physicians human rights forensic monitoring project report icmp

.
PHYSICIANS
for
HUMAN
RIGHTS
FORENSIC MONITORING PROJECT REPORT
Bugojno Area Exhumations
(Vu£ipolje, Rosulje, Causlije, Sultanovici, Humac)
Federal Commission on Missing Persons - Croat Side
( 3 - 4 August 1998)
FINDINGS
A Report by:
Mark Skinner, Ph.D., D.-A.B.F.A.
Forensic Monitor
Forensic Monitoring Project
Tuzla, Bosna i Hercegovina
October 1998
Physicians for Human Rights
100 Boylston Street, Suite 702
Boston, MA 02116 USA
Tel. (617)695-0041
Fax. (617)695-0307
Email: phrusa@phrusa.org
http ://ww w. phrusa. org
Physicians for Human Rights
Pere Cuskica br.24
75000 Tuzla
Bosna i Hercegovina
Tel/fax: 387-75-250-639
Tel: 387-75-234-438
Financed with support of International
Commission
ICMP
International Commission
o« Missing Persons
on Missing
Persons
BUGOJNO AREA EXHUMATIONS
Summary of Events
The Federal Commission on Missing Persons - Croat Side visited eight alleged burial sites in
the Bugojno area from August 3-4, 1998. Twenty-three bodies were recovered from five
sites: Vucipolje (1), Rosulje (1), Causlije (1), Sultanovici (1), and Humac (19). Autopsies
were conducted August 4-5, 1998 at Prozor Hospital. According to the pathologists who
conducted the postmortem examinations, all but two of the 23 individuals were satisfactorily
identified. There were seven instances at Humac in which names on grave markers were
incorrect. All identified individuals were Bosnian Croats killed in 1993. Most were
demonstrated to have died violently. There were 13 instances of nonspecific trauma, 8
gunshot wounds and 1 beating death.
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BUGOJNO AREA EXHUMATIONS
Participants and Observers
(List is not exhaustive.)
Federal Commission on Missing Persons - Croat Side (FCMP-CS)
ANDELTNOVTC Dr Simun
CORIC Vinko
CVTTANOVIC Berislav
GOJANOVIC Dr. Marija Definis
NTKOLIC Katica
RADIC Jerko
ZOVKO Gordana
Forensic Pathologist, Clinical Hospital, Split, Croatia
Police Crime Photographer, Ljubuski
Assistant to Deputy President, FCMP-CS
Forensic Pathologist, Clinical Hospital, Split, Croatia
Director, Prozor (Rama) Hospital
Deputy President, FCMP-CS
Police Representative, Mostar
State Commission on Missing Persons (Bosniak)
DRAGONOVIC Kemal
KOSO Sead
ODOBASIC Jasmin
Member
Member
Deputy President
Physicians for Human Rights
KURET Zeljko
SKINNER Dr. Mark
Translator
Forensic Monitor
Other International Organizations
ANDERSEN Wigan
HOLTON Peter
BOMBERGER Kathryn
JOHANSSON Agneta
KLEIN Jacques
MONTANI Jurg
ZOFAL Werner
Office of the High Representative, Mostar
Stabilization Force
International Commission on Missing Persons
Office of the High Representative, Sarajevo
Deputy High Commissioner, OHR
International Committee of the Red Cross, Mostar
Office of the High Representative, Mostar
Others
Reuters
Family members
Witness
MUSTAPIC Ante
President, Hrvatska Demokratska Zajednica Party,
Bugojno area
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BUGOJNO AREA EXHUMATIONS
The Federal Commission on Missing Persons - Croat Side visited eight alleged burial sites in
the Bugojno area from August 3-4, 1998. Human remains were recovered from five sites.
Each is described separately in this report. Autopsies were conducted August 4-5, 1998 at
Prozor (Rama) Hospital. The results are presented below in the section entitled Postmortem
Examination Findings All individuals are alleged to be Bosnian Croats
Vucipolje
Site Description
This site is located approximately 3 km southeast of the center of Bugojno (grid coordinates
97888E/79783N, Bugojno Map, 1:50,000, 2683 III). There is an established cemetery
approximately 75 m east of the road. Access is gained by walking east through an open field
to a wooded area angling right to the cemetery fence line. The burial in question is on the
immediate left adjacent to the fence line opposite a small conifer. This site has been
previously investigated, yielding four bodies which were exhumed north of the body dealt
with in this operation (see Kennedy, B. 1998 Bugojno Exhumations of Federal Commission
on Missing Persons - Croat Side, PHR Report).
Site History
An informant present at the exhumation stated that the buried individual had been shot in the
back of the head on January 11, 1993 at a location called Gorica-Vasela (Ograde). Allegedly,
he was one of seven such victims, and according to the informant, all showed exit wounds on
the front of the head. A woman who attended the exhumation stated that a body bag
previously labeled by persons unknown as her husband was incorrect. She stated that 100
Swiss Francs would be found in the sleeve of her husband's clothing.
Exhumation Process and Condition of Remains
The body was exhumed by two laborers with shovels on August 3, 1998. The remains were
encountered at a depth of about 50 cm, wrapped in plastic tied at both ends. The plastic was
opened to reveal still somewhat fleshed remains. There was a white small, paper circle on the
body. The remains were photographed, placed in a body bag and removed on a stretcher.
Pisak
Site Description
No remains were recovered from this site which is located about 1 km east of the center of
Bugojno at grid coordinates 97441E/81519N on Bugojno Map (1:50,000, 2683 III). The area
is called Glavice and the field in which the remains were suspected is called Pisak. The site
is bounded on the southwest by the Mostar-Bristovi road and an orchard, and on the east by a
small creek. Access is by a small grass track that leads from the road between the creek and
the east side of an abandoned house. The investigated area is located 7 m east and 1.5 m
south of the southwest house corner.
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Site History
The victim was alleged to be a 35-year old female killed July 1993.
Exhumation Process and Condition of Remains
Probes and shovels were used to search for the body. A grassy mound, ca. 20 cm high and
about 1.5 m long, was shoveled open. Burnt garbage residue was encountered near the
surface while at greater depth the remains of a cow were found. No evidence of human
remains was found.
Bristovi 1
Site Description
No remains were recovered from this site located at grid coordinates 97924E/81638N on
Bugojno Map (1:50,000, 2683 III). While a portion of the exhumation team left Pisak and
traveled further northeast along the road towards Bristovi village, the Forensic Monitor
accompanied a witness and Mr. Cvitanovic, a member of the Bosnian Croat exhumation
team, about one kilometer to a residence on the south side of the road. A walk of several
hundred meters (south) behind the house and across the same small creek encountered at the
Pisak site, and then up a hillside, led to an open area which was probed a few times until the
probe broke.
Site History
The exhumation team members were accompanied by the father of the victim allegedly
buried at the Pisak site who had been told of this other potential location for the remains of
his daughter.
Bristovi 2
Site Description
This site is located east of the main concentration of houses that make up Bristovi village at
grid coordinates 99588E/82685N on Bugojno Map (1:50,000,2683 III).
Site History
No site history was provided.
Exhumation Process and Condition of Remains
Two test pits were opened up by shovel approximately 15 m to the east of an abandoned
residence adjacent to the hedge on the north side of the road. No remains were encountered.
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Rosulje
Site Description
This site is located 3 km due north of Bugojno on the east side of the Vrbas River at grid
coordinates 97049E/84218N on Bugojno Map (1:50,000; 2683 III). The exhumation team
led the forensic pathologists to the overgrown foundations of a burnt house (Photo 1).
Site History
The victim was described as an elderly female who was raped and nailed to the front door of
her house which was set alight in 1993. Allegedly there are eyewitnesses.
Exhumation Process and Condition of Remains
The Forensic Monitor was asked by Dr. Gojanovic to assist in the search for human remains
(Photo 2). They spent an hour and a half troweling through approximately 25 cm of ash in
the spatial center of the front of the house on the inside of the foundation wall (Photo 3). The
ash contained roofing tile fragments as well as wall fragments Of nearly one hundred bone
fragments, many were recognizably human; there were a couple of burnt animal bone
fragments. The bones were spread over only a small area estimated to be 70 cm paralleling
the front of the house by perhaps 50 cm in the perpendicular direction. On the left hand side
of the presumed doorway was found a locking mechanism and on the right hand side one
door hinge With the exception of one half of a press-stud button, there was no evidence of
clothing items, however, the ash was not screened. A spent cartridge was found with the
bone fragments.
The cranial fragments were placed in a plastic bag that was, in turn, put into another plastic
bag containing the rest of the bones and handed to a member of the exhumation team.
v
Causlije
Site Description
This is a marked cemetery about 2 km north of Bugojno on the road to Donji Vakuf It is
located at grid coordinates 96007E/83711N on Bugojno Map (1:50,000, 2683 IE). Two
graves were investigated at this site. Causlije 1 is a single grave on the west side of the
cemetery to the north of a small mausoleum structure (Photo 4). Causlije 2 is a crypt burial
alleged to contain the remains of three individuals (Photo 5) It is located 12 m north of the
cemetery entrance adjacent to the fence line. It is a concrete structure about 2 m on a side
and 40 cm above ground level, with a plastic sheet cover overlain by a few centimeters of dirt
and sod.
Site History
The individual buried as Causlije 1 was alleged by the witness to have been found in the
Vrbas River between August 2-5, 1993. Causlije 2 was alleged to contain three bodies of
which one would be headless.
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Exhumation Process and Condition of Remains
Causlije 1 was dug by shovel to yield a plastic-wrapped body at 30 cm depth with head to the
west. The clear plastic was opened for photography at the site; a well-fleshed body with a
shirt lying on top of the body was observed. At the request of a witness, Dr. Gojanovic
confirmed that the individual's teeth were not false. The body was photographed and placed
in a body bag for removal to a truck.
Concrete slabs forming the roof of Causlije 2 were removed and a workman lowered himself
into the crypt. On the south side was a coffin broken open showing a plastic- wrapped and
clothed body with head to the west. Adjacent to the coffin on the north side were two slightly
separate piles of human bones (Photo 6). That on the east was sufficiently visible to
determine that it contained broken bones from an adult, as well as the humerus of a child.
The nature of these remains was apparently unexpected and resulted in the decision not to lift
any bodies until further information could be obtained.
Sultanovici
Site Description
This site is located in south Bugojno on the west side of the road to Prozor at grid coordinates
96133E/79816N on Bugojno Map (1:50,000; 2683 DI). It is a formal cemetery. The grave in
question was marked only by some plastic flowers placed between two formal burials:
SKARD on the north and FRANJIC on the south. These are close to the main road adjacent
to the east fence and 80 m from the south fence.
Site History
No background information about this individual was provided except that the body was
found elsewhere in August 1993.
Exhumation Process and Condition of Remains
The remains were exposed by shoveling through about 60 cm of earth and small pine tree
roots. The first remains encountered were the right forearm bones. The body was oriented
with the head to the west. It was wrapped in clear plastic. Dr. Gojanovic exposed enough of
the remains to reveal clothing and damage to the head. At this point the body was placed in a
body bag and removed to a truck.
Humac
Site Description
This site is a recently created cemetery that developed during the war on the west side of the
Catholic Seminary at Humac, located approximately 8 km southeast of Bugojno at grid
coordinates 00848E/74067N (Prozor Map; 1:50,000, 2682 IV). There are several east-west
oriented rows of single marked graves arrayed among a plum tree orchard (Photo 7). The
exhumation involved the removal of 19 graves constituting the majority of the more southerly
row of graves.
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Site History
A member of the Office of the High Representative explained that these bodies were buried
in 1993 by the Army without family members being present and without formal rites. Some
of the victims were alleged to be civilians from Gracanica — individuals who were taken from
their houses and shot. Others were said to be soldiers. One victim, a female, was alleged by
a witness to have been tortured.
There were numerous family members present at the exhumation (Photo 8), some of whom
volunteered the information that they had previously opened particular graves so as to view
the remains and confirm identification to their satisfaction. These events purportedly occurred
in 1993, 1994 and 1997. Several stated that they had placed objects in the graves to ensure
proper identification in the future (Photo 9).
The Humac priest stated that in subsequent years there has been a problem with vandalism at
the site including repeated knocking over of temporary grave markers. However, in 1997 he
received a detailed map with a list of bodies buried at this location and the families erected
the current grave markers which have not since been disturbed
Exhumation Process and Condition of Remains
This site was exhumed on August 4, 1998 with the aid of a large backhoe to remove the
upper half meter or so of overburden above each of 19 discrete graves, followed by hand
shoveling. Each body was wrapped in plastic and exposed sufficiently to show the depth and
extent of the remains which were left in situ pending viewing by Jacques Klein, Deputy High
Commissioner from the Office of the High Representative, which occurred in mid-afternoon
There was a clear depth gradient from east to west with graves on the east being about 70-80
cm deep and those at the other end closer to 50 cm or less.
Ultimately, bodies were lifted into body bags and opened for photography (Photo 10) All
heads were oriented to the north. Most of the remains appeared clothed and fairly fleshed
still.
Grave 5 contained a shallowly buried metal wash basin that an attending family member
stated she had placed in the grave to mark it with certainty (Photo 9). Similarly, jars and
plastic bags containing names were discovered at shallow depths in Graves 14, 18, and 19.
Surgical gloves were observed in the grave fill from Graves 11, 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18. These
observations are consistent with claims that these graves had been previously opened for
examination of the remains
Postmortem Examination Findings
Autopsies on bodies from all five sites described above from the Bugojno area were
conducted on August 4-5, 1998 in temporary facilities provided by Prozor (Rama) Hospital.
Remains were kept secure in the refrigerated truck originally used to transport the bodies
(Photo 11). Also the autopsy building was locked at night (Photo 12). Autopsies were
conducted concurrently by the two forensic pathologists. Dr. Simun Andelinovic and Dr.
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BUGOJNO AREA EXHUMATIONS
postmortem observations. Thus in 7 of 19 instances, the forensic pathologists determined
that the names on the crosses were not those of the remains. This disparity can be explained
by the history of vandalism of grave markers at this site. Positive identifications of 17 out of
19 bodies were claimed.
As can be seen in the tabulation above, the sample is dominated by adult males. Most
individuals were clothed and it was possible to conclude that 13 were dressed in civilian and
9 in military clothes Only six ages at death were communicated to the Forensic Monitor;
these yielded an average age of 47 years with a range from 21 to 66. The overall sample is
probably somewhat younger in that 9/16 individuals were shown at autopsy to have some or
all of their teeth and only 4 dentures prostheses were observed.
In terms of cause of death, 21 of 23 sets of remains showed hard or soil tissue trauma. Two
individuals showed no trauma. Twelve individuals showed only a single wound while 8
showed two or more wounds. Anatomical distribution is as follows: heads-10/20 affected,
trunks-6/21 affected, arms=6/20 affected, legs=5/21 affected.
Clearly there is a
preponderance of head wounds. Four individuals had two of these major body parts affected
by trauma while one had three body parts affected.
There were 13 cases of nonspecific trauma. One individual (Rosulje) was cremated in the
ruins of her house, it was not possible to find evidence of alleged crucifixion. One individual
(#17 from Humac) with broken legs was alleged by the pathologist to have been tortured
The pathologists attributed 8 of 23 deaths to gunshot wounds (GSW). In terms of those with
gunshot wounds, there were six instances of bullets or bullet holes. Also, skulls with major
cracks, holes or outright shattering which are typical of gunshot wounds were observed in 9
cases. Combining the pathologists' diagnosis of GSW with evidence of shattered or
otherwise severely damaged skulls yields a total of 14 individuals out of 22 who may have
died from GSW.
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Photograph 1.
Rosulje — burned house foundation Location of burnt remains is between the two groups of
people on the left (Roll 222, exp. 4).
Photograph 2.
Rosulje — cross marking alleged location of victim's burnt remains (Roll 222, exp. 3).
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BUGOJNO AREA EXHUMATIONS
Photograph 3.
Rosulje ~ Ms Gordana Zovko (Police Representative, Mostar ) marking location of burnt
remains (Roll 222, exp. 5).
Photograph 4.
Causlije — Burial 1 prior to exhumation. Mr. Jerko Radic and assistant from the Federal
Commission on Missing Persons Croat Side are in background (Roll 222, exp. 8).
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Pholograph 5.
CauSlije - Bunal 2 prior to exhumation. This is a crypt burial (Roll 222, cxp. 9).
Photograph 6.
CauSlije ~ Contents of Burial 2 viewed from above. A disturbed coffin burial is in center of
photograph; in addition, there are separate sets of remains outside of both ends of the coffin.
None of these remains was removed for examination (Roll 222, exp. 10).
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BUGOJNO AREA EXHUMATIONS
Photograph 7.
Humac Cemetery — looking east along row of burials to be removed from among the plum
tree orchard. Most of the grave markers have been removed in preparation for the backhoc to
remove overburden (Roll 222, cxp 20)
Photograph 8.
Humac Cemetery — looking west along partially excavated burials. Family members are
present (Roll 222, exp. 23).
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Photograph 9.
Humac Cemetery ~ crumpled metal wash basin removed by backhoc from Burial 5; it had
been placed there by a relative at an interim exhumation to confirm identification of the
grave's occupant (Roll 222, exp. 22).
Photograph 10. Humac Cemetery ~ looking west at lifted bodies towards end of the day (Roll 223, exp, 2)
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BUGOJNO AREA EXHUMATIONS
Photograph 11. Prozor/Rama Hospital - Refrigerator truck used to transport and store bodies from Bugojno
area. Autopsy building is in background (Roll 223, exp. 3).
Photograph 12. Autopsy facility atPro/.or/Rama Hospital (Roll 223, exp. 7)
Physicians/or Humans Rights, October 1998
IS
PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) mobilizes the health professions and enlists public
support to protect and promote the human rights of all people.
PHR believes that human rights are essential preconditions for the health and well-being of
all members of the human family.
We use medical and scientific methods to investigate and expose violations of human rights
worldwide.
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under international law.
Since its founding in 1986, PHR has carried out forensic investigations, including
exhumations and autopsies, of alleged torture and extrajudicial executions in Afghanistan,
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Kurdistan, Kuwait, Mexico, Panama, Somalia, and Thailand. PHR has also devoted
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The President is Charles Clements, M.D, M.P.H., the Vice President is Carola Eisenberg,
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© 1998 Physicians for Human Rights. All rights reserved.