PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS FORENSIC MONITORING PROJECT REPORT. Rogatica Exhumations State Commission on Missing Persons

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1 PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS FORENSIC MONITORING PROJECT REPORT Rogatica Exhumations State Commission on Missing Persons (1-4 September; 15 September 1998) FINDINGS A Report by: Melissa A. Connor, M.A. Forensic Monitor Forensic Monitoring Project Tuzla, Bosna i Hcrcegovina November 1998 Physicians for Human Rights 100 Boylston Street, Suite 702 Boston, MA USA TeL (617) Fax. (617) phrusa@phrusa.org Physicians for Human Rights Pere Cuskica br Tuzla Bosna i Hercegovina Tcl/fax: Tel: Financed with support of International Commission on Missing Persons ICMP International Commission on Missing Persons ^ JMA.

2 KOGATICA EXHUMATIONS Summary of Events The State Commission on Missing Persons (Bosniak) exhumed 37 sets of remains from 13 sites in the Rogatica area between 1-4 September One additional set of remains was collected 15 September. The remains were from the villages of Vragolovi, Kramer Selo, Kozadre, Gornje Kukavice, Cadovina, Slijvno, Kopljevici, Pasica Kula, Rakitnica, and Mesici. The majority of the graves contained one or two individuals; one contained three people, one contained four, and one grave contained seven individuals. A Forensic Monitor from Physicians for Human Rights was present for, and participated in, the exhumations. The postmortem examinations were conducted at the mortuary in Visoko on 9-10 September Dr. Hamza 2ujo, Forensic Pathologist, presided over the autopsies. Of the 38 remains collected from the Rogatica area, 18 were identified as male and 14 as female. The majority of the decedents were middle-aged, between years old, with four cases of individuals over 60 years old. The cause of death (COD) remained undetermined for the majority of the individuals (n=21). For four cases, COD was a gunshot wound to the head; for 13 additional cases COD was gunshot wound to other portions of the body. Seven of these latter individuals suffered gunshot wounds to the hip area. According to witness testimony, cause of death should probably be gunshot wound, or multiple gunshot wounds, in all cases, but this was seen in the postmortem examinations in less than half the cases. This is probably due to the fragmentary nature of the burned remains, and the partial nature of many of the remaining cases. PHYSICIANS/d/- HUMAN RIGHTS, November 1998 I

3 Participants and Observers (not all inclusive) State Commission on Missing Persons, Exhumation Team BESIC Sead Crime Technician, Sarajevo DRAGANOVIC Kemal Member, State Commission on Missing Persons HRNJIC Saudin Autopsy Assistant KLONOWSKI Eva Forensic Anthropologist KOSO Scjid Member, State Commission on Missing Persons NIKSIC Muhidin Cantonal Court Judge. Sarajevo MASOVIC Amor President, State Commission on Missing Persons MUJKIC Muhamed Archivist, Crime Technician, Sarajevo MUSIC Adnan Autopsy Assistant SARAJL1C Ncrmin Forensic Pathology Student, Sarajevo TARTC Ermin Crime Technician, Sarajevo ZUJO Dr. Ilamza Forensic Pathologist. Sarajevo Laborers from Visoko City Cemetery Republika Srpska Commission on Missing and Tracing SKRBA Slobadan Member Physicians for Human Rights CONNOR Melissa KURET Zeljko Office of the High Representative ZOFAL Werner BESO Abdel Forensic Monitor Translator Exhumations Officer Translator Representatives from the International Police Task Force (IPTF) and the Stabilization Force (SFOR) were also present. Site Description The town of Rogatica is in a wide portion of the Rakitnica River valley, at the confluence of the Rakitnica and Sutjaska Rivers (DMA map Rogatica, Edition 5-DMA, Series M709, Sheet 2882 I). The town, at an elevation of 600 m, is surrounded by steep, rugged hills covered in forest and vegetation. The exhumations occurred in the surrounding villages of Vragolovi, Kramer Selo, Kozadre, Gornje Kukavice, Cadovina, Slijvno, Kopljevici, Pasica Kula, Rakitnica, and Mesidi (Figure 1). These villages are accessed by dirt roads almost impassible except by four-wheel drive vehicles. The typical exhumation occurred in a small, deserted mountain village where all the houses were destroyed. The villages are described individually below. Vragolovi is an area east of Rogatica on the south-facing slope of the mountains, at an elevation of about 750 m. It is the name for an area of about two square kilometers. Today, there are few standing structures in the area. Body 1. 34T E N. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

4 Body T E N. The grave area is behind a large, ruined house and next to a small cemetery area. The house is relatively isolated, being several hundred meters from the nearest other dwelling. Kramer Selo is northwest of Rogatica, south of the main road to the east of Rogatica (E761). This village is also deserted, except for the cattle grazing among the ruins. Body T IE N. These bodies were found in the main village area. The skeletal elements of both sets of remains were found scattered outside the structures. Body 7. 34T E N. This is near a house with a stock pond slightly outside of the main concentration of structures in the village. One body was found in a well on the property. Kozadre is northeast of Kramer Selo and northwest of Rogatica al an elevation of approximately 900 m. Body T E N. This is an unmarked area in a cemetery. The vegetation in the cemetery is currently overgrown and untended. Body T E N. The location is on the side of a steep hill and is not near any structures. It is marked by a rock pile and is in a wooded area on a slope. Body T E N. The location is around a house at the top of the hill on the side of which Bodies were located. Gornje Kukavice is south of Rogatica, west of the main road to the south of the town at an elevation of about 600 m. The town itself consisted of scattered structures, now ruins. Body T E N. This single grave was in a small field near the orchard of a nearby ruined structure. Several outbuildings were in the immediate vicinity. The grave was south of the road to the house. Body T E IN. This site is on the side of a hill above the small, destroyed village of Kukavice. There were several long parallel depressions and the remains were in the depression closest to the road. Bodies T E N. These remains consisted of surface remains scattered along the slope behind a deserted, mined structure. Body T E N. These were also surface remains. They are in the midst of a group of deserted, destroyed houses. Body T E N. This was a burned body inside a ruined house. Cadovina is a small hamlet south and cast of Rogatica. It sits at an elevation of approximately 700 m on a west-facing slope. A few houses in the area remain standing. Body T E N. The grave is at the top of a hill, near the edge of a fallow field now filled with thigh to calf-high grasses. The witness went directly to a portion of the field that looked identical to the rest except for a very shallow depression. Without the witness information, this would be a very difficult grave to locate. Slijvno Cemetery is also south and east of Rogatica, north of the destroyed village of Paprica. It is on a south-facing slope al an elevation of approximately 1050 m. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

5 Body T E N. These bodies were in three separate graves in the cemetery. The vegetation in the cemetery is overgrown and it is clear that it has not been used or maintained for several years. Kopljevici is east and south of the town of Rogatica at an elevation of approximately 1000 m. The destroyed town sits on a heavily vegetated, west-facing mountain slope. Body T E N. The area is in a small cemetery on a steep slope above the deserted town. The cemetery is surrounded by a fence, and separated from the ruined houses by approximately 100 m of orchard. The grave was almost at the center of the cemetery, was marked with a stone, and covered in grass. Pasica Kula is south of Rogatica and sits in part of the same low valley at an elevation of about 600 m. On the side of the road through town is a fountain with water coming from a cistern from the top of the hill. Several pipes come out from the side of the hill and troughs have been built to hold the water. The field crew stopped at the pipes to fill water bottles whenever the convoy passed the area. Bodies T E N. The bodies were inside a destroyed house. The debris consists of roof tile and concrete block fragments, and was overgrown with nettles. Body T E N. The grave area was beside a deserted house. A row of plum trees grew along the same side of the house and the grave was between the house and the plum trees. Rakitnica is the name of the river flowing through this area north and east of Rogatica, at an elevation of about 700 m. The dirt road follows the south side of the river in this area, near the village named Han on the DMA map. Bodies T E N. These remains were scattered on the surface of the dirt road and alongside of the road. Some of the remains were found in the river. Mesici is almost directly south of Rogatica. The main portion of the town is on the south side of the Pra a River, although the site was on the north side. The Praca River in this area is at an elevation of about 480 m. Bodies T E N. The Bosna i Hercegovina Mine Action Center (BHMAC) minefield maps show fields to the north and west ol" this area less than 100m from the site. The site is above the Praca River, on the first terrace. A grassy slope leads from a large building (school house?) to a bushy area above the river. The site area was covered in calf-high grasses, small bushes and trees. Site History The deaths were the result of 1992 fighting in and around Rogatica between Bosniak and Bosnian Serb forces. A 1996 report by the State Commission for Gathering Facts on War Crimes provides a more detailed account of the conflict in this area (Missing Persons Analysis of Causes and Circumstances in Territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina April December 1995, State Commission for Gathering Facts on War Crimes, Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency, Sarajevo, December 1996). According to the report, shelling of Rogatica began on 14 May 1992, and intense fighting continued through June and July. When areas were captured, men would frequently be separated from woman and children, PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

6 and on several occasions, the latter were driven from the Rogatica area. In many cases, the men have not been heard from since and are counted among the missing. Bosniaks were urged to go the High School Center in Rogatica as refuge, and this became a major detention center for the region. Fighting in the villages surrounding Rogatica continued through June, July, and August. As villages fell, the policy of separating the men from the women and children continued. Vragolovi Body 1. This is alleged to be the grave of a woman related to the witness. The body was found and buried by relatives of the witness. Vragolovi Body 2-4. The witness reported that this grave contained three women, his wife and two daughters. They were killed 19 September The witness was blindfolded and tied to a tree. He showed us also the location where his daughter was raped while he was tied to the tree. Kramer Selo Body 5-6. The witness knew there were human remains in the village on the ground surface, allegedly remaining from the 1992 fighting. He was not exactly sure of the location of the remains, and in walking about the village, two clusters of remains were found Kramer Selo Body 7. This site consists of one person in a well, allegedly the result of the 1992 fighting. Kozadre Body 8-9. This is an unmarked area in a cemetery. According to the witness, two people, a man and a woman, were buried in this grave. Both were killed in Kozadre Body The location is marked by a rock pile and is in a wooded area on a slope. Seven men were alleged to have been killed and buried here. Kozadre Body 39. No site history is known. The team had returned to Kozadre 15 September to re-examine the area around Bodies for additional skeletal elements, and these skeletal remains were found fortuitously. G. Kukavice Body 18. This site was not visited on the pre-exhumation site visit. The individual in the grave was related to the witness who indicated the grave location. G Kukavice Body 19. The witnesses were looking for the remains of a garage where a single woman was buried. She was killed 9 July G. Kukavice Bodies This was purportedly the location of the remains of two men who had been executed behind their house. They were killed 9 July The Bosniak team had photographs, purportedly taken in May 1998, of two sets of surface remains lying in an orchard behind a destroyed house. The remains were skeletal and clothed. G. Kukavice Body 22. The witnesses said that there were the remains of one male here who was killed 9 July The Bosniaks claimed that, on a site visit here in May 1998, bones and clothes were located here. The monitor saw no skeletal elements or clothing in the area during the pre-exhumation site visit. G. Kukavice Body 23. No information given other than that the deceased was purported to be a relative of the witness. The witness indicated the location of the grave. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

7 Cadovina Body 24. The witness said that this was the grave of a single male, killed 8 February The witness went directly to a portion of the field that looked identical to the rest except for a very shallow depression. Slijvno Cemetery Body This was allegedly the grave site of three male civilians killed in a prison near Kopljevidi. Bosniaks buried them in this location. They were killed and buried in Kopljevidi Body 28. According to the Bosniak team, this was allegedly the grave of a male killed at the same time and in the same prison as those in the previous location. PaSica Kula I Bodies The bodies were inside a destroyed house. The witness said that two people, the owner and a friend, were buried under the house debris. During the preexhumation site visit, the Bosniak team videotaped the witness telling his story inside the destroyed house. Pasica Kula I Body 31. The grave area was beside a deserted house. Two witnesses, a man and a woman, said that a woman had been buried here. Rakitnica Bodies These were allegedly the remains of people shot beside the road in Mesici Bodies T E N. The witness said that four women were buried here. Exhumation Process and Condition of Remains On all sites, the general procedure was that first the exhumation team showed the dc-mincr, who was a part of the exhumation team, where the grave was located. The de-miner would then use a metal detector and a probe to examine the immediate area around the grave. This area would be taped off and the team would stay within the tape. The crime technicians would then photograph the area using still and digital photography, as well as video. Laborers would then use picks and shovels to locate the remains and remove the overburden. The remains would be uncovered and cleaned by the Forensic Pathologist, his assistant, the PIIR Forensic Monitor, and/ or the Forensic Anthropologist. The crime technicians would photograph the exposed remains and any associated artifacts. A combination of the four people listed above would lift the remains into the body bag(s) that had been labeled by the crime technicians and/or the pathologist's assistant. Evidence found directly associated with remains was photographed and placed in the body bag with the remains. Evidence found not directly associated with remains was photographed and collected separately. Before loading the body bags into the truck and leaving the site, the crime technicians would photograph the remains inside the body bag. Except for Body 7, inside the well at Kramer Selo, all remains found during this project were skeletonized. Frequently, the laborers had disturbed the small bones of the hand and feet while using the pick and these were not totally recovered. Vragolovi Body 1. The grave was on a side of a grass-covered hill behind the ruined houses of the village (Figure 2). The grave was adjacent to an unused well. The body was buried in PHYSICIANS/o/- HUMAN RIGHTS, November

8 fill from the well that was to the side of the well. This was a grave containing a single individual buried about 30 cm below surface. The individual was wearing female clothing and a wedding ring. The witness said the individual should also be wearing earrings, but these were not recovered. Vragolovi Body 2-4. The grave contained three women, the witness' wife and two daughters. The grave was in a refiise pit and roof tiles, wood, and glass were included in the overburden and grave fill. The entire pit was about 2 m by 3 m. The remains were approximately 60 cm deep (Figure 3). There was a blanket over the remains and plastic underneath. The remains themselves were partial and coimningled. Either this was a secondary internment, or the remains had lain on the surface before burial. The three individuals were separated in the field on the basis of age and spatial arrangement. When the remains were initially uncovered three separate vertebral columns could be clearly seen, confirming the witness information and helping to separate the remains. Kramer Selo Body 5. This consisted of a scalier of surface remains consistent with a single individual. During the pre-exhumalion visit, a pelvis and clothing were seen about 5 m from a ruined house. Rocks were placed over the remains during the visit lo prevent further damage to the remains. During the exhumation visit, additional human bone was found scattered in an area about 10 m in diameter. The exhumation team searched the area, placed pinflags by human bones (there were also a great deal of non-human remains in the area), photographed the area, and collected the remains. Kramer Selo Body 6. This was also a scatter of remains on the surface consistent with a single individual. During the prc-exhumation site visit, human skeletal elements were found in a mud depression (cattle wallow) about 5 m by 10 m. The team placed pinflags next to the elements on the surface, photographed the area, and collected the elements. They then used picks and shovels to examine the area for additional elements. Kramer Selo Body 7. These remains were inside a stone-lined underground cistern (Figure 4, 5). The interior of the cistern was accessed by a 40 cm-square manhole, covered by a metal plate. The cistern was about 3 m deep and filled with over 2 m water. The body was floating, front down, in the water (Figure 6). The upper portion of the torso and arms could be seen floating in the water through the manhole. The skull and hands were no longer attached. The team brought a pump and pumped the water out of the well. They used an extension ladder to get to the bottom of the cistern. Mr. Masovic and the pathologist's assistant climbed into the cistern. Mr. MaSovic wore a climber's light attached to his head. They took with them a heavy-duty body bag with plastic handles on the side and collected the remains and placed it into this bag. They tied rope around the handles and with the two men on the bottom pushing the bag up, pulled the remains in the bag to the surface (Figure 7). They then opened the bag and photographed the remains (Figure 8). Kozadre Body 8-9. This was an unmarked area in a Muslim cemetery. During the preexhumation site visit, the team members had found the grave by walking on an area that reverberated with a hollow sound. During exhumation, the team found this hollow sound was made by a metal trough (about 20 cm x 40 cm), that was turned upside-down over the remains (Figure 9). The two bodies were commingled and were separated to the best of the PHYSlCIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

9 excavator's abilities in the field. This was a secondary internment and the remains were disarticulated. Body 8 was a female and lay above Body 9, that of a male. Kozadre Body The witness had said that this location was an execution site as well as a burial site and one.762 cartridge case was found on the ground. No metal detector or other formal means was used to locate additional cases. As the team initially deployed around the area, a scatter of human bone was found in an area near a fence line. About 100 m downhill from the scatter of human bone was a piece of scrap metal covering a well about 1 m in diameter (Figure 10). When workers lifted the metal covering off the well, human remains could be seen inside. The well was dry and the remains began at the ground surface. They continued below the surface over a meter in depth (Figure 11,12). Eight body bags were filled with partial remains and a ninth bag contained skeletal elements not associated with more complete remains. This included six complete cranium found together near the bottom of the mass of remains. Tied around the lower forearms of Body 13 were loops of wire. Wire ligatures were also associated with Body 14. Also with Body 13 was an insurance book, which was placed in the body bag with the body. The disarticulation of the remains and the weathering on the remains suggest the bodies lay on the surface long enough for them to partially decompose and scavengers to remove some of the elements. Then, the remaining groups of elements were placed in the partially filled well and the well covered with a large piece of metal. The team returned to the site 15 September to examine the area for additional skeletal elements. None were found. Gornja Kukavice Body 18. The grave was under a pile of wood debris in a farmyard near a road and outbuildings (Figure 13). The body was approximately 30 cm deep and lay under a plastic bag. It contained a single female skeleton, tightly flexed, with the head to the north (Figure 14). G. Kukavice Body 19. The grave was in a long trench along the side of the road. The trench was covered in grasses and nettles and went northeast to southwest. The laborers started at one end of the trench and dug about 20 cm deep through to the other end of the trench. The body was found about 50 cm deep (Figure 15). A cartridge case was found at the surface at the other end of the trench. The body was wrapped in a blanket and dressed in female clothing (Figure 16). G. Kukavice Bodies During the pre-exhumation site visit in July, the monitor saw human skeletal elements scattered over the side of a hill over an area about 20 m by 5 m. The Bosniak team had photographs of two nearly complete skeletons in this location, which they said were taken in May of this year. It was clear that we were in the same area as the photographs, but the surface remains did not exist as in the photograph. There were scattered skeletal elements and artifacts lying on the ground in an area approximately 50 m in length. These included a tarsal, a proximal fragment of femur, a lumbar vertebra, a cigarette case, and numerous cloth fragments. In the Forensic Monitor's experience, the remaining scatter would be consistent with the collection of a surface scatter by untrained personnel who may not recognize all elements as human and who tend to leave small elements uncollected. The PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November 1998 S

10 remaining material was collected, but the Forensic Monitor was not present during the collection. G. Kukavice Body 22. The Monitor was not present during the collection of these surface remains. During the pre-exhumation site visit in July, the Monitor saw no human skeletal elements in the area. The Bosniak team had a photograph of a nearly complete skeleton in this location, which they said was taken in May It appeared that between May and July, most of the skeleton had been removed G. Kukavice Body 23. The remains were in the corner of an abandoned, ruined house (Figure 17). The laborers cleared the debris from the house until they encountered charred fragments of bone. Then the area was troweled by the pathologist, the PFTR Forensic Monitor and the Forensic Anthropologist. Flour screens were used to screen the soil and debris and find the bone fragments. A portion of the vertebral column was found intact. The rest of the remains consisted of charred and calcined bone fragments (Figure 18). Cadovina Body 24. The grave was in a grass-covered field with little demarcation. It was the grave of a single individual, covered with a five-board tabut (Figure 19). The cranium and the edge of the individual's shoe stuck out from under the ends of the tabut. The tabut was removed and the skeleton was covered in soil and leaf litter (Figure 20). The individual was lying supine about 60 cm below the ground surface. Slijvno Cemetery Body This was in a Muslim cemetery, which was apparently untended for a number of years. During the pre-exhumation site visit, a burrow (fox den?) was present on one end. A longbone was present on the surface thai had evidence of animal gnawing on one end. There were three parallel individual graves, each in a trench about 2.3 m long, 1.2 m wide, and lm deep. Each body was covered by a tabut with the head at the west end of the trench. The laborers excavated the trench only to the sides of the bodies, leaving little room to work, except by standing on the body. The hands and feet of most of the remains were no longer present when the PHR Forensic Monitor got into the grave(s) lo examine the remains and complete the cleaning. Only in Body 27, which was still wearing socks, did the foot bones remain. Kopljevidi Body 28. This was a marked grave in a small, established Muslim cemetery. The body was covered by a tabut and was about 60 cm deep. The grave was east to west and about 2 m long by 80 cm wide. Under the tabut, the bod> was covered by a blanket. The individual was an adult male, which fit the witness description. Pasic Kula I Bodies The witness said there were two bodies inside the house (Figure 21, 22). He pointed out the corner of the room containing the bodies and the laborers began removing the debris. A grenade fragment was found in the debris over the bodies. The laborers began to find fragmented human elements, and the team switched to the use of trowels, the PHR Forensic Monitor assisting. The team and the Monitor brought out round flour screens and the soil was shoveled into these screens and the fragmented, charred skeletal elements removed. In all, four plastic bags were filled with charred and calcined remains (Figure 23). Three bullets, at least one of which was 9 mm, were also recovered through screening. Pasic Kula 1 Body 31. Two witnesses, a man and a woman, pinpointed the grave area exactly, between a ruined house and a line of plum trees (Figure 21, 24). The grave lay north PHYSIClANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

11 to south. The individual was uncovered at about 15 cm below surface, lying on her back, wrapped in a blanket and with her head in the cast end of the grave (Figure 25). Rakitnica Bodies These bodies consisted of surface remains scattered in a dirl road and along the side of the road (Figure 26). During the pre-exhumation site visit, the Bosniak exhumation learn said that during a site visit in May 1998, three pairs of shoes of shoes and human remains were lying next to the road near a log pile. During the pre-exhumation site visit, none of that material was present (Figure 27). There was an ulna, a cranial fragment, and a femur scattered on the roadside and adjacent bushes at that time. The cranial fragment and femur were from unusually small, adult individual(s), and the ulna was much larger. On the north side of the road a.762 cartridge case was found. The Bosniak team photographed and collected the case. Al the time of the exhumation visit, a cranial fragment lay on top of the ground near the log cribbing, this element had not been present during the July visit. The team completed a surface survey in a random manner and placed pinflags next to clothing, skeletal elements, and cartridge cases. The team also searched the creek below and found fragments of two crania. One of the fragments found in the creek conjoined with the cranial fragment next to the log cribbing. Bodies 32 and 33 were found together and the remains separated on the basis of size and gender (Figure 28). One was a large male and the other an extremely small female. Seven.762 cartridge cases were found in the road by these two individuals, and an eighth case from a larger, unknown, caliber. The stamps on the cases are as follows (the letters indicate the place of manufacture, the numbers indicate the date of manufacture): K 1980 (two cases with this stamp) nily 1984 (two cases with this stamp) HK 1979 (one case with this stamp) HK 1980 (two cases with this stamp) These stamps indicate that the cartridge cases were manufactured in the former Yugoslavia between 1979 and The stamp on the eighth case had an "11" on top and "52" on the bottom, and a live-pointed star on each of the sides. Body 34 was approximately 100 m further down the road to the west (Figure 29, 30). Scattered skeletal elements were found in the road. The elements in the road had extremely weathered and exfoliated pcricortal material, indicating that they were probably exposed to the weather for quite some time. Clothing and larger elements were found off the side of the road to the south. Clothing was also found in the road. A single.762 cartridge case was found in the road in proximity to this body. The stamp was "HK 1981" Mesici Bodies The witness said that this was the burial of four women. The area showed on the BiHMAC maps as being near a potential minefield. The team had a de-miner work a path from the parking area about 100 m down a grassy slope to the grave area using a metal detector and a probe. The site around the grave was also examined the same way and an area taped off for the observers and workers to stand (Figure 31). When the de-miner had completed his job, the team had the observers stand inside the cleared area. Laborers then began using picks and shovels in the area indicated by the witness as the grave area. Three plastic burlap-like bags were in the grave about 30 cm below the surface (Figure PHYSICIANS_/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

12 32). Each of the bags was placed in a separate body bag and carried up the slope. The bags were not the size of an articulated body and it was clear that this was a secondary internment. Kozadre Body 39. These remains consisted of scattered skeletal elements found around a ruined house in Kozadre. The team used pinflags to mark the location of elements found, and then photographed and collected the remains. There was a cranium, one innominate, vertebrae, and ribs present. Postmortem Examination Findings The autopsies were carried out 9-10 September 1998 at the mortuary in Visoko. Dr. Ilamza Zujo, Forensic Pathologist, presided over the autopsies. The same pathology assistants were present as were in the field. The general procedure was to carry the body into the postmortem examination room, unzip the body bag, photograph the remains, describe the clothing, and examine the body for gender, age, trauma, and cause of death. The Forensic Monitor was present for all autopsies and participated in a minor role of assisting in separating commingled remains and consulting on age, gender, and trauma. The body of Kozadre 39 was examined 25 September 1998, with Dr. Jill Gould participating as PHR Forensic Monitor. Vragolovi Body 1. The remains were those of a woman over 60 years old. She was clothed in a red hand-made sweater, a black bra, multi-colored sports pants, with pajamas underneath. The woman had a necklace and a ring, both of which were recognized by the family. The right side of the cranium was badly fractured, probably through a gunshot wound. The pathologist determined the cause of death to be gunshot wound to the head. Vragolovi Body 2-4. These three skeletal female bodies were commingled. Too many skeletal elements were missing to determine cause of death. Body 3 had a defect in the right scapula. Body 4 had a gunshot wound to the right innominate. One body was definitely older and showed signs of osteoarthritis. This was probably the mother. According to the husband/ father, the daughters would have been aged 30 and 33 at the time of death and the other bodies were consistent with this. Kramer Selo Body 5-6. Bodies 5 and 6 came from the same grave and the witness said they should be the remains of one male and one female. Body 5 was the male skeleton. The right side of the innominate was fused with the sacrum, possibly indicating a healed fracture premortem. Identification papers and eyeglasses were found with the remains. No cranium was present. Too few skeletal elements of Body 5 remained to determine cause of death. Body 6 was that of a much smaller female. There was trauma to the left side of the skull, which was a probable gunshot wound to the left parietal. Kramer Selo Body 7. This body was found floating in a well and saponified tissue was included in the remains. A cloth amulet was found around the chest. There was trauma to the left side of the face, but this may or may not have been postmortem. No bullet holes were seen in the clothing, or in the rest of the remains. The cause of death remained undetermined. Kozadre Body 8-9. Body 8 was that of a female. The cause of death remained undetermined Body 9 was that of a male with an upper dental plate. The skulls were intact on both sets of PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

13 remains. Body 9 had a gunshot wound to the right innominate. Both bodies were identified by relatives. Kozadre Body This group of skeletal remains were commingled in a dry well. They were brought into the postmortem examination room together, along with elements placed in the last body bag that was filled with skeletal elements not associated with more complete remains. This included six intact skulls. An attempt was made to re-associate the remains; this lasted about 20 minutes. The families were then brought in to see if they could recognize the clothing or the shoes and to help to re-associate the remains. As the remains were identified and names associated with them, the body bags were carried out of the postmortem examination room. After this, they were brought back in to the room for postmortem examination singly. One bullet was found with the group, which appeared to be a.762 caliber. Kozadre Body 10. The individual was male, and based on the pubic symphysis was about years old. There was severe trauma to the facial portion of the cranium and to the right innominate. The individual was dressed in pants that were recognized by the family. The cause of death was not determined. Kozadre Body 11. After the commingled remains were rcassociated, this number was no longer assigned to a body. Kozadre Body 12. These remains were not identified at time of postmortem examination. This was an adult male about years old. There was a gunshot wound to the left innominate and femur - the corresponding holes could be seen in the pants. The entrance was in the rear, the exit in the front of the body. The cause of death was gunshot wound. Kozadre Body 13. This was an adult male. There was a gunshot wound to the right scapula. This individual had wire ligatures around the forearms (Figure 33). The cause of death was gunshot wound. Kozadre Body 14. These were the remains of an adult male. The cause of death was gunshot wound to the right clavicle. The witness said the individual was 62 years old, and the remains are consistent with this. The witness also said there should be a healed fracture in the leg, and there was trauma that could result from a healed break on the distal end of one of the femurs. Kozadre Body 15. These were the remains of an adult male with a gunshot wound to the left innominate (Figure 34). The front tooth also had a peg for a cap on it, which was recognized by the family. A lighter was also found with the remains. The cause of death was gunshot wound. Kozadre Body 16. These were the remains of a very young individual. The epiphyses of many of the longbones were yet unfused, leading to an age estimate of about The red briefs he was wearing were recognized by the family. Their son was born in 1973, which is consistent with the age of the remains. The skull showed signs of burning, and the facial portion was not intact. There was a gunshot wound to the left innominate. The cause of death was gunshot wound. PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

14 Kozadre Body 17. These were the remains of an adult male with gunshot wound to the proximal right humerus (Figure 35). No additional trauma was noted. The cause of death was gunshot wound. Gornja Kukavice Body 18. These were the complete remains of an adult female. Both the left and right humeri were broken. The vertrebrac showed signs of both scoliosis and osteoporosis. The cause of death was undetermined. G. Kukavice Body 19. These were the almost complete remains of an adult female. In addition to other clothing, she was wearing a Samija, a head covering used by some Muslim females. There was a gunshot wound to the abdomen, passing through the ribs from the right side through the left. There were corresponding holes in the clothing. The mandible was broken peri-mortem. The cause of death was gunshot wound. G. Kukavice Bodies These were extremely fragmentary and partial skeletal remains collected from the surface. The initial assemblage constituted no more than 20 elements. An additional plastic bag of skeletal elements was brought by the relatives. During a time the Bosniaks held the village, the relatives had gone to collect the remains. They had been run off the area by enemy forces and did not finish the collection. There were two right scapuli in the assemblage, confirming that a minimum of two individuals were represented. Neither gender nor age could be determined from the remains. The two individuals were supposed to differ greatly in age. one having been bom in the other much younger. The remains were separated into two bags. Those exhibiting signs of age such as arthritis, osteoporosis, or extreme wear on the muscle attachments were given number 20. The potentially younger remains were assigned number 21. No trauma was seen on any of the skeletal elements in the assemblage and cause of death was not determined for either individual. G. Kukavice Body 22. These were extremely fragmentary and partial skeletal remains collected from the surface. Less than ten skeletal elements constituted the assemblage. Neither gender nor age could be determined from the remains. No trauma was seen on any of the skeletal elements in the assemblage and cause of death was not determined. G. Kukavice Body 23. This was a partial and fragmentary assemblage, as the bodies were burned. The assemblage consisted of fragmentary charred and calcined bone fragments. Based on a rib end, the age of the individual was estimated to be about years old. The witness said the woman who was burned in the house was 33 years old. No trauma was seen on any of the skeletal elements in the assemblage and cause of death was not determined. Cadovina Body 24. This was the relatively complete skeleton of an adult male. The relatives had said there was a gunshot wound to the knee, and the remains exhibited trauma to the right knee. Without the witness information, this trauma would not have been identified as a gunshot would. There was also unidentified trauma to the right hip and pelvis. Based on witness testimony, the cause of death was gunshot wound. Slijvno Cemetery Body 25. These were the fairly complete remains of an adult male about years old. The cranium was intact, exhibiting no trauma. The relatives said they believed one leg had been amputated. The left tibia and fibula were incomplete on the distal PHYSICIANS./br HUMAN RIGHTS, November

15 end, but were not cut in a clean, surgical maimer (Figure 36). The cause of death was undetermined. Slijvno Cemetery Body 26. These were the fairly complete remains of an adult male about years old. There was a gunshot wound to the occipital. The entrance hole was 8 mm in diameter. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. Slijvno Cemetery Body 27. These were the fairly complete remains of an adult male about years old. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the right scapula. No other trauma was apparent. Kopljevici Body 28. The remains were those of a male, about years old. There were multiple gunshot wounds to the abdomen, including one to a left rib (8?). Some of the vertebrae were also shattered in a manner consistent with gunshot wounds. Both clavicles showed signs of peri-mortem trauma. The right femur was broken. There was also a healed fracture in one of the femurs. The father said that his son was born in 1958 and had broken his leg at one time. He also said that his son had been shot in the ribs. The father said that "the Chetniks" had tortured his son by cutting Serbian crosses in his flesh. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds. Basic Kula I Bodies The remains consisted of four bags of charred and calcined fragmented remains. Neither gender nor age could be determined from the remains. Two second cervical vertebrae were present, so a minimum of two individuals were represented. The remains were divided into two piles, and placed in separate body bags for burial (Figure 37). The relatives were present and told that further separation would be impossible and accepted the solution. One of the relatives mentioned that one of the individuals had a wire (pin?) in one hand. The remains were examined for this, but the pin was not found. The cause of death was undetermined. Two cartridge cases and a bullet were collected at the site. The head stamps on the cases were obliterated due to the fire. The bullet was a.765 caliber. One case was a.765mm, the other a.762 mm. Basic Kula RBody 31. This was a relatively complete skeletal assemblage representing an adult male over 60 years old. The witnesses said the man they buried was born in the late 1930's, making the identification consistent with the remains. There was a gunshot wound to the side. The witnesses said that the man was found wounded, in the woods, moved to his house, and died seven days after they found him. His neighbors wrapped him in a blanket and buried him. The cause of death was gunshot wound. Rakitnica Bodies Bodies 32 and 33 were commingled and separated in the field on the basis of size. Seven cartridge cases were found at the site around the bodies, and an eighth was found at the postmortem examination in the sod with the clothing. It was a.762 case with the headstamp "HK 1980". Rakitnica Body 32. These were the fragmentary remains of a small female. There was no visible peri-mortem trauma to the remains or visible cause of death. There was a pocketknife in the clothes with the remains. PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November

16 Rakitnica Body 33. This was the partial remains of a larger male. There was trauma to the facial portion of the skull, leaving the calvarium intact. Part of a dental plate was found with the remains. There were too few remains to determine cause of death. Rakitnica Body 34. These were the partial remains of an adult male. The relatives identified the hand-made sweater and socks. A pocket watch and a key were also found with the remains. No cranium was found. There were fractures to the humerus and femur that the pathologist decided were post-mortem. There was no visible trauma on the remaining elements indicating cause of death. Mesici Bodies The skeletal remains of four bodies had been collected and placed in three plastic burlap-like bags exhumed by the team. The witness said that the bodies had been partially burned at some point. Some skeletal elements showed signs of charring, but none were calcined or fragmented due to burning. The three bags contained the commingled, partial remains of the four individuals. During the postmortem examination, the bags were opened and placed onto three body bags, a fourth bag was opened and received duplicate elements from the remaining bags. Four forensic pathologists, a forensic anthropologist, and an archaeologist worked at separating the assemblages for close to an hour. At that point, the pathologist completed the postmortem examination. Mesici Body 35. These were the remains of an adult female over 60 years old. There was a gold bracelet, recognized by the relatives, with the remains. There was trauma to the mandible and maxilla, but no cause of death was determined. Mesici Body 36. This was an adult female. There was no peri-mortem trauma on the elements present and the cause of death was undetermined. Mesici Body 37. This was an adult female. The cranium was intact and showed no sign of trauma. There was no peri-mortem trauma on the elements present and the cause of death was undetermined. Mesici Body 38. This was an adult female. She was wearing a green samija. There was a gunshot wound to the skull, determined to be the cause of death. The entrance was 10 mm in diameter. Kozadre Body 39. These were the remains of a young male adult, about years old. There was no peri-mortem trauma on the elements present and the cause of death was undetermined. Of the 38 remains collected from the Rogatica area, 18 were identified as male and 14 as female. The majority of the cases were middle-aged, between years old, with four cases of individuals over 60 years old. The cause of death (COD) remained undetermined for the majority of the remains (n=21). For four cases, COD was a gunshot wound to the head, for 13 additional cases COD was gunshot wound to other portions of the body. Seven of these individuals suffered gunshot wounds to the hip area. According to witness testimony, the cause of death should probably be gunshot wound, or multiple gunshot wounds in all cases, but this was only seen in the postmortem examination in less than half the cases. This is probably due to the fragmentary nature of the burned remains, and the partial nature of many of the remaining cases. PHYSICIANS for HUMAN RIGHTS, November 1998 IS

17 Figure 1. The area of Rogatica and the surrounding villages where the exhumations occurred. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

18 Figure 2. Vragolovi. Overview of grave area of Body 1 while de-miner using probe to clear the taped area. Figure 3. Vragolovi. Bodies 2-4 before exhumation. PHYSIClANS/w- HUMAN RIGHTS, November

19 Figure 4. Kramer Selo. Site map of area with body in cistem. PHYSICIANS/or IRJMAN RIGHTS, November 1998

20 Figure5. Kramer Selo. Overview of site area, view to northeast. People in background gathered around the cistern. Figure 6. Kramer Selo. Body floating in water in well. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

21 Figure 7. Kramer Selo. Mr. MaSovic coming out of well. Body bag to right. igure 8. Kramer Selo. Body 7 after removal from well. PHYSIClANSybr HUMAN RIGHTS, November

22 4 -^a.- *«*y-- - i»vr- T S*!W** &J&".?a.-'<< I * -. *' j*'«* y, 31 «* *! " * '!,Vi; ** Figure 9. Kramer Selo. Bodies 8 and 9 after the metal box was removed. View to the southeast. > *«'«««hfe: Figure 10. Kozarde. Metal plate over well where Bodies were found. PHYSlCIANS/o;- HUMAN RIGHTS, November

23 Figure 11. Kozarde. First three bodies in well, pulled partially out for photograph. Figure 12.- Kozarde. Body 16 before removal. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

24 0- >- Q CO O CO LU Z cn 0 ID UJ L-J > < ^ N Ll_l 1 < l_> t>o 0 I 0 < O cr l_j Figure 13. Kukavice. Site map for location of body 18. PHYSIC1ANS./CV HUMAN RIGHTS, November

25 Figure 14. Kukavice. Body 18 before removal from grave. Figure 15. Kukavice. Body 19 uncovered in grave. PHYSICIANS/w HUMAN RIGHTS, November

26 Figure 16. Kukavicc. Body 19 after removal from grave and the blanket was partially unwrapped. Figure 17. Kukavice. The house in which Body 23 was found. PHYSICIANS/w HUMAN RIGHTS. November : :

27 Figure 18. Kukavice. The charred and scattered remains of Body 23. Figure 19. Cadovina. View to west. Tabut over Body 24. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

28 Figure 20. Cadovina. Body 24 before removal from grave. PlIYSICIANSydrHUIVIAN RIGHTS, November 1998 "J

29 Figure 21. Pa$ic" Kula. Sketch map of area containing Bodies PHYSICIANS/^/-HUMAN RIGHTS, November

30 Figure 22. Pasic Kula. House containing two bodies. View to northwest. Figure 23. PaSic Kula. Area in which Bodies 29 and 30 were found. Plastic bags contain the remains. PHYSICIANS/w HUMAN RIGHTS, November

31 0TO ' rt* Figure 24. m. PaSic Kula. View to the north. Overview of grave of Body 31. Sej id Koso in background. W ~~*-?.' * & **k. Figure 25. PaSic Kula. Body 31 before removal from grave. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November

32 Figure 26. Rakitnica. Sketch map of portion of road containing human remains. PHYSIClANS/dr HUMAN RIGHTS, November 1998

33 Figure 27. Rakitnica. View to east. Log cribbing. Pinflags mark location of remains and evidence. Figure 28. Rakitnica. Remains of Body 33 after re-sorting of skeletal elements. Body 32 to right. PHYSIClANS/w HUMAN RIGHTS. November 1998

34 Figure 29. Rakitnica. Area of body 34. Pin flags mark location of remains and evidence. Figure 30. Rakitnica. Remains of Body 34 after excavation. PHYSICIANS/w- HUMAN RIGHTS, November

35 KOGATICA EXHUMATIONS B» "» -an tieshmhh Figure 31. Mesici. View to west. Area before excavation. Figure 32. Mesici. Bags containing remains before removal from grave. PHYSIClANSybr HUMAN RIGHTS, November

36 Figure 33. Kozarde 13. Wire ligature around forearm. Figure 34. Kozarde 15. Arrow points to gunshot wound to the innominate. PHYSICIANS/^ HUMAN RIGHTS, November

37 Figure 35. Kozarde 17. Arrow shows trajectory of gunshot wound to proximal right humerus. I Figure 36. Slijvno Cemetery Body 25. Left tibia and fibula. PHYSICIANS/or HUMAN RIGHTS, November