HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN EASTERN SLAVONIA

For many of the non-Serb, as well as some of the Serb, civilians who remained in Eastern Slavonia after Serbs seized control of the region in 1991, the past five and one-half years have been a period of relentless fear of abuse and humiliation at the hands of Serb authorities and civilians. On the whole, non-Serbs living in Eastern Slavonia still remained, in mid-March 1997, fearful and hesitant to talk in detail about the conditions under which they had lived since 1991. Nevertheless, certain aspects of life during this period are evident.

In many areas, Serb leaders forced mostly non-Serbs into labor gangs that worked primarily to dig trenches near front-line positions. The use of labor gangs seem to have ceased before the arrival of UNTAES. Former members of these labor gangs who were interviewed by Human Rights Watch/Helsinki reported that they were not paid for their work and were poorly fed and clothed, even during winter. In some towns, men were taken away from their families for up to three months at a time to dig trenches and carry munitions in these labor gangs; in other towns, the men were permitted to return to their home each night. While Human Rights Watch/Helsinki did not hear allegations that these labor gangs were forced to work in combat areas, we did hear that they regularly worked near the front lines. In 1993, three persons on their way to digging trenches at front lines near the town of Ilok were killed and six were wounded when their transport tractor ran over an anti-tank mine.50 In at least one town, even men in their sixties were pressed into these gangs.51

While Human Rights Watch/Helsinki was told that only men were forced into these labor gangs, many civilians, especially older non-Serb women who were living alone, were forced to accept Serb "boarders" into theirhouses. These women were then forced to cook and clean for the boarders, without pay.52 The boarders were typically displaced Serbs from the Krajina and Sector West.

Non-Serbs were regularly beaten and had their property stolen. Several people alluded to more serious abuses, such as killings and rapes, but were too fearful to discuss them in detail. In general, non-Serbs who opposed Serb rule of the region expressed hope that the period of occupation was coming to an end, but also expressed sharp awareness that they remained extremely vulnerable to such abuses during the period leading up to the transition of authority.

This historical context is important to understanding the significance of the steady movement of property from the region into Serbia. Serbs who are planning to leave Eastern Slavonia have been moving furniture, farming equipment and houses out of Eastern Slavonia - including materials not belonging to them. Even in early 1997, there were numerous reports of trucks leaving Eastern Slavonia loaded with materials, much of them plundered from the houses of displaced Croats. The events of the past five years make it all the more important that UNTAES prevent this final round of abuse against non-Serbs in the region, and also prevent the additional resentment and hostility that would be generated among Croats inside and outside the region at a time when a spirit of reconciliation will be critical.

UNTAES Civilian Police monitors report that TPF has arrested looters in some instances, such as those involved in the plunder and attempted removal of factory equipment and the removal of the fruits of illegal logging. Such actions are to be applauded. However, trucks continue to pass daily through the UNTAES-monitored border checkpoints with material, much of it allegedly looted. UNTAES acknowledges that looting is going on but argues that there is little that can be done. Each truck loaded with property passing through the checkpoints must produce a "title" document issued by municipal authorities which lists the property that is being taken across the border. However, this document is essentially a rubber-stamp, requiring only two witnesses to state that the items listed on the document belong to the person claiming them. There is no means or attempt to ascertain title to any of the property. Once this document is shown to TPF and UNTAES border monitors, the holder of the document is free to take his shipment into Vojvodina. When Human Rights Watch/Helsinki went to the Erdut border crossing, a truck with a large trailer passed through without even cursory inspection by either TPF or the border monitor; the driver needed only to show the UNTAES border monitor's translator the title document to cross. In this particular case, the border monitor tried to justify his cursory review of the shipment by saying to Human Rights Watch/Helsinki that the truck driver was making a partial move, although we had already spoken to the driver and learned that he was moving permanently to Serbia.53

At other crossings, Human Rights Watch/Helsinki did encounter UNTAES border monitors who were significantly more engaged in their task. In Ilok, for example, border monitors were gathering considerably more data about those leaving the region, including asking the reasons why they were leaving. While many of these questions elicited only brief, formulaic responses, the more detailed approach also produced some detailed answers, including in one case the names of persons who the departing family believed were behind the telephoned threats that ultimately convinced them they would not be safe after the transition of authority.

It is crucial that UNTAES make greater efforts to stop looting as the transition process continues. Otherwise, all of Eastern Slavonia may face the problems that arose during the transfer of authority of the suburbs of Sarajevoin February and March 1996, such as the widespread destruction of houses.54 In some regions of Eastern Slavonia, individual Serbs are already threatening to wage a scorched-earth campaign when they leave the region. As a practical matter, the looting of property with impunity also increases the anger and resentment among displaced Croats who are waiting to return and are well aware that little will be left by the time they arrive.