PHYSICIANS for

HUMAN RIGHTS

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FORENSIC ASSISTANCE PROJECT

Consultant Report 1999-038

Zvornik I

Federation Commission on Missing Persons - Bosniak Side 21 July 1999

Francine Drayer, M.A. Forensic Consultant

Forensic Assistance Project Sarajevo, Bosna i Hercegovina

November 1999

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 ://www.phrusa. org

Physicians for Human Rights Hasana Kaimije br. 11

71000 Sarajevo Bosna i Hercegovina Tel: 387-71-232-941

Fax: 387-71-233-767

Financed with support of International Commission on Missing Persons

ICMP International Commission

on Missing Persons

ZVORNIK I CONSULTANT REPORT

Summary of Events

On July 21, 1999, the Federation Commission on Missing Persons - Bosniak Side gathered eleven sets of remains from various locations in the vicinty of Zvornik. All remains, except for a secondary burial at Motovo 2, were surface remains, and all were completely skeletonized. They were discovered as a result of the repatriation that occurs in this area. As the refugees moved back to their homes, they cleared the land and the roads, and discovered the bodies. Nine of the 11 deaths are allegedly the result of conflict between the Bosnian Serbs and the Bosniaks that occurred in 1992. The other two individuals have been identified as Srebrenica residents; their deaths reportedly occurred in July 1995.

A Forensic Consultant from Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) was on the site for the duration of the recoveries.

All remains were placed in body bags and taken to the autopsy facility in Tuzla. No official report on the postmortem examinations had been provided to PHR at the time of this report.

(Editor's note: In 1999, it was agreed that the "State Commission on Missing Persons (Bosniak Side)" and the "Federal Commission on Missing Persons - Croat Side" would eventually be referred to as the "Federation Commission on Missing Persons - Bosniak Side" and "Federation Commission on Missing Persons - Croat Side," respectively. For purposes of simplicity and clarity, any reference to either of these commissions in 1999 reports will use the "Federation" names.)

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ZVORNIK I CONSULTANT REPORT

Participants and Observers

Federation Commission on Missing Persons - Bosniak Side HURTIC Murat Member, Tuzla HALUCEVIC Emin Judge, Tuzla TOPCIC Mensur Prosecutor, Tuzla KESETOVIC Dr. Rifat Forensic Pathologist, Tuzla COTA Anto Crime Technician, Tuzla HODZIC Asim Crime Technician, Tuzla BEKTASEVIC Dzevad Crime Technician, Tuzla

Several laborers also participated.

Republika Srpska Commission on Tracing Prisoners and Missing Persons MAKSEVIOVIC Makso Member

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) DRAYER Francine Forensic Consultant KURET Zeljko Field Assistant

Office of the High Representative (OHR) JOHANS SON Agneta Director of Exhumations Department MAGIERA Matthew Exhumations Officer

Security Local RS Police

Site Descriptions, Histories and Recovery Process

The area where the bodies were collected is situated approximately 7 km to the west of the city of Zvornik. All grid coordinates were obtained using a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, and locations of all sites can be found on the following topographic map: Name Zvornik; Sheet 2883 I; Edition 7-DMA; Series M709; Scale 1:50,000; grid zone designation 34T.

All remains were recovered from the surface except for at Motovo 2. All were weathered and frilly skeletonized. Some of the bones had suffered damage by rodents or other animals. The following is a short description of each site (Figure 1).

Sib 1 - The grid coordinate for this site is CQ 429 223. The fragmentary skeletal remains of a woman were discovered approximately 15 m behind a house in an orchard. Very few bones were found; the cranium could not be located, but a partial mandible (all teeth being lost antemortem) was found close to the other remains. The Federation Commission claims to know the identity of this person. The remains are of an individual reported to have been killed on July 12, 1992. Documentation was found with the remains.

Sib 2 - The grid coordinate for this site is CQ 429 224. According to witness statements, two men were killed at this location on June 15 or 16, 1992. The surface remains of one male were discovered on the left bank of the road while it was being cleared by returning refugees.

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ZVORNIK I CONSULTANT REPORT

The fragmentary remains (consisting of a right pelvis and femur and a few ribs) were collected and the surrounding area was surveyed, but no other bones were found. The second body could not be located. The team dug test pits in the area where the first body was found, but no evidence of human remains was detected.

Parlog - The grid coordinate for this site is CQ 420 234. The remains of a man, reportedly killed on March 17, 1993, were discovered on a road. The remains were scattered in two areas approximately 3 m apart. The cranium, mandible, right pelvis, sacrum, femora, left tibia, left fibula and lumbar vertebrae 1,2,3 and 5 were on the east side of the road; the clothes, right tibia, right fibula, left os coxae, right ulna, right radius and right hand bones were located on the west side of the road. The shoes were also present, and the foot bones were within the shoes. Ligatures fashioned from wire were found with the remains (Photo 1).

Zulici - This site is located at grid coordinate CQ 417 228. These remains belong to a male who had been carrying documents that tentatively identified him as a Srebrenica resident. The body was fully skeletonized and almost complete; the two os coxae and the right fibula were found 2 m away from the rest of the remains. Another set of remains was discovered the year before very close to this location. However, because of the dense growth of vegetation, the present body was not found until returning refugees cleared the road.

Potocani 1 - This site is located at grid coordinate CQ 405 221. The remains of two individuals reported to be civilian males were collected from the attic of a house at this location. According to witnesses, four people (refugees from Cerska Village) had sought refuge in this house. One person managed to escape, two were reportedly killed and the fate of the fourth person was unknown at the time of this report. The remains consisted of almost complete skeletons, uniformly weathered. The roof tiles were gone, and the bones had been exposed to the elements. One set of remains was in the southeast corner of the attic; the other set was on the north side of the attic (Photo 2). The remains were collected, placed in body bags and taken to the autopsy facility in Tuzla.

Potocani 2 - A partial cranium was found in a field near this village at grid coordinate CQ 406 217. No other remains were found,. An extensive survey was not attempted because the village was surrounded by landmines at the time.

Motovo 1 - This site is located at grid coordinate CQ 418 225. A left femur and tibia, both uniformly weathered, were collected at this location. The proximal and distal ends of these bones had been destroyed by animals. The identity and personal history were not known at this time. The area where the body was found is situated on one of the routes that the people from Srebrenica took when they moved north.

Motovo 2 - This site is located at grid coordinate CQ 422 224. The skeletonized remains of a man were discovered by returning refugees, who placed the remains in a plastic bag and buried them. The identity of this individual is reportedly known by the Commission. The reason for exhumation was to perform a postmortem examination and determine cause of death. This was to be followed by an official burial ceremony.

Strijezevo - This site is located at grid coordinate CQ 429 207. A cranium was found in the front yard of a house in this village. At a distance of approximately 20 m, the skeletonized partial remains of a female were found. The remains were collected, placed in a body bag and transported to the autopsy facility in Tuzla.

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ZVORNIK I CONSULTANT REPORT

Seferovici 1 - This site is located at grid coordinate CQ 412 210. The body of a male was discovered a few weeks prior in the forest. The man had been carrying two photographs, and the person who discovered the remains took them. He took the photos to the office and placed them on his desk. His co-worker saw the pictures and identified the man in the photo as his brother, who used to live in Srebrenica and who had been missing since 1995. The area where the body was found is located on the northern route from the village of Seferovici. The remains were scattered over an area of approximately 50 m2. Osteological analysis showed that the cranium, mandible and right maxilla (found approximately 30 m apart) belong to the same person.

Seferovici 2 - Possible commingling of the above remains may have occurred because a third boot was found in this area. The boot contained the skeletonized remains of a human foot. It was not determined at the time if commingling had occurred or if all remains belong to the same person.

Postmortem Examination Findings

The postmortem examinations were not attended by a PHR Consultant. Results of the examination had not been forwarded to PHR at the time of this writing.

Process Evaluation

The team, under the direction of Murat Hurtic and Dr. Kesetovic, is very good. Dr. Kesetovic is very conscientious about exposing the remains and searching for missing skeletal material.

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ZVORNIK I CONSULTANT REPORT

Figure 1. Site Locations

PHYSICIANS.for HUMAN RIGHTS, November 1999

ZVORNIK I CONSULTANT REPORT

Photo 1. Zvornik-Parlog - Body 1: Ligatures fashioned from wires (roll 99-30, exp. 10).

Photo 2. Potocani 1 - Body 2 in attic (roll 99-30, exp. 18).

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ZVORNIK I CONSULTANT REPORT

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Photo 3. Seferovici - Body 1 (roll 99-31, exp. 18).

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