly, held on 12 May 1992 in Banja Luka. The Preamble to the speech
states as follows: “The Serbian side in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the President,
the Government, the Council for National Security, which we have set up, have
formulated strategic priorities, that is to say, the strategic goals for the Serbian
people”.
141. Ex. P50, “Minutes”, pp. 13-14 : “Separation from
the other two national communities – separation of states. Separation from those
who are our enemies and who have used every opportunity, especially in this century,
to attack us, and who would continue with such practices if we were to continue
to stay together in the same state”. See also Ewan Brown, T. 19235.
142. Ex. P50, “Minutes”, pp. 13-14 .
143. Ewan Brown, T. 19233. See also ex. P2416,
“Expert Report of Ewan Brown”, p. 25.
144. Ex. P50, “Minutes” of the 16th session of the
SerBiH Assembly, held on 12 May 1992 in Banja Luka, during which Radovan Karadzic
stated: “We do not want to get a state which has a huge number of those who are
against that state”, p. 16. Miroslav Vjestica (deputy from Bosanska Krupa), on
the same occasion, stated that already there were “no more Muslims in the Serbian
municipality of Bosanska Krupa… Will they have a place to return to? I think it
is unlikely after our President told us the happy news that the right bank of
the Una river was the border”. See also comments from other delegates to
that effect: Trifko Radic, p. 20, and Aleksa Milojevic, p. 35. See further
Ewan Brown, T. 19236, 19241-19242; ex. 2416, “Expert Report of Ewan Brown”, pp.
25-26; Paul Shoup, T. 24562-24563.
145. Ex. P50, “Minutes”, pp.8, 12. For example, references
by Radovan Karadzic to “Militant Islamic fundamentalism” and Bosnia becoming “a
stronghold of Islamic, primarily Turkish, interests in Europe ”.
146. Ex. P50, “Minutes”, p. 33. For example, comment
by Dusan Kozic that “the enemy – Ustasas and Mujahedin – must be defeated by whatever
means are necessary”.
147. Ex. P50, “Minutes”, p. 27. For example, the comment
by Milan Novakovic that Muslims “co-operate best when there is Serbian rule, that
is what they react to best, when there is Serbian authority , there is peace in
the house”.
148. Ex. P50, “Minutes”, p. 22. During the same session
of the SerBiH Assembly, the comment of Dragan Kalinic was positively approved
by the Accused: ibid., p. 29; Milorad Dodik, T. 20484; Mevludin Sejmenovic,
T. 12111-12112.
149. When SerBiH was renamed Republika Srpska on 12
August 1992, the denomination of the army also changed from “Army of the Serbian
Republic of BiH” to “Army of the Republika Srpska” (VRS). For ease of reference,
the Trial Chamber will use ‘VRS’ throughout the judgement, even when it refers
to events prior to 12 August 1992.
150. Ex. P50, “Minutes”, p. 60, Ewan Brown, T. 19232-19133;
ex. P 2416, “Expert Report of Ewan Brown”, pp. 32-35; Mirko Dejanovic, T. 23210-23212;
Osman Selak, T. 12905-12908, 13262-13267; Muharem Murselovi c, T. 12292. The composition
of the Presidency of the SerBiH changed several times during the first year, and
the number of members varied from two to five, but consisted of persons from the
same group of people throughout the period: Radovan Karadzic, Nikola Koljevic,
Biljana Plavsic, Momcilo Krajisnik and Branko \eric: ex. P2352, “Addendum to Expert
Report of Patrick Treanor”, pp. 99-100. During the 16th session of the SerBiH
Assembly, Ratko Mladic noted that “command was to be exercised from the President
through the Main Staff to subordinate units, that there was to be a unified political
and military command and control system, that the framework of the army was to
consist of Corps and that absolute obedience was to be implemented and discipline
established through legal measures”, ex. P50, “Minutes”; see also ex. P2416,
“Expert Report of Ewan Brown”, p. 32. The Army of the Serbian Republic of BiH,
later renamed VRS, was formally established on 19 May 1992.
151. Ratko Mladic was appointed Chief of the VRS Main
Staff as from 12 May 1992, see ex. P2416, “Expert report of Ewan Brown”,
p. 33, note 97.
152. Ex. P50, “Minutes” of the 16th session of the
SerBiH Assembly, held on 12 May 1992 in Banja Luka, pp. 41, 47, during which Ratko
Mladic stated: “…the head of the dragon of fundamentalism lies beneath our hammer.
The enemy has attacked with all its might from all directions. And it is a common
enemy, regardless whether it is the Muslim hordes or Croatian hordes . It is our
common enemy. What is important now is either to throw both of them out employing
political and other moves, or to organise ourselves and throw out one by force
of arms, and we will be able to deal with the other… We are creating an army which
will defend, successfully, the traces of our fathers have left behind and protect
our children from the conquering ambitions of Nazi mercenaries”. Ratko Mladic
further stated that he understood the forcible removal of the Muslims to mean
genocide, ex. P2416, “Expert report of Ewan Brown”, p. 26.
153. See ex. P2419, “Analysis of Combat Readiness
and Activities of the VRS 1992”, issued by VRS Main Staff in April 1993, p. 159:
“…the strategic objectives of our war which were promptly defined and set before
the Main Staff of the Army of the SerBiH, the Commanders and the units, served
as a general guideline upon which we planned the actual operations … The main
staff of the Army translated the set objectives and tasks into general and individual
missions of the army of the SerBiH and of the individual operational and tactical
formations… with the goals being specifically defined…”. See also ex.
P2416, “Expert Report of Ewan Brown”, pp. 29-32. As to the influence of the SDS
on all levels of command, see ex. P 2419, “Analysis of Combat readiness
and activity of VRS in 1992”, issued by VRS Main Staff in April 1993. See
also. VI.C.3, “The authority of the ARK Crisis Staff with respect to the army”.
154. Ex. P2416, “Expert Report of Ewan Brown”, pp.
29, 32.
155. BT-19, T. 20654 (closed session ); Ivo Atlija,
ex. P1527, T. 5549; BT-94, T. 17997, 18165-18166; BT-9, T. 3305-3306 (closed session);
ex. P121, “News item” regarding a press conference by the SDS Regional Board of
the ARK, 6 March 1992; ex. DB376, “Expert Report of Paul Shoup ”, p. 6.
156. In August 1994, during the celebration of the
third anniversary of the take-over of Mt. Kozara, Vojo Kupresanin stated: “We
knew even back then that a state cannot be a state without its radio, TV, and
other media, and without its currency. We, in the assembly of the former Bosnia
and Herzegovina, knew that nothing could be achieved with the Muslims and Croats
, the anti-Serbian coalition, and we were happy to part ways with them. We began
the parting with the Autonomous Region and continued with the takeover of the
relay ", ex. P1532 ,”Videotape”. See also Dobrivoje Vidic, T. 23043-23046;
Mevludin Sejmenovic, T. 12239-12245, 12315.
157. BT-9, T. 3216-3217, 3255, 3642 (closed session);
BT-11, T. 3878-3879, 4138-4139 (closed session); BT-7, T. 3119 (closed session);
Mevludin Sejmenovic T. 12239-12243; Muhamed Filipovic, T. 9295 -9296, 9347-9348;
Muhamed Sadikovic, T. 18346-18347; Ahmet Hidic, T. 16300-16303 . Asim Erglic,
T. 10644, dates the disappearance of Sarajevo TV to mid-April 1992 . See also
ex. P543, “Glas newspaper article”, dated 16 October 1991 , reporting about
the takeover of the transmitter.
158. Witness BT-9, T. 3305-3306, 3319 -3327, 3678-3680
(closed session). Exceptionally, the composition of the staff of the newspaper
Oslobodenje was multi-ethnic throughout the conflict, Muharem Krzic, T. 1449-1450.
159. BT-11, T. 3915, 4135, 4149 (closed session);
Muharem Krzic, T. 1440; BT-9, T. 3512-3513 (closed session); BT-94, T. 17997;
see also ex. P2326 (under seal); Atif Dzafic, ex. P1123, 92bis statement,
2004677; ex. P855, “Radio Kljuc Broadcast”, Joint Announcement by the Serb Orthodox
Church and the SDS; Muhamed Filipovic, T. 9318; Adil Draganovi c, T. 5741; Mevludin
Sejmenovic, ex. P1533, T. 4552; Muharem Murselovic, ex. P1542 , T. 2687. The Trial
Chamber bears in mind that by this time, the Bosnian Serbs were not yet at war
with the Bosnian Muslims.
160. BT-22, T. 4410-4411; BT-9, T. 3199-3200, 3265,
3431 (closed session); Amir Dzonlic, T. 2308. Muslims were described by the media
as Islamic fundamentalists, extremists or fanatics, as ‘Green Berets’ , ‘Turks’
or ‘Balijas’, while the Croats were referred to as ‘Ustasas’: ex. P2326 (under
seal); Amir Dzonlic, T. 2307; Muharem Krzic, T. 1469; Nurset Sivac, ex. P1547
, T. 6658.
161. As an example of such a picture , see ex.
P510; BT-9, T. 3494-3495 (closed session). A well-known such rumour was the one
involving the death of twelve Bosnian Serb babies in the hospital in Banja Luka
due to the lack of oxygen, BT-20, T. 5335-5337 (closed session). The Defence contends
that the death of the twelve Serbian babies was not a rumour, but an established
fact. The Trial Chamber attaches more importance that this fact, true or untrue,
was taken advantage of by the Serb propaganda machine for incitement of Serbs
against Muslims. Another rumour concerned the so-called monster doctor, Dr. Sikora,
who was said to be sterilizing Serb women in Prijedor. Yet another rumour said
that certain construction holes in Prijedor would serve as mass graves for Serbs,
BT-106, T. 21123-21125 (closed session); Ivo Atlija, ex. P1527, T. 5549-5551 ;
Mirsad Mujadzic, T. 13323-13329; Mirsad Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3706; BT-42, ex
. P564, T. 1819-1820. See also ex. P1605, “Kozarska Vjesnik newspaper
article”, dated 28 June 1992; ex. 1606, “Kozarska Vjesnik newspaper article
”, dated 12 June 1992; BT-106, T. 21123-21125 (closed session); Ivo Atlija, ex.
P1527, T. 5549-5551; Mirsad Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3706; BT-42, ex. P564, T. 1819
-1820 (under seal).
162. Osman Selak, T. 13544-13546. The Trial Chamber
is satisfied that some Serb intellectuals spoke out against the policy of the
SDS and warned against the consequences of such policy. One of the most forceful
amongst them was Vladimir Srebrov, professor at the Faculty of Philosophy at Sarajevo
University: ex. DB376, “Expert Report of Paul Shoup”, p. 7; ex. P2725 , “Bora
newspaper article”, written by Vladimir Srebrov, dated 2 April 1992 : “Death
Follows in Your Wake”.
163. Muharem Krzic, T. 1483-1484.
164. BT-11, T. 3990, 4059 (closed session); Zijahudin
Smailagic, T. 1942; Ibrahim Fazlagic, T. 4273; BT-22, T. 4410 ; BT-13, T. 4603
(closed session); Muharem Krzic, T. 1547-1548; Amir Dzonlic, T. 2303.
165. On 30 May 1992, ‘Cetnik’ songs were played on
the radio, calling for the killing of ‘Turks’ and other non-Serbs . Moreover,
there were announcements read out to inform the Serb people about the Muslim extremists
led by Slavko Ecimovic having attacked Prijedor. The announcement called for all
Serbs to defend the town and destroy Ecimovic and his group: Nurset Sivac, ex.
P1547, T. 6573. Between 10 and 20 June 1992, there were appeals addressed to Serbs
to lynch all non-Serbs: ibid., T.6619.
166. BT-94, T. 17997, 18165-18166; Ivo Atlia, ex.
P1547, T. 5551.
167. See the following paragraphs .
168. BT-9, T. 3339-3340 (closed session ); BT-11,
T. 3959-3960, 3980-3984 (closed session); BT-94, T. 18067; BT-27, ex. P1529, T. 4272
(under seal); Muharem Murselovic, ex. P1542, T. 2698; Atif Dzafic, ex. P1123,
92bis statement, 2004682; BT-26, T. 9102 (closed session); Muhamed Filipovic,
T. 9402, 9477-9478; Besim Islamcevic, T. 7431; Mirzet Karabeg, T. 6104 ; Adil
Draganovic, T. 4924; BT-17, T. 7652 (closed session); Adil Osmanovic, T. 16566-16567.
See also ex. P141, “Press statement”; ex. P142, “Transcript” of a press
conference held on 8 April 1992; Bekir Delic, T. 7939-7940; Adil Osmanovi c, T.
16566-16567; Mirko Dejanovic, T. 23160-23161; Nikola Vracar, T. 23872.
169. Muharem Murselovic, ex. P1542 , T. 2698; BT-26,
T. 9102 (closed session); Mirzet Karabeg T. 6104; BT-17, T. 7652 (closed session);
Adil Draganovic, T. 4924.
170. See ex. P227, “ARK Official Gazette”,
Conclusions of 8 May 1992: “Only personnel absolutely loyal to the Serbian Republic
of Bosnia and Herzegovina may hold managerial posts”. See ex. P254 /P255,
“Decision of the ARK Crisis Staff”, dated 22 June 1992, stipulating that “only
personnel of Serbian nationality” may hold “leading positions, positions involving
the access to information, protection of public property and other positions of
importance for the functioning of the economy”. See also IX.F.2, “Right
to employment”.
171. Muharem Krzic, T. 1463-1464, 1629; Amir Dzonlic,
T. 2334; Adil Draganovic, T. 4946-4948; Besim Islamcevic, T. 7547-7548; Jovica
Radojko, T. 20132-20133; BT-9, T. 3208-3209 (closed session); Asim Egrlic, T. 10548;
BT-13, T. 4702 (closed session); BT-17, T. 7651-7652 (closed session); Jasmin
Odobasic, T. 15116; BT-26, T. 9102 (closed session). For the army , see infra
para. 91.
172. Amir Dzonlic, T. 2470-2471; BT -11, T. 3981-3982
(closed session); Mevludin Sejmenovic, ex. P1533, T. 4559; Muhamed Filipovic,
T. 9402; Muharem Murselovic, ex. P1542, T. 2692, 2698, 2824-2826, 2908 ; Kerim
Mesanovic, ex. P1131, T. 5151; BT-33, ex. P1544, T. 3917 (under seal); BT -34,
ex. P558, T. 1056-1057, 1144-1145, 1219 (under seal); Adil Draganovic, T.4914
-4915, 5643, 5961-5963; Faik Biscevic, T. 7193-7194; ex. P619, “Decision” of the
Serb Municipality of Sanski Most Crisis Staff, dated 21 April 1992; BT-104, T. 18508
-18509 (private session); Midho Druzic, T. 16755-16756; BT-81, T. 13777, 13790-13791
; BT-82, T.13961, 14025; BT-83, T. 14045-14046, 14098-14099.
173. Ibrahim Fazlagic, T. 4208; BT -81, T. 13790;
Muhamed Filipovic, T. 9517; BT-17, T. 7705 (closed session); Husein Cajic, T. 8986.
174. Muhamed Filipovic, T. 9494-9495 ; BT-81, T. 13789-13790;
Midho Druzic, T. 16756-16757.
175. Muharem Krzic, T. 1458-1459; Zijahudin Smailagic,
T. 2164; Mevludin Sejmenovic, ex. P1533, T. 4595; Husein Caji c, T. 8996; Mirzet
Karabeg, T. 6099, 6282; Ahmed Zulic, T. 6855; Rajif Begic, T . 6333; BT-23, T. 6411;
BT-16, T. 8050-8051; BT-21, T. 8692-8693 (closed session ). See also ex.
P2326 (under seal).
176. Amir Dzonlic, T. 2594; Ibrahim Fazlagic, T. 4300-4301;
Muharem Krzic, T. 1778; Zijahudin Smailagic, T. 1962-1963 ; BT-20, T. 5249 (closed
session). See also IX.F.2, “Denial of fundamental rights”.
177. Osman Selak, T. 13220-13222; Mirsad Mujadzic,
ex. P1601, T. 3605; Senad Alkic, T. 15020; ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia”,
p. 56.
178. Robert Donia, T. 1243-1244; BT -7, T. 2842 (closed
session); BT-11, T. 3946-3948 (closed session); ex. P15, “Note ”; ex. P53, “Expert
Report of Robert Donia”, pp. 55-57.
179. BT-11, T. 3884-3885, 3891 (closed session); Ibrahim
Fazlagic, T. 4254; Osman Selak, T. 13154-13156; BT-36, T. 10977 -10978 (closed
session). See also ex. P1596, “Video”, in which a Bosnian Serb Colonel
states during a ceremony that the 5th Kozara Brigade had prepared and armed the
Serbian people.
180. Robert Donia, T. 1109; BT-17, T. 7688 (closed
session); Adil Draganovic, T. 4917; BT-21, T. 8207-8212, 8655 (closed session);
BT-104, T. 18511-18512 (private session); Muhamed Sadikovic, T. 19198- 19199;
Ahmet Hidic, T. 16187-16188; Jadranko Saran, T. 17218.
181. BT-11, T. 3885 (closed session ); Ibrahim Fazlagic,
T. 4253-4256, 4360-4362; BT-36, T. 10962-10965, 10976-10977 (closed session);
BT-93, T. 20380, 20407-20408, 20413 (closed session); Mirsad Mujadzic , ex. P1601,
T. 3606; BT-79, T. 11500-11501 (closed session); Muharem Filipovic, T. 9354, 10064;
Jadranko Saran, T. 17278; BT-21, T. 8218 (closed session); Jovica Radojko, T. 20040-20043;
ex. P865, “Minutes” of SDS Kljuc meeting held on 23 December 1991; ex. P335, “Presentation”,
made by Major General Milan Gvero of the VRS Main Staff at the 34th session of
the SerBiH Assembly, held on 29 September 1993.
182. Jusuf Arifagic, ex. P554, T. 7059, 7152-7153;
Mevludin Sejmenovic, T. 12284-12288; Atif Dzafic, ex. P1123, 92bis statement,
2004672; Husein Cajic, T. 8983-8984; BT-26, T. 9109 (closed session); Muhamed
Filipovic, T. 9354-9356; 9368-9370; ex. P887, “List” with the names of 149 Bosnian
Serb individuals that had been provided with weapons; Besim Islamcevic, T. 7422-7423;
Midho Alic, T. 13863-13864; BT-82, T. 13966-13967; BT -50, ex. P1641, T. 14330
(under seal); Jasmin Odobasic, T. 15112-15113; Jadranko Saran, T. 17218; BT-19,
T. 20608 (closed session).
183. Osman Selak, T. 12882, 12925- 12929, 13234-13244;
Mirsad Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3606; ex. P1573, “Note”; ex. DB116, “Order” for
the delivery of weapons, dated 5 May 1992.
184. In April 1992, the TO units in Muslim-led municipalities
were placed under a unified command and eventually became the Army of Bosnia and
Herzegovina (ABiH): ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia ”, pp. 55-56; ex.
DB376, “Expert Report of Paul Shoup”, p. 26.
185. BT-11, T. 3898-3902 (closed session ); Muharem
Krzic, T. 1525; Mirsad Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3660; Mevludin Sejmanovi c, T. 12168;
BT-36, T. 10973-10974, 10984 (closed session); Muhamed Filipovic, T . 9374-9378;
Asim Egrlic, T. 10553-10554; Midho Alic, T. 13865-13866; BT-19, T. 20698 (closed
session); Muharem Murselovic, T. 12626-12628; Nurset Sivac, T. 12800 -12801; Husein
Cajic, T. 8985; Adil Draganovic, T. 4918; BT-69, T. 17688-17690, 17760-17762;
Mehmet Tenic, T. 16916-16918.
186. Husein Cajic, T. 8985; Muharem Murselovic, T. 12626-12628;
Adil Draganovic, T. 4918-4920; Mehmet Tenic, T. 16916 -16918.
187. BT-13, T. 4584-4585, 4679-4680 , 4735 (closed
session); ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia”, p. 56.
188. BT-34, ex. P558, T. 1057-1061 (under seal); BT-30,
ex. P1541, T. 5723-5724 (under seal); Hasan Salihovic, ex. P550, 92bis statement,
2109326; Husein Cajic, T. 8989-8990; BT-26, T. 9106 (closed session); Ramiz Subasic,
T. 10468; Asim Egrlic, T. 10559; Grgo Stojic, T . 6768-6769; Ahmet Zulic, T. 6858;
Faik Biscevic, T. 7022; Adil Draganovic, T. 5518-5519; BT-17, T. 7682-7683 (closed
session); BT-14, T. 7230 (closed session); Rajif Begic, T. 6333; BT-16, T. 8052;
Ahmet Hidic, T. 16189-16192; Midho Druzic, T. 16757-16758; BT-81 T. 13764, 13770-13774;
Midho Alic, T. 13871-13873; BT-49, T. 14219-14221 (closed session); Jasmin Odabasic,
T. 15125-15127; BT-91, T. 15863 -15865; Rusmir Mujanic, T. 15991-15996; Adil Osmanovic,
T. 16570-16571; ex. P639 , “Conclusions” of the Sanski Most Crisis Staff, dated
22 May 1992.
189. BT-12, T. 4179; BT-11, T. 4070 (closed session);
BT-30, ex. P1541, T. 5723-5724 (under seal); BT-31, T. 13709-13711 ; BT-90, T. 17086
(closed session); BT-17, T. 7681 (closed session); BT-83, T. 14049-14050; BT-84,
T. 14122; BT-20, T. 5237 (closed session); BT-30, ex. P1541, T. 5723-5724; Bajro
Hadzic, ex. P552, 92bis statement, 521138; Jahid Mujkanovi c, ex. P1980.1,
92bis statement, 2299904; BT-17, T. 7682-7683 (closed session ); Ahmet
Hidic, T. 16189-16192; Midho Druzic, T. 16757-16758; BT-81, T. 13772-13774 ; Jasmin
Odobasic, T. 15125-15127; BT-92, T. 19823-19824 (private session). See also
ex. P1207, “Dispatch”; ex. P1221, “Dispatch”; ex. P1222, “Dispatch”; ex . P1243,
“Order”.
190. BT-23, T. 6411; BT-13, T. 4615 -4619 (closed
session); Ivo Atlija, ex. P1527, T. 5562-5565; Ramiz Subasic, T. 10468 ; Rajif
Begic, T. 6333; BT-50, ex. P1641, T. 1434-14337 (under seal).
191. Amir Dzonlic, T. 2411; BT-12, T. 4179-4180; BT-26,
T. 9107 (closed session); BT-104, T. 18512, 18680 (private session); Mirzet Karabeg,
T. 6133; Adil Draganovic, T. 5690; Midho Druzic, T. 16757 -16758; Jovica Radojko,
T. 20050, 20347; ex. P1833, “Minutes” of a meeting of the Petrovac Crisis Staff
held on 16 June 1992; BT-81, T. 13773-13774; BT-84, T. 14197 -14200; Adil Osmanovic,
T. 16570-16571; BT-64, T. 16959, 17007-17008; BT-92, T. 19906 (private session);
Milrad Sajic, T. 23683, 23721-23722. See also ex . P50, “Minutes”, 16th session
of the SerBiH Assembly, held on 12 May 1992: “Bosanski Novi is sealed off. An
ultimatum has been issued, and a deadline set for the Muslims to surrender their
weapons”.
192. Osman Selak, T. 12888-12890, 13202-13203; Mirsad
Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3589-3590. As the JNA withdrew from Slovenia and Croatia,
on 5 December 1991, Slobodan Milosevic ordered that Bosnian -born recruits serving
in other republics of the SFRY be transferred to BiH, while soldiers in BiH who
were natives of other republics be deployed closes to home: ex. P53, “Expert Report
by Robert Donia”, p. 31. According to Osman Selak, this only applied to soldiers
and not to officers and resulted in large desertion rates , T. 13260-13261.
193. Osman Selak, T. 12920-12924, 13049-13050, 13061;
BT-11, T. 3966-3967 (closed session); ex. P1582, “Report”, sent by Colonel Vukic
to the Main Staff of the VRS, dated 9 June 1992, stating that “ within the units
of 1st Krajina Corps … there are 67 officers of Muslim or Croat nationality. An
ultimatum was issued requesting removal of these persons from vital and command
posts by the 15th of June 1992, or they will take over the control of the armed
forces…The 1st Krajina Corps command should make the decision as to which staff
members from the ranks of Muslims and Croats may still be temporarily kept and
at what posts.”; ex. P1583, “Document”, sent by the VRS Main Staff to Colonel
Rankovic, head of the personnel department: “Officers of Muslim or Croatian nationality
must be sent on leave immediately. Take action at once to refer them to the army
of the FRY in order to resolve their status in the service”; ex. P1584, “Document
”, sent by the Command of the 30th Partisan Brigade to the Command of the 1st
Partisan Brigade, dated 21 June 1992: “Soldiers of non-Serb nationality are to
be released from your units at their own request by applying one of the procedures
set forth below. Soldiers of non-Serb nationality who wish to serve in the army
of the SerBiH are to be kept in the units on less important duties and put under
the necessary supervision.” Osman Selak gave evidence that this procedure was
followed in all units of the 5th Krajina Corps, T. 13065-13067, 13078, 13120-13121.
See also ex . P138, “Glas newspaper article”, dated 5 April 1992, quoting
Colonel Vuki c, publicly asking for dismissal of non-Serbs from the army. See
also ex. P2416, “Expert Report of Ewan Brown”, pp. 7, 55-59; ex. P383, “Regular
combat report ”, sent by the 1st Krajina Corps Command to the SerBiH Army Staff,
dated 13 June 1992, para. 6: “The purging of officers on an ethnic basis remains
a topic of discussion because of the danger that it may very soon result in deficiencies
in the units, but it is proceeding in the spirit of the order received”.
194. Muharem Krzic, T. 1461; BT-11 , T. 4132 (closed
session).
195. Ex. DB1, “The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina”,
book co-written by Paul Shoup, p. 85.
196. Mirsad Mujadzic, T. 3651.
197. Ex. DB376 “Expert Report by Paul Shoup”, p. 27.
On the Serb military superiority, see also Zoran Jokic, T. 24029; ex.
P2727, “Videotape”, including an interview with Velibor Ostojic, Information Minister
in the SerBiH Government. Velibor Ostojic stated that Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian
Croats did not stand a chance against the Serbs.
198. The recommendation, signed by Momcilo Krajisnik,
states that “the Deputies Clubs of the SDS in municipal assemblies in BiH, in
which decisions contrary to the interests of the Serbian people are imposed by
majority vote, adopt decisions on establishing municipal assemblies of the Serbian
people. The municipal assemblies of the Serbian people would consist of deputies
of the SDS and other deputies of Serbian nationality who state their wish to join
the assembly”, ex. P2360. See also Patrick Treanor , T. 18743.
199. See supra, para. 69.
200. See, e.g., decisions of individual municipalities:
ex. P27 (Bihac); ex. P28 (Prijedor); ex. P29 (Kotor Varo s); ex. P30 (Donji Vakuf);
ex. P610 (Sanski Most). On 13 March 1992, the President of the SDS Execute Board
in Sarajevo, Rajko Dukic, requested the Municipal SDS Boards to inform the Main
Board whether they were able to establish a “Serbian municipality ”, ex. P125.
201. Patrick Treanor, T. 18706-18708 ; ex. P2351,
“Expert Report of Patrick Treanor”, pp. 18-20; Amir Dzonlic, T. 2322 .
202. Ex. P157, “Excerpt from instructions for the
work of the municipal crisis staffs of the Serbian people”, singed by Prime Minister
Branko \eric, which states, inter alia: “1. In a state of war, the Crisis
Staff shall assume all prerogatives and functions of the municipal assemblies
, when they are unable to convene… 3. The Crisis Staff coordinates the functions
of authorities in order to ensure the defence of the territories, the safety of
the population and property, the establishment of government and the organisation
of all other areas of life and work. In so doing, the Crisis Staff provides the
conditions for the Municipal Executive Committee to exercise legal executive authority
, run the economy and other areas of life… 7. The Crisis Staff shall convene a
meeting of the Municipal Assembly as soon as circumstances permit to have its
work conclusions and decisions verified”. See also Patrick Treanor, T. 18785;
ex. P2351, “ Expert Report of Patrick Treanor”, pp. 23-25.
203. Patrick Treanor, T. 18802; BT -92, T. 19784 (private
session).
204. Ex. P2351, “Expert Report of Patrick Treanor”,
pp. 18, 31-36.
205. Ex. P157, “Excerpt from instructions for the
work of the municipal crisis staffs of the Serbian people”, signed by Prime Minister
Branko \eric, which adopted a considerable revision with respect to the composition
of the Crisis Staff compared to the Variant A and B Instructions ( see ex.
P25).
206. See, e.g., ex. P1010, “Report” (Kljuc).
207. Ex. P2351, “Expert Report of Patrick Treanor”,
p. 23.
208. Ex. P2370, “Announcement”.
209. The Ministry of National Defence of the SerBiH
declared the imminent threat of war on 16 April 1992, which gave the President
of the SerBiH emergency powers, meaning that all powers that fell within the scope
of the Assembly could be exercised by the President during that period : Patrick
Treanor, T. 18785; ex. P2351, “Expert Report of Patrick Treanor”, p. 23 . See
also ex. P153, “Decision of the SerBiH Ministry of Defence”, dated 16 April
1992, on the establishment of the TO of the SerBiH as an armed force of the SerBiH,
declaring a state of imminent threat of war.
210. Ex. P157, “Excerpt from instructions for the
work of the municipal crisis staffs of the Serbian people”, signed by Prime Minister
Branko \eric; Patrick Treanor, T. 18785; ex. P2351, “Expert Report of Patrick
Treanor”, pp. 23-25.
211. Ex. P2351, “Expert Report of Patrick Treanor”,
pp. 24-25.
212. Ex. P227, “ARK Official Gazette ”, decision of
5 May 1992. See also VI.B, “The Crisis Staff of the Autonomous Region of
Krajina”.
213. BT-104, T. 18492; Osman Selak , T. 12932-12935,
12956-12959, 12964-12966, 12973-12974, 12978-12979; BT-21, T. 8224-8229, 8386-8387
(closed session); Ahmed Zulic, T. 6856; Bekir Delic, T. 7935 -7937; BT-17, T. 7639
(closed session); BT-94, T. 18037; Jasmin Odobasic, T. 15107 -15109; BT-11, T. 3873-3874,
3890-3897, 4100-4101 (closed session); Amir Dzonlic, T. 2393-2394, 2425-2428;
Besim Islamcevic, T. 7464; Mehmed Tenic, T. 16854-16855 , 16923-16926; Muhamed
Filipovic, T. 9440; Adil Draganovic, T. 4927, 5656; BT-91 , T. 15866-15867; Jadranko
Saran, T. 17223; BT-13, T. 4669 (closed session). See also ex. P1594,
“Video”, containing a reporter statement to the effect that : “The liberation
of this area (in the Posovina Corridor( was commanded by Colonel Milan Novakovic
and the legendary Milan Martic with the collaboration of the Wolves from Vujcak
under the command of Lieutenant Milankovic”. See also Osman Selak , T. 13140-13143;
Dobrivoje Vidic, T. 22997-23001, 23023-23033; ex. P766, “Report ”; ex. P1785,
“Report”; ex. DB376, “Expert Report by Paul Shoup”, p. 31. See also ex.
P15, “Note” from Colonel Stoja Dejanovic, Commander of the Bosanska Krajina Volunteer
Units to Municipal Staffs of Volunteer Units, dated 24 August 1991: “the JNA does
not have sufficient forces to cover and protect all inhabited places … In view
of historical memory and real danger, this people must organise their own volunteer
units for their own defence and to protect lives”. See further Osman Selak,
T. 12962-12966.
214. BT-106, T. 21051-21056 (closed session); Amir
Dzonlic, T. 2425-2428.
215. Osman Selak, T. 12956-12959; ex. P2326 (under
seal).
216. Ex. P400, “Report on Paramilitary Formations
in the Territory of the SerBiH”, issued by the VRS Main Staff on 28 July 1992.
217. Ex. P400, “Report on Paramilitary Formations
in the Territory of the SerBiH”, issued by the VRS Main Staff on 28 July 1992;
Rusmir Mujanic, T. 15998-16014; Amir Dzonlic, T. 2393-2394; BT-13, T. 4669 (closed
session).
218. See, e.g., ex. P1802, “Order from
the 1st KK Command”, singed by Major General Momir Talic, dated 5 June 1992: “1.
The battalion from the Prnjavor Territorial Defence Command on Mt. Vucjak, is
hereby transferred to the command of the 327th Motorized Brigade and fully incorporated.
2. I appoint Lieutenant Veljko Milankovic as battalion commander who will carry
out and receive all orders from the commander of the 327th Motorised Brigade…”;
ex. P1803, “Dispatch from the 1st KK Command”, dated 23 June 1992, proposing the
decoration of several people, including Veljko Milankovic (the leader of the Wolves
of Vujcak(; ex. P1590, “War diary of Osman Selak”, p. 59, entry of 8th July :
“Vojo Kupresanin said: ‘that the Serbian government of BiH would do all it could
to ensure that our army was organised and integrated as a unified armed force
with a unified command and without paramilitary formations’”; Osman Selak, T.
13114. Adil Draganovic gave evidence that all Serb paramilitary forces, including
the SOS , were under the control of the military command of the army, T. 5656.
219. See VI.C.4, “The authority of the ARK
Crisis Staff with respect to Serbian paramilitary units”.
220. Ibrahim Fazlagic, T. 4256; ex . P2326, entry
of 3 April 1992 (under seal); BT-94, T. 18136-18137; BT-9, T. 3326 -3331 (closed
session); BT-13, T. 4609 (closed session); BT-7, T. 2870-2871, 3062 -3063 (closed
session); Zijahudin Smailagic, T. 1950-1951; BT-11, T. 4054-4056 ( closed session);
BT-21, T. 8226-8229 (closed session); Adil Draganovic, T. 4899- 4901; Predrag
Radic, T. 22215-22220. See also ex. DB55, “Glas newspaper article”.
221. Predrag Radic was at the time the President of
the Banja Luka municipality: Predrag Radic, T. 21943-21946.
222. Ex. P134, “Announcement” on Radio Banja Luka,
3 April 1992. The SOS requested as follows: “1. That the Law on Internal Affairs
of the Republic of the Serbian People in Bosnia and Herzegovina be immediately
implemented on the territory of Banja Luka and afterwards of Bosanska Krajina,
that insignia be changed immediately and that all employees who have shown through
their work that they are destroyers of Yugoslavia and enemies of the Serbian people
be fired. 2. We are requesting of the Supreme Command and Presidency of Yugoslavia
not to break up the Banja Luka Corps and not even think about moving its assets
to other places. At the same time, we are praising the honourable Serbian officers
and soldiers of the Banja Luka Corps from the lowest to the highest, telling them
that the most important thing for them is the support of the Serbian people. …3.
We request the arrest of war profiteers and the publication of their activities
and names. 4. We request replacements in the banks Jugobanka in Banja Luka
and the Privredna banka – Banjalucka banka d.d. in order to prevent a monetary
shock. 5. We request replacements in the post office, where management positions
are occupied by those who voted against Yugoslavia, and who cannot, therefore,
work in a united Yugoslavian PTT. 6. We request that the work of municipal organs
be re-examined because it emerged that there have been abuses. 7. That extraordinary
sessions of the Assembly of the municipality and of the Krajina be scheduled,
at which the Crisis Staff would appoint its representatives to expedite these
requests and at which the rights of soldiers, returnees from the front and families
of fallen soldiers would be adopted”. See also BT-9, T. 3326-3331 (closed session);
BT-11, T. 3957-3958 (closed session).
223. Predrag Radic, T. 21946-21948 .
224. Predrag Radic, T. 21946-21948 , 22215-22220,
22254-22255; BT-11, T. 3958-3962 (closed session); BT-9, T. 3331- 3341, 3963 (closed
session). See also ex. P137, “Glas newspaper article ”, dated 4
April 1992, under the heading “SOS Demands Accepted”. See further ex. P147,
“Public announcement”, 3 April 1992: “Banja Luka is quiet this evening ... most
important public buildings in the city still guarded by the SOS, but no more barricades...
after a meeting of the Banja Luka Crisis Staff at which all seven requests were
accepted... it was explained that these requests were made because of the anti-Serbian
policy being conducted in BiH... and the immediate motive for today’s events according
to what Pedrag Radic... said... is the letter from the Minister of Defence in
the BiH government, Jerko Koko, in which the conducted mobilisation is considered
illegal and no rights of JNA soldiers and reservists are recognised . The Banja
Luka municipality Crisis Staff has accepted all the requests of the Serbian Defence
Forces...”; ex. P483, “Radio Banja Luka”, emission of 3 April 1992 : “After a
three hour discussion the Banja Luka Municipal Crisis Staff granted all the requests
of the Serbian Defence Forces organisation.” The Accused publicly supported the
demands of the SOS: ex. P137, “Transcript of press conference”, 5 April 1992 ,
during which the Accused and Radislav Vukic made statements; BT-94, T. 24759,
24812-24816; ex. P2326, entry of 5 April 1992 (under seal).
225. Predrag Radic, T. 22245-22249 .
226. Predrag Radic, T. 22215-22220 , 22245-22249;
Milorad Sajic, T. 23773-23781.
227. See ex. P2383.2; ex. P2383 .11; ex. P2383.13:
all intercepted telephone conversations between Radovan Karad zic and Nenad Stevandic
in the time period between 31 August 1991 and 11 January 1992. See also
ex. P141, “Glas newspaper article”, dated 4 April 1992 ; Milorad Dodik,
T. 20482. See also ex. P168, “Official Gazette”, entry no . 15; ex. P400,
“Report on paramilitary formations”, demonstrating that Nenad Stevandi c was the
head of the SOS.
228. See for example, Milorad Sajic, T. 23798-23800.
229. See IX, “Charges and Findings ”.
230. For a complete analysis of crimes charged in
the Indictment, see IX.A.2, “The killing of a number of men between Begici
and Vrhpolje bridge”.
231. BT-21, T. 8678-8683 (closed session ); Ahmed
Zulic, T. 6856, 6941; Enis Sabanovic, T. 6469; Faik Biscevic, T. 7148-7149 ; BT17,
T. 7861-7862 (closed session); Bekir Delic, T. 7996; Mirzet Karabeg, T . 6110,
6115.
232. BT-21, T. 8473-8477, 8703-8704 (closed session);
Mirzet Karabeg, T. 6136-6139; Adil Draganovic, T. 5657-5660. See also
ex. P759.1, “Diary”, p. 37; ex. P638, “Order”.
233. BT-21, T. 8473-8482, 8707-8708 (closed session);
Enis Sabanovic, T. 6687; Rajif Begic, T. 6334-6338.
234. Nicolas Sébire, ex. P2008, “Exhumations and Proof
of Death, Autonomous Region of Krajina, Nicolas Sébire, 16 May 2003”, 02927939-02927940;
ex. P791, “Record on the Investigation and Exhumation of Bopdies of Bosniaks from
Mass Graves by the Bridge in Vrhpolje, Sanski Most Municipality ”, issued by the
Lower Court in Sanski Most on 7 May 1996; Adil Draganovic, T. 5590 ; Nicholas
Sébire, T. 16714. Ex. P744, “Details of Services rendered”, is a handwritten log
book from an unknown source. It contains information on burials between May 1992
and December 1993 and contains, under item 4, an entry about the burial of 25
people recovered from the Sana River on 1 and 2 June 1992; see BT-21, T.
8520-8521 (closed session).
235. BT-21, T. 8513-8516, 8751 (closed session). See
also ex. P745, “War history of the 6th Infantry Brigade”, para . 6.
236. Jadranko Saran, T. 17245.
237. BT-55, T. 17539-17541.
238. BT-55, T. 17541.
239. Jadranko Saran, T. 17248.
240. Jadranko Saran, T. 17289.
241. Jadranko Saran, T. 17248; BT- 55, T. 17539-17541;
BT-56, T. 17450.
242. Nusret Sivac, ex. P1547, T. 6568 , 6572-6574;
Muharem Murselovic, ex. P1542, T. 2844; Mevludin Sejmenovic, ex. P1533 , T. 4557-4558;
Mirsad Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3669; BT-42, ex. P564, T. 1822-1823 (under seal).
See also ex. P1168, “Report” by the Prijedor Public Security Station to
the Banja Luka Security Services Centre about the peaceful take-over of Prijedor,
dated 30 April 1992; ex. P1169 “Report” by a certain ‘Milos’ concerning the take-over
of Prijedor.
243. Hambarine: Muharem Murselovi c, ex. P1542, T. 2700-2701,
2850; Ivo Atlija, ex. P1527, T. 5556-5558; Emsud Garibovi c, ex. P 1538, T. 12453,
12457-12458; BT-33, T. 12649, 12654 (closed session); BT -33, ex. P1544, T. 3981-3920,
3927-3928, 4009, 4024, 4035-4041 (under seal); Elvedin Nasic, T. 12686-12687;
Mirsad Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3718-1719; BT-37, ex. P555 , T. 2498 (under seal);
BT-34, ex. P558, T. 1050-1052 (under seal); Nerim Karagi c, ex. P559, T. 5206-5207,
5290; BT-78, ex. P562, T. 6856-6858 (under seal); BT- 42, ex. P564, T. 1844 (under
seal); BT-36, T. 11007-11008 (closed session). See also ex. P1128.42, “Photo”;
ex. P1128.43, “Photo”. Kozarac and Kami cani: Mevludin Sejmenovic, T. 12193, 12289-12292,
4612; Mevludin Sejmenovic, ex. P1533, T. 4673-4674, 4680, 4723-4724; Muharem Murselovic,
T. 12590-12591; Muharem Murselovic, ex. P1542, T. 2701; Idriz Merdzanic, T. 11797-11801;
Idriz Merdzanic, ex. P1148, T. 7722-7724, 7731-7738, 11795-11799, 7825; Mirsad
Mujadzic, ex. P1601 , T. 3840; BT-38, ex. P556, T. 1601, 1607-1608, 1610-1618,
1631-1632 (under seal ); BT-29, ex. P560, T. 6213-6216 (under seal); BT-2, ex.
P561, T. 2620 (under seal ); Samir Poljak, T. 11882; Samir Poljak, ex. P1521,
T. 6328-6334, 6342-6346, 6384 -6390; Nusret Sivac, ex. P1619, T. 6764-6768; Osman
Selak, T. 13091-13093, 13253 -13257, 13084-13088; BT-27, T. 12016-12017; BT-27,
ex. P1529, T. 4273-4277, 4282 (under seal); BT-36, T. 10990-10992, 10997-11003,
11009-11011, 11014-11017, 11054 -11055 (closed session); Jusuf Arifagic, ex. P554,
T. 7071-7075, 7123-7124, 7128 , 7148; Emsud Garibovic, T. 12459. See also
ex. P1416, “Report”; ex. P1226 , “Report”; ex. P1415, “Combat report”. Biscani:
BT-78, ex. P562, T. 6858 -6869 (under seal); BT-32, T. 11864, 11867-11869 (closed
session); BT-32, ex. P1515 , T. 5883-5884, 5901-5903, 5908-5925, 5931-5951, 5962,
6000-6001 (under seal); BT -106, T. 21074-21088 (closed session). See also
ex. P1515 (under seal); ex . P1516 (under seal); ex. P1517 (under seal). Carakovo:
BT-30, T. 12540-12550 , 12555 (partly private session); BT-30, ex. P1541, T. 5727-5738
(under seal); BT -106, T. 21082-21087 (closed session). Brisevo: Ivo Atlija, T. 11932-11933
, 11965, 11989-11991; Ivo Atlija, ex. P1527, T. 5562-5565, 5571-5580, 5582, 5585
-5586, 5589, 5597-5616. See also ex. P1524/S185.2–S185.8, “Photos”; ex.
P1526 /S58, “Video”. Ljubija: BT-33, ex. P1544, T. 3928-3931, 3991-3994, 4056-4057
(under seal).
244. Hambarine: Ivo Atlija, ex. P1527, T. 5661; Elvedin
Nasic, T. 12688-12689, 12720-12721. Kozarac and Kamicani: Idriz Merdzanic, ex.
P1148, T. 7722-7723; Idriz Merdzanic, T. 11795 -11799; Jusuf Arifagic, ex. P554,
T. 7137-7138; BT-44, ex. P565, T. 3197 (under seal); BT-36, T. 10997-11003, 11013
(closed session). See also ex. P1227, “Transcript” of news broadcast of
27 May 1992 regarding combat activities. Bri sevo: Ivo Atlija, ex. P1527, T. 5571.
245. Jovica Radojko, T. 20024, 20061 ; Ahmet Hidic,
T. 16158-16159.
246. Jovica Radojko, T. 20245.
247. Ahmet Hidic, T. 16251.
248. Ahmet Hidic, T. 16251-16254.
249. Ahmet Hidic, T. 16254; Jovica Radojko, T. 20194.
250. Ahmet Hidic, T. 16225.
251. Midho Alic, T. 13872-13876, 13882 -89, 13894,
13896-97, 13917; BT-50, ex. P1641, 92bis statement, 672858-672859 ; BT-81,
T. 13788; BT-86, T. 14290 (closed session); BT-86, ex. P1639, 92bis statement,
943011 (under seal); BT-87, ex. P1643, 92bis statement, 942600 (under seal);
BT-49, T. 14228-14229 (closed session); BT-82, T. 13967-13969, 14027 ; BT-50,
ex. P1641, 92bis statement, 672858-672859 (under seal); BT-83, T. 14055.
See also IX.A.2, “The killing of a number of people during the expulsion
of Bosnian Muslims from the village of Blagaj Japra and the surrounding areas”.
252. BT-83, T. 14055.
253. BT-81, T. 13748, 13838 (closed session).
254. Alija Verem, ex. P1695, 92bis statement,
02061788 (under seal).
255. Senad Alkic, T. 14986-14987.
256. Senad Alkic, T. 14993-14994.
257. Senad Alkic, T. 14995; ex. P1757 , “Report on
the setting up of a Serbian SJB and police participation in the war ”.
258. Senad Alkic, T. 14990-14991; Dzevad Doslic, T.
14835-14836.
259. Ex. P850, “SDS Municipal Civil Defence Plan”;
Muhamed Filipovic, T. 9408, 9438-9439.
260. Ex. DT24, “Official Record” of a police interview,
dated 31 May 1992.
261. Muhamed Filipovic, T. 9529, 10075 -10076, 10082;
BT-79, T. 11665-11666 (closed session); Atif Dzafic, ex. P1123, 92bis statement,
2004685; BT-26, T. 9206-9209, 9239-9245 (closed session). See also ex.
P644, “Regular Combat Report”, issued by the 1st KK Command, dated 28 May 1992,
p. 2.
262. Ex. P916, “Order” to surrender illegal weapons
issued on 28 May 1992 by the Kljuc Crisis Staff.
263. BT-26, T. 9117, 9209 (closed session); Muhamed
Filipovic, T. 9541. See also ex. P 949, “Public Announcement ”.
264. BT-26, T. 9118 (closed session ); Nisvet Ticevic,
T. 10739-10740; Ajiz Begic, ex. P549, 92bis statement, 2109337; Hasan Salihovic,
ex. P550, 92bis statement, 2109327; BT-77, T. 10341 -10343; Bajro Hadzic,
ex. P552, 92bis statement, 521139.
265. See IX.A.2, “The killing of a number of
people in Prhovo village and a number of men on the road to Peci”.
266. Rusmir Mujanic, T. 16014, 16075 -16079; BT-91,
T. 15867-15874.
267. Rusmir Mujanic, T. 16001-16014 ; BT-91, T. 15990-15991;
ex. P 657, “Combat Report”, dated 2 June 1992.
268. Rusmir Mujanic, T. 16015-16017 .
269. Rusmir Mujanic, T. 16001-16010 ; BT-91, T. 15897-15898.
270. BT-95, T. 19550-19551 (closed session).
271. Mehmed Tenic, T. 16864; BT-64 , T. 16959-16960.
272. Mehmet Kopic, ex. P1964, 92bis statement,
1034036.
273. BT-68, ex. P1967, 92bis statement, 943115-943116
(under seal).
274. Adil Osmanovic, T. 16599.
275. Elvedin Pasic, T. 19396-19400 ; BT-96, T. 17695-17700,
17769-17771, 17774-17775 (closed session); BT-71, T. 17635 -17637. As to the take-over
of power by the SDS, see ex. P234, “Report”; BT-96, T. 17693-17694 (closed
session); Muhamed Sadikovic, T. 18220-18223.
276. BT-96, T. 17697-17700, 17747- 17748, 17769-17771
(closed session).
277. Muhamed Sadikovic, T. 18334-18343 ; Zoran Jokic,
T. 24046-24047.
278. See IX.A.2, “The killing of a number of
men in the school in Grabovica”.
279. BT-92, T. 19781.
280. BT-105, T. 19112-19114 (closed session).
281. BT-105, T. 19103(closed session ); ex. P2404,
“Official Note”, dated 9 October 1992.
282. Vahid Mujkanovic, ex. P1980, 92bis statement,
2299907, stating that on 6 August 1992, the Bosnian Muslim population of Basici
had to walk 10 km to Karanovac (in Banja Luka) where they stayed three days in
an old school building, after which local Bosnian Serb military forces ordered
them to leave and go back to their municipality. They drove them in three buses
and made them spent the night in Celinac town, inside the buses guarded by Bosnian
Serb reservists, as their safety could not be guaranteed otherwise. They were
later released.
283. Vahid Mujkanovic, ex. P1980, 92bis statement,
2299902.
284. Vahid Mujkanovic, ex. P1980, 92bis statement,
2299902.
285. Ex. P1788, “Note”; ex. P2005. 1, “Photo”; BT-90,
T. 17073-17074, 17100-17102 (closed session).
286. BT-90, T. 17097 (closed session ).
287. BT-90, T. 17098 (closed session ).
288. BT-90, T. 17179-17182, 17100 (closed session).
289. BT-90, T. 17097 (closed session ); Mehmet Talic,
T. 24148, 24151, 24153. By April 1993, seven hundred and seventy out of more than
one thousand and sixty Bosnian Muslims were left in Celinac municipality (ex.
P1981, “Document regarding figures showing the ethnic structures of the municipality
of Celinac before and after the war broke out, Security Service Centre, Banja
Luka , 30 April 1993”). See also X.C.3, “Benevolent treatment of Bosnian
Muslim population in Celinac”.
290. For a more detailed account of the events of
3 April 1992 in Banja Luka, see supra, paras 98-99.
291. Amir Dzonlic, T. 2485-2486.
292. BT-11, T. 3865 (closed session ); BT-22, T. 4484.
293. BT-12, T. 4175-4181.
294. Ex. P2649, “Map of detention camps in the Autonomous
Region of Krajina”.
295. Nurset Sivac, ex. P1547, T. 6574 -6576, 6720-6721;
Emsud Garibovic, T. 12458-12463; BT-27, T. 12018-12019; BT-36, T. 11009-11011
(closed session); Samir Poljak, ex. P1521, T. 6342-6346; Jusuf Arifagi c, ex.
P554, T. 7074-7081; BT-1, ex. P1619, T. 4736-4737 (under seal); BT 30, ex . P1541,
T. 5728-2730, 5745-5750 (under seal); Idriz Merdzanic, T. 11793-11795; BT-106,
T. 21097, 21105-22106 (closed session).
296. Adil Draganovic, T. 5574-5575 , 5581-5582, 5827,
5878-5885; Mirzet Karabeg, T. 6089-6091, 6140; Enis Sabanovic, T. 6470, 6604-6605;
Bekir Delic, T. 7950-5951, 8010; Jakov Maric, T. 10823-10824 ; Sakib Muhic, T. 8100-8105;
BT-17, T. 7742-7743, 7887 (closed session). See also ex. P759, “Diary”;
ex. P667, “List”; ex. P697, “Telegram”; ex. P790, “List ”.
297. See IX.F.2, “Right to freedom of movement”.
298. See IX.E.2, “Deliberatly inflicting upon
the group conditions calculated to bring about physical destruction ”.
299. See IX.A.2, “The killing of a number of
men in ’Room 3’.at Keraterm camp – Prijedor municipality”.
300. Muharem Murselovic, ex. P1542 , T. 2840-2841;
BT-81, T. 13782; BT-95, T. 19537-19538 (closed session); Senad Alki c, T. 14986-14987;
BT-92, T. 19854, 19869 (private session).
301. BT-19, T. 20643, 20658, 20660 (closed session).
See also ex. P2670 (under seal); ex. P2671 (under seal); ex. P2676 (under
seal); ex. P2677 (under seal); ex. P2678 (under seal). Paul Shoup , a witness
testifying for the Defence, suggested that all three groups engaged in ethnic
cleansing. He admitted, however, that “the Serbs engaged in ethnic cleansing to
a greater degree than either the Croats or Muslims. How much more remains a subject
of debate. Above and beyond the question of numbers, there was the issue of the
brutality with which ethnic cleansing was carried out, the destruction of cultural
monuments and artefacts, and the plundering of the homes and villages of the departed
… in the case we are concerned with, ethnic cleansing was not associated with
the physical liquidation of entire populations, but rather their hasty removal,
accompanied by the excesses of rape, pillaging and murder”, ex. DB376, “Expert
Report of Paul Shoup”, pp. 33, 37.
302. Ex. P227, “ARK Official Gazette ”, Item 17, Decision
of the ARK Crisis Staff, para. 6: “An agency shall be established to work on the
problem of population resettlement”; BT-19, T. 20641 (closed session ); Nurset
Sivac, ex. P1547, T. 6770-6771; Adil Draganovic, T. 5648, 5676; Grgo Stoji c,
T. 6771-6772; Besim Islamcevic, T. 7470-7472; Amir Dzonlic, T. 2458. See
also ex. P242, “ARK Crisis Staff Decision”, dated 12 June 1992, which is entitled
“Decision to found an agency for population movement and exchange of material
wealth for the Autonomous Region of Krajina”. See also ex. P2661 (under
seal); ex . P218, “Decision” of the Sanski Most Crisis Staff, dated 30 May 1992.
303. Nurset Sivac, ex. P1547, T. 6767 -6768; Emsud
Garibovic, T. 12458-12463; Jusuf Arifagic, ex. P554, T. 7075; BT-78 , ex. P562,
T. 6866-6869 (under seal); BT-30, ex. P1541, T. 5727-5750 (under seal ); BT-30,
T. 12564-12565; Idriz Merdzanic, T. 11814-11815.
304. Besim Islamcevic, T. 7470-7479 , 7555-7558. See
also IX.C, “Deportation and forcible transfer”.
305. Nusret Sivac, ex. P1547, T. 6696 ; Ivo Atlija,
ex. P1527, T. 5655-5656; Idriz Merdzanic, T. 11787; BT-34, ex. P558 , T. 1104
(under seal); Jakov Maric, T. 10840; BT-23, T. 6434; Besim Islamcevic, T. 7430;
BT-21, T. 8587 (closed session); Muhamed Sadikovic, T. 18260-18263, 18273 -18277;
BT-33, ex. P1544, T. 3975 (under seal).
306. BT-19, T. 20748 (closed session ); BT-9, T. 3428-3430
(closed session); BT-21, T. 8562-8563 (closed session). See also ex. P214,
“Transcript” of radio broadcast, dated 29 May 1992; P690, “Decision” by the Sanski
Most Crisis Staff, dated 23 June 1992, para. 2. The Agency for the Movement of
People and Exchange of Properties was also responsible for such resettlement,
see BT-19, T.20641 (closed session). See also IX.C, “Deportation
and forcible transfer”.
307. BT-19, T. 20635-20657, 20708 (closed session);
BT-20, T. 5247-5249.
308. BT-19, T. 20620 (closed session ).
309. Ex. P1883.1, “Report on the Damaging and Destruction
of Islamic and Roman Catholic Sacral Buildings in the Municipalities of Bosanski
Novi, Donji Vakuf, Kljuc, Kotor Varos, Prijedor and Sanski Most in the 1992-95
War”, with specific reference to 1992, p. 12. See also BT-19, T. 20634
(closed session).
310. BT-19, T. 20635. (closed session ). BT-19 also
stated that in his view it was clear that this was not due to uncontrolled activities
of irregulars who were acting on their own. It was impossible to plan , organise
and implement a systematic policy of this magnitude by spontaneous or criminal
actions of isolated radical groups: T. 20636 (closed session). As to the discriminatory
nature of the policy, see BT-19, T. 20636, 20619 (closed session ), indicating
that 80 – 90 per cent of the displaced persons were Muslims.
311. BT-19, T. 20620-20622, 20636 (closed session).
The ethnic cleansing operations were linked to the implementation of the first
strategic goal, i.e., to separating the people on the ground : Milorad
Sajic, T. 23762-23764. Paul Shoup wrote the following: “Did ethnic cleansing in
Bosnia follow a pattern? The answer is yes, if we recognise the strategic motives
behind ethnic cleansing – reinforcing claims to territory acquired in the course
of the fighting”: ex. DB376, “Expert Report of Paul Shoup”, p. 35.
312. Barnabas Mayhew, T. 13575-13576 ; ex. P1617/S217,
“ECMM Report”, dated 29 August – 4 September 1992, p. 9; ex. DB376 , “Expert Report
of Paul Shoup”, p. 28, quoting a CIA study, called Balkan Battlegrounds ,
Vol. II, pp. 154, xiii.
313. BT-19, T. 29635-20657 (closed session).
314. At a Prijedor SDS meeting held on 9 May 1992,
Milan Kovacevic, the President of the Executive Committee, summed up that “the
functioning of government at the level of Krajina can now be felt, instructions
and decisions are now being forwarded from the top”: ex. P1195, “Minutes ”. See
also, VI.C, “The authority of the ARK Crisis Staff”.
315. The law specifically applicable to Article 4
of the Statute is described further in IX.E., “Genocide”, infra .
316. Prosecutor v. Dusko Tadic (aka “Dule”), Case
No. IT-94-1-AR72, Decision on the Defence Motion for Interlocutory Appeal on Jurisdiction,
2 October 1995 (“Tadic Jurisdiction Decision”), para . 70; endorsed in
Prosecutor v. Zejnil Delalic, Zdravko Mucic (aka “Pavo”), Hazim Delic and Esad
Landzo (aka “Zenga”), Case No. IT-96-21-T, Judgement, 16 November 1998 (“Celebici
Trial Judgement”), para. 183; Prosecutor v. Radoslav Krstic , Case
No. IT-98-33-T, Judgement, 2 August 2001(“Krstic Trial Judgement ”), para.
481; Prosecutor v. Milomir Stakic, Case No. IT-97-24-T, Judgement , 29
October 2003 (“Stakic Trial Judgement”), para. 568.
317. Tadic Jurisdiction Decision , para. 70
(emphasis added); endorsed in Celebici Trial Judgement, paras 193-195;
Prosecutor v. Mladen Naletilic (aka “Tuta”) and Vinko Martinovic (aka “Stela”),
Case No. IT-98-34-T, Judgement, 31 March 2003 (“Naletilic Trial Judgement”),
para. 177.
318. Prosecutor v. Dusko Tadic, Case No. IT-94-1-A,
Judgement, 15 July 1999, (“Tadic Appeal Judgement”), para . 84.
319. Tadic Appeal Judgement , paras 117-124
describing the three different tests: 1) For single private individuals or groups,
not militarily organised, acting as a de facto organ of the State ., it
is necessary to ascertain that the said State has issued specific instructions
concerning the commission of that particular act or that it has publicly endorsed
or approved the unlawful act ex post facto; 2) for armed forces, militias
or paramilitary units acting as de facto organs of the State, the establishment
of the overall character of the control suffices and 3) private individuals who
are assimilated to State organs on account of their actual behaviour within the
structure of the State may be regarded as de facto organs of the State,
regardless of any possible requirement of State instructions.
320. Tadic Appeal Judgement , paras 117-145.
321. Tadic Appeal Judgement , para. 145.
322. Tadic Jurisidiction Decision , para. 81:
“For the reasons set out above, this reference is clearly intended to indicate
that the offences listed under Article 2 can only be prosecuted when perpetrated
against persons or property regarded as “protected” by the Geneva Conventions
under the strict conditions set out by the Conventions themselves. This reference
in Article 2 to the notion of “protected persons or property” must perforce cover
the persons mentioned in Articles 13, 24, 25 and 26 (protected persons) and 19
and 33 to 35 (protected objects) of Geneva Convention I; in Articles 13, 36, 37
(protected persons ) and 22, 24, 25 and 27 (protected objects) of Geneva Convention
II; in Article 4 of Convention III on prisoners of war, and in Articles 4 and
20 (protected persons ) and Articles 18, 19, 21, 22, 33, 53, 57, etc. (protected
property) of Convention IV on civilians.”
323. Celebici Appeal Judgement , para. 271.
324. Article 4 (1) of Geneva Convention I.
325. Tadic Appeal Judgement , paras 164-168;
Blaskic Appeal Judgement, paras 172-176; Celebici Appeal Judgement,
paras 83, 98; Naletilic Trial Judgement, para. 207.
326. Tadic Jurisdiction Decision , para. 87.
327. Tadic Jurisdiction Decision , paras 89-91;
Krnojelac Trial Judgement, para. 52; Kunarac Trial Judgement, para.
401; Naletilic Trial Judgement, para. 224.
328. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , paras 57 and
58.
329. Celebici Trial Judgement , para. 303;
Celebici Appeal Judgement, paras 140, 150; Prosecutor v. Anto Furundzija,
Case No. IT-95-17/1-T, Judgement, 10 December 1998 (“Furundzija Trial
Judgement”), para. 132; Blaskic Trial Judgement, para. 161.
330. Tadic Jurisdiction Decision , para. 70;
Kunarac Trial Judgement, para. 402; Krnojelac Trial Judgement ,
para. 51.
331. Tadic Jurisdiction Decision , para. 70
endorsed in Krnojelac Trial Judgement, para. 51; Naletilic Trial
Judgement, para. 225.
332. Tadic Jurisdiction Decision , para. 94;
Prosecutor v. Miroslav Kvocka, Milojica Kos, Mlado Radic, Zoran Žigic and Dragoljub
Prcac, Case No. IT-98-30/1-T, Judgement, 2 November 2001 (“ Kvocka Trial
Judgement”), para. 123; Krnojelac Trial Judgement, para. 52; Kunarac
Trial Judgement, para. 403; Kunarac Appeal Judgement, para. 66.
333. Kunarac Trial Judgement , para. 404; Krnojelac
Trial Judgement, para. 52.
334. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 85; Kunarac
Trial Judgement, para. 410; Krstic Trial Judgement , para. 482; Kvocka
Trial Judgement, para. 127; Krnojelac Trial Judgement , para. 53; Prosecutor
v. Mitar Vasiljevic, Case No. IT-98-32-T, Judgement , 29 November 2002 (“Vasiljevic
Trial Judgement”), para. 28. For jurisprudence of the ICTR, see Prosecutor
v. Jean-Paul Akayesu, Case No. ICTR-96-4-T, Judgement , 2 September 1998 (“Akayesu
Trial Judgement”), paras 565-584; Prosecutor v. Alfred Musema, Case
No. ICTR-96-13-T, Judgement, 27 January 2000 (“Musema Trial Judgement”),
paras 199-211; Prosecutor v. Georges Anderson Nderubumwe Rutaganda, Case
No. ICTR-96-3-T, Judgement and Sentence, 6 December 1999 (“ Rutaganda Trial
Judgement”), paras 64-76; Prosecutor v. Clement Kayishema and Obed Ruzindana,
Case No. ICTR-95-1-T, Judgement, 21 May 1999 (“Kayishema Trial Judgement”),
paras 119-134; Prosecutor v. Jean-Paul Akayesu, Case No. ICTR-96-4-A, Judgement,
1 June 2001 (“Akayesu Appeal Judgement”), paras 460-469.
335. Tadic Appeal Judgement , para. 251; Kunarac
Appeal Judgement, paras 85-89.
336. Tadic Appeal Judgement , para. 248; Kunarac
Appeal Judgement, paras 85, 99-100.
337. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , paras 85, 90-92.
338. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , paras 85, 93-97.
339. Tadic Appeal Judgement , para. 248; Kunarac
Appeal Judgement, paras 85, 102-104.
340. Kunarac Trial Judgement , para. 415; Kunarac
Appeal Judgement, paras 86, 89.
341. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 86.
342. Tadic Appeal Judgement , para. 251; Kunarac
Appeal Judgement, para. 86; Krnojelac Trial Judgement , para. 54.
343. Kunarac Trial Judgement , para. 580; Kunarac
Appeal Judgement, para. 87.
344. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 87.
345. Tadic Appeal Judgement , para. 248; Kunarac
Appeal Judgement, paras 85, 99-101.
346. Kunarac Trial Judgement , para. 417 et
seq.
347. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , paras 57-60,
83.
348. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 83.
349. Prosecutor v. Goran Jelisic , Case No.
IT-95-10-T, Judgement, 14 December 1999 (“Jelisic Trial Judgement ”), para.
50.
350. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 91.
351. Jelisic Trial Judgement , para. 54; Blaskic
Appeal Judgement, paras 111-113. For ICTR jurisprudence , see Akayesu Trial
Judgement, para. 582; Kayishema Trial Judgement , para. 128.
352. Blaskic Appeal Judgement , para. 115.
353. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 91.
354. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 90.
355. Kupreskic Trial Judgement , para. 544;
Prosecutor v. Dario Kordic and Mario Cerkez, Case No. IT-95- 14/2-T, Judgement,
26 February 2001 (“Kordic Trial Judgement”), para. 178 ; Blaskic Appeal
Judgement, para. 101.
356. Kunarac Trial Judgement , para. 428; Blaskic
Appeal Judgement, para. 101; Akayesu Trial Judgement , para. 580.
357. Kunarac Trial Judgement , para. 429; Kunarac
Appeal Judgement, para. 94 ; Blaskic Appeal Judgement , para. 101.
358. Kunarac Trial Judgement , para. 431; Kunarac
Appeal Judgement, para. 96; Blaskic Appeal Judgement , para. 101.
359. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 96; Simic
Trial Judgement, para. 43; Blaskic Appeal Judgement , para. 101.
360. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 95.
361. Kunarac Appeal Judgement , paras 98-101;
Simic Trial Judgement, para. 44; Blaskic Appeal Judgement , para.
120.
362. Prosecutor v. Zoran Kupreskic , Mirjan Kupreskic,
Vlatko Kupreskic, Drago Josipovic, Dragan Papic and Vladimir Santic ( aka “Vlado”),
Case No. IT-95-16-T, Judgement, 14 January 2000 (“ Kupreskic Trial
Judgement”), para. 556; Blaskic Appeal Judgement, para . 126; Kunarac
Trial Judgement, para. 434; Kunarac Appeal Judgement , para. 102.
363. Kunarac Trial and Appeal Judgements, ibid.
364. Tadic Appeal Judgement , paras 248, 252;
Kunarac Appeal Judgement, para. 103; Blaskic Appeal Judgement, para.
124.
365. Defence Final Brief, p. 41(confidential ).
366. See paras 64, 75 supra .
367. See VIII., “The Accused’s Role and his
Responsibility in General”, infra.
368. See VI.C., “Authority of the ARK Crisis
Staff”, infra.
369. See paras 173-175 infra .
370. See VII., “Individual Criminal Responsibility”,
infra.
371. See VIII., “The Accused’s Role and his
Responsibility in General”, infra.
372. The FRY came into existence on 27 April 1992.
On that date, a joint session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia
and the Assembly of the Republic of Montenegro proclaimed a new constitution for
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Constitution of FRY, 27 April 1992, Official
Gazette of SRFY no. 34/92 (English translation in Blaustein, A. P, Flanz, G. H.
(eds.), Constitutions of the Countries of the World, (Oceana Publications
), Dobbs Ferry, New-York, March 1994.
373. For a chronology of the events leading to the
independence of BiH, see para. 63 supra.
374. Ex. DB374, “CIA, Balkan Battlegrounds : A
Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, Washington DC: CIA, Office of Russian
and European Analysis, 2003 (“CIA, Balkan Battlegrounds”), Annex 22”, p.240
stating that a significant number of JNA troops were on the ground when the independence
of BiH was recognised by the European Union and the United States respectively
on 6 and 7 April 1992; ex. DB376, “Expert Report of Paul Shoup”, p. 16: The JNA
was particularly active in the Bosnian Krajina, using the area as a base of attack
Western Slavonija and to prepare Serb TO’s for the coming war; ex . DB376, “Expert
Report of Paul Shoup”, p.26, (citing CIA, Balkan Battlegrounds ): There
were approximately 100,000 to 110,000 JNA troops at the start of the war; ex.
P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia”, p.70: In some areas the JNA’s heavy artillery
and tanks were directly engaged along with Serb paramilitaries and TO units. In
mid-April and May, JNA troops aided by local Serbian leaders seised key towns
along the Sava River on BiH’s northern boundary with Croatia); see also
para. 87 supra.
375. The term “logistics” is being given the meaning
attributed to it in the Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., (Oxford University
Press), Oxford, 1989 (“Oxford English Dictionary”): “the organisation of moving,
lodging and supplying troops and equipment”.
376. Ex. P2501, “1st Krajina Corps Command Letter
No. 18/5-27 of 5 August 1992” underlining “the need for rigorous saving of ammunition
and fuel because reserves of these resources are minimal and the sources of supply
are limited and located in the FRY”; ex. P2504, “1st Krajina Corps Message No.
18/5-29 of 14 September 1992” stating the critical ammunition situation in the
reserves of the 14th Logistics Base; ex. P2515, “Order No.16/28 of 9 March 1993”
regarding the increasing difficulties of the VRS in ensuring material supplies
for its troops.
377. Ex. P2498, “Order No.18/1-28 of 9 July 1992 by
the Assistant Commander for Logistics for transport of materiel and equipment
from Belgrade to Banja Luka”; ex. P2499, “Ban of 29 July 1992 on issuing fuel
to any vehicle that is not part of VJ/RS BiH/SAO Krajina except when permission
has been issued by GS VJ due to fuel problems”; ex. P2503, “1st Krajina Corps
Command Report”, concerning the approval for the transfer of 225 tons of ammunition
(in addition to 220 tons to be transferred later on) from the General Staff of
the Army of FRY to the VRS on 13 September 1992; ex. P2505, “List depicting the
quantity of ammunition received by Doboj Operational Group from 5 August to 14
September 1992”; ex. P2506, “List of material delivered from 5 August to 14 September
1992 from Serbia and Montenegro”; ex. P2510, “Report of the UN Secretary General
of 3 December 1992” stating that “Bosnian Serb forces allegedly continue to receive
supplies and support from elements in the FRY”; ex. P2512, “1st Krajina Corps
daily logistics report No. 16/1-1 to the General Staff of VRS of 1 January 1993”,
reporting that 29 trailers trucks have been sent to transport materiel from FRY
under the ‘Izvor 3’ plan; ex. DB37, “CIA, Balkan Battlegrounds, Annex 24”,
p.290, referring to various 1st KK and VRS Main Staff documents presented in Prosecutor
v. Slobodan Milosevic: Prosecution’s Second Pre-Trial Brief (Croatia and Bosnia
Indictments ), 31 May 2002: “At the 50th Session of the National Assembly of Republika
Srpska in April 1995, General Mladic provided a consumption review of weapons
and other equipment used by the VRS from the start of the war until 31 December
1994. After initially obtaining roughly 40% of the infantry, artillery and anti-aircraft
ammunition it was to use from another JNA stocks, the VRS received at least another
34% of the total amount of each of these items it consumed before 31 December
1994 from the VJ”.
378. Ex. P2494, “Clarification note from the Command
of 5th Corps relating to a SFRY presidential decision of 5 May 1992”, stating
that all JNA personnel remaining in BiH or transferred to BiH would retain the
same rights as other JNA personnel; ex. P2497, “VRS BiH General Staff Circular
to all units of 10 June 1992”, providing a general explanation to them in regard
to the rights and status of active soldiers temporarily serving outside their
duty station and stating that the Federal Secretariat for National Defence Personnel
Administration shall make payments for personnel dispatched directly from Belgrade
garrisons and reserve (retired) senior officers receive their remuneration according
to the instructions on payment of reserve soldiers during duty assignments in
the Armed Forces of SFRY under conditions of imminent threat of war; ex. P2514
, “1st KK Command Report on the analysis of activities according to elements of
combat readiness in 1992”, p.13: “that all institutions of the Army of FRY be
advised not to send us men who leave the VRS after two or three months of getting
versed to the job”; ex. DB371, “CIA, Balkan Battlegrounds, Annex 24”, p.274,
stating that “this structure, with former JNA professional officers filling the
army’s most important slots, particularly in staff and technical positions, would
make the VRS a tough, resilient and efficient force at the strategic and operational
levels.”
379. Ex. P2514, “1st KK Command Report on the analysis
of activities according to elements of combat readiness in 1992”, p.16-17.
380. See paras 97-99 supra ; BT-106,
T. 21051-21056 (closed session); Amir Dzonlic, T. 2394, 2395; Osman Selak, T.
12973-12974.
381. BT-104, T. 18634; BT-79, T. 11441 , 11449 (closed
session); see paras 67-76 infra.
382. Ex. P2514, “1st KK Command Report on the analysis
of activities according to elements of combat readiness in 1992”, p.24: “After
the opening of the corridor towards FRY and the securing of basic and consumer
goods, there was a positive effect on overall combat readiness, reinforcement
and capability of units to carry out further tasks”; ex. DB371, “CIA, Balkan
Battlegrounds, Annex 24”, p.268; ex. P1738, “30th Partisan Division Report
on the political and security situation, 19 July 1992”, presented during Ewan
Brown’s testimony, T. 21517-21518; Osman Selak, T. 13136-13148; ex. P1494.2, “Transcript
of a videotape interview with Talic and Simic”, where Talic stated that the second
goal of this operation was to open a corridor towards Serbia.
383. Ex. P31, “Minutes of 11th Session of the Assembly
of the ARK, 8 January 1991”, p. 4, at which it was decided that a commission be
dispatched to Belgrade to discuss directly with Milosevic; ex. P53 , “Expert Report
of Robert Donia”, p.58, stating that in the first half of 1991, Tudman and Milosevic
repeteadly met to discuss a possible partition of BiH.
384. Robert Donia, T. 1110; ex. P53 , “Expert Report
of Robert Donia”, p.57, referring to Borislav Jovic, Poslednji dani SFRJ (drugo
izdanje) (Kragujevac: Prizma, 1996), p.421.
385. Ibid.: “JNA Commander Kadijevic reported
to Milosevic and Jovic that these transfers were 90% complete .”
386. Ibid. at p. 420.
387. Robert Donia, T. 1140-1141: At the 11th Session
of the ARK Assembly, the Assembly decided to dispatch a commission to Belgrade
and speak directly to Milosevic as opposed to mediating in the Assembly of Serbian
People of the Bosnian Serb Republic; Phone intercepts admitted into evidence pursuant
to Prosecution v. Radoslav Brdanin, Case No. IT-99-36-T, Decision on the
Defence “Objection to intercept evidence”, 3 October 2003: ex. P2382.2, “ Conversation
between Brdanin and Karadzic on 2-3 July 1991”; ex. P2382.4, “Conversation between
Karadzic and Miroslav from Banja Luka on 28 July 1991”; ex. P2382.8, “Conversation
between Karadzic and Brdanin on 18 September 1991”; ex. P2383.6, “Conversation
between Karadzic and Milosevic on 23 September 1991”; ex. P2382.9, “Conversation
between Brdanin and Karadzic on 25 September 1991”; ex. P2383.8, “Conversation
between Radovan Karadzic and Gojko \ogo on 12 October 1991”; ex. P2382.10, “Conversation
between Brdanin and Ljuba Grkovic on 16 October 1991”; ex. P2383.13, “Conversation
between Karadzic and Nenad Stevandic on 11 January 1992”; ex. P2383.15, “Speech
by Karadzic at the Assembly of the Serbian People on 14 February 1992”.
388. Tadic Appeal Judgement , para. 157.
389. Celebici Trial Judgement , para. 224.
390. Muharem Murselovic, T. 12637; Osman Selak , T.
13260-13261.
391. For instance, the take-over operations in Prijedor
Municipality commenced before 19 May 1992 and were not completed until after that
date. Further, the attack on Kozarac was continued by the same JNA unit restyled
as a 1st KK unit and with the same officers in command.
392. See the UN Resolutions mentioned hereunder.
393. Ibid.
394. Ex. P2496 “UN Security Council Resolution S/RES/757
(30 May 1992)” (“UN Security Council Resolution 757”).
395. Ex. P2495 “UN Security Council Resolution S/RES/752
(15 May 1992)”.
396. Ex. P2496 “UN Security Council Resolution 757”,
para.3: “[The Security Council] decides that all States shall adopt the measures
set out below, which shall apply until the Security Council decides that the authorities
in FRY (Serbia and Montenegro), including the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA), have
taken effective measures to fulfil the requirements of Resolution 752 (1992).
397. Rule 94 (A) of the Rules: A Trial Chamber shall
not require proof of facts of common knowledge but shall take judicial notice
thereof.
398. UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/46/242 (25
August 1992).
399. Ex. P2510 “Report of the UN Secretary General
of 3 December 1992”.
400. Tadic Appeal Judgement , para. 157.
401. For a more in-depth analysis, see Tadic Appeal
Judgement, paras 159-161.
402. See para. 125 supra .
403. Hague Convention (IV) respecting the Laws and
Customs of War on Land and the Regulations annexed thereto, 18 October 1907 (“Hague
Regulations”), Article 23: “In addition to the prohibition provided by special
Conventions, it is specially forbidden (…) to destroy or seise the enemy’s property,
unless such destruction or seisure be imperatively demanded by the necessities
of war”; Article 27: “The property of municipalities, that of institutions dedicated
to religion, charity and education, the acts of sciences, even when State property
, shall be treated as private property. All seisure, destruction or wilful damage
done to institutions of this character, historic monuments, works of art and science
, is forbidden and should be made the subject of legal proceedings.”
404. UN Secretary General Report S /25704 pursuant
to paragraph 2 of Security Council Resolution 808 (1993), 3 May 1993 (“Secretary
General Report”).
405. Secretary General Report, para . 44; Tadic
Jurisdiction Decision, para. 86; Celebici Appeal Judgement , para.
126.
406. Secretary General Report, para . 44.
407. Tadic Jurisdiction Decision , para. 90.
408. London Agreement and Annexed Charter of the International
Military Tribunal for the Prosecution and Punishment of the German Major War Criminals,
Berlin, 8 August 1945, (“Nuremberg Charter”), Article 6.
409. See paras 84-86 infra .
410. The following chapters of this Judgement develop
each of these specific crimes.
411. IX.D., “Destructions”, will develop Count 10
(Unlawful and wanton extensive destruction and appropriation of property not justified
by military necessity), Count 11 (Wanton destruction of cities, towns or villages
or devastation not justified by military necessity) and Count 12 (Destruction
or wilful damage done to institutions dedicated to religion).
412. The establishment of detention camps for civilians
will be developed in several sections of Chapter IX of this Judgement, namely
Sections A, “Extermination and Wilful Killing”, B, “Torture”, and E, “Genocide”.
413. Count 4 (Extermination) and Count 5 (Wilful killing)
will be developed in IX.A. of this judgement.
414. IX.C., “Deportation and Inhumane Acts” infra
will specifically develop Count 8 (Deportation) and Count 9 ( Inhumane Acts)
of the Indictment.
415. Patrick Treanor, T. 18709-18710 .
416. There was no allowance for associations on the
basis of nationality. Prior to 1990, there were two regional associations : Banja
Luka and Bihac; Robert Donia T. 851; Patrick Treanor, T. 18709-18711; BT -7, T. 3097
(closed session); BT-13, T. 4591 (closed session).
417. Robert Donia, T. 850, 1177-1178 ; ex. P53, “Expert
Report of Robert Donia”, p. 41; Mevludin Sejmenovic, T. 12098 , 12136-12142; BT-95,
T. 19492-19493 (closed session); Milorad Dodik, T. 20466; Patrick Treanor, T. 18710-18712;
Boro Blagojevic, T. 21856; Mirsad Mujadzic, ex. P1601, T. 3631-3633; ex. P13,
“Transcript of a meeting of the SDS of BiH, held on 12 July 1991”; ex. P20/P2464,
“Minutes of SDS Party Council session”, 15 October 1991; ex. P17, “Minutes of
2nd session of Assembly of Serbian People of Bosnia-Herzegovina ”, 21 November 1991;
ex. P24, “Transcript of the 3rd session of the Assembly of the SerBiH”, 11 December
1991.
418. The Founding Assembly of the ZOBK was held on
25 April 1991: Robert Donia, T. 1083-1084; ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia”,
p. 44. See also ex. P160, “Oslobodjenje newspaper article”, including
speeches of the Accused and Vojo Kupresanin at the Founding Session of the ZOBK.
419. Ex. P66, “Decision on the election of the president
of the ZOBK Assembly”; ex. P67, “Decision on the Election of the First Vice-President
of the ZOBK Assembly”; ex. P68, “Decision on the Election of the Second Vice-President
of the ZOBK Assembly”; Robert Donia, T. 1089.
420. The founding members of the ZOBK were the municipalities
of Banja Luka, Bosanska Dubica, Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Petrovac, Bosansko
Grahovo, Celinac, Glamoc, Kupres, Kljuc, Laktasi, Mrkonjic Grad , Prnjavor, Titov
Drvar, Skender Vakuf, Sipovo and Srbac. See ex. P2354, “Statute of the
ZOBK”, Article 1; Robert Donia, T. 1083-1085; ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert
Donia”, pp. 46-48.
421. Robert Donia, T. 854; BT-13, T. 4811-4812 (closed
session).
422. Ex. P11, “Minutes of the 2nd session of the ZOBK
Assembly”, dated 14 May 1991; ex. P2354, “The Statutes of the ZOBK”. See also
Robert Donia, T. 1091; Mevludin Sejmenovic, T. 12149-12150 ; Patrick Treanor,
T. 18710-18711.
423. The ZOBL had a co-ordinating role on certain
economic projects. It did not have a political purpose and its decisions were
not binding on the municipalities: Branko Cvijic, T. 21400-21401.
424. Ex. P69, “Agreement on the Formation of a Community
of Bosnian Krajina Municipalities”, dated 29 April 1991, Article 8: “in performing
its function the Community of Municipalities shall: (…) co-ordinate policy in
the following areas: (…) people’s defence, civilian protection, social self-protection
and as necessary in other areas as well (…)”. Article 9: “In the area of all-people’s
defence and social self-protection in its territory, the Community of Municipalities
shall: ensure unity of preparation and the efficiency of the system of all-people’s
defence and social self-protection in the territory of the Community of Municipalities
in accordance with the organisation, preparations and plans of the SRBH and JNA;
take organisational, material and other measures for exercising the rights and
duties of citizens in preparations for all-people’s defence and their participation
in armed fighting and other forms of resistance in time of war, under the imminent
threat of war and other extraordinary circumstances in the territory of the Community
of Municipalities; in time of war or under the imminent threat of war, organise
all-people’s defence in the territory of the Community of Municipalities ; and
in time of war or under the imminent threat of war, organise all-people’s defence
in the territory of the Community of the Municipalities and lead it”. Ex . P2354
“Statute of the ZOBK”, Article 16: “The Association of Municipalities shall monitor
the situation and co-ordinate activities for the organisation and implementation
of preparations for All Peoples’ Defence in accordance with the Law, municipal
defence plans and the republican defence plan”. See also Boro Blagojevic,
T. 21815 -21816; Robert Donia, T. 1178.
425. See, e.g., ex. P72, “Conclusions from
the 30 May 1991 meeting of the ZOBK”: “ZOBK will not accept (…) Bosnia and Herzegovina
as an independent and completely sovereign state”. See also ex . P11, “Minutes
of the 2nd session of the ZOBK Assembly”, dated 14 May 1991, where the Accused
proposed that “the Assembly propose to the Municipal Assemblies to cancel their
subscription to RTV Sarajevo”. The Accused further proposed that the ZOBK establish
several institutions: “public companies, information, Chamber of the Economy ,
the regional SUP, the judiciary, the prosecutor’s office, (…) the SDK 9 (Public
Auditing Service), the PTT, the University, forestry, agriculture, and electric
power industry”. His proposal was adopted with only one dissenting vote, see
Robert Donia, T. 1092; ex. P53, “Expert Report of Robert Donia”, p. 50. Ex.
P74, “Decision of the ZOBK dated 8 July 1991” that the ZOBK will not pay taxes
to the SRBH. Ex. P14, “Announcement of the ZOBK of 6 August 1991”, discussing
the Mt . Kozara transmitter: “(…) an unofficial report that the BiH Ministry of
the Interior was sending operative units to take control of the TV relay on Kozara
was considered ”. In this context, see supra, para. 81. Ex. P16, “Minutes
of the ZOBK Assembly of 6 September 1991”, followed by an announcement issued
in the Accused’s name by the Secretariat for Information (ex. P2356) that “in
each and every municipality a preparation for mobilisation order be passed, (…)
it is our holy duty to defence the Serbian people first and foremost”. On 27 June
1991, the ZOBK Assembly held a joint meeting with the Assembly of the Republic
of Serbian Krajina (RSK), and adopted a declaration on the union of the two Krajina’s;
Robert Donia, T. 1093.
426. Ex. P81, “Decision on the Proclamation of the
ARK as an Inseparable Part of the Federal State of Federative Yugoslavia and an
Integral Part of the Federal Unit of BiH”, Patrick Treanor, T. 18728. The term
of “SAO (Serbian Autonomous District) Krajina”, which was on occasion employed
interchangeably with “ARK”, will not be used because it might be confused with
the Bosnian Croatian SAO Krajina adjacent to the ARK in BiH.
427. Patrick Treanor, T. 18729; ex . P80, “Statute
of the ARK”.
428. Ex. P2354, “ZOBK Statute”, Article 6; ex. P80,
“ARK Statute”, Article 6.
429. Robert Donia, T. 1099-1100, 1106 -1107; BT-95,
T. 19491-19500 (closed session).
430. Ex. P2359, “Decision on ratification of the proclaimed
Serbian autonomous districts in Bosnia and Herzegovina passed by the SerBiH Assembly
on 21 November 1991”, signed by Momcilo Krajisnik as its President; ex. P17, “Shorthand
notes of the 2nd session of the SerBiH Assembly”, held on 21 November 1991. Robert
Donia, T. 1289; Patrick Treanor, T. 18744.
431. Mirko Dejanovic, T. 23213-23214 ; Patrick Treanor,
T. 18742. In this decision, the SerBiH Assembly explicitly stated that “St]he
Autonomous Regions and Districts (…) are part of Bosnia and Herzegovina , as Federal
Units in the Joint State of Yugoslavia”. See ex. P2359, “Decision on ratification
of the proclaimed Serbian autonomous districts in Bosnia and Herzegovina passed
by the SerBiH Assembly on 21 November 1991”, signed by Momcilo Krajisnik as its
President, item II.
432. Ex. P236